WORLD RENOWNED COMPOSER CRAIG ARMSTRONG TEAMS UP WITH ELBOW’S GUY GARVEY FOR NEW SINGLE CORNFLOWER (MARELLE)
Listen to the track HERE
24 August 2018 (Toronto, ON) - Award-winning Scottish composer Craig Armstrong – best loved for his soundtracks to Moulin Rouge!, Romeo + Juliet and Love Actually – has enlisted Elbow’s illustrious frontman Guy Garvey for his new single, “Cornflower (Marelle)”, out on Decca Records/Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company.
Originally written for solo piano and 12 strings, Craig Armstrong’s track “Marelle” is reimagined with Guy Garvey’s distinctive voice and moving lyrics, breathing new life into the stunning composition. The track’s beauty is in its simplicity – delicate at first, Garvey’s vocal builds alongside the accompanying instrumental, telling an enchanting love story.
Speaking of the collaboration, Guy Garvey says, “When the first composer on the moon says ‘wanna do something’, you immediately say YEAH! The memory in the lyrics was something I’ve wanted to write for ages, and it fitted perfectly over the piece without any editing. I honestly believe the words and the music were meant to be married.”
Craig Armstrong adds, “Having been a great admirer of Guy Garvey and Elbow’s music for some time, I was really excited that Guy had chosen Marelle to write a song to. His voice is so wonderful and writing a love song seemed to connect with the accompanying music. It was really a special gift.”
“Cornflower (Marelle)” will be released as a standalone single on August 24, while the original instrumental track, “Marelle”, is available as part of Armstrong’s new album “Sun on You”, which is released on September 7. It is a beautiful collection of original works for piano and strings, composed and performed by Armstrong on piano – accompanied by the Scottish Ensemble, the UK’s leading string orchestra, comprised of 12 outstanding musicians.
Armstrong is a Golden Globe, BAFTA, Ivor Novello and Grammy-winning composer whose iconic movie scores include Moulin Rouge!, Romeo + Juliet, Love Actually, The Great Gatsby and many more. He has also collaborated with a wide range of musicians on tracks and remixes – among them are Madonna, U2, Massive Attack, Mogwai and Luciano Pavarotti.
Sun On You marks a bold new chapter in Armstrong’s fascinating compositional career. It also offers a moment of calm in a fast-paced world and an escape into a gentle, peaceful and uplifting soundscape.
ABOUT CRAIG ARMSTRONG
Craig Armstrong OBE is a Scottish composer of orchestral music, electronica and film scores. He graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 1981, and has since written music for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the London Sinfonietta. His score for Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet earned him a BAFTA for Achievement in Film Music and also an Ivor Novello. Armstrong also collaborated with the director on his musical Moulin Rouge!, winning the 2001 American Film Institute's Composer of the Year award, a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score and a BAFTA. Armstrong was also awarded a Grammy for Best Original Score in 2004 for the biopic, Ray. His other feature film scoring credits include Love Actually, Oliver Stone's World Trade Centre, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and The Incredible Hulk.
Craig Armstrong performs his new album on a Yamaha CFX Concert Grand Piano and it was recorded at Air Studios.
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