Radiohead’s lead guitarist and keyboardist Jonny Greenwood has announced that for the first time, the score for Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2008 film, There Will Be Blood.
Credit: Raymond Flotat
Greenwood is no stranger to cinematic scores, having written the soundtracks to five films now, There Will Be Blood being the second in 2007. This August 6th and 7th, the prolific rocker and the London Contemporary Orchestra will score the film live for the first time ever as part of the Roundhouse Summer Sessions. He announced that he will play the ondes Martenot part during the screening with over 50 musicians, all of which will be conducted by Hugh Brunt. The ondes Martenot is an obscure amplified early twentieth century keyboard, which results in the distinctive eeriness of the soundtrack. The film received two of the eight Academy Awards it was nominated for, but not for Greenwood’s score- because the composer used appropriated music it was deemed too unoriginal to receive the award. Since, the soundtrack has stood as a testament to Greenwoods virtuosity, as he continues his work with Radiohead and as composer in residence at the BBC Concert Orchestra.
The Roundhouse Summer Session series will also feature performances by Sinead O’Connor, Chilly Gonzales, Ólafur Arnalds, Kid Koala, and others. It closes with Reverb, a weekend of music organized and presented by Imogen Heap. This is definitely a performance to catch- once in a lifetime, some might say.
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