Programmes

Movies and Video Games in Concert

Full programme

  • John Williams, Harry's Wondrous World (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone)  (5mins)
  • Kamen (arr. Nikiforos Chrysoloras), Highlander Concert Suite  (5mins)
  • Ramin Djawadi (arr. Raine), Game of Thrones  (4mins)
  • Danny Elfman (arr. Wassoon), Spider-Man Theme  (5mins)
  • Rupert Gregson-Williams, Wonder Woman Suite  (6mins)
  • Howard Shore, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring  (4mins)
  • Martin O'Donnell (arr. Smith), Halo  (3mins)
  • Hans Zimmer (arr. Hohensee), Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest)  (4mins)
  • Alan Silvestri, Theme (The Avengers)  (3mins)
  • Kamen, X-Men Symphonic Suite  (5mins)
  • Nobuo Uematsu (arr. Skeet), Main Theme (Final Fantasy Series)  (3mins)
  • Danny Elfman, Batman Suite  (7mins)
  • arr. Tom Voysey, Tom Cruise Medley  (6mins)
  • Joe Hisiashi, My Neighbour Totoro  (4mins)
  • Joe Hisiashi, Kimi Wo Nosete (Castle in the Sky)  (6mins)
  • John Williams, The Rise of Skywalker Suite for Orchestra (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker)  (4mins)

Performers

  • Stephen Bell

    Conductor

Introduction

Welcome to Symphony Hall. I’m particularly thrilled to be back with the CBSO for this concert which features a broad sweep of music from film, television, anime movies and video games all threaded together with the theme of “Fantasy”.

The programme is book-ended by music from the greatest living movie composer, John Williams, in the form of extracts from the first Harry Potter movie and the last of the final Star Wars trilogy. As with all of Williams’ music, he takes the emotional impact of the soundtrack to a whole new level – just think of the breadth of subject matter he has brought to the cinema over a long and hugely successful career, ranging from Jaws to The Fabelmans and everything in between.

The film fantasy theme continues with music by the likes of Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore, Micheal Kamen and many more, together with some Studio Ghibli extracts from award-winning composer Joe Hisiahi. From the world of TV, an extract from global success story Game of Thrones and representing video games, we turn to Japanese maestro Nobuo Uematsu for his brilliant contribution to the Final Fantasy series, all with the strand of taking the listener on the journey through a world of fantasy.

Of course, if you are familiar with the films or games, the music will already be known to you, but the joy of live music is that even if you’ve never seen the film, it can still have that emotional connection and allow the listener to just let their imagination run wild.

We hope you enjoy our selection of music!

Stephen Bell
Conductor

Movies and Video Games quiz

  1. Which composer is famous for their work on the Studio Ghibli films?
  2. Which film composer has been awarded the most Academy Awards?
  3. What is the best-selling video game of all-time?
  4. Which actor is famous for doing their own film stunts?
  5. Which composer has written the music for nearly every Tim Burton movie?
  6. Which instrument plays the main theme from the Game of Thrones?
  7. What musical genre does Rupert Gregson-Williams fuse with orchestral music in the Wonder Woman soundtrack?

Answers: 1 = Joe Hisaishi. 2 = John Williams. 3 = Minecraft. 4 = Tom Cruise. 5 = Danny Elfman. 6 = The cello. 7 = Rock music.

Featured image © Alexandra Georgiadis