My Abbey Road: Anne Dudley #AbbeyRoad90

My Abbey Road: Anne Dudley #AbbeyRoad90

12th February 2022

Anne played keyboards and arranged the orchestration on ABC’s number one album, The Lexicon of Love here in 1982. Among countless others, she also recorded her scores for Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and BBC’s Poldark series at the studios.

Some of Anne' many film credits include the Oscar-winning score for The Full Monty, music producer/arranger/composer for Tom Hooper's Les Miserables and composer for American History X, Pushing Tin and the Jeeves and Wooster TV series. Anne was a founding member of Art of Noise, was appointed the first Composer in Association with the BBC Concert Orchestra in 2001 and won an Ivor Novello Award for outstanding contribution to British Music in 2017.

Read on to find out the prolific composer, musician, producer and arranger's favourite moments from a place which still gives her the musical chills.

 
 

What does Abbey Road mean to you?

 "I always feel a bit of a frisson when I ascend the steps to the front door to sign in for a session. I try to look casual and nonchalant but I always enjoy the jealous and puzzled look of the tourists outside who wonder who on earth I am to be allowed into such a hallowed location. There’s just a feel about Abbey Road Studios which I never get anywhere else. The building has witnessed so many iconic recordings that some of the magic resides in the walls themselves."

 

Your favourite personal memory at Abbey Road?

"My favourite memory of Abbey Road is the first time I did a session in Studio One in 1982. I had been working with Trevor Horn on The Lexicon of Love album for ABC for a few months. We had already had a big hit with Poison Arrow.

For the single The Look of Love there was enough of a budget to record real strings. Frankly, I hadn't done many string arrangements up to that time so it was pretty scary to walk into the main studio and conduct 25 seasoned session players as the youngest person there. The sound in the room was incredible. I'll never forget it. I was astonished that the strings were mixed so loud on the final recording!"

 

Your favourite Abbey Road recording?

"My favourite recording associated with the studios is the unforgettable film of Edward Elgar conducting Pomp and Circumstance. As he steps up to the podium the entire orchestra stand up and politely applaud and tap their stands to his evident delight. We hear him say: A very light programme this morning. Please play this tune as if you’ve never heard it before."

 

Don’t miss Anne as she co-hosts a free Music For TV & Film masterclass on Saturday 5 March at 5pm GMT as part of this year’s Abbey Road Equalise event for International Women’s Day.

For a chance to watch it live at Angel Studios enter the ballot HERE - if you don’t win, don’t worry, we’ll also be streaming the event on the day!

#MyAbbeyRoad #AnneDudley #AbbeyRoad90
 

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