TALKING TO JAVIER ARNANZ.

 

Where and when were you born?

I was born on the 2nd of April 1965 in Talavera de la Reina in Spain.

Do you come from a family background that is musical or creative?

Indeed, in my family there is a lot of musical and creative tradition. We are ten brothers, of whom five know how to play some instrument and we are very connected to the music. When we meet we form an orchestra. three Violins, two Violoncellos and a piano. The Orchestra of St. Nicholas, in honour of my Father, may he rest in peace. Interestingly my father was the only one in the family who did not know how to play any instrument.

What studies did you undertake for music?

I play the piano, the cello, the guitar and the mandolin.
As a child I went to music and piano lessons, then guitar and currently continue with cello classes in my city’s Music school.
I studied computer science at the university, this made my love of composition finally be liberated, as a dream fulfilled, thanks to computers, with the current sound libraries it is not necessary to have an orchestra to compose soundtracks. Since the year 2000 I have been composing music for orchestra, soundtracks and also electronic music.

I reviewed recently your wonderful score for BARBACANA which a very emotive and lyrical sounding work for a documentary, how much music did you compose for the project, and how much time were you given to complete the work?
In BARBACANA I composed almost forty tracks in total for the documentary, of which only thirty two were used in the soundtrack. Some were ruled out because they were unable to convey the idea that the producer had. I was composing for two years several sketches and teasers, but most of the music for the documentary I wrote in the last two months. There is a theme “The Flight of the Cranes ” that corresponded to the soundtrack of another documentary, but the director liked it so much for a scene that we decided to incorporate it.

 

THE GENET’S TALE is also a score that you wrote for a documentary a few years ago, which is superb, how did you become involved on this film?

The director and producer of this documentary contacted me to do the teaser, I did and he was very satisfied with my work. Then he proposed to put the music to all the documentary. Although I had little experience, this was my second documentary, and few media at my fingertips, I finally managed to develop the entire soundtrack in my home studio, with very satisfactory results. The compositions are very emotional and full of sensitivity. Even some very epic and dramatic scenes, which was a style in which I had not had much experience.

 

What size orchestra did you use for BARBACANA and what percentage of the line up was electronic?
BARBACANA is a work all at 100% of study, composed and arranged in Reaper, in which I have usadosobre all EAST WEST bookstores like Hollywood Strings and Storm Drums II and III. Almost all the instruments of the string, wind, metal and percussion sections are from Hollywood Strings. The percentage I’ve used to create the electronic and orchestral part can be an electronic 20 percent and an orchestral 80%.

 

 

Do you think that BARBACANA will have a compact disc release or will it remain as a digital release?

It all depends on the interest of the listeners, the number of listeners and downloads on the digital platforms. It all depends on the acceptance you have in your digital version.
What would you say are your musical influences, and what composers or artists would you say have inspired you?

 

The soundtrack in general has an epic air because it was what I was charged, but in fact it is noticeable when listening to the various songs that besides Hans Zimmer there are many composers who I have been an inspiration to me, such as John Williams in the track (Joseph and Mary) on BARBACANA and then there is John Barry, James Newton Howard, James Horner, Ennio Morricone and even Beethoven…

 

You as far as I can see have scored three documentaries, GENET’S TALE, BARBACANA and STORIES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN FOREST, when you are asked to score a documentary do you sit with the director or producer and spot the film in the same way as a feature film, or is the process different when working on documentaries?
Yes, the process of scoring a documentary is just like in a movie. First I detail the scenes and times they want with music and then explain to me what kind of music and want to transmit with the music. Animal scenes are like people, they can be epic, tense, tender or even funny scenes…. You just have to be careful to respect certain natural sound environment, because in a documentary of this type is very important to be heard.

 

Documentaries I think need more music than a feature film, as there are no breaks for long dialogue scenes etc, but I suppose you do have to be aware of narration, if there is any, is the narration already on the soundtrack when you see the film pre scoring?
Yes, although what I am taught, is not always the definitive narrator of the documentary. The most important thing is to know what the announcer says in that scene. Music must collaborate to finally get the same as the voice.

How do you bring your musical ideas to fruition, do you use keyboard, straight to manuscript or do you employ more contemporary methods?

It usually takes less time with the keyboard, and that’s what I usually use. Then rectify with the mouse the errors. Depending on the type of song and the style the elaboration process will vary. With Epic Music I work first the rhythm and the percussion that will carry the song: In more emotional music I usually play the piano, and on the piano I start to draw the various instruments. Finally if necessary I remove that piano.

 

Did you select the cues that were released on BARBACANA and GANET’S TALE, and do the releases contain the full scores or are they just representative of both?
In BARBACANA I removed some of the short cues, but for GENET’S TALE the release contains the full soundtrack. In BARBACANA I have added a cue that had been discarded, and I felt this was unfair, sometimes the likes and the dislikes of the composer and the editor are not always the same. And since it could not appear in the film, I made the decision that it should be released on the recording of the soundtrack.

 

What have you lined up for the future?
I have two documentaries in sight which are very close to each other, one will be on the migration of birds and the other has not been made clear to me as yet. I continue studying, and I’m learning to play the Violocello which I play very often. The idea is to play in the orchestra of the School of Music as a hobby, even some day play along with this orchestra for one of my compositions.

 

A GENET’S TALE/STORIES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN FOREST.

I recently discovered and reviewed the music for the documentary BARBACANA which has a stunning score by composer Javier Arnanz. Its always great to hear music from a composer one is not familiar with and it is also interesting and ultimately rewarding and gratifying to discover more by that composer. I am pleased to say that I found more by Javier thanks to digital music site Spotify, and the two scores I found are equally beautiful and haunting as BARBACANA. They are both documentaries about wild life and are both outstanding works which are excellent within the context of supporting the films that they are written for, but both also take it to another level as they are dramatic and at times sinister and dark, but stand out to be lusciously tranquil and heart achingly fragile and melancholy away from any images, thus become successful as stand alone themes and music to be savoured and appreciated on its own merits.

 

 

The first is from a 2016 documentary A GENET’S TALE, this is a totally delightful and mesmerizingly romantic sounding score, with the composer utilising to great effect, strings, brass, solo voice, choir and sweeping symphonic crescendos. He also employs solo piano for the quieter and more intimate moments which are simple but beautifully written tone poems performed by woods and it is because of their simplicity that they are appealing and attractive. There is also a cheeky and rather quirky sound within some of the cues, when the composer employs fast paced and upbeat percussion, but for the most part it is lush, melodic and totally engulfing for any listener. The only problem with this score is that its too short, but I can always put it on repeat and listen to its magical and haunting musical persona all over again and when I do I discover more and feel deeper emotions because of its delicate and warm aura. I am not sure if there is or was a compact disc release of this score, but I am guessing because it is a short score no CD was issued, but you know record companies how about you release BARBACANA and GENET’S TALE with another score by this gifted and talented Maestro, is there one I here you ask,

 

Well yes there is STORIES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN FOREST is the third documentary score, and again it is a melodic and accomplished work, by my calculations all three soundtracks have a combined duration of ninety minutes, so all three could go onto one CD surely, and what a release that would make. Watch out for Javier Arnanz he is a rising star in the world of music for film.