Walton/Agincourt Song + Shakespeare/Olivier/Henry V

[jonahbegone]

I bought the Angel Lp of this (Walton's Shakespeare scores) back when I was sixteen and just about wore it out.

[vinteui1]

you & me both.

[77notout]

Walton's compositions for film were wonderful pieces of music that are as fresh today as when audiences first heard them. I can still remember the first time I saw this film and the shiver of excitement that I experienced as Waltons score for the commencement of the main battle scene builds up to the crescendo of the French heavy cavalry charge. I would even go so far as to argue that the music for Oliviers Henry V is the greatest orchestral film score ever written!

[vinteui1]

Agreed. Walton's scores for Olivier's Hamlet & Richard III are also excellent, but this was his best. The only real competition is Prokofiev's score for Alexander Nevsky, and some of Korngold's stuff.

Oh, and that "French heavy cavalry charge..." just amazing. From a walk to a full gallop, in a single take, with no digital intervention. I wanted to fit it in here, but there was just no way to do it justice in under three minutes.