Soundtracks: December

Nouvelle France (2004) ///

Nouvelle France (2004) Though of course I'm biased, Patrick Doyle's music remains sublime. Brimming with gorgeous themes and grand orchestral colours, it's exciting, playful and ultimately moving. Love theme provides basis for quietly searing Celine Dion song.

Music Notes: Nouvelle France

Despite the weeks, and often months, spent in post-production, there's always a sense of tension and relief when everyone gathers for the music recording sessions. Relief because it means completion is near, with the final mix hurtling into view. Tension since, especially with a large-scale orchestra, this is the first time the music will be heard in it's truest form. In more recent times, the sophistication of mocks-up using library samples makes the process less of a revelation, or risk, depending on your view – which in itself has some drawbacks since the immediate interaction can be creatively exciting.

In any case, one of the most exciting parts of these sessions is being with the actual musicians as they perform. The recording of the score for Nouvelle France provided a thrilling and emotional example. Patrick Doyle composed a quite beautiful score, thematically based, bursting with the feeling and scope that the historical love story required.

He chose Prague in the Czech Republic to make use of the exquisite string players. (This is a country where they celebrate the birth of a child as the birth of a new musician.)

The combination of gorgeous music with the ability to sit in the middle of the orchestra as the players actually perform is a pleasure which remains a privilege. As the only member of the production team present when the full 100 piece ensemble first gathered, I was part of the introductions made by Patrick and then placed right in the centre. It only took a rehearsal of the first cue for me to immediately be on the phone to the producers to quit breakfast and get to the studio as fast as possible.

The resultant emotion was undeniable. As the notes soared, even the most hardened couldn't help the tears, especially when you feel the feeling that emanates from every instrument. As Patrick stated: “They have such soul in their playing.”

We were in Prague for a week and the result was a musical soundtrack that was all we could have hoped for. The film may have suffered from distribution issues, including the release of the wrong edit outside Canada, and certainly deserves more recognition, but the album was a real success. The mix, as well as sequencing and mastering, were completed at Air-Edel Studios in London. And I was pleased that I was able to get in a short, delicate harp intro over a bed of strings inserted into one of my favourite tracks.

The film and soundtrack also features an evocative song performed by Celine Dion that was recorded in Las Vegas. Stripping down the production and highlighting the vocals make it a minor gem.

A couple of album reviews:

Movie Music UK review

Main Titles review

The production was a Canada / UK / France, filmed in both French and English. Part of the deal necessitated a British composer. I remember arriving in Montreal during the studio shoot and our director, Jean, telling us that he wanted Peter Gabriel - that he would provide something 'different'. Not doubting Peter's skill, but we never spoke about it again. Patrick was always our first choice.

One missing aspect from the recording sessions. For the devastating conclusion, a soprano, a wordless solo voice, sang to the loss of our heroine and a nation. It was removed from the album mix, though it remains in the film. Perhaps a future release can restore it as an alternative.

for sample music tracks, original album liner notes and full credits see:

Music Notes - Nouvelle France

Soundtracks: November

Hellbound Hellraiser II (Christopher Young,1988)

The Last Starfighter (Craig Safan,1984)

The Boy Who Could Fly (Bruce Broughton, 1986)

Dracula (James Bernard, 1958)

City Slickers (Marc Shaiman, 1994) ///

Hellbound Hellraiser II (1988) Christopher Young / Massive musical barrage, an alternately glorious and devilish assault on the senses created and played with epic style. Immersive density of orchestration is well suited to some unnerving sounds and often quite beautiful tracks.

The Last Starfighter (1984) Craig Safan / Packed with sweeping themes, lilting fanfares and explosive action. Well served highlights on initial release, later Intrada edition fleshed out complete score, including sublime final track (though misses two very 80s songs!).

The Boy Who Could Fly (1986) Bruce Broughton / Joyous, lyrical score that is poignantly delicate and grandly soaring, moving and exhilarating. Original album was a London re-recording, 20 years later  soundtrack release revealed expanse of ideas. Gorgeous and essential.

Dracula (1958) James Bernard / Moody and darkly majestic, dense, frenzied musical clusters that gnaw away and develop an increasing sense of unease, before a cathartic resolution in The Final Battle. 2019 Prague re-recording includes  gorgeous Rhapsody For Lucy coda.

City Slickers (1994) Marc Shaiman / Equal parts romantic Americana, full bodied pastiche and rousing Western action, all marvelously entertaining. Album includes diverse highlights from thematic heart, if not full narrative development. Malleable love theme also becomes decent song.

Soundtracks: October

Basic Instinct (1982) Jerry Goldsmith
The Fury (1978) John Williams
Backdraft (1991) Hans Zimmer 
The Ghost And Mrs. Muir (1947) Bernard Herrmann
Love And Monsters (2020) Marco Beltrami & Marcus Trumpp ///

Basic Instinct (1982) Jerry Goldsmith / Sumptuous, mesmerizing strings weave an undulating tone poem that ebbs and flows, occasionally punctuated by savage drama. The expanded album provides added depth and variety to themes and motifs, which remain decadent and threatening.

The Fury (1978) John Williams / The original soundtrack recording provides a layered narrative, brimming with powerful themes and vivid orchestration. The LSO recording elevates to a dark intensity, performed with a wrenching sweep and ferocity that builds to a grand conclusion.

Backdraft (1991) Hans Zimmer / A winning blend of orchestra and electronics that succeeds both allied to images as well as standalone. Remixed album tracks highlight the anthemic sound, a propulsive listen that alternately growls and soars. Unapologetically blunt and emotional.

The Ghost And Mrs. Muir (1947) Bernard Herrmann / Achingly gorgeous themes and orchestration, full-on romanticism that carries us on a journey shot through with melancholy, loss and final liberation. Elmer Bernstein conducted a fine re-recording. The original soundtrack is essential.

Love And Monsters (2020) Marco Beltrami & Marcus Trumpp / Playful and exciting, an energetic, resolutely thematic score that builds tension well towards the final, hopeful release. A rounded, propulsive orchestral sound and a natural flow to the musical ideas are very appealing.

Music Swirling Everywhere

Music & Film:

Having always been a fan of movie soundtracks, of all genres and ages, it has always surprised me how music cannot be as celebrated as other aspects of movie making.  A generalization of course. And the ongoing vogue for more soundscape-like scores means studio films have such a similar (and processed) sound. Another generalization, of course, but the style is very different from some of the great music coming out of Europe and Asia.

I have always felt that music is another vital and primary element to the cinematic experience. Communicating directly with the audience - sometimes on a thrilling, propulsive level, sometimes on a quiet, sensory level, always with an intention to elevate the emotions and understanding of what you are watching, and often with the ability to reveal undercurrents that aren't even immediately obvious on the screen.

I don't pretend to be a qualified in the analysis of music structure or composition, although I did perform duties as a music editor once. An unfortunate breakdown in the information passed between the composer, orchestrator and myself after the spotting sessions meant that the timing of one of the climactic cues was way out when recorded against the reel.

Much argument in the control room followed, although I believe tempered by the fact that the music and the playing by the fabulous Munich orchestra was so perfect that a solution had to be found. (Perhaps also that the 80 musicians waiting in the studio were not cheap and the recording sessions were already tight in terms of time!)

What I also felt was that the design and texture of the cue gave the scenes added emotion and helped audience understanding. The answer was that the scenes were re-edited. And the film was better for it.

The thing I love about the music recording is the ability to be with the orchestra. How many times do you get the chance to sit amongst the strings or the horns and hear and feel the full sweep of the orchestra all around you - whether it's a 10 piece band or a 100 piece symphony ensemble. Always so incredibly exciting.

The first experience of this was for a TV show. Since the series was about film, we always wanted it to 'sound' big. The first season's budget meant only an electronic theme was produced. But the popularity of the series meant a larger budget and the ability to strike a deal for a full orchestral recording with RCA.

It was genuinely exciting to step into the old CTS Studios in London and hear the National Philharmonic playing the main theme and then an especially arranged love theme. It was well worth it - the opening title music became a hugely popular part of the series throughout the following five seasons.

This was the primary, thematic jolt for an audience, a memorable and identifying tune.

Burying into your subconscious or sweeping you away on flights of the imagination, music has so many roles to play.

Best Of British / Composed by: Rob Waugh / Arranged & Conducted by: Nicholas Raine / Performed by: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

 Rainbow / Composed by: Alan Reeves / Conducted by: Alan Wilson / Orchestrator: Richard Bronskill / Performed by: Munich Symphony Orchestra