By Tommy Pearson
David Arnold, Maurice Jarre & Tommy Pearson in Ghent
Phew! The World Soundtrack Awards, always the most fun on the film music calendar, are over for another year and it's time to get back to normal (well sort of). As visitors to this site will know, some of the top names in the genre have been in Ghent this year making it, certainly musically, the best festival yet. Harry Gregson-Williams, Alberto Iglesias, Mychael Danna and Gustavo Santaolalla are about as diverse a bunch as you can imagine and that's made this year very satisfying for musicians and music-lovers, especially those that were beginning to think that film music was just big sweeping themes and tinkly pianos (the staple of many past WSAs). The festival started with tango rock, as two-time Oscar-winning composer Santaolalla brought his band to Ghent as part of a European tour. To film goers, Santaolalla is a gentle guitarist of sparse scores for films like The Insider, Brokeback Mountain, 21 Grams and Babel. But the audience at the Voruit Arts Centre in Ghent was presented with an altogether different sound - a massive Argentinian musical party, with little Santaolalla at the centre of it, jumping up and down to the big beats. His band was awesome; technically flawless, energetic and passionate, as you might expect. I even took to the 'DJ' at the back, co-ordinating the beats. Gone are the vinyl decks of old; this guy punched the keys of two laptops, which was aesthetically not quite the same but I guess that's progress. The venue was jammed with students and older rockers (myself included in the latter) and the music was infectious and varied, although I preferred the intimate moments best - when Gustavo played solo a cue from The Motorcycle Diaries (he had to ask the crowd to shut up, though - that's students for you). I emerged from the gig hot and exhausted, but elated.
Next day it was time to focus on the concert featuring the music of Alberto Iglesias. Alberto is one of the gentlest souls you are ever likely to meet, a sensitive composer of enormous gifts. I've worked with him a couple of times before; this year I was writing the script and hosting the concert - a total pleasure. I adore Iglesias's music, especially his work for Almodovar and The Constant Gardener. In the concert we had a chance to hear for the first time his work on The Kite Runner, the latest Marc Forster movie based on the best-selling novel. It was stunning and must surely be an Oscar contender (the movie is coming out near Christmas but only after the child actors from Afghanistan have been safely smuggled out of the country). Iglesias's music was something of a departure for the Soundtrack Awards organisers - this is often challenging, aurally sophisticated music always aware of the wider world of contemporary music. So many of today's film composers seem only to be influenced by other film music; Alberto has his musical heart elsewhere and film is richer for that. The fine Flemish Radio Orchestra, and the audience on the night, certainly appreciated a different class of composer and an emotional and heart-felt standing ovation at the close of the concert confirmed it. The final music of the evening came from Almodovar's Talk To Her - that audacious dream sequence, presented as an old black and white silent movie, where a tiny man literally climbs into a woman's private parts for a look around. It shocks and pleasures in equal measure and it was a daring end to a wonderful evening. Alberto, never completely comfortable in the spotlight, was touched and moved by it all, and characteristically stayed in the bar til 5am with the rest of us!
Saturday was Awards day and by this point the number of composers present in Ghent was growing: all the Discovery of the Year nominees were there - including Nick Hooper, who just scored Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and Ramin Djawadi, a charming composer originally from Germany, plus the eventual winners from Argentina, Daniel Tarrab and Andres Goldstein. Ghent regular David Arnold (Bond composer of choice) and Maurice Jarre (legend) were also in town, and both ending up collecting awards - Arnold won Best Original Song for Casino Royale and Maurice, wonderful Maurice, accepted an award on behalf of Soundtrack Composer of the Year winner Alexandre Despat. Desplat is in London scoring the first of the His Dark Materials movies, The Golden Compass, so sent a video message (which took about an hour to download over the criminally slow wi-fi at the concert venue! Technology is great when it works.) Clint Mansell, who this writer thought was American, turned out to be a Brummy - actually from Stourbridge in the West Midlands - and it was a great pleasure to see Clint win both Public Choice and Soundtrack of the Year awards for The Fountain. Those wonderful Birmingham vowels were nervous and humbled and, despite a call of 'speak up son' from his proud father, quite brief - Mansell looked to be genuinely surprised.
What a pleasure it is to host the awards with Roel van Bamboost, a popular Belgian film critic and TV star. I think we've developed a neat double-act after 3 years. Writing the script, as I do, can be tricky, trying to balance the information between Flemish and English without repeating too much. But I value Roel most for enjoying the occasion up on stage, and not minding when I deviate from the script (which is often). I'm so much happier when I can relax and be instinctive. Not all co-hosts like this, but Roel is great and, I think, actually prefers it when we 'riff'. A few people after the show commented that I looked very happy up on stage. Well yeah - what's not to like?
Among the musical surprises of the evening was Evanthia Reboutsika's stunning performance of music from 'My Father, My Son', which had won her the WSA Discovery of the Year award in 2006. It was great to hear Harry Gregson-Williams's music in full-blodied performance, and lovely to be reminded of Little Miss Sunshine through Danna's quirky score. I have to admit, however, that through much of this music I had my eye on my mobile phone, as texts giving me the latest score in the Rugby world cup final came through. By the time we reached Mychael Danna's section, the game was over and, having announced Danna onto the stage, he whispered in my ear - "Sorry about your team, man."
Apres awards and it was off to a private reception, where I had the chance to chat with Shrek director Andrew Adamson and eat some food before a group of us - the composers and the festival organisers - sped off to a tiny club to avoid the fans (of the composers, that is, not me!). The bar didn't take credit cards, which became something of a problem, so after a couple of hours, and having exhausted all of Clint Mansell's cash, we de-camped to the traditional retiring hole, Den Turk, opposite our hotel.
Another wonderful Ghent then. There are other film music festivals, but none of them will ever be quite like Ghent. Truly, it does feel like home. Roll on next year!
For a full list of award-winners at the 2007 World Soundtrack Awards, click HERE
For all information on Tommy Pearson, visit his official website.
Phew! The World Soundtrack Awards, always the most fun on the film music calendar, are over for another year and it's time to get back to normal (well sort of). As visitors to this site will know, some of the top names in the genre have been in Ghent this year making it, certainly musically, the best festival yet. Harry Gregson-Williams, Alberto Iglesias, Mychael Danna and Gustavo Santaolalla are about as diverse a bunch as you can imagine and that's made this year very satisfying for musicians and music-lovers, especially those that were beginning to think that film music was just big sweeping themes and tinkly pianos (the staple of many past WSAs). The festival started with tango rock, as two-time Oscar-winning composer Santaolalla brought his band to Ghent as part of a European tour. To film goers, Santaolalla is a gentle guitarist of sparse scores for films like The Insider, Brokeback Mountain, 21 Grams and Babel. But the audience at the Voruit Arts Centre in Ghent was presented with an altogether different sound - a massive Argentinian musical party, with little Santaolalla at the centre of it, jumping up and down to the big beats. His band was awesome; technically flawless, energetic and passionate, as you might expect. I even took to the 'DJ' at the back, co-ordinating the beats. Gone are the vinyl decks of old; this guy punched the keys of two laptops, which was aesthetically not quite the same but I guess that's progress. The venue was jammed with students and older rockers (myself included in the latter) and the music was infectious and varied, although I preferred the intimate moments best - when Gustavo played solo a cue from The Motorcycle Diaries (he had to ask the crowd to shut up, though - that's students for you). I emerged from the gig hot and exhausted, but elated.
Next day it was time to focus on the concert featuring the music of Alberto Iglesias. Alberto is one of the gentlest souls you are ever likely to meet, a sensitive composer of enormous gifts. I've worked with him a couple of times before; this year I was writing the script and hosting the concert - a total pleasure. I adore Iglesias's music, especially his work for Almodovar and The Constant Gardener. In the concert we had a chance to hear for the first time his work on The Kite Runner, the latest Marc Forster movie based on the best-selling novel. It was stunning and must surely be an Oscar contender (the movie is coming out near Christmas but only after the child actors from Afghanistan have been safely smuggled out of the country). Iglesias's music was something of a departure for the Soundtrack Awards organisers - this is often challenging, aurally sophisticated music always aware of the wider world of contemporary music. So many of today's film composers seem only to be influenced by other film music; Alberto has his musical heart elsewhere and film is richer for that. The fine Flemish Radio Orchestra, and the audience on the night, certainly appreciated a different class of composer and an emotional and heart-felt standing ovation at the close of the concert confirmed it. The final music of the evening came from Almodovar's Talk To Her - that audacious dream sequence, presented as an old black and white silent movie, where a tiny man literally climbs into a woman's private parts for a look around. It shocks and pleasures in equal measure and it was a daring end to a wonderful evening. Alberto, never completely comfortable in the spotlight, was touched and moved by it all, and characteristically stayed in the bar til 5am with the rest of us!
Saturday was Awards day and by this point the number of composers present in Ghent was growing: all the Discovery of the Year nominees were there - including Nick Hooper, who just scored Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and Ramin Djawadi, a charming composer originally from Germany, plus the eventual winners from Argentina, Daniel Tarrab and Andres Goldstein. Ghent regular David Arnold (Bond composer of choice) and Maurice Jarre (legend) were also in town, and both ending up collecting awards - Arnold won Best Original Song for Casino Royale and Maurice, wonderful Maurice, accepted an award on behalf of Soundtrack Composer of the Year winner Alexandre Despat. Desplat is in London scoring the first of the His Dark Materials movies, The Golden Compass, so sent a video message (which took about an hour to download over the criminally slow wi-fi at the concert venue! Technology is great when it works.) Clint Mansell, who this writer thought was American, turned out to be a Brummy - actually from Stourbridge in the West Midlands - and it was a great pleasure to see Clint win both Public Choice and Soundtrack of the Year awards for The Fountain. Those wonderful Birmingham vowels were nervous and humbled and, despite a call of 'speak up son' from his proud father, quite brief - Mansell looked to be genuinely surprised.
What a pleasure it is to host the awards with Roel van Bamboost, a popular Belgian film critic and TV star. I think we've developed a neat double-act after 3 years. Writing the script, as I do, can be tricky, trying to balance the information between Flemish and English without repeating too much. But I value Roel most for enjoying the occasion up on stage, and not minding when I deviate from the script (which is often). I'm so much happier when I can relax and be instinctive. Not all co-hosts like this, but Roel is great and, I think, actually prefers it when we 'riff'. A few people after the show commented that I looked very happy up on stage. Well yeah - what's not to like?
Among the musical surprises of the evening was Evanthia Reboutsika's stunning performance of music from 'My Father, My Son', which had won her the WSA Discovery of the Year award in 2006. It was great to hear Harry Gregson-Williams's music in full-blodied performance, and lovely to be reminded of Little Miss Sunshine through Danna's quirky score. I have to admit, however, that through much of this music I had my eye on my mobile phone, as texts giving me the latest score in the Rugby world cup final came through. By the time we reached Mychael Danna's section, the game was over and, having announced Danna onto the stage, he whispered in my ear - "Sorry about your team, man."
Apres awards and it was off to a private reception, where I had the chance to chat with Shrek director Andrew Adamson and eat some food before a group of us - the composers and the festival organisers - sped off to a tiny club to avoid the fans (of the composers, that is, not me!). The bar didn't take credit cards, which became something of a problem, so after a couple of hours, and having exhausted all of Clint Mansell's cash, we de-camped to the traditional retiring hole, Den Turk, opposite our hotel.
Another wonderful Ghent then. There are other film music festivals, but none of them will ever be quite like Ghent. Truly, it does feel like home. Roll on next year!
For a full list of award-winners at the 2007 World Soundtrack Awards, click HERE
For all information on Tommy Pearson, visit his official website.