Fit for a King?

[BB-8 3,936]

Comfort topic:

 

Which living (film-)composers could contribute significantly to the coronation ceremony for King Charles III in 2023?

 

1953 saw commissioned works by R. Vaughan Williams, W. Walton, and B. Britten.

 

Of course we know that they're all dead, but...

[Naïve Old Fart 10,426]

Off the top of my head:

Nicholas Maw, Thomas Àdes, or Nigel Clarke.

The current Master Of The King's Music, is Judith Weir, so I guess that the task will fall to her.

An outside choice, would be Patrick Doyle, with Anne Dudley being second.

[BB-8 3,936]

1 hour ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

Off the top of my head:

Nicholas Maw, Thomas Àdes, or Nigel Clarke.

The current Master Of The King's Music, is Judith Weir, so I guess that the task will fall to her.

An outside choice, would be Patrick Doyle, with Anne Dudley being second.

Are British composers a formal requirement?

 

Patrick Doyle would probably be a good choice for the opening fanfare.

 

If I were King, however, there would be only one composer I couldn't say no to and who would be the first choice for commissioning the fanfare and the pocessional (worldly parts).

 

Shouldn't put anyone under pressure to write a Te Deum.

 

That Walton Te Deum is so good it could be recycled. 

[King Mark 3,713]

I imagine John Williams  premiering "Elegy for Queen Elizabeth " and "King Charles Coronation" this week

[BB-8 3,936]

Elegy for a Queen (string orchestra harp and cor-anglais)

 

Royal Fanfare and March (brass esemble, percussion and organ)

[Tom Guernsey 2,681]

Walton and Elgar were so steeped in that kind of writing that it kinda came naturally to them, in the same way that the American version comes so naturally to JW when he does the Olympics. I would think that British composers would be more or less a prerequisite. I know some Thomas Ades but his music doesn't strike me as a natural fit for a coronation. I don't know any Judith Weir (although perhaps I should), but I just can't think of a contemporary British classical composer for whom a ceremonial could come naturally, although I think there's scope for a striking choral work, although don't know if anyone would be desperate for something to avant garde. Is it totally improbable to think that David Arnold could write something? He's British, has a decent crossover presence and has (on occasion) written music that's in the right kind of ballpark for a coronation... but Patrick Doyle would definitely be a fine choice. It might even inspire him in a way that some of his recent film assignments haven't.

[Marian Schedenig 9,042]

On 09/09/2022 at 10:43 AM, BB-8 said:

Of course we know that they're all dead, but...

 

Is this a trick question?

 

I was going to suggest Christopher Gordon. As an English-bron Australian, I suppose he qualifies, but then I noticed this in his Wikipedia entry: "In 2017, he was elected as councillor on the East Ward of the City of Ryde for the Greens and was chosen as deputy mayor, serving a single term in 2017-2018". So… probably not.

1 minute ago, Tom Guernsey said:

but Patrick Doyle would definitely be a fine choice. It might even inspire him in a way that some of his recent film assignments haven't.

 

Well, Henry V said "Let there be sung 'Non nobis' and 'Te Deum'", but Doyle only composed the former for the film. He could catch up and maybe end up being the last Scottish composer to write a Te Deum for a coronation…

[Marian Schedenig 9,042]

…or how about Michael Nyman? Granted, I'm not even sure how active he still is - ever since his divorce years ago, I've hardly heard anything about him, not to mention anything new by him. But his love (and frequent use) of Purcell would make him an interesting candidate.

[Glóin the Dark 1,307]

I want to hear a coronation march by Brian Ferneyhough.

[BB-8 3,936]

Sir Karl Jenkins?

 

Baron Lloyd Webber?

 

Opium for the people...

 

 

Did John Williams ever meet the Queen? Or vice versa. Does anyone know?

 

The Queen was Patron of the LSO, by the way.

[Naïve Old Fart 10,426]

1 hour ago, BB-8 said:

Did John Williams ever meet the Queen? Or vice versa.

Queen Elizabeth II attended the Royal Premiere of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, at the Odeon Leicester Square, in March, 1978. If JW was there, then he would have been introduced to her.

 

If JW met the Queen, then it is logical to assume that she met him 

[BB-8 3,936]

16 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

If JW met the Queen, then it is logical to assume that she met him 

I had assumed that directionality would play a role in such encounters.

 

[GerateWohl 5,040]

Maybe Elton John could write something.

[Tom Guernsey 2,681]

5 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

Maybe Elton John could write something.

Surely he could just repurpose “I Just Can’t Wait to be King”…?

[GerateWohl 5,040]

Or just create an instrumental version of his song "The King Must Die".

[BB-8 3,936]

Mike Batt - how could we forget!

 

 

[BB-8 3,936]

On 15/09/2022 at 10:41 AM, Naïve Old Fart said:

Queen Elizabeth II attended the Royal Premiere of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, at the Odeon Leicester Square, in March, 1978. If JW was there, then he would have been introduced to her.

 

If JW met the Queen, then it is logical to assume that she met him 

 

[Tom Guernsey 2,681]

13 minutes ago, BB-8 said:

 

I’m pretty sure that’s Richard Attenborough…

[Jay 39,429]

[Tom Guernsey 2,681]

1 minute ago, Jay said:

Ah. Right. Hmmm. 

[Tallguy 4,417]

33 minutes ago, Tom Guernsey said:

Ah. Right. Hmmm. 

 

Don't feel bad. I could have seen it either way myself.

[Naïve Old Fart 10,426]

1 hour ago, Tom Guernsey said:

I’m pretty sure that’s Richard Attenborough…

No, it's The Queen.

[Tom Guernsey 2,681]

2 hours ago, Tallguy said:

 

Don't feel bad. I could have seen it either way myself.

I mean it would have been funny if it had been the premiere of Jurassic Park but otherwise. Shrug.

[Marian Schedenig 9,042]

Welcome… to Buckingham Palace!

[Tom Guernsey 2,681]

6 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

Welcome… to Buckingham Palace!

We've clocked Princess Anne at 32 mph...

[Naïve Old Fart 10,426]

8 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

We have a T-rex.

No, ma'am, we have a C-rex.

[BB-8 3,936]

E2R: You wrote the soundtrack to my life.

 

SRA: No, Ma'am, that was Sir Malcolm Arnold.

 

 

2 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

We have a T-rex.

No, ma'am, we have a C-rex.

Oh, that C3 unit...golden rod!

[Tom 5,137]

18 hours ago, Tom Guernsey said:

I’m pretty sure that’s Richard Attenborough…

I am pretty sure that is the queen.  

[Jay 39,429]

17 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

No, it's The Queen.

 

[BB-8 3,936]

 This one would be fit for a King - the clip is from the 2009 Mountbatten Festival of Music in the Royal Albert Hall, London...

 

[Naïve Old Fart 10,426]

Yeah, that's a good'un.

[Oomoog the Ecstatic 314]

On 19/09/2022 at 2:34 PM, Marian Schedenig said:

Welcome… to Buckingham Palace!

 

 

[BB-8 3,936]

Nope.

 

New Music Commissions for the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey | The Royal Family

 

But Patrick Doyle is in!

 

 

[Tom Guernsey 2,681]

14 minutes ago, BB-8 said:

Nope.

 

New Music Commissions for the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey | The Royal Family

Harsh... I mean Patrick Doyle is no William Walton (or Edward Elgar), but I'm looking forward to hearing what he comes up with. Funny how Doyle always seems to end up following in Walton's footsteps (see Henry V, Hamlet...).

 

Edit: that's a website that takes sycophancy to whole new level. Blimey.

[Naïve Old Fart 10,426]

The most appropriate music for the May 6th coronation?

"Ave Satani".

[Marian Schedenig 9,042]

1 hour ago, Tom Guernsey said:

Harsh... I mean Patrick Doyle is no William Walton (or Edward Elgar), but I'm looking forward to hearing what he comes up with. Funny how Doyle always seems to end up following in Walton's footsteps (see Henry V, Hamlet...).

 

Those just come directly with the Olivier/Branagh/Shakespeare territory. His Walton-/Elgar-ish pomp and circumstance finale for Love's Labours Lost a bit less so. It's been many years since he wrote something like that though (to my knowledge), and in film scoring he seems to have accepted that the only way to get assignments these days is to bend at least somewhat to the modern RCP style, so I hope his British pomp writing hasn't gone rusty since then.

[Sweeping Strings 2,613]

Must say I was delighted to hear the the King's coronation will be in the morning on Sat May 6th ... because that means when I visit my ardently Royalist mother that Saturday afternoon as usual, it should be over and I won't have to watch it.  

[Jurassic Shark 13,158]

On 15/09/2022 at 12:14 PM, GerateWohl said:

Maybe Elton John could write something.

 

Circle of Life would be fitting. 

[GerateWohl 5,040]

3 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

Circle of Life would be fitting. 

And the bishop on the balcony of Buckingham Palace would have hold Charles up in the air with both hands in front of the underlings. That would have been an image for eternity.

[Marian Schedenig 9,042]

35 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Circle of Life would be fitting. 

 

 

[Tom Guernsey 2,681]

2 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

 

He was probably singing that round the palace when it first came out… and here we are, only 29 years later. Yes, The Lion King is that old. 

[BB-8 3,936]

On 15/09/2022 at 12:14 PM, GerateWohl said:

Maybe Elton John could write something.

To my knowledge, they had asked Elton John but he declined due to other commitments, i.e., his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour:

https://www.eventim.de/artist/elton-john/?affiliate=TUG

#EltonFarewellTour - Elton John

 

 

[Thor 8,353]

16 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

Those just come directly with the Olivier/Branagh/Shakespeare territory. His Walton-/Elgar-ish pomp and circumstance finale for Love's Labours Lost a bit less so. It's been many years since he wrote something like that though (to my knowledge), and in film scoring he seems to have accepted that the only way to get assignments these days is to bend at least somewhat to the modern RCP style, so I hope his British pomp writing hasn't gone rusty since then.

 

ALL IS TRUE from 2019 came pretty close to Doyle's old-school Brannagh scores in that style.

[GerateWohl 5,040]

3 minutes ago, Thor said:

 

ALL IS TRUE from 2019 came pretty close to Doyle's old-school Brannagh scores in that style.

Doyle's score for Brannagh's "Cinderella" is in that style, too. But by far not as good. Some of the Waltz and Polka pieces are nice, but overall I found the score disappointing. 

[BB-8 3,936]

29 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

Doyle's score for Brannagh's "Cinderella" is in that style, too. But by far not as good. Some of the Waltz and Polka pieces are nice, but overall I found the score disappointing. 

"Pumkin Pursuit" is a fun action show piece:

 

One of my favourite Doyle scores is Frankenstein - it served the film really well.

 

[Richard P 4,189]

40 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

Doyle's score for Brannagh's "Cinderella" is in that style, too. But by far not as good. Some of the Waltz and Polka pieces are nice, but overall I found the score disappointing. 

 

Really? I loved that score when I saw the film.

 

All Is True is one of few chamber-style scores that I like, although it's a purely concept album. The film is quiet, slow and has some of the least amount of score I've ever heard in a film. I was actually very disappointed not to hear a lot of my favourite moments in the film.

[Naïve Old Fart 10,426]

18 hours ago, Sweeping Strings said:

Must say I was delighted to hear the the King's coronation will be in the morning on Sat May 6th ... because that means when I visit my ardently Royalist mother that Saturday afternoon as usual, it should be over and I won't have to watch it.  

Well, there is the concert, later.

Katy Perry. Hmm. Can't wait (!).

Where the fuck is Brian May, when you need him?

[Jurassic Shark 13,158]

3 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

Where the fuck is Brian May, when you need him?

 

Probably doing a postdoc.

[Marian Schedenig 9,042]

4 hours ago, Thor said:

ALL IS TRUE from 2019 came pretty close to Doyle's old-school Brannagh scores in that style.

 

I still haven't seen (or heard that). These non-mainstream Branagh films post Love's Labours Lost aren't really well-distributed here it seems.

 

4 hours ago, GerateWohl said:

Doyle's score for Brannagh's "Cinderella" is in that style, too. But by far not as good. Some of the Waltz and Polka pieces are nice, but overall I found the score disappointing. 

 

I thought that and Brave are his best (somewhat) old-school scores since around 2000. Of those I've heard at least (and I've somewhat lost track of him I suppose). Plenty of filler, but some wonderful highlights (You Shall Go is a standout). Not quite the style I was talking about though - it's not quite that kind of Walton-ish instrumentation.

 

(I couldn't stand the film, incidentally, and I usually like Branagh's stuff - including Frankenstein, which despite its flaws I still think has plenty of redeeming qualities; what a waste of a good Derek Jacobi).

 

2 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

Where the fuck is Brian May, when you need him?

 

He'd have to rename his band…

[GerateWohl 5,040]

1 hour ago, Richard Penna said:

Really? I loved that score when I saw the film.

Yes. Cinderella somehow for me sounded too much like Much Ado About Nothing to not be compared to it and is by far not as good. Never saw the movie. But there are pieces which obviously are supposed to mark emotional climaxes in the movie and there the music is loud but flat in an intrusive way.

The themes are just weak here. 

It is like listening to a pop album, where each song reminds you of something similar but better.

Not for me.

Same feeling I have, by the way, listening to his "Hamlet" score.