Chorleywood has a strong connection with popular BBC TV period drama Poldark. The powerful soundtrack is the work of locally based composer/Oscar winner Anne Dudley and features two internationally known musicians, solo violinist Christian Garrick and UK’s leading session harpist Skaila Kanga, both Chorleywood residents.
Anne Dudley’s score sets the scene for the 18th century love story in rugged Cornish coastal landscapes at a turbulent time in history and cleverly portrays passion and tensions between characters.
“We visited the studio five times since February and recorded music for two episodes each time ” says Skaila. “Each scene requires a different musical feel and occasionally we watch clips before we play. Chris manages to get a real plaintive emotion without going down the usual classical route. We record our tracks separately first and then the string orchestra is added at a later date in the studio.”
“ Anne likes me playing in different styles” adds Chris,. “a combination of jazz, folk and rock. What she writes is so lovely and she has excelled herself with Poldark. It’s great that the music is prominent in the final production – in a Bond movie it’s often drowned out by the sound of a helicopter or gunfire!”
So what’s next for the two sultans of string? Anything from recording blockbuster scores to pop records or TV themes. One week a new film, the next a Disney project while regularly passing on their skills to music undergraduates and performing live to audiences.
On the day we met, Chris was off on tour of Scotland to play Eastern European and Russian folk music with his Budapest Café Orchestra and Skaila had just performed in the Songs of Praise Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall and was heading for the Royal Academy of Music where she is the Professor Emerita of Harp. Chances are they’ll soon be back in the studio with Anne again – filming has already started for Poldark, Series 3.