Fall in love with Magic Classical this February

With the much-anticipated release of Wuthering Heights in cinemas February, Magic Classical is feeling all the love with a new four-part series celebrating the historical and period romances of the big and small screens.

Magic Classical’s daytime host and movie buff Tim Smith gets up close and personal with the music behind our most-loved romantic literary adaptations and costume dramas in Soundtracking: Literary Romance on Saturday evenings throughout February.

Featuring interviews with award-winning composers Rachel Portman, Isobel Waller-Bridge, Dario Marianelli and Anne Dudley, the series travels from the delicate piano of Pride and Prejudice to the pop-classical world of Bridgerton, via the dark passions of Wuthering Heights.

Of the series, Magic Classical and Jazz FM Content Director Nick Pitts says:

‘As we enter a new year of exciting plans for Magic Classical, we thought it would be remiss of us to not celebrate one of the most popular movie genres at this time of year. Whether it’s the latest Wuthering Heights adaptation or the passionate longings of Colin Firth in Pride & Prejudice our musical output thrives on these soundtracks. For Tim to be let loose and spotlight it over February is a real thrill for us and is sure to be a series that our listeners will fall in love with.’

Soundtracking: Literary Romance

Every Saturday night 9-10pm throughout February

Host: Tim Smith / Producer: Isabella Armishaw

Episode 1 – Saturday 7th February, 9pm

Enemies to Lovers

Not all roads to true love did run smooth, Tim dives into soundtracks where romance starts with sparks — and not the good kind. Anne Dudley shares how she begged to write the soundtrack to Poldark, Dario Marinelli discusses his beloved score to Pride and Prejudice and Kris Bowers discusses how he took a different approach for Queen Charlotte, A Bridgerton Story, to his previous work for Bridgerton.

Episode 2 – Saturday 14th February, 9pm

Gothic Romance

Stormy moors, gothic houses and music to match. Fresh from the release of Wuthering Heights, Tim explores gothic love on screen, from John Williams’ Jane Eyre to Frank Waxman’s Rebecca, and Abel Korzeniowski’s Emily Brontë.

Episode 3 – Saturday 21st February, 9pm

Forbidden Love

The best things in life are the things we cannot have. Tim looks at the film scores behind forbidden romance. Romances thwarted by class divides, race, sexuality and extramarital relationships. Rachel Portman discusses her score to The Duchess and Isobel Waller Bridge shares how she created “lasers” in her score for Vita & Virginia.

Episode 4 – Saturday 28th February, 9pm

Friends to Lovers and Second Chance Romance

When “just friends” becomes something more – and old flames reignite. Featuring Isobel Waller-Bridge on Emma, Patrick Doyle on Sense and Sensibility, plus a sneak peek at the new BBC adaptation The Other Bennet Sister, starring Richard E Grant and Ruth Jones