I’ve written a book with Mark Kermode about film music. It was a total joy to work on, and I’m still pinching myself that Mark asked me to join him on this journey. He even kindly pushed back the release date to give me time to have a baby – although in his words, the publisher had waited ten years so they could wait a few extra months. Either way, thanks to the wonderful team at Picador for their patience!
Mark Kermode’s Surround Sound: The Stories of Movie Music is now complete and it’ll be out in all good bookshops on Thursday 11th September. We cover A LOT, from how a score is made, how composers put the director’s vision into sounds, and the evolution of movie music from the silent era to the present day, to examining specific musical or cinematic genres that hold particular significance for Mark, such as Horror, Electronica and Pop.
We spoke to many talented and inspirational composers who kindly took the time to share their experiences and working methods with us – people like Hildur Gudnadottir, Michael Abels, Isobel Waller-Bridge, Jonny Greenwood, Warren Ellis, Lorne Balfe, Jocelyn Pook and Laura Karpman.
Our aim has been to write a book about film music that’s accessible and entertaining and, hopefully, a great read, whether you’re a film score aficionado or you have a general interest in this broad and beautiful world.
The official back cover blurb is: How can a film score make you cheer, shiver, cry or punch the air in exhilaration? How do directors communicate their musical vision to composers? And when does a soundtrack take on a life of its own?
Award-winning film critic Mark Kermode and radio producer Jenny Nelson embark on a full-throttle trip down the glorious rabbit hole of film composition, exploring the evolution of film scoring from silent films to the present day and examining how what we hear has an impact on what we see.
Including interviews with extraordinary talents from Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood to Oscar-winning composers Rachel Portman, Anne Dudley and Howard Shore, and ranging from classics to blockbusters to horrors, Mark Kermode’s Surround Sound is a thrilling take on how great scores are brought to life on the silver screen.
It’s available to pre-order now from all the usual places including Waterstones and Bookshop UK.
