His Dark Materials
Another apprentice of Hans Zimmer, Lorne Balfe grew up in Inverness, spending the majority of his time in his father's recording studio - one attended by the likes of Ozzy Osbourne and Inner Circle. As a result, Balfe never saw music as a risky career. In fact, despite being turned down by every conservatory he applied to, he continued to strive for his dream, landing him at Hans Zimmer's Remote-Control Company. Since then, he has composed for ridiculously huge films such as the latest additions to the Mission Impossible and Terminator series. Most recently, he attempted what he has called the "mammoth task" of scoring the soundtrack for the fantasy series His Dark Materials, based on his favourite books by Phillip Pullman. The beauty of Balfe’s creation is that it focuses almost entirely on melody. The track has only the smallest of introductions before it breaks into an epic chorus of violins, joined gradually by thundering horns and drums. The gravitas of an 11-year-old venturing North to a world inhabited by armoured polar bears and vicious leaders is established from the very outset of this piece. In come an ethereal blend of voices, transporting viewers to the parallel universe where the series is set. The choir is equally reminiscent of religion – a central them in atheist, Phillip Pullman’s bestselling novels. The sheer effort that has gone into this composition is evident in the genuine Latin lyrics which are barely audible over the drone of tubas. The climax comes as both the choir and the orchestra come together to sing the main melody – now more urgent than ever. The piece ends with a build up to a single, momentous bass note, foreshadowing the darkly dramatic events of the TV show.
Good Omens
Probably the wackiest TV intro I have ever heard is for the adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s famously ridiculous collaboration, Good Omens. In fact, the piece is so unpredictable that there are around six different versions to accompany the plot of each episode! Composer David Arnold immediately had the difficult task of setting music to the friendship between a devil and an angel who are desperately working together to put a stop to Armageddon. Both heavenly and hellish elements are combined to create an unusual timbre of lutes and lyres, growling voices and crashing cymbals. The track is a slow and comic waltz, with a plodding bass line. The melody is equally humorous; chaos is riddled in every corner. Along with the angel’s righteous classical music, you can hear erratic movement down the piano and raucous chanting. Chromaticism is slid subtly into heaven’s high-pitched chorus, which ends in a ghostly scream. Weird synthesisers are combined with the tinkling of a music box. Finally, after staggering between both extra-universal worlds, the piece ends with a tense crescendo. There’s no surprise that this surreal masterpiece earned him an extra Emmy to add to his already-packed shelf.
Sherlock
David Arnold is perhaps better known, however, for his scoring of the BBC’s hit detective series, Sherlock. Incredibly accomplished, he has also composed the music for five James Bond films, Independence Day and Godzilla! When you take a look back at his past, it doesn’t take much to see what brought him this far. Friends with CSI director Danny Cannon, Arnold was already writing the music for his films during sixth form. 30 years later and we are landed with the thrillingly mysterious theme which perfectly captures the multi-layered relationship of our favourite detectives. Michael Price, who composed alongside Arnold, is equally qualified, having studied to be a Tonmeister at university and since composing a whole host of contemporary dance and film music. Before the title sequence really begins, we are met with the ferocious pounding of drums, inciting anticipation and suspense. Indeed, the rhythm is an especially important component of the piece, its 6/8-time signature recreating the dramatic scenes of Sherlock and Watson chasing villains across London. Overall, the composition is unashamedly British – perfect for reintroducing such classic English characters. Despite lasting only forty seconds, the piece was voted the best UK television theme by the public in 2019. Its soaring violin melody and shaking guitar chords communicate the adventurous, playful side of Sherlock, whilst still bringing to light the dark and cryptic world of murder.
The Crown
This time composed by Zimmer himself, the Crown is a delicate and regal soundtrack, in keeping with the show’s origins: the story of our current Queen, Elizabeth II. Beginning with a gentle hum of woodwind instruments, the piece feels almost holy, similar to the music that would have been played at the queen’s coronation. The lack of melody keeps the theme simple and refined whilst its grave harmony suggests a chink in the cool and collected façade of the royal family. A fast ostinato on the strings creates an instant trepidation as to what secrets shall be revealed. A slow crescendo of soaring violin parts just enforces these expectations as we hope to learn more about the wealth and fame of the British monarchy. Until it just stops. One final decisive strike across the violin leads us straight back to the beginning, revealing an even bigger truth. The theme makes us wonder what it’s like to be the most scrutinised family in the United Kingdom. Are they anything like us? Hans Zimmer has the unparalleled power to raise questions like these purely through the way he writes his music. Over the years, he has become famous not only for this but for his integration of electronic and orchestral instruments. Sound tracking every new film that’s worth watching, he has received four Grammys , three BRITs, two Golden Globes and an academy award – landing him a position as one of the Daily Telegraph’s Top 100 Living Geniuses (a real testament to his prowess).
Years and Years
Years and Years asks a question that is more important now than ever before: “What will life be like for you in 30 years’ time… 10 years… 5 years?”. Through the show, housing officer, Daniel Lyon’s musings get answered, with each episode set a further two years into the future, exploring ideas such as migration, populism, technology and identity. Faced with such loaded topics, Doctor Who composer Murray Gold had the difficult task of combining this flurry of ideas into one exhilarating piece of music. Introduced by the ominous ticking of a clock and the hypnotic whirl of piano music, the piece quickly builds up to an intense melody on the violins. The theme bombards you with emotions of hope, hopelessness and sheer uncertainty. The hectic rhythm is soon accompanied by female cries which instantly scream fear and apprehension for the future. Yet, the melody remains uplifting and energetic, communicating the idea that any normal family, just like the one in the show, has the power to change the world. It's ridiculous to think we would have never been handed this thrilling soundtrack if he weren't selected as musical director for the Cambridge Footlights society in his university years. This prompted him to stop pursuing a career in drama and dive into the world of music. No other composer has quite managed to communicate the excitement and danger the future brings in one foul swoop.
Narcos
We now make a sharp and dramatic turn towards a traditional South American bolero or slow tempo dance. The song ‘Tuyo’ (or ‘Yours’) was written especially for the Netflix drama, Narcos, by Brazilian singer song-writer Rodrigo Amarante. The man has been a part of several projects over the years, performing solo as well as part of the rock supergroup, Little Joy (which you may know as a result of its drummer, Fabrizo Moretti of The Strokes). He’s equally famous as a member of the four-piece, Los Hermanos, formed during his university years, and for his work in the Orquestra Imperial which aims to bring big band samba back to life. The series follows the rise and fall of the drug kingpin, Pablo Escobar, narrated by an agent from the DEA. Aiming to get to the heart of the infamous and ambitious mastermind, Amrante was inspired by the music Escobar’s mother would have listened to as he was growing up. Amarante devised a piece awash with the deliberate dotted rhythms typical of Cuban music. Much like a tango, the track is underpinned by African drums, shakers and guiros. Meanwhile, the lead guitar slides sinisterly slowly down a jazz scale. Amarante has a beautifully husky voice and, despite having been written purely for a TV show, the lyrics are extremely poetic. One romantic declaration can be translated to:
“You’re the air that I breathe
And the moon’s light on the sea
The throat I yearn to wet
That I fear to drown with love”
You can tell the amount of research that has gone into penning these verses from the obvious references to the life of Pablo Escobar. For example, the song describes the drug lord’s prison, which he named his “castle”. Amrante focuses on the beginning of his life to reflect his transformation from a young boy into a monstrous narcotrafficker. The added touch of a swirling string arrangement is a musical form of dramatic irony – serene yet somehow menacing if you are aware of what is to come...