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RIP Angela Morley.


Ollie

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It's been reported at FSM that Angela Morley has passed away.

She worked with John Williams on some of his more famous scores as an orchestrator, although she was usually uncredited.

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She worked with John Williams on some of his more famous scores as an orchestrator, although she was usually uncredited.

In various - and great - arrangements for Williams / Boston Pops albums too!

Rest in Peace Ms. Morley.

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She worked with John Williams on some of his more famous scores as an orchestrator, although she was usually uncredited.

In various - and great - arrangements for Williams / Boston Pops albums too!

Rest in Peace Ms. Morley.

Yes, I love her work on the Celebrating Sinatra album...

RIP. :(

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http://www.jazzprofessional.com/profiles/morley.htm

“Do you know the scene in Star Wars where Luke goes down into the Death Star trench and the voice says ‘Use the Force, Luke?’” Morley asks, as if anyone would not know the famous moment. That’s my orchestration.” So is the ice-palace music in Superman. (“Lots of sliding glissando’ she says, in a disapproving tone.) And scenes in a parade of films scored by Williams and others, including E.T, The Empire Strikes Back, The Right Stuff, Karate Kid and The Verdict. She has also provided what the film biz calls “source music,” or music that happens in real time within the movie. The Viennese waltzes in Schindler’s List are her arrangements. Ditto the Christmas songs in Home Alone.

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Superman - The Movie cues orchestrated by Angela Morley:

Opening Introduction

New Opening Kryptonopolis

The Krypton Quake

To Earth

Fortress of Solitude

Song: Can You Read My Mind

Rest in peace.

Neil

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Wally Stott wrote and directed most of the music for The Goon Shows and Hancock's Half-Hour, and Angela Morley wrote the beautiful score to Watership Down. Stott/Morley's music has been a hugely important part of my life, and I am deeply saddened by this. I will be listening to a choice Goon Show in her honour tonight.

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Wally Stott wrote and directed most of the music for The Goon Shows and Hancock's Half-Hour, and Angela Morley wrote the beautiful score to Watership Down. Stott/Morley's music has been a hugely important part of my life, and I am deeply saddened by this. I will be listening to a choice Goon Show in her honour tonight.

I could never quite get into the The Goon Show, but I'm quite fond of Hancock's Half Hour. I must watch Watership Down again.

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Superman - The Movie cues orchestrated by Angela Morley:

Opening Introduction

New Opening Kryptonopolis

The Krypton Quake

To Earth

Fortress of Solitude

Song: Can You Read My Mind

Rest in peace.

Neil

It's sad that I only find out this info now, after her death. She contributed to some of my favorite cues. RIP

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Listening to Watership Down again for the first time in years I was struck by the similarities between the track "Climbing the Down" and the track "Lando's Palace" from ESB. I wonder if Angela Morley's fingerprints on the ESB score stretch to more than just the orchestration. I would bet money on Morley having specifically orchestrated Lando's Palace, but I feel that she may also have had a hand in composing the melody. There's a real "Englishness" to both pieces that I don't normally hear in Williams' music.

I'm not trying to be controversial (perish the thought!), but take a listen and tell me what you think.

Climbing the Down (Watership Down) by Angela Morley (ignore the last 15 seconds as they are the Main Title theme composed by Malcolm Williamson)

Lando's Palace (ESB) by Johnny Boy

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looking on the handwritten sketch of TESB, it has Williams writing, and everything that is played by the LSO is written in here.. there are a little things that must have been added by the orchestrator but all the Englishness you are speaking of is right there in Johnny's own handwriting

then of course what if Williams hand writing of all the scores, isn't his handwriting. also maby morley composed the melody and told Williams.. "here do something with it!"

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Listening to Watership Down again for the first time in years I was struck by the similarities between the track "Climbing the Down" and the track "Lando's Palace" from ESB. I wonder if Angela Morley's fingerprints on the ESB score stretch to more than just the orchestration. I would bet money on Morley having specifically orchestrated Lando's Palace, but I feel that she may also have had a hand in composing the melody. There's a real "Englishness" to both pieces that I don't normally hear in Williams' music.

I'm not trying to be controversial (perish the thought!), but take a listen and tell me what you think.

Climbing the Down (Watership Down) by Angela Morley (ignore the last 15 seconds as they are the Main Title theme composed by Malcolm Williamson)

Lando's Palace (ESB) by Johnny Boy

I only hear superficial similarities. I must say also, when comparing the two tracks, Williams' cue stands out claerly with regard to orchestration.

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Until recently, I was familiar with Morley only as an orchestrator and not also as a film music composer herself. Is anybody familiar with her score for Captain Nemo and the Underwater City which I plan to order from SAE?

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It's a gorgeous score. Give the samples a listen. They are a good representation of what's on the album. For me to say anymore would probably come across as biased: I co-produced the album with Lukas Kendall.

Neil

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Yeah, it's really very beautiful music. I'd never even heard of the movie when I got the project but after seeing the film and then listening to the tapes I realized that this thing was a winner. I confess to also not having much knowledge of Ms. Morley's original scores, but if they're anything like Nemo, I should seek them out.

Neil

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It's a gorgeous score. Give the samples a listen. They are a good representation of what's on the album. For me to say anymore would probably come across as biased: I co-produced the album with Lukas Kendall.

Neil

Wow Neil. Co-production credits, witnessing Kirk become captain of the Enterprise, you are a man of many facets.

Anyway, I ordered the Morley CD. Sounds fantastic!

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Yes Captain Nemo is great!

In case you're not aware, John Takis did a terrific feature on Angela Morley and her score to Watership Down in last months FSM Online.

https://www.screenarchives.com/fsmonline/story.cfm?maID=1979&issueID=53

Another good reason to register to FSM Online if you have yet to do it. :)

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Morley's work on Watership Down really was sublime and shone in this particular sequence weaving between the Bright Eyes song. There is a rich stirring emotion in this sequence which reminds me of the work that Williams wrote for E.T and to a certain extent in his score CEO3K. 1:05 onwards (particularly 1:53-2:05) is the kind of heart tugging that goes on between Elliot and E.T in the freezer scene and the Goodbye scene between E.T and Elliot. Really sublime melancholy.

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