Classical California honors the composers of “Bugonia,” “Frankenstein,” “Hamnet,” “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another”
When L.A. classical station KHRM wanted to show off their new DJ Jim Ameche in 1957, they launched his new radio show with an all-star lineup. Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue,” Beethoven’s “Pastoral Symphony” and “Ave Maria” by Schubert were on the playlist as part of a tribute to Walt Disney’s Fantasia.
That 1940 feature film (as well as countless Looney Tunes cartoons) helped popularize classical music with new audiences like kids and movie buffs. Today, movie scores (along with video game music) are extremely popular on classical radio.
“Film is what opera was formerly,” composer Philip Glass told Gramophone magazine. “It’s the popular art form of our time. In the 20th century, many so-called classical composers made their livings writing film music.”
Movie scores can make the lofty scores of classical musicians accessible to anyone. “Wasn’t it John Williams who made Stravinsky a popular idiom?” Glass continued. Williams has been the grandaddy of opulent soundtrack scoring since Jaws and Star Wars debuted five decades ago. Scholars say the precursor to film music is incidental music performed during stage plays. Mozart, Beethoven and Mendelssohn all wrote music for the theater.
This week, America’s largest classical public radio station, Classical California, is hosting Movie Week from today through Friday, February 27. The all-day 12-hour blocks will include not only the best movie scores but specifically focus on music composed by this year’s crop of Academy Award nominees. Host Brian Lauritzen will air interviews and music from the creators of movie music for films including Bugonia, Hamnet and One Battle After Another. Monday was Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, composed by Alexandre Desplat.
The French composer has already been awarded two Oscars for his work on The Shape of Water and Grand Budapest Hotel. “There has always been an attraction in film music, Glass told Gramophone. “It’s the only place in our world where there is some actual money.”
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Classical California Movie Week
February 23 to 27 from 8am to 8pm
KUSC 91.5FM
Monday: Frankenstein, Alexandre Desplat
Tuesday: Sinners, Ludwig Göransson
Wednesday: One Battle After Another, Johnny Greenwood
Thursday: Hamnet, Max Richter
Friday: Bugonia, Jerskin Fendrix