SPOTLIGHT
UK SOUNDTRACK
I
n previous decades, British composers
such as Malcolm Arnold, William Walton
and Ron Goodwin turned a global spot-
light on the UK’s recording industry, and tal-
ents such as John Barry, Stanley Myers and
George Fenton have since cemented its
reputation. In addition, landmark facilities
such as Abbey Road Studios, home to the
first purpose-built recording studio, and AIR
Studios, originally a 19th-century church
and missionary school, enable composers,
orchestras, musicians and technicians to
create award-winning scores for interna-
tional projects of all sizes.
Recent years have seen many Oscar-win-
ning scores created at UK studios, including
Gravity
(Steven Price, 2013),
The Grand Buda-
pest Hotel
(Alexandre Desplat, 2014),
The
Hateful Eight’s
live-to-vinyl soundtrack
(Ennio Morricone, 2015), as well as Thomas
Newman’s BAFTA-winning
Skyfall
(2012)
and Hans Zimmer’s BAFTA, Golden Globe
and Oscar-nominated
Interstellar
(2014).
John Lunn also won the Emmy Award for
Outstanding Music Composition for
Down-
ton Abbey
in 2012 and 2013, an honour
typically given to US-based composers.
The widening array of international tal-
ent who claim the UK as their recording
home can be linked to an influx of feature
films from overseas. Attributable partly to
the UK’s competitive tax incentives, many
within the industry give equal credit to the
musical heritage and teaching traditions
that contribute to the unique and sought-
after sounds.
Steeped in history and talent, the film music industry is flourishing, with an
ever-increasing number of soundtrack recordings being produced in the UK.
Tiffany Pritchard
discovers why the territory is in such demand.
Behind
THE MUSIC
Abbey Road’s Studio One: home to
Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark
54
