The Greatest Cinema Choral Classics: Crouch End Festival and City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra

December 19, 2012
O'Fortuna From John Boorman's 1980 classic, Excalibur

O’Fortuna From John Boorman’s 1980 classic, Excalibur

The Greatest Cinema Choral Classics : Crouch End Festival and City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. 

I love motion picture choral orchestrations.  They are just so dramatic and thrilling!  This album has twenty two great ones including choruses for Edward Scissorhands, The Lion In Winter, Lord Of The Rings, the Mission, The Omen  and  The Passion Of the Christ. Of course, no chorus compilation would be complete without the mother of choral  themes from Excalibur, O’Fortuna  (from Carl Orloff’s Four Movements, “Carmina Burana”.) You’ll know this song as soon as you click on the video.

If you’re looking for a value Christmas  gift under $20 dollars, this album could be it. This is a great gift for writers. I don’t know of a  single writer , whether for screen, stage, or literature who has been exposed to The Greatest Cinema Choral Classics who doesn’t love it. Sometimes, caffeine is just not enough! And these orchestrations, a collaboration between the Crouch End Festival Chorus and the City of Prague Orchestra are  exception — all twenty-two of them. I sound like a sales guy but I don’t get a commission — I simply want to share this beautiful compilation that was originally released in 2006.

Crouch End Festival Chorus (CEFC) is a symphonic choir based in Crouch End, a northern suburb of London.

In under three decades, Crouch End Festival Chorus has established itself as one of Britain’s major symphonic choirs, and has gained both national and international recognition. Based in north London, the choir was founded in 1984 by David Temple and John Gregson. David has remained as musical director ever since, shaping the choir’s progress  and building its reputation.

Screen Shot 2012-12-14 at 2.03.48 PMWith some 150 singers on its books, Crouch End Festival Chorus is known for its versatility and eclectic repertoire, ranging from the traditional classical works to modern and specially commissioned pieces.

Under the exclusive direction of David Temple, Crouch End Festival Chorus is now one of the world’s leading symphonic choirs.

David has collaborated closely for many years with Ray Davies of The Kinks, including performances in the BBC’s 2007 Electric Proms series at the Roundhouse, and in 2010 on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. In June 2011, David directed the choir and the London Philharmonic Orchestra in the final concert of the Ray Davies Meltdown Festival at the Royal Festival Hall. At the 2008 Electric Proms, David and singers from CEFC worked with Oasis, and David has also worked with Goldfrapp, Travis and most recently with the Bombay Bicycle Club and Basement Jaxx. He directed the choir on Noel Gallagher’s first solo album, High Flying Birds.