The Film Music of Vol 2 (Includes 'A Night to Remember' & 'Winslow Boy')

"Rumon Gamba and the BBC Philharmonic deserve full credit for taking these pieces seriously, without adding weight the music was never intended to bear - and for sounding as though they're really enjoying such cream-topped sweetmeats. Recordings are first-rate."
- ***** Five Stars BBC Music Magazine (Mar 2002)

'A fine showcase of a melodically gifted and subtle English composer of film scores'.
- Gramophone

Chandos presents the second volume of classic British film music by William Alwyn, the first volume of which was very well received and was awarded three stars in the Penguin Guide.

As few of Alwyn's written film scores still exist the works on this disc have been reconstructed from the original soundtracks by Philip Lane and most of these recordings are premieres.

One of the leading sopranos of her generation, Susan Bullock has sung with operatic companies world-wide. She is also in demand for concerts and recital appearances and her previous recordings for Chandos include Menotti's The Consul and Hindemith's Sancta Susanna and Three Songs Op. 9.

Canzonetta is one of the United Kingdom's most versatile chamber choirs. It has performed at many major festivals and with national and international orchestras under conductors such as Kent Nagano, Nicholas Kraemer, Martyn Brabbins and Yan Pascal Tortelier.

William Alwyn's introduction to writing music for films came in 1936 when he scored the documentary The Future's in the Air. He was to become a pioneer in this medium, going on to write the music for some of the most famous wartime documentaries. His feature film career began in 1941 with Penn of Pennsylvania, directed by Lance Comfort and starring Deborah Kerr. Amongst the sixty-nine features he scored are some very famous British films. Titles include The Rake's Progress, Green for Danger, Odd Man Out, The Winslow Boy, The Fallen Idol, The History of Mr Polly, The Rocking Horse Winner, The Million Pound Note, Carve Her Name with Pride, A Night to Remember, Swiss Family Robinson and In Search of the Castaways.

Alwyn's film career came to an end in 1963 when he scored his last feature film, The Running Man. By this time he had moved away from London to the more tranquil surroundings of Blythburgh in Suffolk to concentrate on his serious music.

Outside the film medium Alwyn wrote many works for the concert hall, including five symphonies, concertos for piano, violin and oboe, much chamber and instrumental music, vocal and choral music and three operas.

In 1958 Alwyn was awarded a Fellowship of the British Film Academy in recognition of his outstanding contribution to British films. His pioneer work helped to establish the international prestige of British film music and paved the way for the present generation of film composers.

'From the gusto of the playing throughout it seems clear that the BBC Philharmonic enjoyed making this disc. Understandably so.'
Gramophone on CHAN 9774 (The Film Music of Georges Auric)