Christopher Gunning's Poirot

[Bowie 48]

Who likes this music or composer? I'm thoroughly enjoying him and his apparent dedication to Williams-esque sophisticated scoring.

[Bjarte 0]

I really do like his music. The Poirot theme and its underscoring was one of the things that got me in to filmmusic in the first place.

[Miguel Andrade 1,725]

I love the Poirot theme. He also wrote quiet some concert music, worth exploring.

I believe that he's also a very close friend of John Williams the guitar player

[Omen II 1,300]

Does anyone remember the 80's BBC TV series The Day of the Triffids? It scared the living daylights out of me when I was little, due in part to Christopher Gunning's title music (which probably owes more to Goldsmith than Williams) and the scary visuals.

Oh goody! Just found it on

.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

I love the series and the musis is very good, I've always loved the main theme.

It never struck me as being Williams-like though.

[Luke Skywalker 2,383]

i have never heard this name before...

[Bjarte 0]

His website:

www.christopher-gunning.co.uk/

[BLUMENKOHL 1,110]

Elfman anyone??

[Morlock 12]

Nope. Sorry.

[mahler3 548]

Elfman anyone??

More like Christopher Walken!

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

The face is Elfman-esque, as in strangely gleeful.

Ray Barnsbury

[hornist 1,261]

Elton John.

[gkgyver 1,647]

Fantastic series, even better music. I have the soundtrack, which I just recently got.

Unfortunately, Murder On The Links isn't on there. The ending, with Hastings saying goodbye to Poirot, and Cinderella (why wasn't that name used?) kissing Hastings on the beach, that was pure bliss.

It was always my favourite novel, next to "Curtains", and seeing it on TV, although severely truncated, made me actually cry.

[Morlock 12]

I couldn't find any info on any soundtrack release...mind linkifying me? I must say, I do like the main titles (on YouTube). But is it all electronics-based?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

What? These scores are done by a small ensemble orchestra.

And I remember there being a CD release.

[Morlock 12]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=laQyolcSp1U

Am I to take it that this clip is not representative?

[fommes 165]

This is one of my favourite CDs, always has been and always will be. This is so highly recommended. I really should pick up more of Gunning.

[Morlock 12]

Do you mind posting a link to the CD? I am unable to find it online.

[Bjarte 0]

http://www.soundtrackcollector.com/catalog...hp?movieid=6834

Here it is. But the cd is very much out of print, sadly.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

I couldn't find any info on any soundtrack release...mind linkifying me? I must say, I do like the main titles (on YouTube). But is it all electronics-based?

I just checked the link, and that's not electronic at all.

[Morlock 12]

There is no way that that is acoustic, aside from the sax.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

The sound of the clip is not too good, but it's definatly acoustic. Just ask Fommes, he has the CD.

[hornist 1,261]

I never heard from TV that this is synth stuff.

Saxophone could be real but the accompaniment not.

Maybe this clip isn't original recording?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

It is, but the compression really is not good

[fommes 165]

It's very much instrumental, indeed.

Actually I've always wondered how Gunning got such a wonderful full sound (relatively) in his scores, since there are only "about twenty" musicians doing the recording. The score definitely benefits from it though.

[Omen II 1,300]

I'm bumping this thread because the next CD in Chandos's movie series devoted to (mostly British) film composers features the film and TV music of Christopher Gunning, including his music from the popular Poirot series. The CD is scheduled for release in November 2010; I cannot find it on Chandos's website yet, but they have been playing bits of it on the radio and it sounds mighty fine. You can see a track listing here. My only slight disappointment is that it does not look like it contains the chilling music from The Day of the Triffids, but otherwise it is a very welcome addition to Gunning's relatively meagre discography.

EDIT: It's now up on the Chandos website.

[Incanus 5,890]

I'm bumping this thread because the next CD in Chandos's movie series devoted to (mostly British) film composers features the film and TV music of Christopher Gunning, including his music from the popular Poirot series. The CD is scheduled for release in November 2010; I cannot find it on Chandos's website yet, but they have been playing bits of it on the radio and it sounds mighty fine. You can see a track listing here. My only slight disappointment is that it does not look like it contains the chilling music from The Day of the Triffids, but otherwise it is a very welcome addition to Gunning's relatively meagre discography.

Wonderful news!

Gunning is a composer I would like to hear more music from. His scores for Poirot series are brilliant. I have not gotten to his concert works yet though I should. This compilation gives a chance to sample his film works more widely.

[fommes 165]

Excellent! This contains the suite he composed from Poirot, isn't it? Been waiting for a CD release of that for ages.

[Incanus 5,890]

Excellent! This contains the suite he composed from Poirot, isn't it? Been waiting for a CD release of that for ages.

Well the piece on the album is called Poirot Variants, which I would imagine is a suite on the theme from the series.

Also there are pieces titled The Hollow and Five Little Pigs on the Chandos album that are most likely music from those two Poirot movies.

There is also this info on the composer's own site: Poirot Fantasy: was commissioned by Anja Bukovec, this is a series of elaborate variations on the "Poirot" theme for violin and orchestra, shortly to be performed and recorded by Anja Bukovec with the Slovenian Radio Symphony Orchestra.

I wonder if this is or will be available soon as well. Sounds like a wonderful piece.

[Romão 2,473]

What a coincidence. Exactly today I bought the cd with music from this tv series, which is incredibly hard to find. For 10 quid, I think it was quite a good deal

[Thor 9,362]

The POIROT theme is gorgeous, but I can't remember much of the underscore otherwise.

I also love Gunning's scores for COLD LAZARUS (BLADE RUNNER meets Wagner and John Williams!) and the romantic drama FIRELIGHT.

[Miguel Andrade 1,725]

Well the piece on the album is called Poirot Variants, which I would imagine is a suite on the theme from the series.

I believe this is a "theme and variations" upon the main title theme.

[fommes 165]

The underscore is terrific, too. It's by far my favourite Gunning CD.

[Incanus 5,890]

Bump!

Now there are sound clips available for the new Gunning CD: The Film and TV Music of Christopher Gunning

Sounds extremely good!

[Incanus 5,890]

Here is a video interview of Gunning regarding the new CD release and footage from the recording sessions:

[Maurizio 6,913]

Thanks for bringing this up, I've just discovered a wonderful composer. Thanks guys!

[fommes 165]

I recently got the Film and TV Music of Christopher Gunning CD, and I cannot recommend this one enough. Superb performances, superb quality, superb music. Even the suites of music that I already have on CD shine new light on the music, it's really stunning. And although it's really much, much, much too brief, there's finally some more music from Poirot available. (In my top 5 of filmmusic wishes, there's certainly a wish to have a second Poirot CD released.)

One of the releases of the year!

[Omen II 1,300]

I'm bumping this thread (again!) to post this nice little interview with Christopher Gunning and fellow composer Nigel Hess in advance of their upcoming concert with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at London's Cadogan Hall. They are both excellent composers.

So, which is the better TV detective theme, Poirot or Wycliffe? There's only one way to find out: FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

I dont know Wycliffe, but the Poirot theme is just about a perfect piece of music.

[Incanus 5,890]

I dont know Wycliffe, but the Poirot theme is just about a perfect piece of music.

I can't remember Wycliffe's theme but I can perfectly remember Poirot's Theme which is as you say a pretty perfect piece of music.

[Omen II 1,300]

Wycliffe ain't too shabby either.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

Wow, nice

[Incanus 5,890]

Yeah. I do remember it now that I hear it. True, it is not too bad either.

[karelm 3,271]

I was listening to the Chandos CD yesterday and the music is all excellent - it was thoroughly enjoyable and very well written. Especially good was the sci-fi music which caught me by surprise because it is both melodic and atmospheric showing a debt to Williams and Jerry Goldsmith in places. The CD I am referring to is here: http://www.amazon.com/Gunning-Film-TV-Music/dp/B0048W62F8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1335713763&sr=8-2

[fommes 165]

That CD is definitely a must-have

[Ren 77]

I absolutely adore the theme and the score for the shows and movies. It never struck me as Williams - but lovely all the same. My all time favorite character, own many DVDs!

[Incanus 5,890]

I absolutely adore the theme and the score for the shows and movies. It never struck me as Williams - but lovely all the same. My all time favorite character, own many DVDs!

I think the comparison with Goldsmith and Williams made above was for the Cold Lazarus, a sci-fi score by Gunning which is his largest production to date orchestra-wise and which also has a suite of music on the Chandos CD.

And yes Gunning's music for Poirot series needs serious multi CD release for episode and full feature length scores. Those are simply brilliant, elegant and inventive, making use of the small orchestra in countless ways. I would not mind the newer music either from recent seasons of the show by Christian Henson and Stephen MCKeon.

[Ren 77]

Thanks for clarifying!

[Maglorfin 219]

There's also this CD by our Slovenian violinist Anja Bukovec. It's full of film music, e.g. Williams (Witches of Eastwick, Schindler's List), Newton Howard (Hidalgo) and Gunning (Poirot Fantasy and Firelight). At the time of recording, Gunning was also in Slovenia as he also attended a film music concert on which the Poirot Fantasy was performed. Anja Bukovec was supposed to play but unfortunately she had to cancel her appearance because of some health problems; version with saxophone and orchestra was then performed.

All in all, it's a cool CD so you can't miss by buying it.

[fommes 165]

Yes! Excellent CD indeed.