Perseverance Records Announces New Recordings of Unreleased James Horner Scores

Perseverance Records has teamed up with Spectral Shimmers Productions and the James Horner Estate to record and release renditions of the legendary film composer’s early, unreleased musical works. The label will produce original arrangements of Horner’s previously unreleased scores for Peter Yates’ 1983 British drama The Dresser starring Albert Finney & Tom Courtenay, and Oliver Stone’s 1981 horror movie The Hand starring Michael Caine & Andrea Marcovicci, and the first in a series of original concert pieces, followed by the composer’s score for the Lewis Teague’s 1979 crime drama The Lady in Red starring Pamela Sue Martin & Robert Conrad, plus a surprise fourth previously unreleased work, written in the early phase of Horner’s iconic career. Grammy-nominated conductor Matt Dunkley and prolific orchestrator Nikiforos Chrysoloras are involved in the project. Also in the works is the complete series of Horner’s concert works that he composed during his 37-year career, as well as a complete re-recording of a science-fiction score that will get the definitive performance treatment. Visit the label’s official website for updates and check out the press release below for more details.

Perseverance Records (PEGI) has teamed up with Spectral Shimmers Productions and the James Horner Estate to record and release renditions of the legendary film composer’s early, unreleased musical works through PerseveranceRecords.com.

The Colorado-based label will produce original arrangements of Horner’s The Dresser (1981) and The Hand (1983) – two previously unreleased titles, and the first in a series of original concert pieces, followed by 1979’s The Lady in Red, plus a surprise fourth previously unreleased work, written in the early phase of Horner’s iconic career, which, by many accounts is considered to be the nucleus of his unparalleled success.

Grammy-nominated conductor Matt Dunkley and prolific orchestrator Nikiforos Chrysoloras will be taking the reins of this formidable project, bringing their expertise to rediscover Horner’s works and highlighting their commitment to honoring his legacy by bringing his music to fans and new audiences. Dunkley enthused, “I’m excited to have been asked by Perseverance Records to conduct some of their new recording projects, especially re-discovering these amazing scores by James Horner.”

Chrysoloras, having arranged the world premiere the Legends of the Fall suite, as well as other Horner scores, is coming to the project fresh from Perseverance’s musical journey down the Jerry Goldsmith and Michael Kamen lanes, for whom he produced a 14-minute Alien suite (orchestrated and performed as Goldsmith had envisioned it before his score received the treatment everyone knows about) and a 10-minute Suite from Highlander.

Sara Horner, the late composer’s widow, said, “I am so pleased to see James’ work continue to excite audiences around the world. The recordings by Perseverance and Spectral Shimmers Productions of two of his most beautiful scores is an occasion to celebrate. The Dresser is a beautiful gem and deserves a wider audience. The Hand was his first foray into a major motion picture. Both of these scores, in their own way, offer listeners a unique experience.

“I am very pleased that Perseverance Records, Nikiforos Chrysoloras and Spectral Shimmers Productions are collaborating on this project. Perseverance’s track record speaks for itself. Their enthusiasm, skill and passion for film music as an art form are all a perfect fit for James’ music. Nikiforos’ talents as an arranger is matched only by his deep understanding of James’ musical world.

“Following the success of James’ concert piece, Spectral Shimmers, and the outstanding concert produced by Torodd Wigum and Kim Spildrejorde of SSP, and the James Horner Film Music Association at the Szczecin Concert Hall in 2022, a new wave of interest in James’ music has been born. With this new partnership and recordings a new endeavor begins – a truly exciting tribute to James’ rich compositional career.”

Reflecting on Horner’s score for The Dresser, written by famed playwright and screenwriter Sir Ronald Harwood, his daughter Alexandra, an accomplished composer herself, endorses the Perseverance project in the upcoming release’s liner notes as a heartfelt homage to both her father and Horner, akin to preserving a piece of their shared history that celebrates their friendship and collaboration, which began in the 1960s and culminated in the Oscar-nominated film.

Also in the works is the complete series of Horner’s concert works that he composed during his 37-year career, as well as a compete re-recording of a science-fiction score that will get the definitive performance treatment. This initiative marks the first in a series highlighting Horner’s original concert compositions and a complete re-recording of a classic sci-fi score.

Perseverance’s founder and producer Robin Esterhammer says, “All of us are beyond thrilled to be working with Sara and the Horner Estate on these recordings. We are joining them in giving the music the respect and treatment it deserves while making it available to the multitude of James’ fans as well as the general public.”

The project, slated to begin in early 2024, will be partly funded through Kickstarter campaigns, promising to revive and celebrate James Horner’s rich musical heritage.