Jonny Greenwood to Score Film Based on Murakami Novel

Jonny Greenwood Norwegian WoodRadiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, the composer-in-residence with the BBC Concert Orchestra, unveiled the world premiere of his new composition “Doghouse” for an intimate crowd at the BBC’s famous Maida Vale Studios last month. That’s newsworthy enough, I say, but thanks to a couple online reviews from the lucky few in attendance, there’s more…

According to attendee Adam Bowie, Greenwood and conductor Robert Ziegler also took part in a brief interview after the performance and—just as Greenwood’s “Popcorn Superhet Receiver” inspired his lauded There Will Be Blood score—”Doghouse” will inform parts of the score to Norwegian Wood, director Anh Hung Tran’s forthcoming film based on Haruki Murakami’s bestselling novel of the same name.

“I wrote this piece mostly in hotels and dressing rooms while touring with Radiohead,” Greenwood said in a description from the BBC’s site (now removed). “This was more practical than glamorous – lots of time sitting around indoors, lots of instruments about – and aside from picking up a few geographical working titles, I can’t think that it had any effect where, on tour, it was written.”

And now for the really great news: We will all get a chance to hear the premiere of “Doghouse” and preview of Greenwood’s next film score on Friday, March 19, as BBC Radio 3 will broadcast the performance on that date at 2PM.