ADORE.

 

Its been a little while since I sat down and listened to a soundtrack by Christopher Gordon, in fact the last time I was impressed and in fact bowled over by this composers music was when he scored the TV movie, ON THE BEACH (2000), which was a remarkable and also an outstanding score that contained dramatic musical passages but also had within its make up some of the most beautiful and heartfelt tone poems that I have ever heard. I particularly remember the composer’s use of a mournful and highly emotive sounding cello solo which was supported by subtle strings and further enhanced by subtle piano nuances and delicate harp bringing a tear to my eye when I listened to it. ADORE has been having the same effect upon me, Gordon has on this occasion written the main score and there is additional music courtesy of Anthony Partos, whether this was a collaboration in the true sense I am not sure, but nevertheless the music of both composers which is included on the soundtrack release certainly works. Gordon being credited with the lion’s share of the cues. The composing duo have created a soundtrack that is filled with beautiful and tantalizing pieces performed on piano which is enhanced and supported by understated but affective harp, a sprinkling of guitar, strings and plaintive sounding woodwind, delightful pizzicato strings embellish and punctuate proceedings throughout the work and seem to lift it slightly in places adding a sense of jollity and pace at times. The work has a real emotional soul to it and I am confident that Gordon and Partos will receive recognition from various quarters for their painstakingly constructed score that is haunting and mesmerising. As I have already stated the principal instrument is piano which acts as the foundation or platform for the remainder of the score to be built upon, the composer’s structuring their work around the piano and enhancing and embellishing its performance, and giving it greater emotional and dramatic depth via varying instrumentation. Gordon of course scored MASTER AND COMMANDER plus he worked on DAYBREAKERS and MOBY DICK plus he provided a suitably atmospheric and chilling soundtrack for SALEMS LOT. Within his score for ADORE we can hear certain nuances and phrases that have been present in the composers past works for the cinema and TV, Gordon has provided ADORE with a soundtrack that will become a firm favourite with film music collectors who favour the romantic and emotional, it is a highly moving and haunting score which should be in every film music fans collection. To attempt to select a stand out track on this release would I think be almost impossible, but like with other scores one does seem to be drawn to certain tracks.

 

Track number 16, Mothers is for me that track, piano and pizzicato strings work in unison to create a fly away sounding piece that is further supported by romantic and carefree sounding strings with little punctuation marks being created by a celestial and warm sounding harp. The quality of the music is consistently excellent all the way through and I for one did not find myself reaching for the forward button, in fact the only time I approached the player was to return the CD to the start and listen to it all over again.  Highly  recommended.