An interview with Conductor Nic Raine on Vue sur Bond

By: Anders Frejdh

Published:
2006-03-31

From Sweden with Love (Anders Frejdh) caught up with Conductor / Music Director / Arranger Nic Raine, who worked with John Barry on the soundtrack of A View to a Kill (1985) and The Living Daylights (1987), to hear his thoughts on Vue sur Bond in Quebec, Canada.

About Nic Raine:
Nic Raine was born in London and studied the piano, organ, double bass and classical guitar. He worked for Boosey and Hawkes, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and London Symphony Orchestra, and it was during that time of intense music copying and arranging he was to develop a love of orchestration based on what he describes as "the sound of an orchestra".

He has conducted several orchestras including The English Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Academy of St. Martin's in the Fields, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, The Royal Scottish National, Ulster orchestra, the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Granada Orchestra, and Ljubljana Symphony Radio Orchestra.

Nic has worked as an arranger of film music with Elmer Bernstein, Maurice Jarre, Gabriel Yared, Michael Kamen (scored the soundtrack to Licence to Kill), Georg Fenton, Mark Ayres, Stanislas Syrewicz and Stanley Myers on films like "A Passage to India", Mad Max 3", "Spies Like Us", "Castaway", "High Spirits", "Top Secret" and "Madame Sousatzka".

His work for television has included his orchestrations for the Wallace and Gromit animation films "The Wrong Trousers" and "A Close Shave" and the Channel 4 documentary "D W Griffith - Father of Film".

Nic Raine has had particularly fruitful relationships with two of the most prolific film composers of recent times, John Barry and Carl Davis. John Barry's name is synonymous with the Bond films and Nic Raine has been a regular collaborator with him since their first meeting in 1984 when his work on A View to a Kill and The Living Daylights enhanced Nic's growing reputation within the film industry. He also works regularly on projects with Carl Davis that have included feature films such as "The Trial", "Frankenstein Unbound" and Ken Russell's "The Rainbow" as well as over ten silent movie scores for Thames TV that included "The General" and "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse".

He has also conducted more than 40 CD's for Silva Screen Records that include titles such as "The Classic John Barry", "The Essential James Horner", "The Essential James Bond", The Ultimate James Bond Film Music Collection and "The Essential Jerry Goldsmith" and music by Dimitri Tiomkin, Alfred Newman, Max Steiner, Basil Poledouris, Jermone Morosse, Vangelis and Alan Silvestri. In addition to his film and recording work he works with contemporary artists having arranged tracks for Maire Brennan (Clannad), Duran Duran (A View to a Kill), A-ha (The Living Daylights) and songs for the singer Desree and group Texas which were performed at the recent Net Aid Concert.

When not working in concert halls and studios, he lives with his family in the depths of the Sussex countryside in England.

[FSWL:] What is your general opinion about the arrangements of Vue Sur Bond event?
[Nic Raine:] I can only comment on the aspects which concerned me directly and everything went very smoothly.

What is your best personal memory from the event?
[NR:] The wonderful people I met. From the orchestra to management, the UNICEF representatives, the fans and general public. There was a real ‘buzz’ and enthusiasm about the whole event and all things Bond. My own personal highlight would be conducting the Tank Chase sequence and getting the synchronisation right!

How did you experience the weekend and what do you think they thought about the public attending the events?
[NR:] I was amazed at how far some people had travelled to be there. The dedication of the Bond fans is fantastic and I find it an honour to have been part of this great tradition.

What do you think Harry Saltzman would have thought about the event and its purpose?
[NR:] Since I did not know him, I cannot comment with any authority. I think he would have been surprised at the whole Bond phenomena. Also about the fact that you can have a concert of music that only exists because of some movies. I don’t think that any other film franchise (except Lord of the Rings) could do that. He would have been touched by the fact that his daughter wished to honour his memory and happy that it was for such a good cause.

Was it your first time in Quebec? What did you think of the city and its people?
[NR:] Yes. I think the city is beautiful and I would like to visit again when she is dressed in other colours apart from white! The people were so open and generous and genuinely warm.

Was there anything you thought should have been included in the weekend program that wasn't possible for some reason?
[NR:] Yes, more time to sleep!

Do you think there will be any similar event like this one ever again?
[NR:] We are looking at ways to repeat the concert in other cities. Everyone involved feels that it should have a ‘life’ on the road.

Will there be another opportunity to see you again at a Bond event in the future?
[NR:] That’s always a possibility.

Our sincere thanks to Nic Raine for sharing his thoughts on Vue sur Bond with us.

Photo above:
(From left to right) Hilary Saltzman, Nic Raine, Steve Barakatt, and Dame Shirley Bassey. Photo by Anders Frejdh. © 2006 From Sweden with Love.

For more information about Nic Raine, read another interview.

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An interview with Conductor Nic Raine on Vue sur Bond

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