January 2000 Film Music CD Reviews

Film Music Editor: Ian Lace
Music Webmaster Len Mullenger


Collection: JOHN WILLIAMS GREATEST HITS 1969-1999.  SONY S2K51333 (2CDs)

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EDITOR’S RECOMMENDATION January 2000

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CD1 [66:11]

Star Wars - Main Title
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial - 'Flying Theme'
Superman - Main Title
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - 'Parade of the Save Cildren'
Sugarland Express - 'Theme'
Jaws - 'Theme'
Olympic Fanfare and Theme - for Los Angeles Olympics 1984
Return of the Jedi - 'Luke and Leia'
The Reivers - 'Main Title'
The Empire Strikes Back - 'The Imperial March'
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - 'Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra'
Empire of the Sun - 'Cadillac of the Skies'
Raiders of the Lost Ark - 'The Raiders March'
Close Encounters of the Third Kind - Suite

CD2 [73:46]

Saving Private Ryan - 'Hymn to the Fallen'
Jurassic Park - 'Theme'
Schindler's List - 'Theme'
Hook - 'Flight to Neverland'
SevenYears in Tibet - 'Seven Years in Tibet'
JFK - 'Prologue'
Stepmom - 'The Days Between'
1941 - 'march'
Home Alone - 'Somewhere in my Memory'
Summon the Heroes - Olympic Games, Atlanta Georgia July 1996
Rosewood - 'Look Down, Lord'
Far and Away 'Theme'
Born on the Fourth of July - 'Theme'
Star Wars Episode 1; The Phantom Menace - 'Duel of the Fates'

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First of all I should mention that these are not from the original soundtrack recordings but are performances, in most cases, recorded some years after the release of the films. The earliest recordings are The Reivers (1969) Superman (1978) - the former one of John Williams's most appealing scores. All the music is conducted by John Williams with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Skywalker Symphony Orchestra, and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra plus an unnamed ensemble orchestra. The selections listed above speak for themselves and need no further comment from me. All sound fresh and exciting - only 'Cadillac of the Skies' the hauntingly beautiful theme from Empire of the Sun disappointed, I would like to have heard the theme blossoming in all its glory. Soloists include cellist Yo Yo Ma in the title theme from Seven Years in Tibet, trumpeter, Tim Morrison in the JFK and Born on the Fourth of July tracks, violinist Itzhak Perlman in Far and Away and Schindler's List, and guitarist Christopher Parkening playing 'The Days Between' from last year's underrated score for Stepmom. [It is a shame that a piano soloist and the lovely theme from Sabrina could not be included but you can't have everything]

Clearly not all the Williams scores are here but this is a first class representative collection recorded in stunning floor-board quivering sound - a true sonic feast.

Reviewer

Ian Lace

Reviewer

Ian Lace


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