NEW YORK (Sony Clasical) - Composer Harry Gregson-Williams captures the powerful drama and epic grandeur of director Ridley Scott's historical drama Kingdom of
Heaven in his musical score, featured on Sony Classical's original soundtrack recording. Directed by Ridley Scott - who helmed the Oscar-winning Gladiator,
Black Hawk Down and Blade Runner - Kingdom of
Heaven stars Orlando Bloom (the Lord of the Rings trilogy), Eva Green (The Dreamers) and Oscar nominee Liam Neeson. The film opens nationwide on May 6, 2005, and the soundtrack recording will be released on Tuesday, April 26, 2005.
Best known perhaps for the music he created for the hugely popular Shrek and Shrek 2, Gregson-Williams has created original music for a remarkable array from films from every genre. His recent credits include Man on Fire, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Team America: World Police, Veronica Guerin, Phone Booth, Spy Game, Enemy of the State, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas and Antz. The acclaimed composer is presently a nominee for this year's Ivor Novello Awards for his Fox score to Man on Fire.
"Harry recorded this score at Abbey Road, and I watched as he combined a fantastic array of musical sources to create the film's music," said Robert Kraft, President, Fox Music. "Several cues feature a combination of ancient ethnic instruments, contemporary electronics, classic orchestral colors, and medieval vocalists to achieve the unique sound of the 'Kingdom of Heaven' score."
Gregson-Williams recorded the score for Kingdom of Heaven in London, adding to his orchestral palette the 123 voices of the London Bach Choir and a small group of Turkish musicians from Istanbul. The richly contrasting sound of the score is exactly what director Ridley Scott had in mind when he decided to collaborate with the composer for the first time. "Harry comes from a rather classical background, which for this film is essential," the director says. "But there is a way to mix it up."
The score begins with the remote sound of a consort of viols - evoking the chilly desolation of medieval France - and blossoms when the hero Balian arrives in Jerusalem, Gregson-Williams notes. At that point, the composer says, "he's experiencing smells and colors and sounds that he hasn't experienced before, and I can hear an oud, a kanoon (or qanun) or a kamancha, which is an Arabic violin. These colors start coming into the score just as Balian discovers them." World renowned Arabic singer Natacha Atlas performs the end title track for the film.
