Family Films
A wholesome mixture of film music written to enhance the shared experience of the 'family film', introduced by Matthew Sweet.
Of all the genre titles the 'family film' is perhaps the trickiest to define. Its intention, clearly, is to entertain and appeal to the whole family - togetherness. But what are the specific ingredients that make it so? Nevertheless, cinema goers seem to have a good sense of what an advertised family film might have to offer.
Matthew Sweet looks back at this category of film, which seemed to spring into existence in America around the 1930s, and he foregrounds the music of some of the best and most defining examples.
The programme includes music from Home Alone, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Gulliver's Travels, Honey I Shrunk The Kids, The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, ET - The Extra Terrestrial, Kiki's Delivery Service, Paddington 2 and the Classical Score of the Week - the Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell score for Shrek.
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Music Played
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Harry Gregson‐Williams
Shrek "Fairytale"
Composer: John Powell. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Choir: Metro Voices. Conductor: Gavin Greenaway.- Varèse Sarabande.
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John Williams
Home Alone (1990): The House
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: John Williams.- CBS.
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Frank Churchill
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves - Animal Friends / With a Smile and a Song
Composer: Leigh Harline. Singer: Ardiana Caselotti. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra.- Walt Disney Records.
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Victor Young
Gulliver's Travels "Prelude", "Giant in Tow"
Orchestra: The Moscow Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: William T. Stromberg.- Marco Polo.
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James Horner
Honey, I Shrunk The Kids "Main Title"
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: James Horner.- Walt Disney Records.
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Bernard Herrmann
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad "Overture / Baghdad
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Bernard Herrmann.- Classic Soundtracks.
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Richard M. Sherman
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang "Overture"
Composer: Robert B. Sherman. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Irwin Kostal.- Varèse Sarabande.
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John Williams
E.T. - The Extra Terrestrial "Searching for E.T."
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: John Williams.- Geffen.
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Joe Hisaishi
Kiki's Delivery Service "A Town with a View"
Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.- Deutsche Grammophon.
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Dario Marianelli
Paddington 2 "The Pop-Up Book"
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Dario Marianelli.- Decca (UMO) (Classics).
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Harry Gregson‐Williams
Shrek "Singing Princess", "Fiona's Secret", "Ride the Dragon"
Composer: John Powell. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Choir: Metro Voices. Conductor: Gavin Greenaway.- Varèse Sarabande.
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Leonard Cohen
Shrek "Hallelujah"
Performer: Rufus Wainwright.- Geffen.
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Harry Gregson‐Williams
Shrek "Transformation / The End"
Composer: John Powell. Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Choir: Metro Voices. Conductor: Gavin Greenaway.- Varèse Sarabande.
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John Williams
Eastwood Overture
Composer: Kyle Eastwood. Composer: Ennio Morricone. Composer: Clint Eastwood. Composer: Michael Stevens. Orchestra: Czech National Symphony Orchestra. Ensemble: Kyle Eastwood Band.- Discograph.
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Darius Milhaud
This Classical Life theme - Brazileira (Scaramouche)
Performer: Jess Gillam. Ensemble: Jess Gillam Ensemble.
Broadcasts
- Sat 23 Sep 202315:00BBC Radio 3
- Sat 16 Aug 202516:00BBC Radio 3
Podcast
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Sound of Cinema
Your weekly roundup of the finest film scores and movie music with Edith Bowman.
