Blim Records in the creation of the Official Anthem and sound identity for the Longines League of Nations™, a historically significant international event in the equestrian world.

The inaugural stage of the Longines League of Nations™, kicked off on February 11, 2024, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This innovative series reinvents the historic FEI Jumping Nations Cup™, a competition dating back to 1909, in a unique and global format. The 10 best national teams from around the world will compete in four qualifying events, culminating in the Grand Final in Barcelona on October 6, where the top eight teams will vie for the Longines League of Nations™ trophy.

In a concerted and multi-disciplinary effort involving various creative aspects and a complete redesign of the competition's image, Blim Records is part of the team to ensure the creation of the original sound identity. This collaborative effort with the FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale or International Federation for Equestrian Sports) includes various sonic and musical elements, such as the composition of the Official Anthem by composer Rui Ribeiro, Sound Design by producer Ricardo Ferreira, and the creation of the music accompanying the competition itself, in close collaboration between the two creators.

The Official Anthem of the Longines League of Nations™

At the request of the FEI, the Official Anthem for the Longines League of Nations™ was conceived for a symphony orchestra and choir to achieve a timeless quality consistent with the century-old legacy of the FEI Jumping Nations Cup™. In the words of composer Rui Ribeiro: "When I think of equestrian jumping, ideas like nobility, elegance, and, especially, the unparalleled connection between Man and Horse come to mind. I believe this music should encapsulate and harmonize these elements, simultaneously filling it with emotional depth, elegance, and grandeur."

Rui Ribeiro unveils how the basic idea for the composition of the Official Anthem came to him, explaining the correlation between the unit of time - the second - and the rhythmic patterns of the horses' gaits: "After hours of observing jumping competitions, it became evident to me that the rhythm of the horse's gaits closely aligns with the unit of time very close to the second. This connection between the second, unit of time, and the rhythmic cadence of the horse's steps seemed to me the most natural and, I would even say, almost inevitable way to combine the precision of a Longines watch, the official sponsor of the competition, and the equestrian world." The composer also reveals that initially, he did not have a strong connection to equestrian sports but developed great admiration after a learning and familiarization phase. This admiration led him to add an extra intermediate section to the anthem that was not initially requested by the FEI: "The Federation had initially mentioned 1 to 2 minutes for the total duration of the anthem, in a single section with an epic, dramatic, and grand character. However, I felt the need to introduce a new intermediate section that represents what touched me the most emotionally in horse jumping... the unparalleled connection between the rider and the horse. This new intermediate section represents all that emotion, that slow building of trust and an unbreakable bond between the two elements that are, ultimately, the protagonists of the competition. The final version of the anthem ended up being 5 minutes long and is, in my opinion, a much more complete representation of the entire emotional spectrum that the Longines League of Nations™ encompasses."

The Official Anthem of the Longines League of Nations™ was mixed and mastered by Ricardo Ferreira at the Blim Records studios and will be available for listening soon on all music streaming platforms.

The Sound Design in TV and web spots

Audio post-production and Sound Design are extremely relevant elements in establishing a cohesive sound identity and essential for conveying the right character in a specific image. Similar to the process of creating the Official Anthem, the sound work developed by Ricardo Ferreira for the Longines League of Nations™ was meticulous, relying on two distinct yet harmoniously complementary universes: on one hand, sounds inspired by the equestrian world, warmer in nature, derived from horse sounds, skins, wood, and the audience applauding the riders; and on the other hand, sounds of a colder and more metallic nature, associated with the official sponsor of the league, Longines (a legendary Swiss watch brand), and the culmination of the entire competition - the trophy itself. This symbiosis of sonic elements, in perfect harmony with the Official Anthem's music, creates a unique sound universe, immersing us in the competition's atmosphere. Sound design not only breathes life into TV intros and other web videos but also plays a crucial role in building a rich and engaging auditory experience.

Ricardo Ferreira shares details about the Sound Design creation process and mentions that "it was a meticulous work that involved constant collaboration with directors and 3D animators, as well as with the FEI, always striving to achieve a final product that could truly embody the strength required to meet the demands of this unique competition. In this type of detailed work, where a small adjustment of milliseconds in the timeline or an increase in volume by a decibel of an element can create imbalance and be inconsistent with the image, it reinforces the idea that this is a meticulous work, where every detail is carefully weighed."

The arena music that accompanies the competition

The entire branding work of the Longines League of Nations™ is based on the principle of communion between elements of the past (evoking over 100 years of the FEI Jumping Nations Cup history) and modern elements linked to the present and the future. The arena music accompanying the competitions starting from February 11 is no exception to this rule, and, in addition to the Official Anthem (written for the centenary musical vehicle that is the symphony orchestra), electronic elements are added in new derivative musical works. Ricardo Ferreira states that "when I started creating the music for the competition, I was not aware of its high relevance to the event. It's almost like making music for a concert, as the music has to, in a way, lead the audience to applaud at the right moments and elevate or reduce the energy of the audience according to different occasions. The competition itself is complex regarding the use of music, and a lot of work and experimentation were required."

Ricardo also reveals some details about the arena music: "There will be moments that are almost purely orchestral and derived from the anthem composed by Rui, others of communion between the two parts, and still others that will be almost purely electronic and developed by me, based on all the thematic and rhythmic content presented in the anthem." Both creators highlighted the importance of music in the competition and expressed excitement for its start.

The 10 nations present in the Longines League of Nations™ are Ireland, USA, France, Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, and Brazil, and the competition will take place in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, the United States of America, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Spain.

Competition schedule:

Feb 11, 2024 - Abu Dhabi, UAE

Mar 23, 2024 - Ocala, USA

May 31, 2024 - St. Gallen, SUI

Jun 21, 2024 - Rotterdam, HOL

Oct 6, 2024 - Barcelona, ESP (Final)