Hollywood’s hall of fame showcases a galaxy of classics which have smashed box-office records and evoke nostalgia. The soundtracks of these movies have left as indelible an impression as the scenes themselves. These theme scores are instantly recognisable, thanks to the genius of composers who conjured up amazing atmospherics through their iconic oeuvres.
What if a world famous classical orchestra decided to present a compilation of your favourite soundtracks, under the baton of an internationally renowned conductor? This is precisely what the Berliner Philharmoniker (Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra) helmed by conductor Sir Simon Rattle did, at a sold-out concert in 2015, held at the Waldbuhne, a vast amphitheatre in Berlin.
Excerpts from this programme, titled ‘Digital Concert Hall’ were recently screened at the Goethe-Institut/ Max Mueller Bhavan. The opening bars of ‘Mutiny on The Bounty’ (Composer: Bronislaw Kaper) paved the way for a dramatic, action-filled piece in which the violins, in magnificent form, were joined by cello and viola to recreate the roll and swell of the sea. Part-eerie, part-brooding, the wind instrument interludes capped with raw, impassioned violin cresting to a single plaintive note, defined the initial ambience of ‘Laura’ (David Raksin) which gradually blossomed into an arbour of hope. In ‘The Big Country’ (Jerome Moross), energetic zig-zag skittering movements plateaued to a solemn, optimistic stretch to end with a flourish.
One of the greatest film scores of all time, the Oscar-winning symphonic suite of ‘The Adventures of Robinhood’ (Erich Wolfgang Korngold) in which wind instruments played a starring role, conveyed the thrill of challenge and the hope and glory of skirmishes well-fought and won, transporting you to the rain-wet, ferny recesses and sunlit clearings of Sherwood Forest.
The fun elements came with the ‘Tom and Jerry’ (Scott Bradley) score, beloved by children and adults . The endless chase, punctuated by the protagonists’ tripping over chairs and tables, the crash and bang of crockery, came alive through the music. The guys that had the most fun were a ‘special effects’ threesome in the background, who had a field day gleefully breaking plates, making grinding and snoring sounds and crumpling sheets of bubble wrap.
In marked contrast, the ‘Ben-Hur’ theme (Miklos Rozsa) spoke of the might of the Roman empire, its brute force, the dust-raising stomp of armies of marching legionnaires on the one hand and of glory, sacrifices and exaltation of the soul on the other.
Other evergreen themes included the theme music of ‘E.T,’ ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘Star Wars.’ The ‘Berliner Luft’ (Paul Linke), the unofficial anthem of Berlin, from the operetta ‘Frau Luna,’ with its distinctive 3-beat, where the audience joined in with much joyous clapping and dancing, came as a fitting finale.
The zoom shots of the performing artists who put as much heart and soul into their renditions as they would into a Bach or Beethoven concerto, the candid vignettes of members of the audience and the fascinating play of expressions that flitted across Sir Simon Rattle’s face as the conductor dove into the heart of each composition, took the viewing as close to a real-time experience as you could possibly get.
