Suite from Henry V
Encyclopedia
Suite from Henry V is a 1963 orchestral arrangement of William Walton
's musical score from the 1944 film Henry V
. The suite, arranged by Muir Mathieson
, is in five movements, although the second and fourth movements had already appeared in string arrangement form in Walton's own Two Pieces for Strings from Henry V.
The suite was first performed at a recording session for EMI
on Tuesday, 15 October 1963 by the Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by Walton himself. In addition to this suite, EMI had earlier recorded in 1946 another LP called "Henry V: Scenes from the film" in which Lawrence Olivier spoke lines of Shakespeare's play over an orchestral and choral underscore derived from the film soundtrack.
William Walton
Sir William Turner Walton OM was an English composer. During a sixty-year career, he wrote music in several classical genres and styles, from film scores to opera...
's musical score from the 1944 film Henry V
Henry V (1944 film)
Henry V is a 1944 film adaptation of William Shakespeare's play of the same name. The on-screen title is The Cronicle History of King Henry the Fift with His Battell Fought at Agincourt in France . It stars Laurence Olivier, who also directed. The play was adapted for the screen by Olivier, Dallas...
. The suite, arranged by Muir Mathieson
Muir Mathieson
James Muir Mathieson was a Scottish conductor and composer. Mathieson was almost always described as a "Musical Director" on a large number of British films.-Career:...
, is in five movements, although the second and fourth movements had already appeared in string arrangement form in Walton's own Two Pieces for Strings from Henry V.
- I. Overture: The Globe PlayhouseGlobe TheatreThe Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613...
- II. Passacaglia: Death of FalstaffFalstaffSir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare. In the two Henry IV plays, he is a companion to Prince Hal, the future King Henry V. A fat, vain, boastful, and cowardly knight, Falstaff leads the apparently wayward Prince Hal into trouble, and is...
- III. Charge and Battle
- IV. "Touch her soft lips and part"
- V. Agincourt Song
The suite was first performed at a recording session for EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
on Tuesday, 15 October 1963 by the Philharmonia Orchestra
Philharmonia Orchestra
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
conducted by Walton himself. In addition to this suite, EMI had earlier recorded in 1946 another LP called "Henry V: Scenes from the film" in which Lawrence Olivier spoke lines of Shakespeare's play over an orchestral and choral underscore derived from the film soundtrack.