Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Film Gala – Live Review – Hull City Hall
By Karl Hornsey, November 2024
We may not realise it as we sit down to watch our favourite films, but it’s not just what we see that makes them our favourites, but what we hear beyond the script as well – namely, the score. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve complained about intrusive music in TV series and films, but when film scores are done right, then they are truly sensational and lift the movies to a whole other level. And who better to perform some of the all-time classics, than the Royal Philharmonic at Hull City Hall, to an appreciative audience who seemed to love every minute.
And so they should, given that the orchestra, under the baton of conductor Stephen Bell, rattled through pieces from 16 films, including music by titans of their field such as John Barry, John Williams, Hans Zimmer and Michael Kamen, ranging from blockbusters to some lesser-known gems. While the scores that everyone knows were great to hear live, it was also wonderful to appreciate the likes of Arthur Bliss’s March from the 1936 adaptation of HG Wells’ book Things to Come, as well as ‘Moon River’ from Breakfast at Tiffany’s which, remarkably, is now more than 60 years old.
The show began with the finale to E.T., followed by the main theme to Gladiator, which was timely (with the sequel about to hit cinemas any day now), and which prompted us to watch the original film over the weekend. This evocation of a film, bringing back memories and making one want to watch the films again, is something that I’m sure affected many in the audience, and the likes of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark were sure to be watched by many over the weekend as a result.
“Poignant moments”
The other fabulous balance of the music selected was, for all the grandeur and majesty of some of the more powerful pieces, the more poignant moments. The main theme from Out of Africa is a wonderfully moving piece by John Barry, but even that was overshadowed by the main theme to Schindler’s List, with RPO Leader Duncan Riddell performing a beautiful violin solo that brought tears to the eyes.
As something of a Star Wars fan, one of the best moments was saved until the very end, with a trio of pieces from A New Hope, where George Lucas’s sci-fi journey began all those years ago. The often-overlooked lightness of that score was highlighted by ‘Princess Leia’s Theme’, followed in complete contrast by the foreboding ‘Imperial March’ and, finally, the main theme to round off a wonderful evening’s entertainment.
Top image:Ben Wright and the RPO
