Hollywood

What would Hollywood be without its composers? An absurd idea, and not only for Sebastian Knauer, who has made the sound of the dream factory the theme of his new album 'Hollywood'. With the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin at his side, the pianist provides an overwhelming musical experience. The focus is especially on the film music of Alfred Newman (1900-1970), who more than anyone contributed to the development of the modern Hollywood sound, but also on the music of his surroundings and that of his family, from which successful film music composers have also emerged in later generations: 95 Oscar nominations speak for themselves.

Alfred's son David, world-renowned for his score for the animated classic 'Ice Age', is a first-class representative of the Newman dynasty at the conductor's podium. The classics he assembled together with Sebastian Knauer for 'Hollywood' and transformed into film music with a very personal touch are also world-renowned. I am very proud of this album and happy that my long-cherished wish to discover and play film music with the piano has come true," says Knauer. The material is as colorful and varied as the history of Hollywood itself and ranges from western and cinema from the 1960s to blockbusters such as 'Basic Instinct' or 'A Beautiful Mind' with music by Jerry Goldsmith and James Horner respectively. Commissioned compositions by David and Thomas Newman and the legendary 'Star Wars' orchestrator Conrad Pope complete the album. What would the film look like? Close your eyes and turn on your inner projection machine..