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Rea Beaumont

Charles Williams - The Dream of Olwen

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Release Date: January 13, 2023

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Rea Beaumont performing at the Glenn Gould Studio theatre, 2013
1 Charles Williams - The Dream of Olwen 4:04  

Rea Beaumont releases theme song “The Dream of Olwen” to celebrate 75th anniversary of film While I Live

Concert pianist Rea Beaumont celebrates the 75th anniversary of the film While I Live (1947), directed by John Harlow, with a recording of its famous theme song “The Dream of Olwen” by British composer Charles Williams (1893-1978).

In the film “While I Live,” a woman suffering from amnesia, arrives at the home of a composer-pianist named Olwen Trevelyan who fell to her death 25 years earlier while sleep-walking. When this mystery woman starts to play the composer’s last work (“The Dream of Olwen”) on the piano, the composer’s sister believes her to be Olwen reincarnated.

Recorded at the Canadian Broadcasting Centre’s Glenn Gould Studio, Toronto, Beaumont was inspired to record “The Dream of Olwen” because “this piece has a very important role in the film. It became an immensely popular work, known for its romanticism and brilliant virtuosity, similar to the style and difficulty of Rachmaninoff."

The music of composer Charles Williams [born Isaac Cozerbreit] is heard in over 50 films, including Director Billy Wilder’s The Apartment (1960) and Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934). Rea Beaumont is an internationally recognized Canadian concert pianist and composer, known for her powerful performances and “beautiful” albums (American Public Media) that have been broadcast in 15 countries.

  • Ludwig Van Toronto has 21 questions for Rea Beaumont
    Posted At: December 17, 2019

    Toronto-born pianist, educator, and composer Rea Beaumont is an artist dedicated to discovery. Her creative practice centres at the forefront of Canadian piano repertoire, and includes collaborations with R. Murray Schafer, Barbara Pentland, Oskar Morawetz, Jordan Nobles and Jordan Pal. Beaumont is an alumnus of the University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, RCM, Eastman School of Music, and ...

  • 'The New Classical Oasis' welcomes pianist and composer Rea Beaumont
    Posted At: March 18, 2019

    Music has the power to change our perception of time.  It can act as a driving force, provide a moment for reflection, and even give the illusion of time suspended. Occasionally the compositions on the album dispense with metric structures (time signatures) and predictable rhythmic groups.  Without a frame of reference, the listener is unable to anticipate the metric pulse and is, instead, enco...

  • Rea Beaumont presents: Playing on the Edge from Canada's Glenn Gould studio
    Posted At: November 20, 2014

    A musical adventure by Réa Beaumont takes you on a rare journey through Canada's history of the past 100 years. Playing on the Edge, from the Gelnn Gould Studio is presented by this award-winning pianist and new music specialist, offers the opportunity to experience a variety of exceptional compositions written by Canadians. Included are works by composers with centenary celebration...
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