Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be part of a recording session? For one of the biggest Disney films, on a score by one of the most well-known composers out there? We went behind the scenes with harpist, Lara Somogyi, to find out.
Lara Somogyi is a Los Angeles-based harpist and solo artist who has developed a unique sound using electronics, looper and FX pedals, forging a new artistic identity for the harp. So extensive is her session work — from blockbuster film and TV scores to pop records — that you have most likely already heard her perform. Her film credits include Hans Zimmer’s Blue Planet II, as well as collaborations with Rufus Wainwright and Mark Ronson.
Before we talk about the Lion King, it would be great to hear your background with who you've worked with before when it comes to filmscores?
I greatly enjoy working with all different types of composers and genres, whether it’s an improvised textural score that's one-on-one with a composer, or a score that’s completely written out and recorded on a scoring stage.
I love working with music and textures that can really enhance what is happening on screen through what the harp can add. I’ve recently worked with Rob Simonsen on Tully, BBC's Blue Planet II with Jacob Shea and The Simpsons with Bleeding Fingers, Greenbook and When They See Us with Kris Bowers, Charlie’s Angels with Brian Tyler, Spike Lee’s upcoming Da 5 Bloods with Terence Blanchard and Jasha Klebe in The Black Godfather. I have also very recently recorded for Daniel Pemberton’s film Birds of Prey out next year.
Have you seen the use of the harp evolve in compositions for film?
Yes, so much so! More than ever, composers are embracing the capabilities of the harp and using it in all different capacities. I can really see it growing from, and including of course, traditional harp, to more settings featuring improvisation and extended techniques. I also love it when I get brought in to make experimental textures and sonorities with my FX pedals! It’s been really fun to work one on one with composers and creatives and watch the use of experimental harp grow in the medium of film.
How did you get to become involved with The Lion King?
I was called in by the amazing Peter Rotter from Encompass Music and wonderful Stephanie Matthews, who I had both worked with before.
How do you prepare for a project like this?
I was constantly listening to Hans’ original score he composed in 1994 in the weeks leading up to the session, and studying as much of the recordings and score as I could. I also listened and did a lot of other Hans Zimmer score study of his writing styles and his use of harp in his other works.
As a harpist, I always want to make sure I’m there very early to tune the harp before any of the other players arrive and also to grab any new music cues to mark up with pedal markings. So usually at a scoring stage like Sony, I like to arrive around 1-2 hours early every day to ensure I’m fully prepared for the day’s session.
What did day one of the recording look like?
There was such a tangible buzz and excitement in the air because we were all so excited to be a part of such an iconic project! There was a magic you could feel from Hans’ music everywhere. The director, Jon Favreau, was there every day and kindly greeted us all individually and really made us feel welcome into the Disney family. Pharrell was also there a few of the sessions as he was producing some of the songs on the soundtrack. Also, for this particular score, Hans really wanted it to feel like a performance rather than a scoring session so we would record play through’s to picture, as if it were a concert, to capture the excitement of the moment and music.
The music felt so palpable and it was so exhilarating! We even had an audience comprised of producers, animators etc and anyone else who was working on the film, come in each day to sit in on the sessions to make it feel more concert-like and performance oriented.
How many sessions did you have to be part of?
We had two full weeks of double sessions (10am-1pm, 2pm-5pm) at the Barbara Streisand scoring stage at Sony in LA and it was such a special two weeks. I brought my Spitfire Audio tote bag filled with snacks every single day to keep me fuelled for all of the concentration. It was my absolute favourite film growing up, and it is very surreal to now have recorded on the same score years later. I feel so grateful to be a part of such an amazing score!
Were you recording in a room of musicians that you've worked with before?
I worked with a lot of the players before in other sessions in LA, but also, there were many new faces of incredible musicians brought in from orchestras from around the country such as the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and many amazing players from the incredible Re-collective Orchestra run by Matt Jones and Stephanie Matthews. It was such an inspirational celebration of talent and unity.
What was it like working alongside Hans Zimmer, had you worked together before?
Hans Zimmer was SO incredibly inspiring to work with! He was extremely kind and gave directions in such a beautiful way and from the emotional standpoint of the music as well as technical. He really made all of the musicians feel the music in such an emotive way.
This was such an iconic film and score, it was quite emotional recording it. He invited the entire orchestra to the booth in-between takes to watch our recordings to the picture which was exhilarating. This helped us really experience the emotional message of the film which greatly impacted our playing. For example, watching the Mufasa Stampede scene was so gripping and by watching it with our recordings, we were able to see the weight of what we had to convey through our performance in those specific moments.
Did you have any input on how you would play your instrument? Or have room to improvise when recording?
The Lion King was such an iconic score so nothing really was improvised in my part on that score but I do get the chance to improvise a lot on other scores! I really enjoy both so much.
If a composer would like to use the harp when composing a score what are your tips on the best way to use the instrument?
There are so many unexpected ways to use the harp, like extended techniques such as près de la table (close to the soundboard), xylophone effect, harmonics etc. and they all offer such uniquely different timbre’s and responsiveness. I recently did a horror film session where I also used ‘prepared harp’ sounds using alligator clips, blue tack and bowed bass wire strings. Also harp players will love you if you provide any sort of pedal chart/peddling!
What's next for you?
I’m continuing with my session work here in LA while developing my first album of solo experimental harp compositions. I feel so honoured to work with composers in all different types of projects and I’m so elated to see the harp sonorities being used and explored in both traditional and in many new ways in film.