Article by John Williams.
Patrick Doyle returned to his hometown, well close enough for his 70th Birthday Concert on Saturday November 18th, and those who braved the rainy and windswept weather would have had a most enjoyable evening.
I admit (sorry Patrick), to be not as familiar with his music as I really should be, which is doubly tragic as way back in 1989, I think I was one of the first to interview him about his very first score, HENRY V, for a film music magazine.
I recall after all this time speaking to him, and his orchestrator, Larry Ashmore.
It was in fact ST CRISPIN’S DAY from this excellent score that opened the concert.
Patrick being Scottish, and the Orchestra being the fine RSNO, it was obvious that some of the music would have a Nationalist tone. SCOTTISH OVERTURE was superb, written for a CELTIC CONNECTIONS Concert some years ago, though sadly I cannot find any recording of this which is very sad. Two of Patrick’s Daughters, Abigail and Nuala sang songs from his film scores, INTO THE WEST and MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS respectively.
They are both very talented with lovely voices, Abigail sang “The Blue Sea and the White Horse” from INTO THE WEST, and Nuala sang “Never Forget” from MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS“
I should also mention that the Leader of the RSNO, Hannah Perowne was the soloist on CORARSIK, an exquisite piece especially written as a tribute to Emma Thompson. Each of the selections were introduced by Peter Capaldi and Richard E. Grant, both taking turns to talk more about Patrick than the music. The orchestra loved them. There was no need to them to win over the audience. They were there already!
The superb RSNO was conducted by Dirk Brosse, and he was just brilliant, just brilliant. I saw him conduct the same orchestra to live showings of PSYCHO and BRIEF ENCOUNTER. He is a very talented man.
Patrick introduced the music he wrote for King Charles Coronation with a very funny story indeed.
Second half included music from FRANKENSTEIN and HARRY POTTER, and Mairi MacInnes sang a lovely song from WHISKY GALORE.
The finale was two cues form BRAVE, and showing my ignorance, I had not heard it before. The final piece was THE GAMES from the same score, a wildly rumpustous Scottish flavoured tour de force which had the audience wildly clapping along which brought the evening to fine finish.
There was a encore but it was not announced but it think it may have been a reprise of a piece from CINDERELLA.
The Concert started at 7-30 and after a half hour break, the second half resumed and the whole concert finished at around 10-00
I thought it may have gone on longer, but am told on a good authority that seems to be the sort of running time these days. As I previously mentioned, I am not too aware of his music, so virtually all the music I was hearing for the first time, which put me slightly at a disadvantage. so it was a for me a taster of his music, and it will certainly make me investigate his music even more now.
After a standing ovation, the audience dispersed into a even more rain swept night though I suspect they were all highly delighted by some fine music, great playing and conducting and indeed singing by very much a local boy made good!
PATRICK DOYLE’S MUSIC FROM THE MOVIES
An All Star Celebration
with Richard E. Grant and Peter Capaldi
RSNO conducted by Dirk Brosse
soloists
Lorne MacDougall Highland Pipes and Whistles
Fraser Fifield Whistles
Mairi MacInnes Gaelic Singer
Abigail and Nuala Doyle -Vocals
Royal Glasgow Concert Hall
Sat 18 November 2023
MOVIE MUSIC INTERNATIONAL. (MMI) . 