The impact of Patrick Gowers’ incidental music can’t be understated
From the opening high tempo of the strings inviting you into the episode as the title sequence begins, to the music that accompanies Holmes as he sets off on an investigation, composer Patrick Gowers’ musical scores add greatly to the depth, atmosphere and overall effect of the drama. He understood the series perfectly, and some of his compositions are clever and beautiful pieces of music in their own right. An original soundtrack can be enjoyed (I have the CD, naturally, but it can be streamed too). The sheer drama of ‘Sutton’s Nightmare’ from ‘The Resident Patient’ (so good it was repurposed for other dramatic reveals in subsequent episodes) is up there with the music of Bernard Herrmann in great examples of how to compose for the screen. In the occasional directorial misfire, such as the rather plodding and overly drawn-out riverboat chase along the Thames at night in ‘The Sign of Four’, Gowers’ music is the most exciting element of the production.
