{"id":7278,"date":"2021-11-10T17:41:12","date_gmt":"2021-11-10T16:41:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/?p=7395"},"modified":"2021-11-10T18:00:11","modified_gmt":"2021-11-10T17:00:11","slug":"downton-abbey-our-guide-to-the-soundtrack-and-composer-of-the-hit-tv-show-and-film","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/rss_feed\/downton-abbey-our-guide-to-the-soundtrack-and-composer-of-the-hit-tv-show-and-film\/","title":{"rendered":"Downton Abbey: our guide to the soundtrack and composer of the hit TV show and film"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By BBC Music Magazine\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 10 November 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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We all know it. Accompanied by spasmodic strings and the occasional contrasting legato from a violin, a minimalistic tune made of just a few notes on the piano conjures up a nostalgic atmosphere. It\u2019s the theme of ITV\u2019s Downton Abbey<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Who wrote the theme tune to\u00a0Downton Abbey<\/em>?<\/h2>\n

Written by Scottish composer John Lunn, this simple melody appears in all six seasons of the acclaimed\u00a0Downton Abbey<\/em>\u00a0series and also sets the tone in screenwriter Julian Fellowes\u2019s full feature film. Alongside the original theme, Lunn incorporates elements of popular 1920s styles like upbeat jazz arrangements and contrasting waltz motifs, fitting the film\u2019s setting in autumn 1927.<\/p>\n

How John Lunn transformed the\u00a0Downton Abbey\u00a0<\/em>soundtrack for the film adaptation<\/h2>\n

When asked about his musical plans for the film, Lunn commented, \u2018At first it was like discovering a long-lost friend, but gradually I realised that we\u2019d never really been apart; by the end it was just such a joy to revisit this material and have the opportunity to take it to a whole new level.\u2019<\/p>\n