Classical: Music for film lovers

Does the recording industry act as a barometer of public trends, or is it responsible for creating new vogues? It's been the conundrum for years in the world of classical music, and at the present time we have a glut of new film music recordings.
FILM EXPERT: Andrew Collins will be hosting From Hollywood with Love.FILM EXPERT: Andrew Collins will be hosting From Hollywood with Love.
FILM EXPERT: Andrew Collins will be hosting From Hollywood with Love.

So it comes as no great surprise to find the Orchestra of Opera North responding to popular demand, presenting next Thursday in Huddersfield’s Town Hall From Hollywood with Love, a film night that features music from the iconic movies of the 20th century, including Gone with the Wind, North by Northwest, The Godfather and Sea Hawk.

Many of the composers included arrived in Hollywood from Europe where they had already enjoyed a career in the world of ‘classical’ music – Erich Korngold and Miklos Rozsa were fleeing the Second World War and were later joined by the American-born Bernard Herrmann and John Williams.

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The orchestra cheat a little by including music from the British film Dangerous Moonlight with the silver screen’s most popular piano concerto, Richard Addinsell’s Warsaw Concerto, performed here with Ian Buckle as soloist.

Tobias Ringborg, who last year conducted Opera North’s new production of Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, directs the orchestra. The concert is hosted by Andrew Collins, Radio Times film editor and Classic FM presenter and it will be repeated in an afternoon event in Leeds Town Hall on February 4 beginning at 4pm.

Tickets for Huddersfield Town Hall available from 01484 225755; Leeds Town Hall 0113 3760318.