Somme100FILM tour is going from strength to strength, with audiences across the UK (and overseas) enjoying the rare opportunity to see orchestras performing Laura Rossi's score live to the iconic WWI documentary film 'The Battle of the Somme.'
Making Music members have played a huge part in the success so far, with many orchestras taking the plunge and performing live to film for the first time - some more than once. Orchestras have been pleasantly surprised as to how manageable it actually is!
The tour now stands at 94 performances, needing just 6 more to reach the magical figure of 100 live performances in the centenary year (July 2016-July 2017). The good news is that it's not too late for your orchestra to take part. The Imperial War Museum are offering the film hire free of charge until July 15th 2017, and publishers Faber Music are offering heavily discounted hire rates for the performing materials and licence. Somme100 FILM are also able to support orchestras with marketing, PR, digital resources and programme material and pre-concert talks
More at www.somme100FILM.com, including feedback from audiences and players on performances so far.
Looking ahead, 2017 is the centenary of 'The Battle of the Ancre' film - a little-known masterpiece of British non-fiction cinema. It is the sequel to the famous Somme film and a cinematically stunning film. It contains haunting images of trench warfare, notably of the mud that beset the trenches in the winter, the waves of troops advancing into no-man’s land, the use of horses and the first views of the tank – the secret weapon which it was hoped would break the deadlock on the Western Front.
A live film tour is now being planned for this too - some Somme orchestras are already lined up to perform this. The IWM are offering their 65-minute film free of charge from July 2017- Nov 2018 to orchestras performing Laura Rossi's accompanying orchestral score. Faber Music will again be offering discounted rates for that period. For more info, contact silentfilms@fabermusic.com.
There’s more information on composer Laura Rossi's website.
