“An atmospheric and evocative celebration of some of the very best 21st-century film scores.”
The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra’s Moving Pictures at The Bridgewater Hall was an atmospheric and evocative celebration of some of the very best 21st-century film scores.
As a big fan of film and live music I knew Moving Pictures wasn’t one to miss. The programme promised an “all-killer, no-filler set” and they undoubtedly delivered. The audience were taken on a brilliantly curated journey through genres and moods from intense otherworldly soundscapes to romantic and sensitive themes.
Robert Ames led the orchestra with incredible skill and the decision to have Ali Plumb presenting the scores was a perfect one. He brought useful information, context, and fun every time he entered the stage, and ensured that even if you hadn’t seen every film featured, you still felt included in the experience.
One of my favourite things about the BBC Philharmonic is how they push boundaries. That innovation was on full display here, with a spinning bike wheel used for percussive effects and the rhythmic sounds of a typewriter being used in Dario Marianelli’s ‘Briony’ for Atonement (2007). It was these unexpected instruments that served as a reminder of how creative film scoring can be. As is characteristic of the BBC Philharmonic, the orchestra stretched the possibilities of sound and expression, inviting us to reconsider what music is capable of and how it shapes emotion. Film music proved to be the perfect medium for that mission, highlighting just how essential the score is to the cinematic experience.
I could very easily (and happily) talk at length about every single piece performed but instead, I encourage you to tune in to the recorded performance on BBC Radio 3. So, sticking to the film theme and in true Letterboxd fashion, here are my top four picks from the evening:
Interstellar (2014) – Hans Zimmer
Hearing one of Zimmer’s most iconic scores live was a transcendent experience, especially with the Bridgewater Hall organ, played by Neil Taylor, creating so much power and depth. Reportedly, Zimmer composed a piece for the organ in an attempt to capture his experience of parenthood without knowing that Christopher Nolan planned to explore that idea through astronauts travelling far from home. The result is music that feels emotionally intimate and vastly expansive, just like the film, serving as a reminder of just why Hans Zimmer is so legendary.
Moon (2009) – Clint Mansell
This was the only film on the programme I hadn’t seen but now it’s gone straight to the top of my watchlist from the music alone. Mysterious, seductive, and tinged with isolation, it balances a melancholy piano with quiet strings and surges of electronica. The programme notes that the piano reflects the fragility of the protagonist’s (Sam Rockwell) identity as he yearns to return to the human world. The electric guitar part, played by Peter Willmott, was captivating.
There Will Be Blood (2007) – Jonny Greenwood
As a devoted Paul Thomas Anderson fan, I was very happy to see this film included and even happier upon hearing the score live. This was Jonny Greenwood’s first feature-film score and it is bold, unsettling, and wildly expressive. Written predominantly for strings, it captures greed, ambition, and the psychological corruption at the film’s core. During the performance, it felt like insatiable power and evil was oozing directly from the strings and straight into the audience.
Poor Things (2023) – Jerskin Fendrix
This was the perfect end to the concert: strange, lively, and completely original. Poor Things was the first film for which Yorgos Lanthimos did not rely on source music, instead beginning what is now a continued relationship with Jerskin Fendrix. It was also Fendrix’s first time scoring a film, and his colourful, experimental work earned him an Oscar nomination. The harp, played beautifully by Anwen Mai Thomas, added bursts of playful energy to the score’s weird and whimsical world that Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) inhabits. It was an exciting finale that celebrated risk-taking and showcased how boldly film music continues to evolve.
Overall, Moving Pictures was a cinematic adventure through sound, reminding us of the power of film scores to define how we see, feel, and remember cinema.