Harry Gregson-Williams - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The magic of CS Lewis transferred neatly to the screen, thanks in part to the heroic score of Harry Gregson-Williams.
Gregson-Williams is something of a genre polymath when it comes to composition. Having scored the soundtracks for the Metal Gear Solid series of video games, he seems equally happy working on the small screen as he does working on blockbuster movies like Shrek, Prometheus and this first movie instalment in the series of adaptations of CS Lewis Chronicles of Narnia.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a massive undertaking, and Gregson-Williams not only utilised the services of the 75-strong Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra, but also a 150-strong choir to bring massive depth and anthemic clout to his soaring melodies (not to mention the occasional appearance of folk instruments, to keep the homespun feel of the film intact). As the story's narrative suggests, there is also an innocence and freshness to all this derring-do, and Gregson-Williams is careful to keep that as a strong element in the score.