Alfonso Cuarón And Patrick Doyle

I only recently learned that aside from the soundtrack album of Alfonso Cuarón’s “Great Expectations” (one of my favorite movies), there is a second, separate album for the film score, composed by Patrick Doyle. It’s beautiful.

Cuarón skips the usual format of thank yous in the album sleeve. To thank Patrick Doyle, he writes this very cinematic anecdote instead. I don’t think any other kind of acknowledgement could have been more flattering:

“Walking the streets of Amsterdam with Patrick can be a major pain, he is worse than a little child who needs constant care, he crosses the streets unaware of cars, bicycles and trams.

We walked by a large piano shop and Patrick decided we should take a look. As we strolled around the crowded place, laughing out loud at some stupid joke, a snobbish piano salesman started to follow our every move.

Finally Patrick found what he was looking for, a beautiful grand piano that, of course, had a sign saying ‘DO NOT TOUCH’. The salesman promptly approached, lifting his arm as if about to ask us to leave, when Patrick played the first chord.

The notes lingered in the space as Patrick smiled. I’ve seen that smile before, it happens just before the music flows and his eyes get wet. He started to play and everybody froze. The music from ‘Great Expectations’ came to life as the notes swept through the shop.

Patrick finished playing and smiled again. As we walked out everyone stood still, as if afraid that any move would break the magic spell; the snobbish salesman still had his arm up in the air!

Patrick left as unaware of this as he is of cars, bicycles and trams.”