Variety.com asked Harry Gregson-Williams, who served as composer for both The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian. What he said about Narnia really shows the humility of the man. I hope to one day get a proper interview with him.
Here, he recounts a memorable moment in his life as a composer:
“The hush as I picked up my baton before the first note of the concert I did with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra (a suite from ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’). That was totally thrilling and also incredibly alarming. What in heaven’s name am I doing here? I’m a film composer, not a concert composer. It was fantastic.”
And in another article, Andrew Adamson comments on what it was like working with Gregson-Williams:
Describing his friend’s work ethic as “intense,” Adamson often jokes with Gregson-Williams about taking some well-earned time off from movies. “After the first ‘Narnia,’ he said he was going to buy an RV, set it up as a studio and just drive around and write music for a while,” Adamson says. “But he has a hard time saying no — and as a director, I’ve been happy to exploit that.”
Fans of Harry Gregson-Williams can read more of the series of articles here:
Williams selects career highlights
Game scoring liberating for Williams
Williams rises to top of scoring world
Filmmakers talk of Williams’ talent
Williams scores for animated fare
And you can also view his Variety Profile here.
Thanks to Mark Sommer for the inspiration!
I love the soundtracks for both ‘The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe’ and ‘Prince Caspian’. It would have been cool to go to the concert.
The music of Narnia was magical. It made the movie more magical. I wish Harry Gregson-Williams success in his work. He did a great job with the Narnia movies. I hope the new composer for Voyage does just as well.
I was very depressed to see that Williams is not doing the composition for Voyage. It was his music that breathed the life into the films. And now they are bringing in a sci-fi composer to do that job. I hope that he can live up to the reputation Williams left. If he fails, the movie and the series will fail with him.
it just goes to show that the composing business is all about who you know. Being that most directors have no clue about what makes the music they like, only that they like it, they usually stick with one guy. Lucas and Spielberg usually use John Williams and Tim Burton uses Danny Elfman a lot. Gregson-Williams will always be with Adamson (probably the Scott brothers too though I can’t see them directing a Narnia film) because they did all the Shrek’s (I think they’re doing another Shrek as well).
When I heard Adamson was leaving I knew HGW would be leaving as well.
Adamson’s leaving did have a lot to do with it, but primarily because of the director, Michael Apted, who works with David Arnold. It has a lot to do with the ability to understand each other, as well. The director and composer eventually have a short-hand with each other, that becomes comfortable, and they begin to understand each other pretty well.
One case to look at is Harry Potter. John Williams worked on the first three films in the series, with two directors. 🙂
I liked David Arnold’s score for Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. I don’t think he’ll meet Gregson-Williams standard (in his defense it’s pretty hard to meet) but I don’t think him scoring it will be a complete disaster.
Anyone who works with harry potter i want nothing to do with…just saying…that is sick!!!!!! ( As you can’t tell i HATE harry potter)…just read my other comments i wrote…sorry if i affended anyone,but it is pure witch craft a of the devil..hate it…just hate it.
(sorry but i got carried away.)
Whatt? There is a new composer for the third movie!!! listen people, i guess i can say im obessed with narnia. its just so magical if it was real and i had a chance to go there and meet all the narnians, i would without a second thought!! the music is just …. god, no words can describe it! u will be missed truly Harry Gregson-Williams! when i die i hope i go to heaven, and hope heaven is narnia!! and meet c.s lewis!! im speaking from the heart people here!! im getting emotional just writing it!! i got the albums, the dvds and all the books!! the last battle is my fav!! just that ending when c.s lewis wrote” that was just the cover and the title page, now the begin chapter one of the great story which no one on earth has read, which gores on for ever, in which ever chapter is better than the one before”.
I prefer Harry Gregson Williams to David Arnold. The music is better (What am I saying ??? Harry Gregson Williams is a god !! It’s impossible to compare him with Arnold…) and the battle is and will stay my favourite track. Why didn’t they keep HGW for the third film ?? It was impossible for me to imagine a great narnia film without him ! And so it is really. The third film is not the best. But I hope they will continue, and film the last battle, wich is my favourite book =D
Sorry, but the ‘god’thing is affending…i think you went to far…sorry.