The second episode in this series, ELEPHANT, details the story of the death of the herd’s matriarch and how the new leader takes over.
The composers employed a different approach focusing more on emotional elements –
“When we began composing the score for Dynasties: Elephants, we knew from the outset that Angelina’s story—the courageous matriarch striving to protect and nurture her twin calves, Atlas and Alana—demanded a deeply emotional and immersive musical approach. We felt an immediate connection to her journey, and it was clear the music needed to reflect both the vast beauty of the African landscape and the immense challenges Angelina faces, from drought and predators to the unforgiving realities of survival. Our aim was to craft a score that captured both the tenderness of her bond with her calves and the ever-present dangers surrounding them.
To achieve this, we focused on balancing delicate, intimate moments with more dramatic and urgent themes. We took a hybrid approach, blending electronic elements, solo instrumentation along with orchestral textures, ensuring the score could shift between vulnerability and strength as the story demanded. Simple, recurring themes helped give voice to the different personalities within the herd, which were combined at key moments to highlight Angelina’s unwavering love for her young. The result is a musical journey that resonates with the emotional and physical journey Angelina endures.”
1. The Rich Plains
2. Arrival of Alana
3. The Heart of Amboseli
4. Easier Said Than Done
5. Dangerous Swamp
6. Atlas’ Struggle
7. Elephant Playground
8. Bull Elephants
9. Growing Extremes
10. Becoming More Inquisitive
11. He Can’t Go On
12. Soon You’ll Be Ready
13. Independence
In 2018, more than eight million viewers were captivated by each episode of DYNASTIES, and the unbelievable daily struggles faced by David the chimpanzee, Charm the lioness, Blacktip the painted wolf and more.
DYNASTIES II debuted in March 2022 to equal acclaim. Like the first series, each episode delved deep into the lives of individual groups, filming in a single, iconic location, focusing on a protagonist leader and following them on their daunting quest to keep their family safe and establish their genetic line, or dynasty.
And as with DYNASTIES, composers Benji Merrison and Will Slater were called back to provide the thrilling and expansive aural backdrops to these individual stories.
Each a leader in their own right; Angelina the matriarch elephant, she-cheetah Kali, Rupestre the puma and hyena clan-leader Suma, are confronted by a rapidly changing world with relentless competition for dwindling resources that stacks perilous odds against them. These pioneers must adapt quickly, or face losing their dynasty forever.
High in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco lives a group of Barbary macaque monkeys. The alpha male, known as Mac, has just battled to win the leadership of the troop. He must now lead and protect them while fending off rivals who still want his crown
