While Covid and its inevitable restrictions and repercussions have understandably put a chill into the creative air, there are, nonetheless, some noteworthy contributions to the art of film scoring in the past artistically stifling year that should be acknowledged, and written of.
“The Midnight Sky,” starring and directed by George Clooney, had a highly evocative score by Alexander Desplat that, despite its roots in minimalism, lit that tentative cloud cover with an effectively somber, reflective accompaniment, setting the stage for its haunting reflections and memorable narrative sobriety. Desplat’s work lent a notable singularity to Clooney’s aching loneliness that added immeasurably to the success of this deeply affecting film.
“Il Delitto Mattarella,” an Italian thriller, featured a most evocative score by Marco Werba. There are reflections of Pino Donaggio in the thoughtful scoring of Maestro Werba that often transcend its source material. Its driving opening theme, “L’Aquila,” is an intense statement of forces beyond containment threatening to overwhelm its characters, in much the same style and manner that Hitchcock’s helpless protagonists became submerged beneath the dangerous stream of events promising to consume and overwhelm them. “Piersanti Mattarella” is the dominant theme reprised in a variety of decidedly melancholy incarnations throughout the score, in lonely solo guitar variations as well as full orchestral presentations, all of which remain musically introspective, haunting, and unforgettable. The album is available on the DigitSoundTracks label, Cine 1 Italia.
Continuing their time honored tradition of re-creating the epic masterworks of Miklos Rozsa, Tadlow has once again risen to the formidable challenge and delivered a superlative recording of MGM’s “King of Kings,” Rozsa’s brilliant score for the 1961 Samuel Bronston remake of Cecil B Demille’s 1927 silent visualization of the life of Christ. Directed by Nicholas Ray, with narration written by Ray Bradbury, spoken so eloquently for the film by Orson Welles, “King of Kings” offered the composer an opportunity to return to the inspiration of the holy land, following his Oscar winning score for “Ben Hur” two years earlier. It’s bold main title valiantly proclaiming the coming of the Christ, Rozsa’s stunning themes and orchestral ferocity capture the essence and significance of this inspiring story, while the composer’s personal vision of “The Lord’s Prayer” is among the most remarkably poetic and beautiful sonnets ever created for the screen. Played wonderfully by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Nic Raine, this spectacular CD produced by James Fitzpatrick fully realizes the splendor and utter majesty of Miklos Rozsa’s magnificent themes, recalling musically the power and glory of what has often been called “the greatest story ever told.”
Considering the extreme popularity of composer John Williams over the past six decades, it is astonishing to recall that there has never been an entire Live concert performance by Maestro Williams of his works available either on home video or CD … until now. In January, 2020, Maestro Williams journeyed to Vienna, Austria to perform a full length concert of his classic works with the legendary Vienna Philharmonic and, happily, the entire concert was recorded for release by Deutsche Grammophon on Blu Ray DVD and CD. Conducted by Maestro Williams, with accompaniment by solo violinist Anne Sophie Mutter, this breathtaking concert encompasses much of the joy, and imaginative wonder of the composer’s beloved scores. Featuring selections from “Star Wars,” “Superman,” “E.T.,” “Indiana Jones,” “Close Encounter’s of the Third Kind,” “Jurassic Park,” and “Schindler’s List,” among many other fabulous works in the composer’s staggering repertoire, “John Williams Live In Vienna” is a long overdue, most welcome, and utterly stunning addition to the visual and recorded documentation of Music For The Movies.