Movie Night on a Saturday - 29th March 2014
In the world of classical music and film, few collaborations have been as iconic as Sir Neville Marriner's work on the 1984 film Amadeus. The Academy Award-winning film, directed by Miloš Forman, required a soundtrack that was both historically accurate and musically captivating. Sir Neville, along with the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, rose to the challenge, recording all the music for the film.
Most of the music in the Amadeus soundtrack is composed by the great Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose compositions make up the majority of the film's score. The album became a bestseller and remains one of the most popular classical music albums ever.
Sir Neville agreed to score the film on the condition that Mozart's music remained unchanged from its original versions. However, he did add some notes to Salieri's music that are audible at the beginning of the film as Salieri begins his confession. The exceptions to Mozart's compositions are an early Hungarian folk tune and the final movement of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, which also features in the soundtrack.
Tonight, listeners can enjoy soundtracks performed by Sir Neville and the Academy for The English Patient, David Copperfield, and Liaisons Dangereuses. This week's Howard Goodall's show on our website's Neville Marriner at 90 week, scheduled for Saturday 29 March 2014, 5pm-7pm, will celebrate the best film scores of 2014, including those from The Book Thief, Monuments Men, and The Lego Movie.
The film music for The Lego Movie was composed by Mark Mothersbaugh, a departure from the classical tradition set by Amadeus. Yet, the influence of Sir Neville Marriner's work on the film scoring industry remains undeniable.
In conclusion, the collaboration between Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields on Amadeus resulted in a timeless soundtrack that has stood the test of time. Their work continues to inspire film composers and classical musicians alike, making Amadeus a significant milestone in the history of film scoring.
