Sony Music releases George Fenton's original score for The Lady in the Van. The movie is Alan Bennett’s big screen adaptation of his iconic and celebrated memoir. The film tells the true story of Miss Shepherd, who drove her aging van into Camden Town’s Gloucester Crescent at the end of the 1960s, and lived there - mostly in Bennett’s front garden - until her death in 1989. It tells the story of the relationship between Miss Shepherd, and the two sides of Alan Bennett - the writer trying to speculate about Miss Shepherd’s history and the reluctant landlord, responsible citizen and good neighbour. At the centre of it all is Miss Shepherd, as headstrong and particular a character as any in film history...

George Fenton's score for The Lady in the Van is a sweet collection of classical-based themes that seamlessly blends in with famous pieces by Franz Schubert and Frédéric Chopin.

The album contains 23 tracks (57 min, 58 sec) and works just as well as a standalone album as it does when accompanying the onscreen imagery of the movie.

As well as Fenton's music, the album contains Schubert's 'Impromptu No. 3 in G-Flat Major, Op.90, D 899' and three pieces by Chopin ('Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op.11' (Excerpt); 'Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op.11: II. Romanze - Larghetto'; and 'Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op.11: III. Rondo - Vivace' (Excerpt).

It's a lovingly craft, rather beautiful score which will be cherished by fans of the film.

8

Darren Rea