Highbridge Music Ltd.
Enquiries for all sheet music, score and orchestral parts, media and grand rights licensing to Chester Music CH77176 www.chesternovello.com
This concert version may be performed either with narrator or with projection of the original animated film, available from www.thesnowman.co.uk or anna@annamenzies.com
The Snowman Piano Score is published by Chester CH7 6879
All sheet music for "The Snowman" and "Walking In The Air" since 2010 is published and available from Chester Music Ltd, part of The Music Sales Group, www.chesternovello.com It can be purchased online from MusicRoom.com, or from music retailers.
"Walking In The Air" is also available in a concert piano-only version arranged by the composer direct from Highbridge Music as part of the collection of piano pieces called "Lifecycle", available form Amazon or from Highbridge Music; enquiries to anna@annamenzies.com
CD Sony BMG (Columbia) CDX 71116 (complete CD of The Snowman, first with narration by Bernard Cribbins second without narration).
Available from from Amazon and other retailers.
The 1985 Aled Jones cover version of "Walking In The Air" is available from EMI.
Many other cover versions available - see The Snowman site
1.'THE SNOWMAN' (1983), THE COMPLETE MUSIC SOUNDTRACK OF THE ANIMATED FILM WITH ADDED NARRATION SPOKEN BY BERNARD CRIBBINS, 'WALKING ON THE AIR' SUNG BY TREBLE, PETER AUTY, WITH THE SINFONIA OF LONDON CONDUCTED BY THE COMPOSER, HOWARD BLAKE ON COLUMBIA CDX 71116, 'SIDE A' WITH NARRATOR, 'SIDE B' MUSIC ONLY. AVAILABLE FROM SONY CLASSICS AND AMAZON
2. 'THE SNOWMAN' (2008) WORDS AND MUSIC BY HOWARD BLAKE; PRODUCED BY HOWARD BLAKE, NARRATED BY JAMES NESBITT, TREBLE, PETER AUTY, THE SINFONIA OF LONDON CONDUCTED BY THE COMPOSER, SONY/BMG 86972 02502COLUMBIA, 'SIDE A' WITH NARRATOR, 'SIDE B' MUSIC ONLY. AVAILABLE ON SONY CLASSICS AND AMAZON
Howard Blake describes 25 years of The Snowman animated film and 10 years of The Snowman Stage Show at Sadler's Wells Peacock Theatre in London's West End and plays "Walking in the Air". View the recording here.
The classic original Columbia album conducted by Howard Blake with treble soloist Peter Auty and narration by Bernard Cribbins is available from Sony Music Entertainment CDX71116CD, Amazon and retailers.
The 2010 DVD film of The Snowman Live Stage Show narrated by Joanna Lumley is available from Sony Music Entertainment, CDR 81267; also from Amazon and retailers.
| 10th December 2011 |
The City of Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra will be giving 3 all-Howard Blake concerts before Christmas conducted by Colin Touchin with narrators Jacqueline Gourley and Henry Coombs. Programme will be The Snowman and The Bear, both with projected film 2.30 and 5.00 on 10.12.11 at Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall 2.30 on 11.12.11 at Tsuen Wan Town Hall Auditorium |
| 28th October 2008 |
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra are presenting a concert of Howard Blake's music on Tuesday October 28th 2008 at 7.30pm at The Cadogan Hall, London to celebrate his 70th birthday. It will include the concert version of ‘The Snowman’ narrated by Bernard Cribbins with ‘Walking in the Air’ sung by Robert William Blake. The Piano Concerto will be played by the brilliant Shanghai-based pianist William Chen and the London premiere of the dramatic oratorio ‘The Passion of Mary’ will feature soprano Patricia Rozario, tenor Martyn Hill, Swedish bass Lars Avidson and the choir of London Voices, directed by Terry Edwards. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will be conducted by the composer. Box office 020 7730 4500 www.cadoganhall.com THE SNOWMAN (Concert version for solo treble, narrator and orchestra, opus 323, 1983) CONCERTO FOR PIANO AND ORCHESTRA (opus 412, 1991) Concert work in three movements: 1. Tranquillo-Allegro 2. Andante Espressivo 3. Vivace Composer’s note: Just before Christmas 1989 The Philharmonia asked if I would compose a Piano Concerto for Princess Diana's 30th Birthday. I started looking at scores of the innumerable piano concertos by great composers, and wondered if I dare write one at all. On St. Valentine's Day 1990 my publisher and his wife came over to dinner at my studio and asked what I intended to write. I said: ‘I would like the concerto to be a portrait of Diana. The opening motif should contain the possibilities of a complete picture within it. It should be a very simple motif that is innocent and gay and full of life and compassion and joy all at once. I went over to the piano and played a simple 4-note motif that came from nowhere at all. I knew immediately that it would be the basis of the work but I wasn’t at all sure how. Weeks later I heard in my head what sounded like an impossibly-high counter melody on strings and the symphonic working-out of these two strands were to provide the raw material for the first movement. After playing the concerto at the RFH I was invited to meet the Princess in the Royal Box. She was well-informed on music and the piano in particular since her grandmother Ruth Lady Fermoy had been a concert pianist. I presented Diana with a specially-bound copy of the score and later received a letter: ‘…to receive such a beautiful concerto as a birthday present is a very special honour and I deeply appreciate it..’ THE PASSION OF MARY (opus 577, 2006) A Dramatic Oratorio (first London performance) Soprano: Patricia Rozario Tenor: Martyn Hill Bass: Lars Arvidson Treble: Robert William Blake Chamber choir: London Voices, (director Terry Edwards) Composer’s note: In 1998 I attended a splendid performance of my dramatic oratorio ‘Benedictus’ for solo tenor solo viola, choir and orchestra given in Sherborne Abbey by the Summer Music Society of Dorset.. The Lady Digby as director of the festival asked if I would consider writing a new work on a similar scale - a ‘companion-piece’ - but with the principal protagonist a soprano rather than a tenor. Through discussion an idea began to emerge of a view of the life of Jesus as seen through the eyes of Mary the Mother. It was pointed out to me that the time-honoured ‘Stabat Mater’ poem expresses Mary’s grief at the foot of the cross, but I started to consider broadening the concept to encompass far more than that in a series of linked ‘scenes from the life’ as related in scripture. Unfortunately at this point in my life I was forced to postpone the creation of such a work indefinitely due to unprovoked and vicious litigation pursued against me by a music publisher. Greatly to their credit, The Summer Music Society of Dorset nevertheless went boldly ahead and commissioned the work, helped by South-West Arts and the generous assistance of members of the society. The work was not completed for 4 years and first performed in Sherborne Abbey in 2002 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the festival. Patricia Rozario sang the soprano solo part of Mary, which had been specially written for her, whilst the other roles were spoken. The Choir of Winchester Cathedral and The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra were conducted by David Hill and the work received a wonderful standing ovation. However, having now heard the work I started to feel that it would be further improved if some of the other roles could be sung. David Hill suggested the work might also be effectively extended by adding a final chorus based on the ‘Salve Regina’. In 2006 after various false starts I completed a substantially- rewritten and and completely-sung version, re-naming it ‘The Passion of Mary’. The first performance of this was given in St.Gorans Church in Stockholm in October 2007 and the concert on October 28th at the Cadogan Hall will celebrate the first London performance. |
| 1st June 2008 | Macao Orchestra, Yan Chan, Macao International Festival, Macao S.A.R.
The concert also features a performance of THE BEAR for girl sopano, tenor, bass, narrator and orchestra |
| 1st June 2008 | 01/06/08 Snowman, The Macao Orchestra/Francis Kan, Macao Cultural Centre (Grand Auditorium) / Macao Macau International Festival (with film) |
| December 2007 | Norwich Pops Orchestra, Geoff Davidson (with film), Norwich Playhouse, Norfolk, UK |
| 26th December 2007 | Mecklenburgisches Staats-theater, Martin Schelhaas, Mecklenburgisches Staats-theater Schwerin, Germany |
| 26th December 2007 | The Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra/Piecaitis, Vilnius Congress Concert Hall Lithuania |
| 23rd December 2007 - 24th December 2007 |
Northern Sinfonia, Alan Fearon, The Sage, Gateshead (with film) |
| 22nd December 2007 | Royal Scottish Natonal Orchestra, Christopher Bell, Royal Concert Hall Glasgow (with film) |
| 22nd December 2007 | Walking in the Air, Royal Liverpool PO/Ian McMillan, Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool UK |
| 21st December 2007 | BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Peter Cynfryn Jones BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Peter Cynfryn Jones, Music Hall, Aberdeen UK |
| 20th December 2007 | BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Peter Cynfryn Jones, Town Hall, Ayr UK |
| 20th December 2007 | Nordeutscherundfunk, Hannover, Howard Griffiths, Norddeutscher Rundfunk, Hannover, Germany |
| 19th December 2007 | RSNO, Music Hall Aberdeen |
| 18th December 2007 | RSNO Christopher Bell, Caird Hall Dundee |
| 18th December 2007 | Thüringen Philharmonie Gothe-Suhl/Hermann Breuer, Suhl und Gothe Germany |
| 17th December 2007 | Orchestra of St John's/John Lubbock, Cadogan Hall, London (with film) UK |
| 16th December 2007 | Northern Chamber Orchestra, Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire (x 2) UK |
| 16th December 2007 | Walking in the Air, Huntington SO/Kimo Furumoto, Joan C Edwards Performing Arts Center, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA |
| 16th December 2007 | Walking in the Air Gloucestershire Youth Orchestra/Glyn Oxley, Town Hall, Cheltenham UK |
| 15th December 2007 | The Cantori Vocal Ensemble/Michael Crombie, United Free Church, Woodford Green UK |
| 15th December 2007 | Worcester Symphony Orchestra//Adrian Lucas, Worcester Cathedral UK |
| 15th December 2007 | Northampton County Youth 'Oldies' Orchestra/Paul Truman, Northampton High School UK |
| 15th December 2007 | 15/12/2007 Walking in the Air,Huntington SO/Kimo Furumoto, Joan C Edwards Performing Arts Center, Marshall University, USA |
| 14th December 2007 | London Mozart Players, Walking in the Air, Croydon Parish Church |
| 8th December 2007 | Ulster orchestra, Christopher Bell, Waterfront Hall, Belfast (2 perf with film) |
| 8th December 2007 | cond. Markus L Frank, Anhaltisches Theater, Dessau (3 perfs) Germany |
| 8th December 2007 | Northampton Concert Orchestra/David Chambers, United Reformed Church, Northampton UK |
| 6th December 2007 | Thüringen Philharmonie Gothe-Suhl/Hermann Breuer, Suhl und Gothe Germany |
| 1st December 2007 | National YO of Ireland, Gearoid Grant, The Helix, Dublin |
| 25th November 2007 | Bath Philharmonia, Jason Thornton, Howard Blake (pre-concert talk), Theatre Royal Bath (2 perfs) |
| 11th November 2007 | Funharmonics, Chris Jarvis/David Angus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Festival Hall |
| 1st August 2007 | Taipei Chinese Orchestra conducted by En Shao, Taipei, Taiwan (tbc) |
| 7th January 2007 | Bernard Cribbins (narrator),Benedict Williams,(treble from King's College Cambridge, director Stephen Cleobury), Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by the composer, Corn Exchange,Cambridge |
| 5th January 2007 | Orchestra of the National Concert Hall,David Brophy, Craig Doyle (with film x2), National Concert Hall,Dublin, Eire |
| 4th January 2007 | Orquesta Sinfonica de Navarra, Carl Davis, Auditorio Baluarte, Pamplona, Spain (with film) |
| 2nd January 2007 | Northern Sinfonia, Alan Fearon (with film), The Sage, Gateshead |
| 28th December 2006 - 29th December 2006 |
Northern Sinfonia conducted by Alan Fearon, with film, Middlesborough Town Hall The Sage, Gateshead |
| 23rd December 2006 | Toronto Symphony Orchestra, with film, Toronto, Canada |
| 23rd December 2006 | Orchestra of St John's Smith Square, conducted by Johm Lubbock, Cadogan Hall,London (with film)
To include 'Cradle Song' for boy & girl trebles and 'The Bear' with projected film and soloists (tbc) |
| 23rd December 2006 | RSNO, Christopher Bell (with film), Usher Hall, Edinburgh |
| 23rd December 2006 | Orchestra Sinfonica Verdi, Fabrizio Dorsi, Milan, Italy |
| 23rd December 2006 | Hutton & Shenfield Choral Society, Aurelian SO, Tim Hooper, Brentwood Centre, UK |
| 21st December 2006 | RSNO Christopher Bell (with film), Caird Hall, Dundee |
| 20th December 2006 | Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Junior Chorus, Christopher Bell, Music hall, Aberdeen |
| 17th December 2006 | Royal Scottish National Orchestra, conducted by Christopher Bell, with film, Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Scotland |
| 17th December 2006 - 18th December 2006 |
Orchestra of the National Concert Hall, David Brophy, Craig Doyle, National Concert hall, Dublin |
| 16th December 2006 | Folkestone orchestra, Saga Pavilion, Folkestone |
| 14th December 2006 | Latymer Students, Latymer School, London |
| 14th December 2006 | Student orchestra, Geoff Lavery, Bedford Modern School |
| 13th December 2006 | Dacorum Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Loten, Berkhampstead Collegiate School |
| 12th December 2006 | BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Grant Llewellyn, St David's Hall, Cardiff |
| 11th December 2006 - 12th December 2006 |
Ayrshire Symphony Orchestra, St Margaret's Church Ayr |
| 10th December 2006 | City of Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Richard Honnor, with film ( 2 performances), Hong Kong City Concert Hall, China
Also featuring a performance of 'The Bear' |
| 10th December 2006 | Gloucestershire Youth Orchestra, Cheltenham Town Hall |
| 9th December 2006 | Ulster Orchestra conducted by Christopher Bell, with film (2x), Waterfront Hall, Belfast. Northern Ireland |
| 8th December 2006 - 9th December 2006 |
National Chiang Kai Shek Symphony Orchestra, with film. Carl Davis, National Chiang Kai Shek Auditorium, Taipei, Taiwan |
| 5th December 2006 | Caerphilly Music & Arts services (x2), Cardiff |
| 3rd December 2006 | Gottingen SO, Christoph Muller, Gottingen, Germany |
| 1st December 2006 - 3rd December 2006 |
Landesjugendorkester Bremen (Leer), Bremen Germany |
| 25th November 2006 | Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, 'Symphony for Kids', Edmonton, Canada (with film projection) |
| 19th November 2006 | Duna Szimfonikus Zenekar, Duna palata, Budapest, Hungary |
| 6th May 2006 | London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by David Parry, solo treble Sam Oliver, Abbey Road Studios (in a recording for the LPO's own record label) |
| 25th February 1996 | Cambridge Philharmonic Society, Matthew Rowe, Corn Exchange Cambridge
Walking in the air |
Now this brings back some memories. A bit before my time I will admit, but still an amazing holiday film. Based on author Raymond Briggs' children's book, the movie is wonderfully animated and extremely enjoyable. The story follows a young boy who builds a snowman, which later comes to life. It (it looks like a snowman, but who am I to judge?) and the boy have magical adventures through an amazingly animated winter wonderland.
While still a children's story, it is a great piece of film. In later versions of the movie, David Bowie was cast as the narrator. But what really sets this story apart in my mind at least is the music that goes along with it. It tugs at my heartstrings every time I hear it, and give me the goose bumps without fail. Walking in the Air is an amazing song that you have probably heard before, but don't know where from or its actual origin.
Singer Songwriter Howard Blake wrote the song for the movie, and it has been covered over and over again. Artists who have covered the song include Barry Manilow & Celine Dion in a duet, Kenny Loggins in his 1998 album December, Chloe Agnew and the Celtic Women and also operatic metal group Nightwish.
The song has also been covered this year by up and coming British rock band the Maccabees. The Maccabeess and Nightwish versions are currently my two favorites, but they are all amazing and I urge any music lover to check them out. The original version can be found here, with the accompanying video.
The Snowman is an amazingly heartwarming story of the innocence of youth and the magic of the season. It is a must-see for the coming Christmas time.
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Jeff Sullivan, Christmas Movie Night - Mansfield Patch, 25/12/2011
Sandy Scott, Edinburgh Evening News, 19/12/2011
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Holly Kyte, First Post, 19/12/2007
Jonathan Broxton, Movie Music UK, 1/1/2000