If you found your way to this post you must be a fan of the music of Pedro González Arbona, or film music in general. In my last post about Pedro’s latest CD, Memories, I gave my readers a glimpse into the making of his CD. In this post, I am taking you on a musical adventure of the sound, movement, and artistic beauty that these songs entail. (Click on any of the song names in this post to sample or purchase the song through Amazon.)
Memories: A Musical Adventure
Have you ever noticed when you watch the beginning of a film how the music fills the theater as the name of the movie, main actors, director and key production personnel appear on the screen? It is a glimpse into the music to come. Often it is blending of some of the songs for that movie, or maybe a medley like an overture in a musical.
Memories starts in the same way with track 1, aptly named “Opening Titles.” It is a large and extravagant piece that showcases Pedro’s musical talent and ability to draw the audience into the songs (or scenes) that follow.
Track 2 is one of Pedro’s most beautiful compositions, “The Great Beauty.” What can I say about a song whose title sums up the music that it portrays? Delicate, soothing, and distinctive notes from the piano, oboe, harp, and building up to the addition of some mellow horns. Yes, it is a great beauty! (Select the song title on the media player on the right sidebar to hear this song in full.)
I first heard this beauty a few months before the screening of Pedro’s new movie, Tempting Fate. I was already privy to his submitted work on the Tempting Fate soundtrack. This piece seemed to take his work to an even higher level. Yes, his work is (was) destined for the big screen.
There are several other songs on this CD that are soft songs that would accompany slow or romantic movie scenes. Some songs may lend themselves to a sad scene with strings accentuating the mood.
Which mood is really up to the listener. They are all magical. Included in this variety are “Memories,” “Dreams,” “The Crime,” “Ordinary Lives” (listen on the music player in the right sidebar), “Green View,” “Autumn,” and “Learning from Life.”
Memories contains several songs geared more on the dramatic side. “Chaos” sounds like a scene right out of a drama or suspense film. Riveting music that builds and takes you along with the action, glued to the music and the movie, awaiting the finale.
Another large song is “Flying.” This song reminds me of a patriotic piece or something maybe in a war movie. It takes me back to movies from years ago. I can envision an old black and white movie playing as the victory is won in a waging battle.
“Epic” is a song meant for a dramatic or suspenseful scene as the music builds. The music (and the scene) end with a slow fade. If action movies are your favorite genre, then “Action Theme” will be the song for you. This song was used by KevStel, producer of Tempting Fate, in a short trailer alert for the movie, but was not on the soundtrack released in February 2015. Watch the video below to check out how they used this dramatic music.
The last song on the CD is a sentimental favorite of mine, “Kalinda.” This is Pedro’s first song that was composed for a movie. It dates back to February 2013 when he first started to experiment with adding strings and other instruments to his piano compositions. It was used as the trailer music for Thirst for Love, a Spanish short film directed by Chani Bas. Check out the video below to watch the trailer and listen to “Kalinda.”
Hear it for Yourself
Memories is really music for the movie that is yet to be written. It is from the movie in Pedro’s mind. In time, some of these songs may accompany a movie in a theater near you. Until then, please support Pedro’s music dreams by purchasing his CD, reviewing the music online, and liking his professional Facebook page, Pedro González Arbona, composer.
Want a copy for yourself? Here’s the purchase links and methods to listen to his music:
Digital Downloads
Streaming
Or purchase the physical CD through my site.
For more information about Pedro González Arbona and his music, visit pgarbona.com. Stay tuned for more updates on Pedro’s musical career and breaking news about the premiere of Tempting Fate across Nigeria and Ghana in July.