We often find ourselves humming the tunes of the movie we just watched, when coming out of the cinema. Sometimes they get stuck in our heads and sometimes it happens, because they are intricate works of art that really capture the emotional intensity of the film or scene. For this reason, the enchanting Candlelight concert series has a very special treat for music lovers and cinephiles alike. This season, it’s hosting marvelous tributes to iconic film scores at Edinburgh’s greatest locations.
St. Mary’s Cathedral, The Caves and St. Giles Cathedral will get a Candlelight glow, as first rate musicians perform, surrounded by a sea of flickering candles. And there’s nothing like a well-chosen soundtrack to amplify the mood, so sit back, relax and let the power of music take over you!
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A Tribute to Ennio Morricone at The Caves
You may know him from his work in Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns, or you might remember him more recently winning an Oscar for Best Original Score for his work in Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight. But Ennio Morricone was a lot more than that. He was a composer, conductor, trumpeter, pianist and orchestrator, writing over 400 scores for cinema and television, as well as more than 100 classical works.
The Italian master is considered a genius and one of the most prolific artists of all time. This season, you can catch some of his best work reimagined by a talented string quartet, including “Totò e Alfreddo” from Cinema Paradiso, “Suite The Untouchables”, the theme from Amarcord, and many more, at The Caves.
Hans Zimmer’s Best Works at St Mary’s Cathedral
Born in Frankfurt, Germany, Hans Zimmer is a superstar composer that has been creating music for the silver screen since in the 1980s. He’s composed music for more than 150 films, has won 2 Oscars for The Lion King and Dune and has 4 Grammys
If you’ve gone to the cinema the last 40 years, you’ve most likely heard a Zimmer composition. His mostly known for uniquely blending electronic music sounds with traditional orchestral arrangements and his music being precise in its production. You can catch Hans Zimmer’s work in The Lion King, Gladiator, Inception, Dune, and more, at St. Mary’s Cathedral.
Music from the Movies at St Giles’ Cathedral
St. Giles Cathedral has been a working church for almost nine centuries, but the historic cathedral will witness a glowing transformation as it hosts an evening of classical music this season, dedicated to celebrating some of the most iconic film soundtracks in movie history.
From action and drama to romance and dancing, you’ll get to relive legendary movie scenes as you listen to classical takes of Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Game Of Thrones, and more, by the internationally-renowned London Concertante. This will be a magical evening you won’t want to miss out.
100 Years of Warner Bros. at St. Mary’s Cathedral
Founded in 1923, the legendary Hollywood studio is being celebrated by Candlelight with a tribute concert to some of the studio’s most beloved film scores. In honour of Warner Bros. centenary, you can hear classical renditions of the themes from The Wizard Of Oz, Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory and The Exorcist, among others.
As the gifted musicians of The Quartet Scotland perform, St. Mary’s Cathedral nave will light up with hundreds of candles twinkling and flickering in the background. It will make for a stunning performance and a night to remember.
Candlelight has wowed audiences worldwide and this season, it’s taking over some of Edinburgh’s charming and historic venues for a series of tributes to iconic film soundtracks and scores. They are ingrained in our brains and are synonymous with the films they accompany, but they also act as stand-alone works of art.
From Casablanca and The Exorcist to Wonder Woman and Purple Rain, these scores have achieved commercial success and paired with the flicker of countless candles, will make for an astonishing evening you won’t forget any time soon.