Saint Mechtilde of Magdeburg, Beguine, Writing the Music Score for this New Film

Last week saw me writing the music for our latest production "Saint Mechtilde of Magdeburg and the Souls in Purgatory".  It's been nearly 2 years since we filmed for this production and we've wanted to get it done because it presents the early Beguines and the Beguine way of life which is very dear to us.  An egret bird landed in our garden pond and we were told that there were many of them nearby in Ferring by the rife so we travelled there to film them in the frost.  Whilst there we spotted in the distance an old ruined barn made of stone and became extremely excited as we had not intended this to be a scouting mission.  

Any mysterious or crumbling backdrop is great for a Mary's Dowry Productions film so we went and checked it out.  

We went back there with props and garbed in the correct Beguine clothing to acquire the footage needed to produce a film on this ancient saint.  We hoped that this would be the first of many individual films on Beguines and hermits.  The rife, ice, running water, rocks, trees, animals and birds made great scenery for the entire film so in just one day we obtained everything we needed.  It was not fun because it was very windy but it was worth it.

We archived the footage because at the time we were also filming for St. Don Bosco and other Salesians and a few others.  It is only now that we have managed to work on this film and I was delighted last week that editing was complete and I was ready to begin writing the music score.

Writing the Music....

When I began writing I did not know what I would do.  I was thinking at the time of our production on St. Julian of Norwich.  This was filmed in an abandoned old church in Bedham and that created it's own atmosphere so I wanted to do something similar here.

For the opening titles for St. Mechtilde of Magdeburg there are some great shots of the ruined barn and I used this for inspiration.  Instead of using Celtia voices like I did for St. Julian of Norwich, I used Mystica because I was thinking of nuns.  Although Beguines are free, Mechtilde did spend some years attached to the nuns at Helfta including St. Gertrude the Great and St. Mechtilde of Hackeborn.  

So I began this score with a mysterious atmosphere using soundscapes and the chanting of nuns.  These opening titles show the fusing of voices with 'Lord of Wind' soundscapes and how I brought in the cello to gradually build the piece:

The opening titles were fairly easy and I pretty much used my usual instruments and kept a building and expectant atmosphere until the film begins at about 1:00.  

Drums, Nykelharpas, Horns, Harps, Stringed Instruments...

When the narrative began I decided that I would keep a general atmosphere of 'ancient'.  I love all things old, rural landscapes, mysterious crumbling ruins, and of course a Beguine living along amongst this.  So I wrote some simple underscore tunes using a Frame Drum beat with the Nykelharpa and Tenor Viola da Gamba leading.  I used a back and forth with an Alto Recorder to keep this going all through the first section on the history of the Beguines.

I tried to keep a mysterious atmosphere throughout and I did not want just endless little tunes going so regularly in this score I used suspended strings with more Mystica Voices and half way through the film included Altus Voices for contrast.  

Sound Effects

There was not much call in this production for the use of sound effects but I was able to put the sound of birds and running water subtly over come of the scenes which aided in a reflective experience.  This production has a lot of good information about the Souls in Purgatory as much of St. Mechtilde's writings pertain to this.

Unlike several other of our productions that mention Purgatory or Hell, I did not use scary soundscapes in these sections in St. Mechtilde.  I learned so much from this production and found myself having to watch it 3 times to absorb the great depths of this saints' profound writings.  I was pleased also at the link to the Sacred Heart, having worked this year on Saint Margaret Mary and Saint Clade de la Colombiere and the Sacred Heart in England films.

Saint Mechtilde is now complete and available through our website and also through Amazon.  It is well worth a look. www.marysdowryproductions.org

Saint Mechtilde of Magdeburg DVD

Bartolo Longo, Format Satanic High Priest, Movie Trailer

This trailer for Bartolo Longo offers an example of the music that I wrote for this film.  As mentioned in my previous post the use of strings and cello captured the era and an atmosphere of suspense.  His story is very gripping.

Blessed Bartolo Longo

We produced a DVD on Blessed Bartolo Longo back in 2017.  We had wanted to produce a film on this great saint for a while because the fact that he lost his faith and became more and more sinful, all the way to becoming a satanic high priest, yet turned his life around is such an inspiration for conversion and coming back from sinful ways.  I myself suffered in the past from scruples but Bartolo Longo shows us that even siding with the devil and becoming ordained a Satanic priest, still will not prevent a soul in the end from belonging to God if we just turn to him and repent.  Bartolo Longo also shows us the power of the Rosary.

Screenshot from Bartolo Longo Film

For this music score I used quite an orchestral base with cello solos.  The main thing I remember about this score was using sound effects, something I have started to incorporate into our productions over the past few years.  It really aids the productions and in the case of this film I used whispering voices throughout every séance scenes along with eerie soundscapes.

Screenshot from Bartolo Longo Séance portrayal

It was great.  I really do love this production it's so powerful and effective.

Bartolo Longo is available both on DVD worldwide and through ON DEMAND instantly.  On demand enables you to own and watch this film on any device digitally.

Bartolo Longo:

Bartolo Longo was a 19^th century Italian lawyer and a satanic priest whose soul was converted by the power of the rosary. He lived on the brink of hell, preached fiercely against Christ and especially the Catholic Church, with particular venom towards the Dominican order. Although he had been raised a Catholic by his pious mother, it was when he left home to attend university in Naples that he seriously began to doubt the articles of Faith and finally rejected Christianity. He was caught up in the nationalist movement that swept through 19^th century Italy and became obsessed with the thoughts and ideas of its ideology. He also became interested in Spiritualism.

Not satisfied by simply attending séances and listening to the messages given through mediums, Bartolo decided that he would receive the answers to his questions direct. His involvement in the occult eventually saw him ordained a priest of Spiritualism.

At his ordination, Bartolo was alarmed when the church shook and great claps of thunder surrounded him. His life then became worse with deep depression and anxiety. He communicated with demons who taunted him with contradictory answers and messages. His emotional and psychological problems led him to finally consult a Catholic professor who told him that if he did not abandon his occult ways he would be damned.

Through the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the recitation of the most holy Rosary, Blessed Bartolo Longo embarked upon a long period of exorcism and confession, rejection of the occult and deep conversion until he was finally reconciled to the Catholic Church.

After discerning his place in the world, and despite a lifetime of difficulties that followed, Blessed Bartolo Longo dedicated his entire life to promoting the most Holy Rosary and love of Our Lady. He continued to struggle but saw the rosary as his way of beating bondage to Satan forever! He built the magnificent basilica dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary in Pompeii and has been lifted up as a very important Catholic figure especially for our times.

Blessed Bartolo Longo by Mary’s Dowry Productions looks not only at the life and journey of Blessed Bartolo, as well as his writings, prayers and example, but the teachings of the Catholic Church on the dangers of the New Age and Occult with important and helpful quotes to assist us on our life journey’s battle for our souls and for the souls of those around us.

Bartolo Longo DVD available worldwide.

Our Lady and the Visionaries of Knock, Celtic Irish Music Score Soundtrack Project

This week has seen me writing the music for our latest upcoming DVD film release "Our Lady and the Visionaries of Knock".  I delayed writing this over the end of the summer break because I knew it would be a large undertaking.  Not only is the film 50 minutes in length, but it incorporates testimonies by several people recounting their experience at Knock.  I knew that this film is packed with so much historical information and I admit that I was a little nervous about getting started.

Much of my music over the years has incorporated a Celtic feel.  I really thought that being able to write completely freestyle in Irish music would be easy, like, unleashing what I keep contained, wanting to write Irish style music.  Writing this score however has taught me that this is untrue.  I do not write authentic styled music, I deliberately fuse instruments and styles so that my music is never predictable.  Writing Old English music comes naturally because I love all the instruments like Lutes, Fidules, Recorders etc, but I never keep to a strictly authentic or restricted theme or realism, I use the old English sound as a starting point and go from there.

As my music tends towards a Celtic feel, I have been influenced by growing up with James Horner scored films, scores like Braveheart, Far and Away, I've always been fascinated by these lovely instruments from Scotland and Ireland.  I was planning to go completely Irish with this.  Right away however I found it really difficult.  I thought about using the Irish style as a stepping point like I do with Old English and this seemed to work but the whole score was a bit of an uphill struggle I must admit.

Screenshot from "Braveheart"

Today, Saturday, I have completed the long score and although it was hard, it's turned out great!  I'm using my old "Saint Thomas Garnet and the Gunpowder Plot" music score as a template but have added in new instruments like bagpipes and Irish Flute.  Using the Irish Flute also gave me the opportunity to use the pitch bend for a real authentic feel.  I'm also using Heronica from Vocal Codex female voices for the first time too.  

Vocal Codex

This new film tells the entire account of the apparitions at Knock and made it clear to me for the first time who was there and what occurred.  This film begins by putting the events of Knock in context with the history of Ireland, the Reformation and why the Eucharist is linked so importantly with these events.  This film should be released over the next several days.  For more information visit www.marysdowryproductions.org 

Calming Reflective Music, New Soundtrack Album, Water of Life, by Bernadette Bevans

Over the past several years people have asked about the music from Mary's Dowry Productions and I have tried to find time to answer their requests and make some of the music available on instrumental CD album.  I began with St. Etheldreda: Abbess of Ely as this was one of my favourite music scores at the time.

St. Etheldreda Soundtrack CD Album.

The soundtrack album has been through many title changes, track name changes and cover designs until a few months ago I re-labelled all soundtracks from Mary's Dowry Productions under the series banner: "Calm Your Spirit With Music", giving each individual album a subtitle and volume number.  There are only 6 album titles in this series and I've just completed the last one which I reckon will be the final album in this series.  I prefer to write freely with music albums and to take a soundtrack out of context from a film is difficult because a lot of the music is underscore so quite quiet and needs a lot of adjusting.  

6 CD Soundtracks Available.

I love the music from each film, some of my best work takes place within the context of a Mary's Dowry Productions film but I feel that I cannot have over 80 CD albums available.  Also, some of the scores were written in different programs so it's difficult to go back to the raw project to accomplish an instrumental track.

St. Piran of Cornwall DVD

I am pleased to announce that my latest soundtrack album is now available and it's one I've been wanting to release for a long time - the music score for St. Piran of Cornwall.  I wanted to do this because the music in it is absolutely lovely.  

NEW CD Soundtrack Album - The Music from St. Piran of Cornwall Film

I like writing music with a Celtic feel and I felt so free when I wrote this score.  Because we do not see St. Piran of Cornwall DVD very much because it is one of our lesser known saints, I feel that the lovely music in this film is lost but now on CD album it has a greater chance of being heard.

For the cover I chose a scene from Cornwall and also something that shows a lot of the sea because most of the scenery for this film is of the sea, rock pools, water.  The subtitle for this album is "Water of Life".  This album is "Calm Your Spirit With Music: Volume 6: Water of Life" and the 6th and probably the final installation of music soundtracks.  The soundtracks available now to date are from the following films:

St. Etheldreda
St. Margaret Ward
St. Cuthman of Steyning
St. David of Wales
St. Joan of Arc
St. Piran of Cornwall.

It's an interesting selection and one that came about due to circumstances and timing.

The Calm Your Spirit With Music series fuses instruments and soundscapes to create a contemporary, mystical and reflective mood which is both uplifting and meditative and tells a story.  Each volume presents a music soundtrack taken from an individual film but enhances it for audio CD.  As each track builds upon the next you are absorbed in a journey of peace, prayer, thought and memory.  This album is taken from the music soundtrack from Saint Piran of Cornwall film.  It was inspired by the stunning visuals of the sea, water, hills, landscapes, harbours and ancient Celtic England and Ireland.  Let the sounds of piano, Celtic harps, mystical winds, wooden flutes, mysterious horns, sounds of the sea and orchestral undertones absorb and uplift.  Perfect as background music, or for chilling out, for becoming lost in thought, prayer or to simply absorb yourself in the tunes these original soundtracks will help unwind and calm.  

Track Listing:

Track 1 - Water of Life (3:23)
Track 2 - You Will Draw Water From the Spring of Salvation (2:52)
Track 3 - Like Cold Water to a Thirsty Soul, so is Good News From a Far Country (2:42)
Track 4 - Buriana, Purest Lily (7:57)
Track 5 - The Tin Mining Saint (7:20)
Track 6 - Surely God is Good to Those Who Are Pure of Heart (1:43)

This CD is now available through www.marysdowryproductions.org 

Saint Thomas Garnet and the Gunpowder Plot, English Martyr, Reformation, Henry Garnet, Catholic Films and Music

Because we acquired so much footage for various upcoming films last year, in our great enthusiasm, we have had a backlog of productions to put together, many of which I have been looking forward to writing the music to.  This month we have been working extra hard to catch up and I recently completed the music score for "A Simple Soul: St. Mary Mazzarello" DVD.  This completed the films recorded for in January 2017: St. Don Bosco, St. Dominic Savio, St. Jacinta Marto, St. Mary Mazzarello, and just left us with a couple remaining from our filming day in March 2017. 

Screenshot from St. Don Bosco Film, filmed for in January 2017, Now available.

We moved straight on to our outstanding production "St. Thomas Garnet and the Gunpowder Plot" which I have been looking forward to as I love the English Martyrs.

Screenshot from Bartolo Longo film, filmed in March 2017 and now available.

In March 2017 we filmed for Bartolo Longo, St. Margaret Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Claude de la Colombiere and the Sacred Heart in England, and St. Thomas Garnet.  

Having these productions outstanding for so long has put us very behind so I was keen to get onto the music score for St. Thomas Garnet as soon as it was edited together and to bring us closer to our goal.

Saint Thomas Garnet

Approaching this music score I was not dubious at all because I have written for so many characters from this era.  I loaded my palette with several sounds from the era such as Nykelharpa, Harpsichord, Alto Recorder, Koblikzek, Baroque Guitar, Frame Drum, Medieval Soundscapes.  This gave me lots to draw upon.  I decided to begin the opening titles with drums and an upbeat tempo, leading with Nykelharpa and harmonizing with piano, strings and filling with several other instruments.

Baroque Guitar in Era II

It's been a while since I used frame drum but I used to use it a lot for St. Swithun Wells, St. Nicholas Owen, St. Richard Gwyn and others that we produced several years ago and I always found that they very much enhanced the atmosphere; the drums I have are so realistic that it's like actually hearing a frame drum from Elizabethan times.

St. Nicholas Owen: The Priest Hole Maker DVD

The music score for St. Thomas Garnet and the Gunpowder Plot took me a few days to compose.  As well as being upbeat and very interesting, historical and factual I found that there were several places that were poignant such as re-visiting St. Anne Line's story, Fr. Mark Barkworth's last words at the gallows, St. Nicholas Owen giving himself up to save Fr. Henry Garnet when they were hiding in priest holes.  I learn a lot from our productions and I again learned a lot about the era of the Gunpowder Plot and was inspired by these wonderful Catholic priests who gave their lives to bring the Sacraments to the persecuted Catholic of England.  Being immersed in this era has filled me with inspiration for our English Martyrs once more!

Saint Thomas Garnet and the Gunpowder Plot is now available on DVD worldwide.

NEW DVD St. Thomas Garnet and the Gunpowder Plot.

Mary Mazzarello, Salesian Sisters, Don Bosco, A Simple Soul: St. Mary Mazzarello New DVD Release.

Having completed the music score for our new production 'A Simple Soul: St. Mary Mazzarello', we are pleased to release this new film on DVD.  I spoke in my last post about writing the music score for this and having tested the masters and gone through a long post-production process I find myself very inspired by this saint.  I knew nothing at all about her before making this film.  

St. Mary Mazzarello - founder of the Salesian Sisters

We filmed back in January 2017 for St. Don Bosco and we also obtained enough footage so as to produce separate DVDs on Saint Dominic Savio and Saint Mary Mazzarello.

Saint Don Bosco DVD - Founder of the Salesians

There were times over the past year and a half when we thought about just leaving it at St. Don Bosco, we have such a backlog and a lot of work that sometimes it overwhelms us.  In the end we decided that their stories should be told in film and that we would work hard to complete these other two productions.  I am so pleased we did as both of their stories are so beautiful and inspiring.

Screenshot from 'St. Don Bosco' production

  St. Dominic Savio is of particular interest with his vision of England and I am always surprised at how many saints point back to England as Mary's Dowry and the importance of her re-conversion to the Catholic Faith one day.  

6 Catholic Founders DVD

'A Simple Soul: Saint Mary Mazzarello' is available as a single DVD but also as part of a new box set, 6 Catholic Founders.

A Simple Soul: St. Mary Mazzarello NEW DVD

It can be purchase online through Mary's Dowry Productions, or through Amazon or Digitally through ON DEMAND.