De Wolfe Music
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de Wolfe Music is the originator of what has become known as production music as it was established in 1909 and began it's recorded library in 1927 with the advent of the 'Talkies' [1], The library consists of over 80,000 tracks. All the tracks are pre-cleared for licensing and syncronisation. Their music has been used in thousands of productions including Monty Python, Emmanuelle, Dawn of the Dead, Brokeback Mountain, American Gangster and Dr Who. Well known theme tunes include Van de Valk and Roobarb and Custard. de Wolfe own Angel Recording Studios which is a recording and mixing complex situated at The Angel, Islington. It was built and is still owned by de Wolfe. Artists to have recently recorded there include Snow Patrol, George Fenton (‘Composer of the year’ for his score for the BBC’s ‘Blue Planet’), Ian Brown, Underworld and Funeral For A Friend. Its specially composed department is called Inter Angel. de Wolfe is still a family run company.
HISTORY
de Wolfe Music was founded by the highly respected and iconic figure, Meyer De Wolfe, in 1909. Born in Holland in 1887, Meyer came to England at the turn of the century to join the orchestra of the Duke of Devonshire, as well as conducting the scores of countless silent films including Charlie Chaplin, D.W Griffith and Mary Pickford. He soon became Music Director and Conductor of the Provincial Cinematograph Theatres (which later became the Rank Organisation), the North Metropolitan Theatres and the Electric Pavilions, having 400 orchestras under his control in which he selected music from a classical repertoire.
In 1927 with the advent of the Talkies (film with sound), it was possible for the first time to synchronise and record music onto film. Thus, the first library of recorded music was established. The recording industry was still in its infancy, and when de Wolfe first recorded music for the cinema, it was onto 35mm Nitrate film. Gramophone recordings were cut onto wax from which a mother and master from shellac and these were played on 78rpm. It was only during the early fifties that magnetic tape came into use, having been developed in Germany during the 2nd World War. Vinyl pressings (78 and 33rpm), CDs and now downloads followed.
After the Second World War James de Wolfe expanded the company so that it is now established worldwide in 39 countries.
