Doctor Who: Murray Gold teases 50th prom song
News Cameron K McEwan 12 Jul 2013 - 07:25
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Murray Gold tells Den of Geek what the story is behind new Doctor Who anniversary composition, Song For Fifty...
Doctor Who composer Murray Gold has been talking exclusively to Den of Geek about the special "birthday song" for the 50th Anniversary of the show, due to premiere at the Proms this weekend.
The eleven-minute composition, described by Gold as an "opera," is a celebration of fifty years of the BBC science-fiction show and promises to be an emotional ride for fans. Murray told us how he approached Song For Fifty:
"I thought, 'If I were to write a song for the fiftieth anniversary, what would it be?' And I thought about something more modernist, more complicated, more knotty, more serious but no, in the end, seriousness isn't about how complicated something is, or how difficult something is to do. Seriousness is about the quality of your perception and your feeling."
Elaborating on the song, to be sung by a full choir at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday and Sunday, Murray spoke about the lyrics:
"I wanted to write about The Doctor and everything that I've talked about in interviews, since I started on the job, about this character that I love. I took a line from The Girl in the Fireplace about the 'slow road'. It's a song that constantly juxtaposes all of us in the Royal Albert Hall as being on the slow road, taking life one day, one month at a time - with no escape from that. During that time, some of us have had kids, some of us have lost people, some of us have grown extra family members but everybody in that hall will have one way or another to relate to that idea.
By the third verse, where the tenor says, 'So, my dear friend. You're getting kind of old now,' we're actually talking about this person who's been in our lives as a reference point. People, in all kinds of the moments in their lives, have said, 'I wish I could be The Doctor and just go back and fix it.'"
We asked Murray if Song for Fifty, which will have some pleasing nods to the show's history and some surprises, will have have fans crying, the writer explained:
"If it touches them. They're not a million miles from me, I don't think - 'Anthems for the Defeated' [Laughs]. I hope they get it, I think they'll get it - they'll understand it."
Our full interview with Murray Gold, where he talks about the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary, composing for a new Doctor, Series 8, and much, much more, will be posted next week.
The Doctor Who Proms takes place this weekend at the Royal Albert Hall, both events are currently sold out.
Read more:
http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-w...#ixzz2YpuIg3hK