Dave's Blog

The Danish National Symphony Orchestra (or DR Koncerthuset) has a bunch of performances on their channel. For the soundtrack music, the arrangements are sublime — bringing out aspects you didn’t hear in the movie. Regardless of whether they’re doing a piece you’ve heard other orchestras do many times before, they’re top notch.

They do lots of James Bond, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars, but also pieces you may not have heard from orchestras playing them live before. The orchestra members are having fun and they bring in superlative guests when there’s a part to sing. Here are some of their pieces…

• David Arnold & Michael Price’s “Sherlock Suite”
• John Barry’s “Mountains and Sunsets” (You Only Live Twice)
• John Barry’s “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”
• Danny Elfman’s “Main Title” (Men in Black)
• Michael Giacchino‘s “Glory Days” (The Incredibles)
• Jerry Goldsmith’s “No Escape” (Planet of the Apes)
• Goldsmith, Rosenman, Eidelman & Giachinno’s “Star Trek Suite”
• James Horner’s “Aliens Suite”
• James Horner’s “Elora Danan’s Birth” (Willow)
• Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” (The Bodyguard)
• Gladys Knight‘s “License to Kill”
  • Emma Smith knocks this out of the park
• György Ligeti‘s “Lux Aeterna” (2001: A Space Odyssey)
  • this requires the best of the best and that’s what this choir is
• Henry Mancini‘s “Meglio Stasera” (The Pink Panther)
• Henry Mancini’s “The Pink Panther”
  • the piece that every saxophonist wants to play
• Randy Newman’s “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” (Toy Story)
• Monty Norman‘s “James Bond Theme” (Dr. No)
  • you always have to watch out for snipers in the audience
• John Powell’s “Main Title” (The Bourne Identity)
  • this will make you want to watch the movie again
• John Powell’s “Tango de los Asesinos” (Mr. And Mrs. Smith)
• Eric Serra’s “Diva Dance” (The Fifth Element)
  • it’s not everyone that can sing this one, Jihye Kim is ethereal
• Howard Shore’s “The End of All Things” (The Lord of the Rings)
• Vangelis’ “Blade Runner Suite”
  • this is stunning, I’ve never seen it performed live before
• John Williams’ arrangement of Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes” (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom)
• John Williams — “Closing In” (Catch Me If You Can)
• John Williams — “Duel of the Fates” (The Phantom Menace)
  • drop everything and listen to this right now
• John Williams — “Princess Leia’s Theme” (Star Wars)
  • a startlingly beautiful arrangement
• Hans Zimmer’s “Interstellar Suite”
  • the piece that every organist wants to play
• Hans Zimmer’s “Once Upon a Time in Africa” (Madagascar 2)
• Hans Zimmer’s “Themyscira” (Wonder Woman 1984)