The Wizard of Oz
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall line up four special events celebrating film music and Getintothis look forward with keen anticipation to some memorable evenings.
FIlms and music work together so well it’s nigh on impossible to imagine one without the other.
Even in the early, pre-talkie days of cinema, music played an intrgral part of the film-going experience.
You only need to hear the odd notes or a few bars from a movie score and you’re transported into a whole, different and exciting world.
The first stray notes from Jaws or Star Wars or countless other films are enough. You close your eyes and you’re there.
We hear half-snatches, an odd whistle or somebody idly humming a theme tune and all those visual memories start flooding back. That’s how much music and cinema are intertwined.
Over the next few months, the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall have lined up some special events to highlight the joint power and sheer artistry of the combination of music and film.
There’s classic scores from one of the most prolific and well-loved film composers of all time, an evening celebrating an iconic movie series, a chance to immerse yourself in the sounds and visuals of a different country and a very special joint birtthday.
All of these will be unmisssable and will no doubt provde many new and fresh memories to treasure. Film and music- you really can’t have one without the other.
Soumik Datta
King of Ghosts
Film with live music featuring Soumik Datta (sarod), Cormac Byrne (percussion), Al Sween (piano) and City of London Sinfonia
Tuesday April 9 7.30pm
Immerse yourself in an atmospheric Indian soundscape as sarod star Soumik Datta and City of London Sinfonia perform a double bill of music for Indian film.
Oscar-winning director Satyajit Ray’s cult film Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, will be projected on a large screen with a reimagined live cinematic score (King of Ghosts) featuring the haunting sounds of Soumik Datta‘s sarod (19 stringed fretless lute), Cormac Byrne’s Irish folk rhythms and City of London Sinfonia.
The film follows the magical journey of two unlikely heroes, Goopy and Bagha who are granted three wishes by the benevolent yet terrifying King of Ghosts and will take you on a breathtaking and magical journey across rural India – a vintage superhero film at its best
In the first half of this double bill, Around India with a Movie Camera presents some of the earliest surviving footage from India, as well as enchanting travelogues, intimate home movies and newsreels from British, French and Indian filmmakers, drawn exclusively from the BFI National Archive’s early film collection.
‘This cine-concert show immerses the viewer in visuals and sounds from rural and ancient India, factual and fictional characters that will fascinate children and adults alike. Connecting film and music in the most special way, this is a real treat for all music and film lovers.’ Soumik Datta on King of Ghosts and Around India with a Movie Camera.
- More details and information here.
What if Star Wars characters were musicians- who’s going Hans Solo?
Star Wars
Music from Stars Wars Saga
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Chamber Choir, James Shearman (conductor), Marc Silk (presenter) and Tim Burden (presenter)
Saturday April 27 7.30pm
A long time ago in galaxy far, far away…. John Williams created one of the greatest scores in movie history.
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is joined by Marc Silk – better known as Aks Moe from The Phantom Menace – to present John Williams’ music from the entire Star Wars saga, from The Phantom Menace right through to The Last Jedi.
The music is iconic enough to be performed in its own right as it strikes so many chords and evokes so many memories.
- More details and information here
E.T. The Extra-TerrestrialThe Music of John Williams for Spielberg
Vasily Petrenko (conductor), Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Friday June 14 7.30pm and Saturday June 15 7.30pm
Along with Star Wars, it has to be said that John Williams has given us some of the greatest film music of the past five decades – movie themes that have become the soundtracks to all our lives.
The programme for this concert includes some of the most loved film scores from the Spielberg films including Jurassic Park, Jaws, War Horse, Schindler’s List, Indiana Jones, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.
And they’ll never sound better than this: live with Vasily Petrenko conducting the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra with specially-devised lighting and digital effects, film clips and images to go alongside this blockbuster music.
- More details and information here.
The Wizard of Oz
There’s No Place Like Home: 80th Birthday Celebration of Liverpool Philharmonic Hall and The Wizard of Oz
Wednesday June 19 7.30pm
£16, £49 (Emerald City package)
This will be a special evening, with a screening of the classic film, The Wizard of Oz (premiered in 1939) and a celebration of the 80th birthday of the incredible and much-loved Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, which opened 80 years ago on June 19 1939 in all its Art-Deco glory.
Proceeds from this event will support the restoration of the historic Rushworth & Dreaper organ at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. The organ will be played pre-screening, as usual, by the inimitable Dave Nicholas.
Not only is this a film screening but should you wish (and why not?) the Philharmonic are offering special and limited Emerald City packages.
If you decide to go for The Emerald City package, then the Music Room opens from 6pm on the evening for a pre-screening reception featuring Wizard of Oz themed canapes (including Aunty Em Pulled Pork on Kansas Corn Bread, Rainbow Crudités, Emerald Pea Hummus, and Ruby Red Meat Balls followed by Yellow Brick Rocky Road and Mini Rainbow cupcakes) and a free glass of fizz on arrival.
The Emerald City package additionally has live performances of songs from the era and characters from the film including the Phil’s own Judy Garland will also make an appearance. With exclusive box seats and Wizard-themed cocktails in the interval it’ll possibly be the best 80th birthday celebration ever.
- More details and information here.
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