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Hollywood Records: “THE LAST DUEL” music by Harry Gregson-Williams


The Last Duel Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is available today from Hollywood Records.  Celebrated composer Harry Gregson-Williams, who has worked with the film's director Ridley Scott numerous times over the past decade (The Martian, Kingdom of Heaven), perfectly captures both the drama and the period of the film.  Recorded in Los Angeles, the original score for "The Last Duel" was performed by a large orchestra and choir, in addition to featuring medieval instruments, including wooden flutes, hammer dulcimers, a consort of viols, a cathedral organ and a lute.  Gregson-Williams also worked with some exceptional and much in demand vocalists: Grace Davidson, who is one of Britain's leading sopranos is featured alongside the outstanding counter-tenor, Iestyn Davies.  Gregson-Williams had worked with Davies on Scott's "Kingdom of Heaven."  "The tone of his voice is so beautiful and is used in a very haunting way within the score," says Gregson-Williams about Davies. Accompanying these soloists was a vocal ensemble out of London called Voces8.  "There are just eight of them, and they are very, very precise (out of necessity) and the sound they make has a purity and accuracy that is as unique as it is wonderful," Gregson-Williams says.

The film's main thematic feel was inspired by the track "Celui Que Je Désire" which Gregson-Williams wrote while the film was in production in Ireland and France and features Grace Davidson, which plays over the final scene of the film following the aftermath of the duel.  Notes Gregson-Williams, "I sent the song to Ridley and he reacted really well to it, so we decided to use the song's melody as a source of thematic material that could be used throughout the score."

"Ridley is full of ideas and questions when it comes to music. He gives me a clear direction for an overall feel and tone to the score that he's looking for.  He is an artist first and foremost, and I know that he paints rather well.  He might talk to me using expressions and language that apply to painting but they have a similar connotation with music," added Gregson-Williams.

ABOUT "THE LAST DUEL" "The Last Duel" is a gripping tale of betrayal and vengeance set against the brutality of 14th century France. A cinematic and thought-provoking drama set in the midst of the Hundred Years War, the film explores the ubiquitous power of men, the frailty of justice, and the strength and courage of one woman willing to stand alone in the service of truth. Based on actual events, the film unravels long-held assumptions about France's last sanctioned duel between Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris, two friends turned bitter rivals.

"The Last Duel" stars Oscar winner Matt Damon ("Good Will Hunting," "Ford v Ferrari"), two-time Academy Award nominee Adam Driver ("Marriage Story," "BlacKkKlansman"), Emmy winner Jodie Comer ("Killing Eve," "Free Guy"), two-time Oscar winner Ben Affleck ("Argo," "Good Will Hunting") and Harriet Walter ("Atonement," "Sense and Sensibility"). Directed by four-time Academy Award nominee Ridley Scott ("The Martian," "Black Hawk Down," "Gladiator," "Thelma & Louise") with a screenplay by Oscar nominee Nicole Holofcener ("Can You Ever Forgive Me?") & Ben Affleck & Matt Damon based on the book by Eric Jager. The film is produced by Ridley Scott, p,g.a., Kevin J. Walsh, p.g.a. ("Manchester by the Sea"), Jennifer Fox, p.g.a. ("Nightcrawler"), Nicole Holofcener, p.g.a., Matt Damon, p.g.a., Ben Affleck, p.g.a., with Kevin Halloran ("Ford v Ferrari"), Drew Vinton ("Promised Land"), Madison Ainley ("Justice League") serving as executive producers.

ABOUT HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS: One of Hollywood's most sought-after and prolific composers whose long list of film and television credits underscore the diverse range of his talents.  Gregson-Williams wrote the music for Disney's live action feature film "Mulan" which was directed by Niki Caro with whom he worked previously having scored her film "The Zookeeper's Wife."  Gregson-Williams also co-wrote the original song "Loyal Brave True" for "Mulan" performed by Christina Aguilera.  Upcoming projects for Gregson-Williams include "The Last Duel" and "House of Gucci" both directed by Ridley Scott. He was the composer on all four installments of the animated blockbuster "Shrek" franchise, garnering a BAFTA Award nomination for the score for the Oscar-winning "Shrek."  He received Golden Globe and Grammy Award nominations for his score for Andrew Adamson's "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." He has collaborated multiple times with a number of directors, including Ben Affleck on "Live by Night," "The Town" and "Gone Baby Gone"; Joel Schumacher on "Twelve," "The Number 23," "Veronica Guerin" and "Phone Booth"; Tony Scott on "Unstoppable," "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3," "Déjà Vu," "Domino," "Man on Fire," "Spy Game" and "Enemy of the State"; Ridley Scott on "The Martian," "Prometheus," "Exodus: Gods and Kings," "Kingdom of Heaven" and the upcoming "The Last Duel" and "House of Gucci"; Bille August on "Return to Sender" and "Smilla's Sense of Snow"; Andrew Adamson on the "Shrek" series, the first two "Narnia" movies and "Mr. Pip"; and Antoine Fuqua on "The Replacement Killers," "The Equalizer," The Equalizer 2" and "Infinite." Some of his other recent film projects include the upcoming "The Ambush" directed by Pierre Morel, "Life in a Day 2020" directed Kevin Macdonald, "The Meg" directed by Jon Turteltaub, Aardman Animation's "Early Man" directed by Nick Park for which he received an Annie Award nomination and Disneynature's "Penguins."  His television credits include "Whiskey Cavalier," the miniseries "Catch-22" and creating the main title theme and scoring two episodes of the anthology series "Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams" for which he received an Emmy nomination for the episode titled "The Commuter."
 
Jeremy [Six Strings]

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