Silva Screen Records has announced the release dates of “The Chronicles of Narnia: Music from the BBC Television Series” by composer Geoffrey Burgon. It will be released in the UK and other territories on October 10th, and in the US on November 8th. **SPOILERS**
The suite is scored for strings with flute, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, horn, timpani and percussion and begins with the stately “Aslan’s Theme” – the lion who is the Lord and saviour of Narnia and its people. Horn and trumpet fanfares introduce “The Great Battle,” where Aslan and his followers, including the children, fight against the wicked White Witch and all manner of repulsive creatures under her power. On her arrival in Narnia, Lucy has afternoon tea with Mr. Tumnus the faun, afterwards he plays to her – “Mr Tumnus’ Tune” (flute and strings). In “The Storm at Sea” the ship, Dawn Treader, encounters a turbulent ocean after leaving the Lone Islands – a scherzando for full orchestra. In order to save Edmund from being killed by the White Witch, Aslan offers himself up for sacrifice – the sombre music quotes the “Crucifixus” from the Bach B Minor Mass. A march signals the exciting exploits on the road to Harfang before the horn introduction to the finale as the children bid farewell to Aslan and Narnia – their adventures at an end… for this time being.
- The BBC production from 1988 has proved a major success on DVD and sales total over 300,000
- An essential element of that series was Geoffrey Burgon’s score, both stirring and melodic and with a distinctly English sound
- This release features a seven part suite of music from the series
- Geoffrey Burgon has an impressive reputation as one of Britain’s leading contemporary composers, as witnessed by his Requiem as well as a composer of numerous fine film and TV scores
- He won the the Ivor Novello Award for Best Theme For A Radio Or Television Production in 1979 for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and again in 1981 for Brideshead Revisited
- This collection includes new recordings of his very best work including the timeless Brideshead Revisited, the period style of Testament Of Youth, the evocation of Victorian London in Bleak House and the austere Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.
- This collection brings together some of the finest TV scores from a golden period of British television drama
- On its original release this album was acclaimed by Gramophone magazine as “An elegant album – beautifully recorded”
