The Prince Theme

Well this has been quite the eventful week!
Would you believe I have MORE news?

Well, I do, so there ;)

As I mentioned previously, I've been working away on the next theme for The Happy Prince film, that of The Prince Theme. I had already recorded two tracks which, although quite nice, just didn't feel right for the Prince. I was looking for something regal and grand with a somber undertone.

Back when I first started thinking about the various themes, I had decided that I wanted to use Rachmaninov's Prelude in C minor as inspiration for The Prince Theme. If you don't know the piece take a listen here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSO6dfTgVOY and if you can't do You Tube then check it out here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prelude_in_C_sharp_minor_(Rachmaninoff) (scroll down and click on the play button bottom right). Apparently, the opening chords, which lay the foundation for the entire piece, are reminiscent of church bells and it was this bell-like quality that I really wanted to capture in The Prince Theme.

I already had the Rach Prelude under my skin since I've listened to it countless times and it's one of my favourite Romantic Period piano works. I procrastinated for about 3 weeks, whilst submerging myself in recording software issues, which is something I like to call "the artistic process" which validates it somehow ;) but in seriousness, sometimes an idea needs time to stew and ripen. I find if I try to force the issue before it's time then often the resulting compositions sounds forced.

I had two failed attempts - those melodies sounded just fine but weren't right for The Prince Theme. Then, on the way home from the shops last night, a melody just popped into my head. I instantly knew it was THE one! The perfect mixture of bells, grandeur, old European refinement and subtle sadness.

I couldn't get into the house fast enough - I even made a hasty recording of it using the voice recorder on my cell phone! Its funny how there is this paranoid madness that takes hold of me and I feel like if I don't save the idea quickly it might just pop straight out of my head the way it popped in! As soon as I got home I laid down a rough recording of it and could breathe easy again.

After dinner I recorded it more thoroughly and sent off the mp3 to the director (my friend) - always so nerve-wrecking waiting to hear back, but I was confident he would love it like I do! And I was right - heard back from him this morning and he's ecstatic!

So, another theme down! The next theme I'll be focusing on is a lullaby which will be sung near the end of the film, but I'll go into more detail about that in a future post. For the moment I'm thinking of seeking out some champagne to have a little celebration!

PS: I won't be posting any of the themes / tracks from the movie on this blog until the film is released, sadly you will have to wait until then, but that gives you something to look forward to!

PPS: If you've never read Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince, you can read it and some other stories by him here http://www2.hn.psu.edu/faculty/jmanis/oscar-wilde/HappyPrince&othertales6x9.pdf - enjoy!