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Whether it’s original film soundtracks or classical music put to powerful effect on the big screen, Classic FM invites you on a weekly journey through the finest film scores, every Saturday at 5pm with Andrew Collins.
Each week, we showcase a selection of film soundtracks, from the latest releases by the likes of Michael Giacchino, Thomas Newman or John Williams to historic scores by Shostakovich, Vaughan Williams and Korngold.
Every few months we’ll broadcast a video game music special, too, making us pretty much the only radio station in the UK that regularly plays this popular genre.
Today is International Hobbit Day, and Andrew Collins marks the occasion with a musical trip to Middle Earth.
With selections from both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies by Howard Shore, featuring star appearances by the likes of James Galway and Renée Fleming, Andrew also turns to other scores by Shore that influenced director Peter Jackson to hire him. In addition, we’ll hear music by another composer who was initially offered the role of bringing J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel to life.
This week, Andrew Collins spends a couple of hours exploring the theme of coming of age films from across the decades.
He’ll feature recent hits like Lady Bird by Jon Brion, alongside classics such as Malcolm Arnold’s music for Whistle Down The Wind and Michel Legrand’s score for Summer of ’42. Other favourites showcased tonight include a couple of 1990s classics: Dead Poets Society by Maurice Jarre and the Oscar-nominated music for The Cider House Rules by Rachel Portman.
Throughout October, Andrew Collins presents a mini-series called Screen Legends, celebrating the careers of some of the world’s greatest living actors.
Shining the spotlight on two stars per show, the programme features music from films starring the likes of Sir Ian McKellen, Dame Helen Mirren, Denzel Washington and Dame Emma Thompson – and this week, Andrew raises a glass to Dame Judi Dench and Daniel Day Lewis.
The first hour will be devoted to Dame Judi, featuring music from her collaborations with the actor and director Kenneth Branagh such as Henry V, Hamlet and Murder on the Orient Express, along with her Oscar-nominated roles in films including Iris, Notes on A Scandal and Mrs Brown, and her Oscar-winning turn in Shakespeare in Love.
In the second hour, we turn to the only actor to win three Oscars in the lead actor category, Daniel Day Lewis, and feature music from his winning roles in My Left Foot, There Will Be Blood and Lincoln, as well as other acclaimed performances in Gangs of New York, The Age of Innocence and In The Name of the Father.
Throughout October, Andrew Collins presents a mini-series called Screen Legends, celebrating the careers of a selection of the world’s greatest living actors and actresses. Over the coming weeks, Harrison Ford, Dame Helen Mirren, Denzel Washington and Dame Emma Thompson will be under the spotlight, but this week the focus is on Sir Ian McKellen and Meryl Streep.
Beginning with one of Britain’s finest stage and screen actors, Andrew starts the hour devoted to Ian McKellen with music from the Lord of the Rings trilogy by Howard Shore, in which McKellen plays Gandalf. Music from the X-Men series also features, to nod to McKellen’s role as Magneto, and Carter Burwell’s scores for Gods and Monsters and Mr Holmes follow.
Turning to the actress who has been nominated for a record 21 Academy Awards, Andrew selects music from across Meryl Streep’s career including Out of Africa by John Barry, The Post by John Williams and The Bridges of Madison County by Lennie Niehaus.
