I fully admit to being extremely biased about the music of Christopher Gunning, a composer who I feel for years has been writing very fine music for films, TV, and commercials.  With “Poirot”, his music has become much more high-profile, but for all that, the care he lavishes on each assignment is second to none.

Early in 1994 he worked on the BBC classic serial Middlemarch, after the tragic death of Stanley Myers.  Around that time, I asked him about this, and whilst it is not exactly current news, the series is currently available on BBC Video and I think it is worth recounting here.  “Stanley Myers was originally commissioned to compose the score.  Few realised that Stanley was seriously Ill – perhaps Stanley himself hid the truth.  ‘Middlemarch’ was certainly close to his heart, and those near to him reported that composing the score was keeping him going.  Stanley was too ill to attend the recording sessions, but some of the music, conducted by Harry Gregson-Williams, was played to him on the telephone while Stanley was in hospital.  Stanley's condition quickly deteriorated, he was unable to compose more of the score, and died soon after the first recording sessions.

"I was approached by Louis Marks and Anthony Page; would I consider completing the score? I spent a day with the post production team, looking at episode one, and other episodes which were in various stages of assembly.  I had not read the book, so I had a lot of learning to do.  I had also to digest Stanley’s music thoroughly.  The learning curve was rather sharp, and not made easier by the fact that I, and everyone else on the production, were deeply saddened by Stanley's recent departure.

"Louis Marks and Anthony Page were simply marvelous to work with, always helpful, encouraging and appreciative.  There was no possibility of moving the recording dates on however, as the air dates were imminent, and I worked flat out for 2-3 months, composing the music for episodes two to six.  Whenever possible, I used quotations from Stanley's music, though since several new story-lines start up in episode two, had to invent a substantial amount of new music.

"Throughout my work on ‘Middlemarch’ I had Stanley's last scores and sketches in the corner of my room; I found it somehow comforting to have some of his music with me, as I finished his project.’

Since July Christopher has been working on four 2-hour “Poirot” specials for LWT, each of which has approximately one hour of music in each story.  The first was screened over the ITV network on Sunday 1st January 1995, appropriately entitled “Hercule Poirot's Christmas”.  Certainly, as per all the previous stories, production values were exceptionally high.  Simeon Lee [Vernon Dobtcheff] murdered his partner for diamonds and abandoned the woman who saved his life.  Now, 40 years on, fate and destiny would have its revenge.

No Miss Lemon or Captain Hastings in this story, but the ever reliable Inspector Japp is at hand as a sounding board for Poirot.  Good supporting cast Including Brian Gwaspari, Catherine Rabett and Sasha Behar made, at this very early stage of the new series, a very strong contender for one of the best Poirot stories to date.  The opening music was very effective, set as it was in Southern Africa.  Plenty of percussive effects here and without the famous opening graphics, we went straight into the story.  The famous “Poirot” theme was present of course, but Christopher gave it a different slant in this story and the finale although set in picturesque England, had a slightly foreign feel to the orchestration.

Since Poirot, Christopher has scored a little wildlife film for Partridge Films called “Wings over the Serengethi”, and at the time of interview [early December], was working on a three-part adaptation of Catherine Cookson's “The Glass Virgin”, which, in Christopher's words, “I'm thoroughly enjoying it.”

It is hoped that it won't be too long before the piano concerto Christopher is working on between scoring assignments will be completed; though naturally enough, when things like “Poirot” comes along, then work on it ceases.  Whilst all his admirers would look forward to such an event, we also still want to hear his music on TV and in the movies.