Neil Brand
Encyclopedia
Neil Brand is a British dramatist, composer and author. In addition to being regular silent film accompanist at London's National Film Theatre, Brand has composed new scores for two recently restored films from the 1920s, namely The Wrecker
and Anthony Asquith
's Underground
. Brand has also acted and written plays for the BBC. His book, Dramatic Notes, focuses on the art of composing narrative music for the cinema, theatre, radio and television.
, Sussex
, England
, and attended Junction Road Primary School in Burgess Hill where he was affectionately known as "Bogey Brand". On passing his 11+ exam, he joined a small group of boys from rural areas of central Sussex making the multi-train commute past other schools in Brighton to Hove County Grammar School for Boys. He was often found entertaining other students in the school hall at lunchtime on the school's grand piano. At the age of 18, he went to the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth to study Drama under John Edmunds
. However, he had a talent for music, and it was at Aberystwyth
that he began writing and playing music seriously for the first time.
drama for the hearing impaired, as Ted, a bullying businessman. Other work for the BBC has included musical compositions and radio plays. He also composed the score for Channel Four's three-part documentary series on the Crimean War
in 1997. One of his plays, Stan, was broadcast as a radio-play on BBC Radio 4
and then dramatised as a television-play first broadcast on BBC Four
. It documents Stan Laurel's
touching last moments with best friend and comedy partner Oliver Hardy
, who lies bedridden after a stroke. Another play broadcast on Radio 4, in 2007 Seeing It Through, dealt with Charles Masterman and his efforts to coordinate writers and journalists for the British propaganda
effort in World War I
.
, released on DVD in November 2009. He followed this up in 2011 with a score for another recently restored film, Anthony Asquith
's 1928 drama Underground
: the new composition was premiered by the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican Centre in London.
He has also written a book titled Dramatic Notes (1998) discussing the art of composing narrative music for the cinema, theatre, radio or television, and including interviews with various composers and directors.
The Wrecker (1928 film)
The Wrecker is a 74 minute silent film made in 1928 . The film was based on the play of the same title by Arnold Ridley. It was produced by Michael Balcon for Gainsborough Pictures, directed by Hungarian Géza von Bolváry and starred Carlyle Blackwell, Joseph Striker and Benita Hume. A...
and Anthony Asquith
Anthony Asquith
Anthony Asquith was a leading English film director. He collaborated successfully with playwright Terence Rattigan on The Winslow Boy and The Browning Version , among other adaptations...
's Underground
Underground (1928 film)
Underground is a British drama film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring Brian Aherne, Elissa Landi, Cyril McLaglen, and Norah Baring. An electrician and a porter both fall in love with a shop girl they meet on the London Underground....
. Brand has also acted and written plays for the BBC. His book, Dramatic Notes, focuses on the art of composing narrative music for the cinema, theatre, radio and television.
Background and education
He was born in Burgess HillBurgess Hill
Burgess Hill is a civil parish and a town primarily located in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England, close to the border with East Sussex, on the edge of the South Downs National Park...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and attended Junction Road Primary School in Burgess Hill where he was affectionately known as "Bogey Brand". On passing his 11+ exam, he joined a small group of boys from rural areas of central Sussex making the multi-train commute past other schools in Brighton to Hove County Grammar School for Boys. He was often found entertaining other students in the school hall at lunchtime on the school's grand piano. At the age of 18, he went to the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth to study Drama under John Edmunds
John Edmunds (presenter)
Professor John Edmunds trained as an actor but is best known as an ABC TV and Associated Rediffusion continuity announcer who later presented BBC Children's TV's Top of the Form, 1966 - 1967. He was a BBC TV newsreader from September 1968 until September 1973, and then again in October 1974 and...
. However, he had a talent for music, and it was at Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
that he began writing and playing music seriously for the first time.
Television and radio
On television, he has appeared in Switch, a BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
drama for the hearing impaired, as Ted, a bullying businessman. Other work for the BBC has included musical compositions and radio plays. He also composed the score for Channel Four's three-part documentary series on the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
in 1997. One of his plays, Stan, was broadcast as a radio-play on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
and then dramatised as a television-play first broadcast on BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
. It documents Stan Laurel's
Stan Laurel
Arthur Stanley "Stan" Jefferson , better known as Stan Laurel, was an English comic actor, writer and film director, famous as the first half of the comedy team Laurel and Hardy. His film acting career stretched between 1917 and 1951 and included a starring role in the Academy Award winning film...
touching last moments with best friend and comedy partner Oliver Hardy
Oliver Hardy
Oliver Hardy was an American comic actor famous as one half of Laurel and Hardy, the classic double act that began in the era of silent films and lasted nearly 30 years, from 1927 to 1955.-Early life:...
, who lies bedridden after a stroke. Another play broadcast on Radio 4, in 2007 Seeing It Through, dealt with Charles Masterman and his efforts to coordinate writers and journalists for the British propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
effort in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Music for films
He has been accompanying silent films for over 17 years, regularly at the National Film Theatre on London's South Bank and throughout the UK and increasingly at film festivals and special events throughout the world. He wrote a new score for the restored 1928 film The WreckerThe Wrecker (1928 film)
The Wrecker is a 74 minute silent film made in 1928 . The film was based on the play of the same title by Arnold Ridley. It was produced by Michael Balcon for Gainsborough Pictures, directed by Hungarian Géza von Bolváry and starred Carlyle Blackwell, Joseph Striker and Benita Hume. A...
, released on DVD in November 2009. He followed this up in 2011 with a score for another recently restored film, Anthony Asquith
Anthony Asquith
Anthony Asquith was a leading English film director. He collaborated successfully with playwright Terence Rattigan on The Winslow Boy and The Browning Version , among other adaptations...
's 1928 drama Underground
Underground (1928 film)
Underground is a British drama film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring Brian Aherne, Elissa Landi, Cyril McLaglen, and Norah Baring. An electrician and a porter both fall in love with a shop girl they meet on the London Underground....
: the new composition was premiered by the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican Centre in London.
He has also written a book titled Dramatic Notes (1998) discussing the art of composing narrative music for the cinema, theatre, radio or television, and including interviews with various composers and directors.