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Pastoral unease and bucolic menace

Matthew Sweet with a weekly series of programmes celebrating film music, and the re-release of The Wicker Man prompts a heady mix about life in the British countryside.

Matthew Sweet presents the first of a weekly series of programmes celebrating film music, and with the re-release of Robin Hardy's The Wicker Man there's a heady mix about life in the British countryside in today's selection.

Friday 27th September sees the re-release of Robin Hardy's cult British film The Wicker Man. On the occasion of its fortieth anniversary, Matthew Sweet looks back at the film's imaginative score – which Christopher Lee described as being some of the best music he's heard in a film - and takes it as a springboard to explore film music which evokes the uneasy and sometimes sinister side of British rural life, as portrayed in the music for the screen.

Featured scores include Sir Gawain and the Green Knight from 1973 with music by Ron Goodwin; Witchfinder General from 1968 with music by Paul Ferris; James Bernard's music for the 1957 Hound of the Baskervilles; Eric Korngold's music for The Adventures of Robin Hood; Marc Wilkinson's score for Blood On Satan's Claw; Ilan Eshkeri's Stardust; Patrick Doyle's music for Brave; and music for the 2013 film A Field in England.

1 hour

Last on

Sat 28 Sep 2013 16:00

Music Played

  • Georges Auric

    Suite from The Innocents: O Waly waly, Main Title, Coach Ride and Arrival at Bly

    Singer: Anthea Kempston. Orchestra: ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Philharmonic. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
    • The Film Music of Georges Auric.
    • Chandos.
    • 11.
  • Blanck Mass

    A Field in England - Chernobyl

    Composer: Blanck Mass.
  • Ilan Eshkeri

    Stardust - The Star Shines and Coronation

    Orchestra: London Metropolitan Orchestra and Voices. Conductor: Andy Brown.
    • Stardust: Music from the Motion Picture.
    • DECCA.
    • 19.
  • Paul Ferris

    Witchfinder General - Prelude and Romanza

    Orchestra: London Studio Orchestra.
    • Witchfinder General (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • De Wolfe Music.
  • Paul Giovanni

    The Wicker Man - Procession

    Ensemble: The Wicker Man Ensemble and Chorus. Conductor: Gary Carpenter.
    • The Wicker Man - The Original Soundtrack Album.
    • Silva Screen.
    • 8.
  • Paul Giovanni

    The Wicker Man - Opening music / Loving Couples / The Ruined Church

    Ensemble: The Wicker Man Ensemble and Chorus. Conductor: Gary Carpenter.
    • The Wicker Man - The Original Soundtrack Album.
    • Silva Screen.
    • 12.
  • Paul Giovanni

    The Wicker Man - Sumer is A-Cumen In

    Ensemble: The Wicker Man Ensemble and Chorus. Conductor: Gary Carpenter.
    • The Wicker Man - The Original Soundtrack Album.
    • Silva Screen.
    • 11.
  • Ron Goodwin

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - Main Titles

    Conductor: Ron Goodwin.
    • Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
    • Intrada.
    • 1.
  • James Bernard

    The Hound of the Baskervilles - Main Titles

    Conductor: Lanny Meyers. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra.
    • Sherlock Holmes: Classic Themes from 221B Baker Street.
    • Colosseum VSD.
    • 13.
  • Erich Wolfgang Korngold

    The Adventures of Robin Hood - Main Title

    Orchestra: The Moscow Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: William T. Stromberg.
    • Korngold: The Adventures of Robin Hood.
    • Marco Polo.
    • 1.
  • Michel Legrand

    The Go-Between - Theme and Variations 1 and 2

    Performer: Catherine Michel. Performer: Michel Legrand. Orchestra: The Flemish Radio Orchestra.
    • Michel Legrand: The Essential Film Music Collection.
    • Silva Screen.
    • 13.
  • Patrick Doyle

    Brave - The Witch's Cottage

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: James Shearman.
    • Brave (Original Score).
    • Walt Disney.
    • 9.
  • Marcus Wilkinson

    Blood on Satan's Claw - Opening Titles

    Ensemble: Unknown musicians.
    • Blood on Satan's Claw - Original Soundtrack.
    • Trunk Records.
    • 1.

This week's featured New Release

The Wicker Man: The Final Cut
A brand new restoration that brings director Robin Hardy's original, previously lost, version of the cult classic back to the big screen.

Broadcast

  • Sat 28 Sep 2013 16:00

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