David Bui
Photo courtesy of Bucharest Competition


The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Tea & Trumpets Series: Hollywood’s Golden Age

Where & When Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 2pm | Orpheum

Conductor David Bui Host Christopher Gaze Featured performer Isla Stewart, Vocals

PROGRAM Jarre's Lawrence of Arabia Overture, Morricone's Gabriel's Oboe, Bernstein's The Magnificent Seven Symphonic Suite, Rota's Godfather: Love Theme, Arlen's Over the Rainbow, Steiner's Tara - Tone Poem for Orchestra, Arnold's Bridge on the River Kwai, Vangelis' Chariots of Fire, John Williams' Adventures on Earth, Mancini's Peter Gunn

Reviewer John Anthony Jane


The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra kicked off a new season of the extremely popular Tea & Trumpets Series of matinee concerts with an unconventional, though entertaining, program. Maestro David Bui led the orchestra in a selection of notable film scores beginning with Maurice Jarre’s Lawrence of Arabia Overture. It’s an epic score for an epic film. It starts off with sonorous percussion, eventually making way for strings and brass leading to a military march near the end.

Host Christopher Gaze had more work than customary. He not only providing background information about the composer, but reminding the audience of the film’s synopsis (or a sneak peek for those who never saw the film). The host’s description of Roland Joffé’s film about an 18th century Jesuit Mission that features Ennio Morricone’s haunting Gabriel's Oboe was extremely informative. Oboist Joo Bin Yi offers a note-perfect solo performance.

The opening rhythm of Elmer Bernstein’s iconic The Magnificent Seven Symphonic Suite could be likened to a surge of energy. Featuring the orchestra’s brass section, the music evokes Western Americana. I remember going to this film, because I wanted to see Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen together, but was more impressed by the soundtrack and the way it compliment the film’s action scenes.

Harold Arlen likely never intended that his 1939 composition “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz would become an LGBT anthem. The rainbow in the lyrics would seem to replicate the multicoloured flag and "friends of Dorothy" is a “nod and wink” reference for the gay community. Notwithstanding, today’s audience were treated to a special interpretation by 16 year-old VSO School of Music student Isla Stewart. Ms. Stewart expressed a mature understanding of the song’s time and rhythm and her own vocal range.

Another pre-war (WWII) soundtrack – this one adapted from Gone with the Wind. Tara - A Short Tone Poem for Orchestra is beautifully written and takes the audience back to a simpler, (if not a peaceful time) time. Tara was, of course Scarlet’s home – perhaps the most iconic piece of fake cinematic architecture ever built.

Christopher Gaze’s introduction to Malcolm Arnold’s River Kwai March from the soundtrack of Bridge on the River Kwai, was lengthy, detailed and at one point interrupted by an unintended collapse of music stands. The most famous piece of music from the film (Colonel Bogey) was not composed by Arnold but rather by Lt. F.J. Ricketts a British Army bandmaster. Today, visitors to Kanchanaburi, Thailand can witness a staged version of blowing up the bridge any weekend.

Greek composer Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou (who thankfully prefers to be known as Vangelis) wrote his award-winning theme for Hugh Hudson’s film Chariots of Fire. It starts slowly and quietly before gaining pomp and power. The film itself is essentially centred on two British athletes who compete in the 1924 Paris Olympics.

The concert ends appropriately with somewhat of an outlier. Henry Mancini’s Peter Gunn Theme is not from a movie, but is actually the opening theme from the 1958-1961 network TV detective series. It has the honour of being the only TV theme, or TV-affiliated work, on the National Recording Registry. Best known for its “twangy” guitar hooks, it has a definite West Coast style jazz influence.

The orchestra also performed: Nino Rota’s Love Theme from The Godfather and John Williams’ Adventures on Earth from E.T.

© 2024 John Anthony Jane