If they're distancing themselves from the previously films they should probably get rid of the 'Narnia' motif. As for who should score the film, I'm not sure, but since the book is different in tone then previously ones, I'm hoping it has a differnt feel. Something totally new would be nice... maybe something darker? I really like the Celtic idea you suggested twinimage! I could see that really fitting for SC.

Doesn't the directer usually have a composer he likes to work with? Both Harry Gregson-Willams and David Arnold were brought on the project because they'd worked with the directors before. So if Adamson comes back, like Greshem wants, its likely we'd see Gregson-Willams back as well.

Very good point. Many directors have the same composer for their films. Tim Burton/Danny Elfman, Bryan Singer/John Ottman, Steven Spielberg/John Williams.
Silver Chair does have a rather different feel from the books before it. So something totally new wouldn't be out of the question.
I wouldn't say make it "darker". I feel that's the default, go to answer now a days. It doesn't need to be "dark", unless the scene at hand calls for it, like the parts in the Underlands. It also depends on how they plan to approach the film, like the tone and feel they are going for. If they did want it to feel "darker" or more serious, Hans Zimmer may be a good choice. He seems to score more for films that require less whimsical music.

James Newton Howard would be a good choice. He's proven himself to be a genuine composer that can wield whimsical music as well as the driven. I would hate to see the original Narnia themes go but I think that's going to happen if we like it not. Goodbye Harry Gregson-Williams . I hope James Newton Howard can do it though.

I was trying to think of a movie that had a style of music I thought could be a nice match to Silver Chair. George Fenton may be a nice candidate for scoring the film. He scored the 1998 "Ever After" movie. That was an excellent and fun score, IMO. I can see him do well with SC if he went for a similar sound. It kind of matches my previous comment about a rustic, Celtic sound.

Personally, I would like Harry Gregson-Williams to do the score because I'm a REALLY big fan of his and love most of the scores he made. Often times I wouldn't even know that the score to a certain film was his and I'd be all in love with it and then realize that it was him who did the score and love it even more. I love both the scores for LWW and PC. But I do agree, that a lot will probably depend on the director (and a number of other factors). But honestly, to me, no one will do it as good as Harry Gregson-Williams will be able too, but that is simply my personal opinion

twinimage I agree that the score for the 1998 film Ever After was an excellent one, one of my personal favorites actually (along with the film itself) George Fenton could possibly be able with something that will really match SC, seeing how he really nailed it with Ever After:) I think he could be a very good candidate, (though personally, I'd still prefer Harry Gregson-Williams )

As I'm a big fan of soundtrack music in general I try to keep track of leading composers/studios! One that comes to mind for me is Thomas Bergeson from 'Two Steps from Hell' studio as he tends towards the slightly edgy/dark, which I feel is the impression the book leaves on most people.

You can hear a more full-blooded track of his here, or a lighter, more drifting/lonely piece here.

Another option could be the Hans Zimmer & Lorne Balfe duo that came together to score for The Bible TV Series. It was memorable, effective music that I thought really made the series (which was, sadly, deficient in a lot of other areas imo). You can hear The Bible theme and two variations of it here and here. The score was a single theme that wove a single thread through the entire duration of the series, and this approach is what (in my opinion) makes it remarkable, and reminiscent of how Gregson-Williams handled LWW's music.

In fact I think good music is a main ingredient, and really makes or breaks a cinematic story for me. Then again I'm unusually affected by audio elements and would even ask why they leave it for post production?? What if key scenes actually reflected the movement of the score (as they tend to do in trailers), wouldn't that add to a better sense of fluidity?

Ultimately - I just hope the composition is more successful than the ones we heard in PC or VDT!

One that comes to mind for me is Thomas Bergeson from 'Two Steps from Hell' studio as he tends towards the slightly edgy/dark, which I feel is the impression the book leaves on most people.

Very interesting choice! I to am a huge fan of his compositions. I know he does trailer music and even some T.V shows, but I'm not totally sure if he would make a movie soundtrack. Anyways, I would love for him to score SC, he could really add a lot to the movie.

Welcome to Narniaweb Trusty!

I know he does trailer music and even some T.V shows, but I'm not totally sure if he would make a movie soundtrack.

Yeah I thought that too, there's probably more independence for the artist in writing trailer music than soundtracks and he might like that. You never know though! He's definitely got the right sound.

I think Thomas Bergeson would be great if he did that sort of thing. I like TSFH music a lot too and think it would fit perfectly. Hans Zimmer is always a good choice- he has so many amazing scores to his name.

While we are throwing out names, what about Howard Shore from LOTR/The Hobbit? I think his style would fit well in Narnia, especially the Silver Chair with its darker tones.

And for the record, I personally really enjoyed the PC score

PC music was pretty good imo too (I like "Arrival at Aslan's How") but like some others I did feel it was mostly a repackaging of the LWW score, without really making it its own. Still a good listen though!

In my opinion, continuity is generally overrated. I feel this way about casting as well for the most part.

I really just want to see a good Silver Chair movie, and a fresh start for the franchise. I would like to hear a brand new score.

Though I felt like the score of PC was a bit redundant, I liked that it was reminiscent of LWW. Both those soundtracks are lovely. However, the music somehow stagnated with VDT. I know it was a new composer, but the music didn't feel fresh or really unique. And I was so disappointed that there was not Ramandu and his daughter's song--the musical highlight of the book.

I like Harry Gregson-Williams' work, and I would be excited to hear what he would do with TSC. Another person I'd like to hear would be Thomas Newman. John Williams would be really interesting, too. Though it's unlikely, it would be really neat if independent artists could work on scoring TSC. I agree that it should be a brand new score. Since, like GP said, the franchise is new, a return to Narnia without the weight of the first three films, including music, would make me look forward to the movie.

James Newton-Howard is one of my favourite composers, but I'm not sure how well he would do at something like Narnia.

LWW had an excellent soundtrack, Evacuating London, The Battle and Only the Beginning of the Adventure are tracks that are still amongst my all-time favorites.
PC was adequate for a sequel, but the darker tone meant the tone of the soundtrack changed as well. Overall, I like LWW better.
VDT was good for the most part, not the best, but I personally like it for some of the themes. Something most people don't know, though, is that David Arnold reused some themes for VDT, from Godzilla, of all things

I will certainly look forward to who they choose for the score...

I hesitate to put someone forward based on a familiarity with only one complete soundtrack, but what about John Powell?

I have no idea if it could be pulled off or not, but an orchestrated Elizabethan sound could be very Narnian. (Sort of like what Arnold Schoenberg did with some of the Bach fugues which are a slightly later style than what I have in mind.) The solo lute would be a nice foreshadowing of the Lady of the Green Kirtle.