Program No. 73 - Dragons

This week is a Dragon potpourri, with special guest presenter, my youngest son, Ben. Ben really likes dragons, so I thought this would be a fun theme for tonight's show. We're looking at movie theme that involve dragons, as well as some brass band pieces with dragons in the titles.

This will be a relatively brief summary, as I have been away for a week and will only be home this afternoon.

1. This is Berk
2. Ready the Ships
3. Counter Attack
4. Where's Hiccup?
5. Coming Back Around
  - from How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
This CGI kids movie was released by Dreamworks Animation, which has also released the Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and Madagascar movies. The movie is actually based on a series of books written by Cressida Cowell.

The music was composed by John Powell. This may not be a name familiar to many, but the movies that he has provided scores for will be well know to you. They include kids films such as Shrek, Chicken Run, Happy Feet and Kung Fu Panda (this last one in collaboration with Hans Zimmer) as well as adult movies such as The Jason Bourne movies and X Men: The Last Stand.

John Powell was nominated for an Academy Award for this score, but lost out to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for their work on Social Network.

6. Eragon
7. Battle for Varden
  - from Eragon (2006)
This movie was also based on a book series, this one penned by author Christopher Paolini. This starred Ed Speelers as Aragon, and the cast included both Jeremy Irons and John Malkovich.

The music was composed by Patrick Doyle. Other movies he has scored for include Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Nim's Island, Thor and Brave.

8. Hero
9. The Dragon Scroll
10. Dragon Warrior is Amongst Us
11. Dragon Warrior Rises
  - from Kung Fu Panda (2008)
This is one of my favourite animated movies and, as mentioned, above come from Dreamworks Animation. The music is a collaboration between John Powell, and one of the absolute masters in movie scoring, Hans Zimmer.

12. Finale
  - from Dragonheart (1996)
Not a very well known movie, but with a huge ensemble cast, including Dennis Quaid, Sean Connery (as the voice of Draco, the dragon), David Thewlis, Julie Christie, Peter Postletwhaite, Jason Isaacs and John Gielgud.

The music is scored by Randy Edelman, who has scored well over 40 movies.

13. Summon the Dragon - Black Dyke Band
Written by Pater Graham as a Fanfare and Prelude for the National Youth Band of Wales, this was recorded by Black Dyke Band for their 2002 album, Call of the Cossacks.

 14. The Year of the Dragon - Britannia Building Society Band
This is one of Philip Sparke's earlier major works for brass band, and still played in most contests as an "Own Choice" work by or two bands. This was recorded by the Britannia Building Society Band for their 1992 album, The Year of the Dragon.

15. Dragons Arise - Williams Fairey Engineering Band
This brass band pieces as composed by Philip Wilby and was recorded by the Williams Fairey Engineering Band on their 1997 album, Jazz.

Day of the Dragon
16. Overture - Hunting the Hare
17. Lullaby - Suo Gan
18. Welsh Clog Dance (Little Tinker Boy)
19. Ballad - By Kell's Waters
20. Triumph - Men of Harlech
  - Buy As You View Band
This major concert work was written by Peter Graham and is a joint commission from the Buy as You View Band and the National Youth Brass Band of Wales. The five movements are based on traditional Welsh Folk Songs and feature solos for cornet, trombone, horn, flugel, euphonium. This was recorded by the band for their 2004 Album Day of the Dragon.

Well, both brass band and movie music in this week's show.

Next week, something totally different as we play music from American trombone player, Trombone Shorty.