Field Music to write and perform Battle of the Somme film score

Field Music have been commissioned to score a new film about the Battle of the Somme, called Asunder.

The project - which marks the event’s centenary - also features contributions from Royal Northern Sinfonia and Warm Digits, artist and filmmaker Esther Johnson and Saint Etienne’s Bob Stanley.

The band’s David Brewis says of the commission:

“The chance to write something completely new and play it with an orchestra doesn’t come around very often. And as we heard about the plans for the film, the idea of telling a more complete story about our home town and how the war affected it was very appealing. There’s nothing quite like hearing a full orchestra right in front of you and if we get it right, then the balance between what you see and hear on screen and what you see and hear from the musicians should be spectacular.

“One of the other things which intrigued Peter [Brewis] especially about this project was our love of the orchestral music from that period. Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring premiered in 1913, Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire in 1912. Bela Bartok and Maurice Ravel were composing, as was Claude Debussy, so it was a time of huge change in harmony and composition and we’ve dipped into that period for inspiration a lot.”

Royal Northern Sinfonia will be conducted by Hugh Brunt, Artistic Director of the London Contemporary Orchestra, and Radiohead collaborator. Sunderland quartet The Cornshed Sisters will also perform an a cappella rendition of traditional Wearside folk tune "The Rigs of Sunderland Fair."

The score will be performed live at Sunderland Empire on 10th July, before touring the UK:

OCTOBER

22 Sage, Gateshead

26 Shepherds Bush Empire, London

29 Ritz, Manchester