Rachel Portman and The Duchess
Donald Macleod in conversation with Rachel Portman discusses The Duchess which has been included in the A-level music syllabus.
Donald Macleod in conversation with Rachel Portman discusses The Duchess which has been included in the A-level music syllabus
Donald Macleod this week joins the Oscar winning film composer Rachel Portman in her studio in London, to chat about her life and music for film and the concert platform. Portman was the first female composer to win an Academy Award, an Oscar, and a Primetime Emmy Award for her various film music projects, as well as many other Academy and Golden Globe nominations. In more recent years her music for the film The Duchess has been added to the A-level music syllabus for students to study. Portman also has an interest in ecology and environmental issues. There'll be an opportunity to hear part of her choral symphony The Water Diviner's Tale, a collaboration with Owen Sheers, plus the orchestral work Endangered specially recorded by the 大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra. Throughout the week there will also be music specially recorded by the 大象传媒 Singers including Portman's Magnificat, and her Christmas Carol We Were There composed in collaboration with Michael Morpurgo.
In conversation with Donald Macleod, the composer Rachel Portman reveals how films can take over your life when you work on them. Specifically how a dark and traumatic film may impact upon her, to working on a lighter film such as Chocolat, and how during the process of composing for this film she kept on eating and craving chocolate. Portman also talks about her environmental concerns, and working with the poet Owen Sheers on the ecological music drama The Water Diviner's Tale. In recent years her music for the film The Duchess has been included on the A-level music syllabus, and Portman discusses how she thinks this came about.
The Battle of Watermelons (The Emperor's New Clothes)
Studio Orchestra
David Snell, conductor
The Little Prince (Act II: The Fox; The Taming; Here's my Secret; If We Don't Find a Well; The Walk to the Well)
Teddy Tahu Rhodes (Pilot), baritone
Joseph McManners (The Little Prince), boy soprano
Lesley Garrett (Fox), soprano
Vocal Ensemble
Children's Chorus
大象传媒 Concert Orchestra
David Charles Abell, conductor
Oliver Twist (excerpts)
The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
David Snell, conductor
Thea Musgrave
I am my mammy's ae bairn; Ca' the yowes to the knowes (Songs for a Winter's Evening)
Lisa Milne, soprano
大象传媒 Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Osmo V盲nsk盲, conductor
Portman
The Water Diviner's Tale (excerpt)
Nonso Anozie, narrator
Helen Williams, soprano
Frances Bourne, mezzo-soprano
Robert Burt, tenor
Riccardo Simonetti, baritone
Paul Reeves, bass
Hertfordshire Country Youth Choir
Berkshire Youth Choir
Bromley Youth Choir
Chantage
Taplow Youth Chorus
National Youth Choir of Great Britain
Water Children
David Charles Abell, conductor
大象传媒 Concert Orchestra
The Duchess (excerpts)
The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
David Snell, conductor
Producer Luke Whitlock.
Last on
Music Played
-
![]()
Rachel Portman
The Emperor's New Clothes "Back to France", "The Battle of Watermelons"
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.- The Emperor's New Clothes (Original Motion Picture Score).
- Cube.
- 3.
-
![]()
Rachel Portman
The Little Prince, Act II (excerpts)
Singer: Teddy Tahu Rhodes. Singer: Joseph McManners. Singer: Lesley Garrett. Ensemble: Vocal Ensemble. Choir: Children'S Chorus. Orchestra: 大象传媒 Concert Orchestra. Conductor: David Charles Abell.- The Little Prince Soundtrack.
- Sony.
- 4.
-
![]()
Rachel Portman
The Escape from Fagin (Oliver Twist)
Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.- Oliver Twist Soundtrack.
- Sony.
- 10.
-
![]()
Rachel Portman
Nancy's Secret Journey (Oliver Twist)
Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.- Oliver Twist Soundtrack.
- Sony.
- 14.
-
![]()
Rachel Portman
Newgate Prison (Oliver Twist)
Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.- Oliver Twist Soundtrack.
- Sony.
- 18.
-
![]()
Thea Musgrave
I am my mammy's ae bairn (Songs for a Winter's Evening)
Singer: Lisa Milne. Orchestra: 大象传媒 Scottish S O. Conductor: Osmo V盲nsk盲.- Turbulent Landscapes.
- NMC.
- 10.
-
![]()
Thea Musgrave
Ca' the yowes to the knowes (Songs for a Winter's Evening)
Singer: Lisa Milne. Orchestra: 大象传媒 Scottish S O. Conductor: Osmo V盲nsk盲.- Turbulent Landscapes.
- NMC.
- 7.
-
![]()
Rachel Portman
We Could Serve Up Our Coffee - Song of Industry (The Water Diviner's Tale)
Narrator: Nonso Anozie. Singer: Helen Williams. Singer: Frances Bourne. Singer: Robert Burt. Singer: Riccardo Simonetti. Singer: Paul Reeves. Choir: Hertfordshire County Youth Choir. Choir: Berkshire Youth Choir. Choir: Bromley Youth Choirs. Choir: Chantage. Choir: Taplow Youth Chorus. Choir: National Youth Choir. Choir: Water Children. Orchestra: 大象传媒 Concert Orchestra. Conductor: David Charles Abell. -
![]()
Rachel Portman
Mistake of your life (The Duchess)
Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.- The Duchess Soundtrack.
- Lakeshore.
- 2.
-
![]()
Rachel Portman
Awakening (The Duchess)
Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.- The Duchess Soundtrack.
- Lakeshore.
- 8.
-
![]()
Rachel Portman
Gee is taken to the country (The Duchess)
Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.- The Duchess Soundtrack.
- Lakeshore.
- 17.
-
![]()
Rachel Portman
End Titles (The Duchess)
Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.- The Duchess Soundtrack.
- Lakeshore.
- 18.
Broadcast
- Thu 8 Mar 2018 12:00大象传媒 Radio 3
Vaughan Williams Today
Programmes, concerts and features celebrating Vaughan Williams's 150th anniversary.
Beethoven Unleashed 鈥� the box set
The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod鈥檚 best stories from the last 20 years
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time 鈥� why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.