Film Music of Doreen Carwithen: CD Release

[julian_craster]

Having recently read Adrian Wright's excellent biography of composer William Alwyn [http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/pu...biography.html ], I was curious about the film music scores composed by his wife, Doreen Carwithen, a rare example (along with Elizabeth Lutyens and Angela Morley) of a lady working in this field......

I decided to acquire this CD, and found it a very enjoyable listen, and very well recorded !

Film Music of Doreen Carwithen

CD: Dutton Vocalion CDLX 726
Dutton Vocalion:


BBC Concert Orchestra
Gavin Sutherland (conductor)
World premiere recordings. Recorded: Abbey Road Studio no.1, London, 29-30 November 2010


Here, recorded for the first time, is music from seven of the thirty-four films scored by British composer Doreen Carwithen (1922-2003) between 1947 and 1954. Carwithen’s concert overture ODTAA (One Damn Thing After Another) had established her as a force to be reckoned with in 1946 when it was premiered by the LPO under Sir Adrian Boult. In 1947, she was the only female composer chosen from the RAM to be apprentice to the newly instituted J Arthur Rank Apprenticeship Scheme, which taught the art of film music. Carwithen went on to become Muir Mathieson’s assistant for two years, and had the guiding hand of renowned film composer William Alwyn (1905-1985), whom she later married. The films represented here range from drama (To the Public Danger, Boys in Brown, Mantrap, Three Cases of Murder) and the ‘Boy’s Own’ adventure yarn Men of Sherwood Forest to pictorial informative documentaries (East Anglian Holiday, Travel Royal). Carwithen is adept in providing the right mood and scoring for each of these titles. From the gentle pastoralism of East Anglian Holiday and the swashbuckling Men of Sherwood Forest through to the bold and dramatic scores for Boys in Brown, Mantrap, Three Cases of Murder and To the Public Danger, an enjoyable and varied listening experience is ensured.







TRACKS:

Overture: Men of Sherwood Forest (1954) arranged by Philip Lane, 2002-03
Allegro assai – Meno mosso – Tempo 1 – Allegro moderato – Più mosso – Tempo 1 – Allargando


Boys in Brown Suite (1949) arranged by Philip Lane, 2002-03
i. Main Titles and Opening Scene
Broadly – Molto sostenuto – Più agitato – Meno mosso – Allegro
ii. Escape Plan
Poco Allegro – Poco più mosso
iii. Kitty and Jackie – End Titles
Slow – Andante – Più mosso

To the Public Danger (Prelude and Apotheosis) (1948) arranged by Philip Lane, 2002-03
Allegro – Lento e ben sostenuto

East Anglian Holiday (1954) arranged by Philip Lane, 2002-03
Allegretto – Moderato – Tempo di valse – Ben sostenuto – Con moto – Andante – Poco più mosso

Mantrap Suite (1953) arranged by Philip Lane, 2002-03
i. Main Titles and Opening Scene
Broadly – Più mosso – Poco allegro
ii. Woman in Danger
Moderato – Meno mosso – Tempo 1 – Più mosso – Tempo 1 – Poco più mosso – Meno mosso
iii. Closing Scene and End Titles
Allegro – Slower

Three Cases of Murder Suite (1953) arranged by Philip Lane, 2002-03
i. Main Titles
Moderato
ii. Mr X’s Gavotte
Tempo di gavotta
iii. Reception at the Connemaras
Tempo di valse

Travel Royal Suite (1952) arranged by Philip Lane, 2002-03
Maestoso – Andante – Più mosso – Allegro assai – Moderato – Andante – Tempo 1

[julian_craster]

Doreen Carwithen at Denham Studios, 1947