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EDITOR’s CHOICE October 2000
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Lalo SCHIFRIN
(with John E. DAVIES)
The Best of Mission: Impossible
- featuring music from the original TV series (1968-72 and 1988-90) plus
an exclusive 15 minute interview with Peter Graves and a live performance
of the extended Mission Impossible Theme
The Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra
conducted by Lalo Schifrin
GNP Crescendo GNPD
8029 [70:39]
(Note:This album was released in 1992)
GNP Crescendo
website
Forget the two big-screen Mission Impossible absurdities and their inferior
music (especially Mission Impossible 2), this is the original, the
real stuff, the really exciting music that helped make the original TV programmes
one of the most successful series in the history of the medium.
In his interview included on this album, Peter Graves, a musician (clarinet
and saxophone) turned actor (Jim Phelps in both TV series) says of Schifrin's
Mission: Impossible music: "Lalo's score was strong and powerful;
an extraordinary piece of music. In those days it was new and fresh. It fitted
the subject like a glove. He took what was already a pretty good TV series
and lifted it another 70% with that music."
Yes indeed, and the album demonstrates his skill and resourcefulness in writing
so many colourful variations on the main title theme and that crisp, grimly
determined military "Mission March" set out in track 2 - 'The Plot' - with
those well-remembered snare drum and cymbal figures over a trenchant double
bass line. Throughout this album there is never a tedious moment (of how
many CDs can one make a claim like that?) there is always something to interest
and thrill, and even beguile the ear -- I am thinking of the more relaxed
ambling or slinky numbers like 'The Trick' and 'Tape Machine'.
John E. Davis was brought in to write music, with a contemporary edge for
the revived Mission: Impossible TV series of the late 1980s. He
succeeded in producing material that seamlessly extended Lalo's original
inspiration. Still maintaining that essential Schifrin rhythmic energy and
drive, Davies added atmosphere, appropriate to the episode and its location
(e.g. - 'The Bayou' and 'The Plague'), and intelligently integrated a wide
variety of electronic instruments.
The Peter Graves interview, which I guess was conducted in the very early
1990s, has many interesting facets including a conjecture about a possible
feature film. (It was not until 1996 that Tom Cruise and Brian de Palma burst
upon the big screen to totally ruin the unique atmosphere and image of the
original TV series).
The excitement of the live performance of the Mission Impossible Theme by
the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Lalo Schifrin is palpable
and it makes a thrilling close to this generously filled album.
Ian
Lace
