Stephen Edwards Piano Music From The Movies

Piano Music From the Movies by Stephen Edwards is a beautiful collection of piano interpretations of some of Hollywood’s classic film themes. Edwards presents 20 tracks spanning a wide range of memorable scores, from To Kill a Mockingbird to Munich.

When you hear these pieces in their original form, they are often performed with a full orchestra. Stripping them down to piano alone gives the music an entirely different character. I’ve always enjoyed this intimate, stripped-down approach, and it’s fascinating to hear how these familiar themes take on new life when presented this way.

In fact, I imagine this is probably close to how many classically trained composers begin developing their scores. John Williams, for example, has spoken about and demonstrated how he works out his musical ideas at the piano before they are orchestrated.

The album opens with To Kill a Mockingbird, followed shortly by music from Cleopatra. Among the tracks I particularly enjoyed are the Main Title from Once Upon a Time in America, the Cinema Paradiso Medley, and Night Mists from Field of Dreams.

However, my favorite interpretations are easily the two selections from The Shawshank Redemption: New Fish and Brooks Was Here. Hearing these beautiful themes reduced to piano makes them especially poignant, and, honestly, listening to them made me want to watch The Shawshank Redemption again. It remains one of my favorite movies of all time.

Bottom Line

An excellent collection of piano interpretations of some of Hollywood’s most memorable film music. Stephen Edwards brings a fresh and intimate perspective to these familiar themes, allowing their melodies and emotional qualities to really shine.

Notable Tracks

• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Cinema Paradiso Medley
• Night Mists — Field of Dreams
• Brooks Was Here — The Shawshank Redemption