Gala screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho

CARE International has joined forces with the Empire, Leicester Square, to present a special gala screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s seminal classic, Psycho, with its iconic score by Bernard Herrmann. Released in 1960, Psycho changed everything – pushing the boundaries of screen horror and delivering some of the best known scenes in all movies. Herrmann’s score, written only for strings, is simply one of the greatest film scores ever created. This screening is a rare opportunity to experience Psycho on one of the biggest and best screens in the country – and raise money for CARE International.

Many of the composers appearing in the Concert for CARE will be present at the Empire and will take part in a unique mega-Q&A after the screening, discussing Herrmann’s score and looking back on film music in the last 50 years. There will also be a chance to meet the composers and our other very special guests to get signed CDs and DVDs.

A rare opportunity to see Hitchcock's seminal classic on one of the biggest and best screens in the UK. Released in 1960, Psycho changed cinema forever, pushing the boundaries of screen horror and providing some of the best-known scenes in all movies. Bernard Herrmann's visceral score is simply one of the greatest film scores ever created.

A larcenous Phoenix real–estate secretary Marion Crane (Leigh) picks the wrong place to spend a night: The bates Motel (12 cabins, 12 vacancies, 12 showers), run by a peculiar young man (Perkins) and his crotchety old ‘mother‘. Based on Robert Bloch‘s novel, the film‘s numerous set pieces remain unsurpassed (the superbly edited shower sequence, storyboarded by Saul Bass is one of the most influential in film history), with the film having accrued the reputation as the master of all suspense movies.

This screening forms part of David Arnold's Concert for CARE, a major event at the Royal Albert Hall on October 18th featuring some of the biggest names in film music. Many of the composers, including David Arnold, John Ottman, Harry Gregson-Williams, John Powell, George Fenton, Rachel Portman and Dario Marianelli will also attend the Psycho screening and will take part in an exclusive Q&A on film scoring following the Psycho screening.

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam

Gala screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho

Where:
Empire Leicester Square, 5-6 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7NA

When:
9.30am, Sun 17t Oct 2010

More info & tickets:
Over at the Empire website

Mike Figgis - Film + Music Festival

Trumpeter/film director/composer Figgis continues his esoteric program of live music at Kings Place over this week. Expect guest appearances, multimedia presentations, film and music.


Wednesday 15 September
Sound, Music and Film
Film director Mike Figgis is fascinated by the powerful psychological effect of film scores on the drama. Tonight he demonstrates his ideas with a live mix of his film ‘Timecode’, changing the score and the mix to illustrate the amazing potential of the music.

Thursday 16 September
The Mike Figgis Theatre Group
Three multi media performances written by Mike Figgis. Each combines film with live performance and live music.

Redheugh, 1980
'The Airfield at Tangmere'; 'At Mrs Dyson’s'; 'Die Welle'; 'Ist er Das?'

Slow Fade (aka The House C4), 1982
'Opium'; 'Sexual Love'; 'Riga'; 'Slow Fades the Light'

Animals of the City, 1983
'This Hotel Room'; 'On Ellis Island'; 'I Have No Shadow'; 'Story of a Tragic Love'

Friday 17 September
Past, Present and Future: Rosey Chan and Friends
Rosey Chan on pianowith guests, including Mike Figgis
A haunting performance, featuring classically-trained pianist/performance artist Chan and Lebanese singer Hamden. Combining video projections that show Chan as both a girl and a 90-year-old woman, this will be a mesmerising audiovisual mix traversing jazz and classical sounds.

Saturday 18 September
The People Band
An evening with a difference. Performers from the 40-strong People Band will give a live concert in Kings Place Hall Two.

"My first exposure to free jazz came about through hearing and then performing with the People Band. This was in the early 70's. I have continued to play with the People Band since that time. The band is a loose collective but all of the original members still participate whilst still following a multitude of other interests (like myself). The band recorded (in the late 60's) an album that has recently been re-issued, produced by Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones." Mike Figgis

Mike Figgis - Film + Music Festival

Where:
Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9AG

When:
Monday 13th September 2010 - Sunday 19th September 2010

More info:
Over at the King's Place website

Ennio Morricone at The Royal Albert Hall

The legendary Ennio Morricone has composed and arranged scores for more than 500 film and television productions including A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and Once Upon a Time in the West. The Italian composer has won two Grammy Awards and two Golden Globes.

He has composed and arranged scores for more than 500 film and television productions. Morricone is considered as one of the most influential film composers since the late 1950s. He is well-known for his long-term collaborations with international acclaimed directors such as Sergio Leone, Brian De Palma, Barry Levinson, and Giuseppe Tornatore.

He wrote the characteristic film scores of Leone's Spaghetti Westerns A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965), The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) and Once Upon a Time in the West (1968). In the 80s, Morricone composed the scores for John Carpenter's horror movie The Thing (1982), Leone's Once Upon a Time in America (1984), Roland Joffé's The Mission (1986), Brian De Palma's The Untouchables (1987) and Giuseppe Tornatore's Cinema Paradiso (1988).

His more recent compositions include the scores for Oliver Stone's U Turn (1997), Tornatore's The Legend of 1900 (1998) and Malèna (2000), Mission to Mars (2000) by Brian De Palma, Fateless (2005), and Baaria - La porta del vento (2009). Ennio Morricone has won two Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes and five Anthony Asquith Awards for Film Music by BAFTA in 1979–1992. He has been nominated for five Academy Awards for Best Music, Original Score in 1979–2001. Morricone received the Honorary Academy Award in 2007 "for his magnificent and multifaceted contributions to the art of film music". He was the second composer to receive this award after its introduction in 1928.

Ennio Morricone at The Royal Albert Hall

Where
Royal Albert Hall
Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP

When
7:30pm, Sat 10 April 2010

More info and tickets over here Royal Albert Hall

David Arnold Movie Music Master Class in March 2010

The Space and the Duke of York's present a movie music masterclass with Grammy-winning composer David Arnold and Oscar-winning composer Anne Dudley.

David Arnold and Anne Dudley will discuss their favourite and some classic film music. This will be illustrated with a selection of memorable film scenes, highlighting the power and magic of the combination of film and music, and how the two art forms merge to such great effect.

Our special guests will also demonstrate how they have conceived some of their compositions for film and TV.

DAVID ARNOLD
Few British composers have attained such international acclaim as David Arnold. A successful debut with The Young Americans, then sci-fi adventure Stargate led to a role scoring Hollywood blockbuster Independence Day and Danny Boyle’s A Life Less Ordinary.
As a lifelong fan of James Bond Arnold had produced an album of 007 theme covers with a range of artists including Chrissie Hynde and Iggy Pop. Praise from composer John Barry for these interpretations led to a commission to write the score for Tomorrow Never Dies. He has scored all of the Bond films since, including Quantum of Solace.

Arnold’s career has crossed many genres, from his collaborations with action director Roland Emmerich to his work on Zoolander and award-winning television comedy Little Britain.
He recently produced the new and highly acclaimed Shirley Bassey album, The Performance.

www.davidarnold.com

ANNE DUDLEY
Composer, arranger, producer and performer, Anne Dudley is a multi-talented and critically-acclaimed musician.
She has composed and produced soundtracks for dozens of award-winning films and TV shows, and was a founding member of the Art of Noise. She has contributed string arrangements to many classic albums including ABC's The Lexicon of Love and Robbie Williams latest, Reality Killed the Video Star.

Over the course of a long and varied career, she has won an Oscar, a Grammy, a Brit and most proudly of all, the Billboard award for best new Black Act for the Art of Noise! Anne was recently nominated for the 2009 Ivor Novello award for her score to Trial and Retribution.
Her credits as an arranger include collaborating with Pet Shop Boys, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Stephen Fry, Tom Jones, Will Young, Annie Lennox, Malcolm McClaren, Bill Bailey and Sam Taylor Wood.

www.annedudley.co.uk

David Arnold can be followed on Twitter over here > @DavidGArnold

David Arnold Movie Music Master class in March 2010

Where
The Duke of Yorks Cinema,
Preston Circus, Brighton, BN1 4NA, UK

When
6:00pm Sunday 7 March, 2010

More info & booking over here at The Space website

Iron Man 2 AC/DC Soundtrack and Shoot to Thrill video

AC/DC are doing the soundtrack for Jon Favreau's Iron Man 2. This is excellent news, even though a little Sir Mix-a-Lot would have been awesome.

Even though Black Sabbath own the unforgettable bass thumping Iron Man. However the opening song for Iron man was AC/DC's "Back in Black" played whilst the U.S. Air Force convoy escorting Stark in Afghanistan.


Unfortunately there will be only one new song on the album - the rest of the soundtrack will be made of their greatest hits collection.

'Iron Man 2' he track listing is:

1. 'Shoot to Thrill'
2. 'Rock'N'Roll Damnation'
3. 'Guns for Hire'
4. 'Cold Hearted Man'
5. 'Back in Black'
6. 'Thunderstruck'
7. 'If You Want Blood (You've Got It)'
8. 'Evil Walks'
9. 'T.N.T.'
10. 'Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be'
11. 'Have a Drink on Me'
12. 'The Razor's Edge'
13. 'Let There Be Rock'
14. 'War Machine'
15. 'Highway to Hell'

Track 14 'War Machine' will probably be Don Cheadle/War Machine's anthem.

As a bonus AC/DC have released a new music video for track one - their 1980 song Shoot to Thrill, filled with footage from the movie and a recent concert appearance in Buenos Aires.

The Iron Man 2 soundtrack is out April 19 and the film on May 7 2010. Marvel's Thor is scheduled for a May 6, 2011 release, "The First Avenger: Captain America" July 22, 2011 and "The Avengers" on May 4, 2012.

Michael Nyman plays The Royal Albert Hall

To celebrate the year's two big Baroque anniversaries – and his own 65th birthday – the Michael Nyman Band makes its Proms debut with a new work echoing the Purcell and Handel pieces heard in Prom 53.

Best known for his soundtracks to such movies as The Piano, Gattaca and Wonderland, Michael Nyman started out as a musicologist, editing scores by Handel and Purcell; as a critic he coined the term 'Minimalism'; and, as a composer he first made his name by putting the music of classical masters through the Minimalist mill to generate raunchy, rhythmically propulsive, raucously energetic new works, such as his score for Peter Greenaway's 1982 film The Draughtsman’s Contract and the grief-frozen Memorial, (which featured in Greenaway's later The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover) – both of which are Purcell-based.

The Draughtsman’s Contract – selection 23’
The Musicologist Scores c20’
BBC commission: world premiere
Six Celan Songs – Blume; Psalm 10’
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover – Memorial 12’

PROM 54: MICHAEL NYMAN
Tuesday 25 August 2009 - 10:15 PM
Royal Albert Hall
Kensington Gore
London, SW7

Michael Nyman plays The Royal Albert Hall

To celebrate the year's two big Baroque anniversaries – and his own 65th birthday – the Michael Nyman Band makes its Proms debut with a new work echoing the Purcell and Handel pieces heard in Prom 53.



Best known for his soundtracks to such movies as The Piano, Gattaca and Wonderland, Michael Nyman started out as a musicologist, editing scores by Handel and Purcell; as a critic he coined the term 'Minimalism'; and, as a composer he first made his name by putting the music of classical masters through the Minimalist mill to generate raunchy, rhythmically propulsive, raucously energetic new works, such as his score for Peter Greenaway's 1982 film The Draughtsman’s Contract and the grief-frozen Memorial, (which featured in Greenaway's later The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover) – both of which are Purcell-based.

The Draughtsman’s Contract – selection 23’
The Musicologist Scores c20’
BBC commission: world premiere
Six Celan Songs – Blume; Psalm 10’
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover – Memorial 12’

PROM 54: MICHAEL NYMAN
Tuesday 25 August 2009 - 10:15 PM
Royal Albert Hall
Kensington Gore
London, SW7

David Arnold Q&A at The Roundhouse, London

David Arnold Q&A at The Roundhouse, London

Grammy award winning composerand producer David Arnold is coming to the Roundhouse for a special Q & A session.

As one of the most respected film composers working today, David is well known for his work on the James Bond films, including Casino Royale (2006) and Quantum Of Solace (2008).
This is a fantastic opportunity for all those interested in film music and composition.
David Arnold Q&A
Wednesday February 25, 2009 at 6:00pm
The Roundhouse
Chalk Farm Road
London, England NW1 8EH

Philip Glass: An Evening of Chamber Music

An intimate chamber concert with acclaimed composer/ pianist with new material never heard in the UK.

Philip Glass is one of the world's most popular living composers, acclaimed for his stunning soundtracks and ground-breaking operas, but in this concert, there's an intense focus on Glass himself, as a pianist and composer.

The Guardian wrote "Glass's restrained but haunting playing really is a joy", and the concert features part of his great solo piano cycles Metamorphosis and Etudes. He's joined by Wendy Sutter on cello and percussionist Mick Rossi to play music from Glassworks and Naqoyqatsi, the final film in the legendary Godfrey Reggio trilogy that began with Koyaanisqatsi.

Most of this programme has never been played in Britain before, and its centrepiece is Songs and Poems, a new work for Wendy Sutter.

Philip Glass: An Evening of Chamber Music

An intimate chamber concert with acclaimed composer/ pianist with new material never heard in the UK.

Philip Glass is one of the world's most popular living composers, acclaimed for his stunning soundtracks and ground-breaking operas, but in this concert, there's an intense focus on Glass himself, as a pianist and composer.

The Guardian wrote "Glass's restrained but haunting playing really is a joy", and the concert features part of his great solo piano cycles Metamorphosis and Etudes. He's joined by Wendy Sutter on cello and percussionist Mick Rossi to play music from Glassworks and Naqoyqatsi, the final film in the legendary Godfrey Reggio trilogy that began with Koyaanisqatsi.

Most of this programme has never been played in Britain before, and its centrepiece is Songs and Poems, a new work for Wendy Sutter.

Screening of Quantum of Solace at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

Soak up the special atmosphere that makes a film at the Philharmonic unique. If you’ve never been to a film in the beautiful art deco surroundings of Philharmonic Hall then you’re in for a treat... The Hall houses the only working Walturdaw Cinema screen in the world, rising from the stage accompanied by resident organist Dave Nicholas, an institution in his own right.

Beginning minutes after the closing moments of Casino Royale, with the elusive killer Mr. White in the boot of Bond's Aston Martin and a breakneck pursuit; Quantum of Solace plunges 007 into a revenge-displacement grudge mission, infiltrating the mysterious Quantum organization to thwart an eco-crime cartel involving the oil and water reserves of South America.

Director Marc Forster, 2008. 106mins
Starring Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench.

Tuesday January 13, 2009 at 7:30pm
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Hope Street
Liverpool, England L1 9BP

The story of James Bond - A tribute to Ian Fleming climax

Jeremy Irons, Stephen Fry, Beverley Knight, Lucy Fleming, Rosamund Pike, Daniel Craig, Joanna Lumley, Gemma Arteton, Roger Moore & Harriet Walter, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Some of the cast from the evening including; Jeremy Irons, Stephen Fry, Beverley Knight, Rosamund Pike, Daniel Craig, Joanna Lumley, Gemma Arteton, Roger Moore & Harriet Walter acknowleding Ian Fleming, the cast & crew fo the show and Lucy Fleming for the evening.

The evening started with a 60 piece orchestra conducted by Michael Reed kicking off with the Bond Theme "Overture".

The rest of the night magically unveiled the history of Ian Fleming entwined with that of James Bond. This was done by key excerpts from Fleming's life and the Bond books being read by former Bond stars, Bond(00)files and freinds of theFleming family, interspersed with video and stills as well as the music of Bond and the times recited by an all star cast.

There were to many highlights to mention but standout events such as; the man behind Bond's history brought to life, countless Bond cast making an appearance (including classic Bond girls), the music of Bond brought to life by some electryfing vocals (Beverley Knight stealing the show with her rendition of "A License To Kill" & the closing "Nobody Does It Better") and the touching Ian Fleming eulogy read by Daniel Craig.

Roger Moore, 007 & Classic Bond Girls

Roger Moore, 007 & Classic Bond Girls, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Amongst the star studded cast where; Maryam D'Abo (Kara Milovy in The living Dayights), Zena Marshall (Miss Taro in Dr. No), Shirley Eaton (Jill Masterson in Golfinger), Eunice Gayson (Sylvia Trench in Dr. No), Roger Moore (James Bond), Madeline Smith (Miss Caruso in Live And Let Die), Tania Mallet (Tilly Masterson in Goldfinger), , Caroline Munro (Naomi in The Spy Who Loved Me) & Joanna Lumley (The English Girl in On Her Majesty's Secret Service).

Arm in sling Daniel Craig reading Ian Fleming's eulogy

Daniel Craig , James Bond, 007, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Daniel Craig reading Ian Fleming's eulogy at the "The story of James Bond - A tribute to Ian Fleming". Note his right arm in a tailored black sling.

The story of James Bond - A tribute to Ian Fleming

This afternoon I'll be dusting off the old Yves Saint Laurent tux - as I was lucky enough to crack tickets to this evenings "unique, grand finale event to the successful centenary year of Ian Fleming". - "The story of James Bond - A tribute to Ian Fleming" at the Palladium.

Stars from the worlds of film and theatre will take part, reading and performing Fleming's memorable words, some pieces never heard before. A 60 piece orchestra will accompany star recording artists to play the original much loved Bond theme tunes. An evening of great entertainment will reveal the extraordinary story of the creation of Britain's favourite spy, James Bond.

Hosted by Joanna Lumley and Stephen Fry, stars include, Samantha Bond, Charlie Dance, Judi Dench, Sebastian Faulks, David Gilmour, Charlie Higson, Jeremy Irons, Lee Mead, Christopher Lee, Roger Moore, Rosamund Pike, Ruby Turner, Lemar, Toby Stephens, Patrick Stewart, David Suchet, Harriet Walter, David Walliams and more to be announced.

A sneak preview clip from the new James Bond film, A Quantum of Solace, will ensure that it is an evening not to be missed.

For any Bondophile this promises to be an amazing event apart from the obvious- I am hoping to experience John Barry and David Arnold lead the 60 piece orchestra through some classic Bond theme tunes. Nother unique experience will be David Gilmour re-imagining "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang". Does it get any better than this?

The Music of Bladerunner

In my last post I discussed the visual history of Blade Runner I thought I would follow up with an exploration of one of the most loved film soundtracks.

The film had a checked history and the sound track was not spared controversy either. Delays in bringing out an official soundtrack brought on a spate of bootleg versions. Naturally having such a tech based fan base the bootlegs and variations continued after the official soundtrack release. Which was deemed to be unsatisfactory by many.

1982 - The first official release was a reinterpretation by the New American Orchestra. Billed as an "orchestral adaptation of music composed for the motion picture by Vangelis" this release consisted of jazz-inspired, orchestrated renditions of the major tracks from the film, but not the original score tracks.

1989 - The Vangelis "Themes" Collection LP was released. This compilation featured compositions from a variety of Vangelis film scores, including three tracks from Blade Runner.

1994 - Vangelis released the Official Blade Runner Soundtrack for the first time. Vangelis' notes accompanying the album say:

"Most of the music contained in this album originates from recordings I made in London in 1982, whilst working on the score for the film BLADE RUNNER. Finding myself unable to release these recordings at the time, it is with great pleasure that I am able to do so now. Some of the pieces contained will be known to you from the Original Soundtrack of the film, whilst others are appearing here for the first time. Looking back at RIDLEY SCOTT's powerful and evocative pictures left me as stimulated as before, and made the recompiling of this music, today, an enjoyable experience." - VANGELIS Athens, April 19941982 - Bootleg studio tape
1993 - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Blade Runner (Off World Music)
1994 - Gongo Records Bootleg (The Gongo release is considered the best presentation of the music)
2003 - Esper Edition double disc
2003 - Los Angeles - November 2019