Located in the UK
Located in the USA
Located in Europe
- Jocelyn Pook
The Merchant of Venice (2004)
- EMI Music Publishers Ltd (World)
Unavailable for performance.
Programme Note
When Michael Radford first approached me about writing the music for his film 'The Merchant of Venice' he felt strongly that the score should have a contemporary feel to it as well as evoking something of the period in which it is set, the late sixteenth century. So I began to immerse myself in renaissance music, hoping that something of these influences might find their way into the score I was about to write.
At first I concentrated on providing music for certain scenes in the film which needed to be shot to the music: in scenes with court musicians playing or singing in vision. Some of these I based on existing medieval or renaissance themes, others, including all the vocal pieces (except 'Song In Brothel') I wrote myself, setting them to various texts from the period, with the exception of 'Bridal Ballad' where I have used a text by Edgar Allan Poe.
Several months later, after the shoot was finished and the first edits were being assembled, I set about writing the main body of the score. I had plenty of sources of inspiration: the rich and atmospheric pictures I was given to work with , the vivid portrayal and diversity of the characters and the powerful dramatic content.
The final recording sessions were an incredibly exciting and moving experience: witnessing the music being brought to life with the real instruments and the fine musicianship of the players; hearing the songs transform as the singers breathed life into them; it was really magical.
Jocelyn Pook, 2004
At first I concentrated on providing music for certain scenes in the film which needed to be shot to the music: in scenes with court musicians playing or singing in vision. Some of these I based on existing medieval or renaissance themes, others, including all the vocal pieces (except 'Song In Brothel') I wrote myself, setting them to various texts from the period, with the exception of 'Bridal Ballad' where I have used a text by Edgar Allan Poe.
Several months later, after the shoot was finished and the first edits were being assembled, I set about writing the main body of the score. I had plenty of sources of inspiration: the rich and atmospheric pictures I was given to work with , the vivid portrayal and diversity of the characters and the powerful dramatic content.
The final recording sessions were an incredibly exciting and moving experience: witnessing the music being brought to life with the real instruments and the fine musicianship of the players; hearing the songs transform as the singers breathed life into them; it was really magical.
Jocelyn Pook, 2004