Scoring Father Brown

If you’re interested in the process of writing music for television or film then this programme might be for you. Composer Debbie Wiseman details the various steps in writing, conducting and recording the music for the television drama Father Brown. There are contributions from Professor Eric Clarke of Oxford University.

I don’t know the series, and don’t much like the sound of it, nor even some of the music ‘required’ for it, but explanation of what goes on is very clear. I was particularly taken with Debbie Wiseman’s caution to the orchestra that things were going to move quite quickly – implying, I imagine, that even although they might not consider themselves involved in any given ‘musical cue’ their moment would come along soon enough and would not be helped by people moving around.

Film Music

It’s not often that film music is intelligently discussed – or discussed at all. In a way this is understandable as, if the music is doing its job, it often doesn’t register as a discrete element. However, those interested in how film is put together might like to delve a little. In this week’s edition of The Film Programme, film composer Neil Brand discusses, at the piano, Jonny Greenwood‘s score for The Master. What’s particularly interesting – in addition to his inventive bespoke music – is the use of ‘found music’.

Also very interesting is a chat with Chris O’Dowd about his latest projects.