Max de Wardener is a British composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist[1] known for his scores for film and television and his work in jazz, classical, world and electronic music.

Career

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Since graduating from York University and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama,[2] he has written music for film and television, including Pawel Pawlikowski's feature films Last Resort (2000) and The Woman in the Fifth (2011), and Jerry Rothwell's 2008 documentary Heavy Load.[3]

As a bass player, he has appeared on albums by Dani Siciliano, Matthew Herbert, Róisín Murphy, Simon Bookish and Plaid[4] and is a member of the Zimbabwean Mbira player Chartwell Dutiro's band.[1]

Inspired by Harry Partch, de Wardener has built some unusual percussion instruments for use in his compositions, including a Bass Marimba[5] and a set of "Cloud Chamber Bowls".[6]

His work as a classical composer includes commissions for the Elysian String Quartet,[7] the London Symphony Orchestra[8] and a multimedia piece for the percussionist Joby Burgess.[9]

In 2008, collaborating with the singer/songwriter Mara Carlyle under the name "Max de Mara", he released an EP on Stanley Donwood's Six Inch Records[10] titled Classist.

To date, his solo discography comprises three albums and two EPs on Mathew Herbert's label, Accidental Records. His first EP, Stops, is a combination of electronic music and recordings of a church organ.[11] His discography also includes remixes for Gabriel Prokofiev, John Richards and Efterklang.[12]

In 2021 he composed the score to the feature film The Power with the electronic music composer Gazelle Twin.[13]

Solo discography

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Albums

  • Where I Am Today (2004)
  • Kolmar (2019)
  • Music for Detuned Pianos (2020)[14]

EPs

References

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  1. ^ a b "Serious: Max de Wardener". Retrieved 6 August 2011.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Max de Wardener - Kings Place". Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  3. ^ "Max de Wardener - IMDb". Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  4. ^ "Max de Wardener Discography at Discogs". Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  5. ^ "Percussion Clinic". Archived from the original on 9 December 2010. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  6. ^ "Mixing It". Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  7. ^ "Wakefield Live Music Project". Retrieved 6 August 2011.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ "The Singing Violin". Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  9. ^ "About Joby Burgess". Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  10. ^ "Wears The Trousers, 4 December 2008". Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  11. ^ "Casper Clausen of Efterklang unearths Max De Wardener's hidden electronic gem". Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  12. ^ "Max de Wardener Discography at Discogs". Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  13. ^ "Max de Wardener | Composer, Music Department, Soundtrack". IMDb. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  14. ^ Cardew, Ben (20 March 2020). "Max de Wardener: Music for Detuned Pianos Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
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