KATTENOOG-Sleeve notes.

Sleeve notes for the up and coming CD release of the music from KATTENOOG. On KRONOS RECORDS.

KATTENOOG.

Music for television is often looked upon as something that I at times refer to as film music’s neglected sister. I say this because there seemed to be a lot of snobbery amongst a number of film music collectors when it came to music for TV. I am glad to say that in recent years this snobbery or ignorance from collectors has ceased and TV scores are now regarded with much respect and held in high esteem by collectors and critics alike. In fact Television music can at times be as grand or even plusher and more complex than certain film soundtracks these days and I am of the opinion that a composer who works in television probably has a harder task establishing themes etc simply because of the time scale and at times the budget that is involved. This in my opinion is the case for the music to KATTENOOG, it is an accomplished work and contains numerous themes and sub themes all of which combine to create a pulsating and highly atmospheric musical score, which enhances, punctuates and supports the various story-lines and images appearing on the small screen. Composer Joris Hermy has created a tantalizing and infectious collection of themes for the series, each and everyone varying in sound and even having a differing style but at the same time the composer manages to make them become compatible with one another, each segment or motif complimenting the other with hints of themes being incorporated into others thus elevating these so that within the context of the series there is musical presence and consistency that adds depth, mood and atmospherics to the proceedings. With the genre of horror or science fiction, music is especially important it is the unseen actor or scenario that heralds that moment of dread or fear and it is usually the music that scares the watching audience well in advance of anything fearful or sinister happening on screen and although I would say that KATTENOOG is not a truly horrific experience but more of an exciting one, it is series which contains story-lines that have numerous twists and turns that do fit firmly within the category of horror that include episodes with Water Monsters, a Magical stone, Witches, Vampires and Zombies. The score is filled with a musical atmosphere and sound that is thrilling and heroic plus there is a menacing air of apprehension and tension which is perfect for the various scenarios and characters within the series. KATTENOOG is more of a mystery or sci-fi/horror experience and this too is reflected within the strong musical score, as it can be uneasy and anxious, then at other points becomes contemporary, melancholy and even upbeat with an edgy but melodic style.

I spoke with the composer Joris Hermy about KATTENOOG.

How did you become involved in writing the music for KATTENOOG?

I have worked with Douglas (The Director) before, so I guess it was a matter of time before we would collaborate on a project like this. Although it’s not only up to the director to decide who will be scoring a certain project, although our previous collaborations certainly helped I think. After our initial chat about this possible collaboration, I started out writing a lot of demo’s to find the right sounds & themes although I was not officially attached to this project yet. The further into the process of brainstorming & creation, the more Douglas and I were convinced I would be the right guy for the job. The only thing left was to convince the production company to choose me as their composer, which they luckily did!
What size orchestra did you use for the score and what percentage of the instrumentation was synthetic?As often with television work there is little to no budget for live recordings. So basically it was me, myself and I. I did insist on having a Soprano singing the melody in the ‚Opening Sequence’ since the Main Theme is a crucial part of the series and the audience will here it every time a new episode starts. I also knew that the Main Theme would reprise on key moments through the series so I could quote this beautiful Soprano performance to it’s maximum effect. Along the way I wrote a couple of cues for important moments that – for me – would benefit from live musicians. Fortunately the producers understood the value of these additional recordings which was a lucky break for me of course. Nothing really beats talented musicians performing the music.

I understand that you wrote over 350 minutes of music for the series, When working on the project did you ever recycle any cues as re-use certain pieces from previous episodes and place them in other episodes?

The total amount of music I wrote must be close to 350 minutes of original composed music yes. If I had known that in advance I’m not sure how I would have responded really since that is a LOT of music. But once you start working, you just keep on going until the work is done. There isn’t any other way. It did help that the score is very melodic driven score, so I could use the main themes for the main characters and quote their theme whenever they appear in the story. It’s important I think to have these kind of melodic hooks that holds it all together musically and add a sense of natural continuity of the story. Maybe recycling isn’t the best word to describe it but yes I would need to adapt the themes, make variations, adjust tempo & scale of instrumentation of these main musical ideas to fit the images as good as possible.

When you were offered the assignment, did the director/producers have any specific ideas or instructions concerning the style of music or where the music should be placed?

Well, let’s say they had a pretty clear idea of what they didn’t want which was a good place to start for me. Since this sort of dark and mystical story for kids hasn’t been done that often before, it gave us the opportunity to bring something new, something fresh, yet recognizable. I think the most important focus was to treat this mainly younger audience as grown ups more than children, so the music had to reflect this as well. You will notice that I wrote quite some dark, ominous and dramatic music at times, but never to the extend that it would scare them beyond their darkest nightmares. I think it’s quite balanced throughout since I also wrote a fair amount of innocent, goofy and fun music as well. It’s always a matter of finding that balance I think. As for style; Douglas and I discussed the possibilities extensively after which I would work on a couple of ideas and present them for feedback. It was an ongoing process of trial and error really. Certain elements – like adding a 80ies retro flair to the sound and yet sound contemporary – were clear from the beginning, while others – like for instance the more dramatic moments – weren’t that defined in this phase of the process. By the time I had the locked footage, I could start scoring to picture with an arsenal of approved themes which made it possible to write such an amount of music in only 10 weeks or so. As for spotting the music; that was usually up to me but after a couple of meetings I knew they liked a lot of it so it was very much ‚wall to wall’ scoring. Sometimes I would double-check certain tricky scenes with Nico Nieuwdorp – who did the final mixing – to decide if it would be stronger not to add music at all. It’s always convenient to have someone around that has a fresh couple of ears.

Do you think that scoring a TV series is maybe more difficult than working on a feature film or a one off TV project?

Both have their challenges I think. Although the approach might be different, the result in my opinion is very similar. Both should enhance the images and support the story as good as they can. But it’s the way of composing that is different to me. For film you need to find the key moment from where to start. It’s not necessarily at the beginning of the film. Composing for television is more linear perhaps, since work starts usually with the Opening Credits from which more ideas emerge for things that will happen along the way. With television you also have more characters- sometimes with their own story lines. This gives you a lot of possibilities as a composer musically and often gives you the ability to write in a variation of styles. I like this diversity actually and it helps to give the series it’s own unique and recognizable voice.

Did you have any involvement in selecting the music for this Kronos Records release?

Absolutely. Mr. Godwin Borg gave me total freedom as regarding to the music I would select, and the order I would put it in. I have spent a lot of time after the project was finished to select, mix, re-edit the music to give it the best possible representation on the album. It’s always a bit ‚killing your darlings’ but in the end less should be more and that was what I was hoping for. I can honestly say that I’m very happy with the final result and I hope the listeners will enjoy it as much as I did creating the score for this wonderful project.

The composer has successfully established a musical persona or personality for the series and has also been equally triumphant in fashioning outstanding themes for its story lines and most prominent or key characters. The opening theme hooks the listener immediately its fairly up tempo beat acting as a background to a wistful and haunting melody that establishes itself quickly with a Soprano voice entering the equation grabbing one’s attention and setting the scene wholly for what is to follow. It is one of those opening themes that makes a statement and leaves the listener wanting more, in fact its got the Jerry Goldsmith TV theme procedure written all over it, by this I mean it has an infectious sound that when heard anywhere in the home will call people to the TV to sit and watch the show, which is how it should work.

The series is set in Kattenoog, a charming and relatively quiet little village or so we think initially which sits on the edge of a mysterious lake. For many years, the village has been in thrall to the legend of a magic stone that attracts witches, vampires, Zombies and ghosts. To protect Kattenoog’s inhabitants, the Mystery Club was founded a long time ago; Eli, Robin and Simone all dream of becoming members. But that dream won’t come to fruition without a challenging and dangerous adventure. The legend has also caught the attention of Max, Boris and Daphne of Booh-TV, an online channel specialising in unusual and scary stories and myths. They decide to go to the village to see what they can find out about the Legend and the unusual occurrences in KATTENOOG. They soon discover the secret of the Magic Stone at the centre of all the the weird goings on. The series is written by Anjali Taneja who also was responsible for writing THE HOUSE OF ANUBIS, Directed by Douglas Boswell the series is produced by Santeboetiek-Het Konijn and Goed Verhaal for VTMKZOOMand RTL Telekids.

RIPLEYS GAME…..sleeve notes.(un-edited)

Sleeve notes for the soon to be released RIPLEYS GAME soundtrack on KRONOS RECORDS.

http://www.kronosrecords.com/K70.html

To say that composer Ennio Morricone is talented and innovative is something of an understatement and when writing about him it is often difficult to find the words to describe his creativity, longevity and genius, at times when describing an artist, a composer or a writer critics and followers of the individual very often use the word genius lightly, in the case of Ennio Morricone this word is applicable in every sense. The Maestro, has written a plethora of film scores all of which have become classics in their own right, whether they be for large scale productions or lower budget affairs, the reason for them attaining this status is simply because of their originality and alluring musical content, the sound as created by Morricone is one that is individual to him and him alone, yes it has been imitated and many of his themes and at times entire scores have been covered by other recording artists, but there is certainly nothing like the originals. Morricone is without any doubt the most prolific composer of film scores from both the 20th and thus far 21st Century. His music has supported, underlined, punctuated and ingratiated hundreds of motion pictures and television productions which range from romantic tales to comedic escapades and include touching stories that are filled with emotion, dramatic tales of war and heroism, gangster and police thrillers and politically slanted movies. It is probably true to say that the Maestro became noticed mainly via his scores for westerns that were produced by Italian film makers, but it is surprising that the western scores he has written occupy just a small section amongst his staggering musical output. The composer has also written extensively for the concert hall as in his ballet REQUIEM DI DESTINO which was well received and also his composition SUONI PER DINO which reached the finals in the Festival of Contemporary Music in Venice in 1969, he has also applied his own particular sound and style on recordings for well known vocalists such as MINA giving her and others a distinct and lasting musical accompaniment. Ennio Morricone was born in the Trastevere district of Rome on November 10th 1928, his Father Mario was a trumpet player and he would perform in an orchestra at times whilst the family were on holiday in Riccione. He would also work in nightclubs and later performed on film soundtracks. The young Morricone attended the Salesian school in Trastevere which is where he first came into contact with one of his class members a certain Sergio Leone, who of course he went onto work alongside on numerous movies striking up a special friendship with the film maker.

The collaboration between Morricone and Leone is now looked upon by many as one of, if not the most important one in Cinema history, the way in which Morricone scored the films of Leone was itself inspiring, groundbreaking and innovative. At times the composer writing the music before the cameras had even started to roll, with Leone either explaining to the composer how he could see the scene developing and the film maker then shooting a scene to fit the music rather than the music being tailored to support the scene. This was probably more evident in movies such as ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA and THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY, the composers music becoming an extension of the characters on screen and also integrating fully with the storyline or scenario that was unfolding on screen, creating new levels of expression and greater depth and dimension to each and every frame of film. Morricone studied at the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia where he obtained a diploma in trumpet, composition, music direction and choral work. He studied under composer/tutor Godffredo Petrassi and initially had set his sights on being what can be called a composer of serious music, as in music for concert hall performance, he began to compose music from an early age, his first credited piece being IL MATTINO PER PIANO E VOCE in 1946, the young composer concentrated and focused predominately of this type of music until 1961, it is then that he scored his first Television project ALLA SCOPERTA DELL AMERICA which was directed by Sergio Giordani, after this his musical talents were soon in demand for the Cinema with directors such as Luciano Siace engaging him for films such as IL FEDERALE, LA CUCCAGNA, LA VOGLIA MATTA and LA MONACHINE in the early part of the 1960,s. From here Morricone went onto collaborate with Sergio Leone, Sergio Sollima, Sergio Corbucci, Dino Risi, Lucio Fulci, Duccio Tessari, Gillo Pontecorvo, Bernardo Bertolucci, Oliver Stone, Giuseppe Tornatore, Warren Beatty, Dario Argento, Quentin Tarantino and numerous other talented directors. The Maestro Created music that would leave a lasting impression upon cinema audiences the world over and would also influence and inspire hundreds of younger composers and musicians. It is amazing that Morricone is still composing today in 2016 and what is even more amazing is that this titan of music for the cinema has recently won a long overdue Oscar for his atmospheric score to THE HATEFUL EIGHT, the composer also picking up the BAFTA and a Golden Globe for his work on the movie. The music of Ennio Morricone is wonderfully melodic, marvellously intricate and fragile, at times complex and diverse, powerfully dramatic, deeply moving and undoubtedly original. Once heard it is never forgotten.

 

By the time Ennio Morricone came to score RIPLEYS GAME in 2002 the composer was a seasoned film music composer who had already written hundreds of scores for varying genres of motion pictures. The movie was based on the third book in trilogy of novels entitled RIPLIAD written by Patricia Highsmith. Set in France, Germany and Italy, RIPLEYS GAME is a classy, smooth and sophisticated thriller which focuses upon art connoisseur and harpsichord expert Tom Ripley who also happens to be a master of improvisational homicide and a con artist. Ripley is portrayed convincingly by actor John Malkovich who is supported ably by fellow actors Dougray Scott and Ray Winstone. Ripley, with the help of British gangster Reeves (Winstone) becomes involved in an art scam in Berlin.

Reeves is told by Ripley to stay outside whilst he goes into a building to do a deal with a client but things do not go to plan and Ripley resorts to killing this potential customer. He then gives the money that he has got from the now dead customer to Reeves, but at the same time keeps the piece of art work for himself telling Reeves that their partnership is dissolved, which is something that Reeves is not too pleased about. The story then skips three years forward and we see Ripley living a wealthy, privileged lifestyle in Italy living in a luxuriously opulent villa with his beautiful wife Luisa who is a harpsichordist. Ripley and his wife are invited to a party which they are enjoying until Ripley overhears the host Johnathan Trevanny (Scott) making remarks about him and his taste in art and also making references to Ripley’s somewhat shady past, the furious Ripley briefly confronts Trevanny but leaves the party with the matter unresolved. It is at this point the disagreeable Reeves character returns to the storyline asking Ripley for help in dispatching a rival. Ripley recommends that they use an amateur for the hit telling Reeves to offer it to Trevanny, Ripley knowing that Trevanny is suffering from leukaemia and needs money for his wife and family to keep them when he dies. At first Trevanny is surprised and horrified at the offer and turns down Reeves proposal, but then begins to think of the money and agrees to carry out the hit.

Trevanny assumes that this will be the last time he has to have anything to do with the unsavoury Reeves but the gangster has other ideas and blackmails Trevanny into carrying out another assassination, this time however things do not go to plan and Trevanny looses his composure and is nearly killed himself until Ripley comes to his aid and helps to dispatch three mobsters on a train. Trevanny then forms an uneasy friendship with Ripley and returns to his wife and son telling his wife that the money has come from a hospice where he has undergone experimental treatment. The three murdered mobsters associates decide to pay a visit to Italy and attack Ripleys villa. They kill Reeves and throw his body in the boot of their car. However Ripley has anticipated their moves and has set traps for them and picks all of them off with the help of Trevanny who seems to have gotten a taste for killing. Trevanny returns to his home to find that the mobsters have sent henchmen to kidnap his wife and are holding her captive, but Ripley once again has managed to stay one step ahead of the game and after taking Trevanny home spots the mobsters cars in the undergrowth, he doubles back and in the nick of time manages to kill the henchman. One of the mobsters is only wounded and is about to shoot Ripley when Trevanny throws himself in front of the bullet and is fatally wounded. The movie is a captivating one and has an intelligent and consuming storyline, directed by filmmaker and screenwriter Liliana Cavani ( GALILEO,THE YEAR OF THE CANNIBALS, THE NIGHT PORTER, LA PELLE etc) it is a must see motion picture and stands up well to the test of time and one which I believe has matured and grown even more interesting with the passing of the years rivalling many of the more recent thrillers that have been released. The musical score incorporates harpsichord performances at certain points within its duration, the composer utilising the instrument to accompany the films central figure, it is also a score that is filled with drama and tension, the Maestro masterfully building the atmosphere throughout via his use of strings, brass, electric guitar, woodwind, piano, percussive elements and aforementioned harpsichord which are subtly enhanced by a sprinkling of electronic effects that fuse seamlessly with the conventional instruments of the orchestra to create a score that oozes tension and apprehension but also has at its core highly thematic and melodic material. As with any soundtrack penned by Morricone one is aware almost immediately that we are listening to the supremely innovative work of Il Maestro, a Master of his craft. There is that sound, that style and that individuality present that just says Ennio Morricone.

The score features Morricone’s regular collaborator/performer Gilda Butta on piano and harpsichord, with the composer writing extensively for saxophone and also flicorno performed by Gianni Oddi and Cicci Santucci respectively, both instruments feature throughout the soundtrack and make lasting impressions upon the listener, creating either a mood of melancholy or indeed an apprehensive and threatening atmosphere. One of the highlights of the score is the music for the murders on the train which is split into two cues on the album, PRIMO TRENO AND SECONDO TRENO both cues establish almost straight away an air and atmosphere that is filled with tension and suspense, we hear dissonant brass that is punctuated and paced by an ominous sounding rhythmic background which at times evokes the sound that the composer realised on certain cues within his score for THE UNTOUCHABLES. The opening cue on the compact disc “IN CONCERTO” is actually the last piece of music that we hear in the movie, the harpsichord opens the proceedings and establishes the central melody of the composition, flicorno is added to the mix along with support from the string section which enhances and adds depth and further substance to the piece, the composition builds slowly but steadily as the composer fuses a jazz orientated style with that of baroque. As the piece gathers momentum the composer adds slightly harder sounding and imposing brass and introduces an electric guitar which although subdued adds much to the dramatic content of the movie and creates greater tension within the composition. With harpsichord all the time being the main stay of the cue forming its foundation and then becoming its core. There are a few pieces within the score that at times sound as if they could be improvised as in COLLAGE DE RIPLEY which has saxophone and flicorno in a duet performance underlined by short and harsh sounding violin strokes which are further supported by submissive percussion. There have been numerous re-issues of scores written by Ennio Morricone in recent years, this I have to say is one of the most welcome and worthwhile.

I WANT TO BE A SOLDIER…sleeve notes.

Sleeve notes for the soon to be released soundtrack of I WANT TO BE A SOLDIER by Federico Jusid on Kronos records.

Composer Federico Jusid was born in Buenos Aires in Argentina in 1973, his interest in music began very early on in his life and from the age of 7 he would begin to study music. His love of music was kindled by listening to his Mother play piano when he was a child, the composer would often take to the piano at the family home and attempt to play it whilst he was a youngster. His Mother Luisina Brando was also an actress and his Father Juan Jose Jusid was a well known film maker in Argentina. I asked the composer what musical education he had received. “ Well once I started to torture our poor piano at home my parents decided to take me to a wonderful teacher. He not only taught me how to play piano but also we worked on improvising. Soon I started scribbling my first attempts at composition. Unfortunately I was not as gifted as Mozart when I was his age but at least I had an attempt at composition. After this I went on to be tutored by the excellent piano teacher Claudio Espector at the Municipal Conservatory of Buenos Aires. It was here that I received my Piano Teacher Bachelor of Arts Degree, when I was 21 I was given a scholarship which allowed me to relocate to New York where I finished my Masters Degree at the Manhattan School of Music. It was there that I took classes in both piano and also composition which included film scoring. After this I was awarded an Antorchas Foundation Scholarship which allowed me to travel to Europe where I continued with my musical education in Brussels and I received the Diploma de Execution Musicale”. I asked the composer had he always been attracted to the idea of writing music for films? “ My family are in the movie business, so I always was around the shooting stages, editing rooms and also the music studios, which was a blessing as I could witness the excite from film making quite early” So what did the composer think was the purpose of music in film? “ Oh my that is a tough one, There are so many great books written on this subject, I would only dare to say that a music score should find its own purpose with each project, and if we have a great honesty and work ethics it should never repeat itself. Sometimes music becomes a new character, other times an atmosphere or a sense of time or structure, or a tempo, an emotion map etc, to simplify in a shallow way”.

Federico Jusid is a talented composer and orchestrator but is also an accomplished pianist, did the composer perform on his own scores?
“ I actually perform on most of my film scores, its not a narcissistic exercise but a practical thing for me to do. Of course. If there’s enough time there is always a chance of having someone else perform probably better than I do and that way the music is given a fresh idea”.
The composer has worked on numerous movies and also has scored a multitude of television projects, one of his better known soundtracks is the beautifully emotive work he did on THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES which he co-wrote with Emilio Kauderer, but in recent months he has been applauded by collectors and critics alike for his work on the Spanish TV series Isabel and the Al Pacino, Anthony Hopkins thriller MISCONDUCT. There is certainly no doubt what so ever that Jusid is a talent to be reckoned with and I hope that in the future his name will be seen on the credits to many a block buster motion picture. I WANT TO BE A SOLDIER is a score that contains many musical colours, the composer has created a highly emotional work which has at its core a deep and touchingly delicate musical persona that is purveyed by the effective use of woodwind, piano and strings that when combined conjure up an atmosphere and mood that is filled with melancholy and a simple childlike sound. These simplistic thematic notions are affecting and beautiful and work just as a well away from the images on screen as they do with them. There is also another edge or face to the score which is ever so slightly harsher, the composer utilising electric guitar at certain points which is fused with percussion and strings and enhanced further by the use of a scattering of synthetic sounds that do evoke a certain martial style, these harder or darker sounding moments are however in the minority as the majority of the work is filled with effecting and deliciously haunting tone poems, which are intricate and beguiling. We are treated to soaring strings and frail but attractive piano solos which are underlined by woodwind passages that are woven into the fabric of the work. Released in 2010 I WANT TO BE A SOLDIER was the fourth feature film directed by film maker Christian Molina, the film tells the story of eight year old Alex, who seems to become almost obsessed by violent images, he begins to develop communication difficulties with his parents at first after his Mother gives birth to two babies, at first he seems happy to assume the role of the older brother, but soon his outlook changes and he also becomes increasingly detached from the other children who attend his school, he basically hounds his Mother and Father into getting him a Television for his room and then shuts himself away watching violent programmes and becoming more and more caught up with the scenes of violence from all over the world that he is able to see.

He then begins to become increasingly secretive and closes in upon himself and develops a friendship with two imaginary characters one an astronaut the other a cruel sergeant called John Cluster who advises Alex on how he can be a better soldier. The quiet eight year old who dreamed of becoming an astronaut one day has changed into someone who wants to be a soldier and go and fight and destroy the enemies of his country. Federico Jusid’s score underlines perfectly the changes that Alex is going through, it supports, punctuates and enhances wonderfully the storyline without being overpowering and gives the film and its storyline soul and a greater emotional depth.

I WANT TO BE A SOLDIER.

Federico Jusid is a composer who has worked on numerous movies and also has scored a multitude of television projects, one of his better known soundtracks is the beautifully emotive and haunting work he did for the Argentinian motion picture THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES which he co-wrote with Emilio Kauderer, but in recent months he has been applauded by collectors and critics alike for his work on the Spanish TV series Isabel and the Al Pacino, Anthony Hopkins thriller MISCONDUCT. There is certainly no doubt what so ever that Jusid is a talent to be reckoned with and I hope that in the future his name will be seen on the credits to many a block buster motion picture. I WANT TO BE A SOLDIER is a score that contains a multitude of musical colours, the composer has created a highly emotional work which has at its core a deep and touchingly delicate musical persona that is purveyed by the effective use of woodwind, piano and strings that when combined conjure up an atmosphere and mood that is filled with melancholy and purvey a simple childlike sound. These simplistic thematic notions are affecting and beautiful and work just as a well away from the images on screen as they do with them. There is also another edge or face to the score which is ever so slightly harsher and definitely darker the composer utilizing electric guitar at certain points which is fused with percussion and strings and enhanced further by the use of a scattering of synthetic sounds that do evoke a certain martial style, these harder or more shadowy sounding moments are however in the minority as the majority of the work is filled with effecting and deliciously haunting tone poems, which are intricate and beguiling. We are treated to soaring strings and frail but attractive piano solos which are underlined by woodwind passages that are woven into the fabric of the work. Released in 2010 I WANT TO BE A SOLDIER was the fourth feature film directed by film maker Christian Molina, the film tells the story of eight year old Alex, who seems to become almost obsessed by violent images, he begins to develop communication difficulties with his parents at first after his Mother gives birth to two babies, at first he seems happy to assume the role of the older brother, but soon his outlook changes and he also becomes increasingly detached from the other children who attend his school, he basically hounds his Mother and Father into getting him a Television for his room and then shuts himself away watching violent programmes and becoming more and more caught up with the scenes of violence from all over the world that he is able to see.

He then begins to become increasingly secretive and closes in upon himself and develops a friendship with two imaginary characters one an astronaut the other a cruel sergeant called John Cluster who advises Alex on how he can be a better soldier. The quiet eight year old who dreamed of becoming an astronaut one day has changed into someone who wants to be a soldier and go and fight and destroy the enemies of his country. Federico Jusid’s score underlines perfectly the changes that Alex is going through, it supports, punctuates and enhances wonderfully the storyline without being intrusive or in any way overpowering and gives the film and its storyline a feeling of soul and a greater emotional depth. Recommended, another nice release from Kronos records…

http://www.kronosrecords.com/K69.html

RIBBONS-BALLET SCORE.

As you know here at MMI we do review soundtrack releases, I wanted to bring to the attention of readers of this blog/website a compact disc that was released non commercially back in 2001 its not a film soundtrack but music from a ballet. RIBBONS was premiered back in May 2001 at the Brighton Festival and as that festival is just about to begin again I thought this would be the perfect time to remind people who have heard the music about it and also alert others who had not heard it about the score. The music is by Brighton composer Howard Watts, I did review the CD a while ago for another website/magazine but it is now no longer in circulation and I cannot find it online or in print. So I just thought to do it again to re-visit it as it were and I am so glad I did. I had forgotten just how good this is, it is a varied and very melodic sounding work, relying upon piano which give the score its foundation, the instruments are not actually instruments but are realised upon the Roland JV-2080 and other just technical set ups(sorry not that PC savvy). Anyway let us just say that for the majority of the score it actually sounds as if it is orchestral or conventional instruments that are performing, yes there are sections or certain phrases when one can pick out that it is synthetic, but in my mind this does not matter because the melodies which flow are wonderfully romantic and engrossing. The score contains many delicate and fragile sounding pieces which when listening to will just wash over the listener putting them at ease and giving them a sense of calmness and tranquillity. The composer has created a work that is in a word impressive and if I add another word to the description it would be outstanding. I for one cannot understand why Watts has not become more well known, surely he is still composing he was only young when he composed this and another theatre score entitled DRIVEN DESIRE (2002). There is a childlike and simple atmosphere to the work and dare I say a touch or hint of the style of James Horner is present or even Desplat in certain tracks. There is also present a darker side to the score, which I think begins to raise its head in track number 8 ENSEMBLE/JET STEALS THE RIBBONS which is a near 7 minute piece, that includes a clock ticking effect in the background, piano, synth strings and pizzicato effect are underlined by percussive sounds, all of which are fused together in this composition that is continuously building but never reaches what I call a real crescendo, nevertheless the end result is a piece filled with tension but at the same time it retains a wistful melodious content.

Track number 9 PEARL URGES HER FRIENDS TO DANCE is to a compelling and enjoyable listen, in the notes for the CD the composer apologises for borrowing off of Rachmaninoff, but if it works I am sure he wont mind. There is a sound to this score that is so familiar, it has a Barry-esque style and also gives a gentle nod to Horner and the classics, but at the same time it is filled with a freshness and originality which is stunningly beautiful and haunting. This Barry-esque sound is heard within track number 11 THE GREEN KINGDOM, where Pearl the heroine for want of a better description finds her way into a lush and green forest, she dances whilst discovering the joys of nature in the form of butterflies, wild flowers and bubbling waters. The piece is a light and airy cue performed by solo guitar and glockenspiel with flute, strings and pizzicato lending support. Watts evokes more John Barry sounds in track number 15, ASH AND JET’S LAIR, combining dark and sombre sounding brass with voices and percussion which are in turn supported by strings and timpani, Watts approach and ultimate style has to it a sound that is not dissimilar to composer Bruce Rowland when he is emotive mode, think of PHAR LAP for example. I cannot recommend this score enough, and I know it is probably pointless reviewing it as it is I think long deleted or out of print, if a private pressing can be deleted that is. Re-visiting this score after around 15 years is like taking a breath of fresh sea air as it blows away the cobwebs and makes you want to listen to it over again. Wonderfully melodic in fact a tone poem filled with fragility, emotion, drama, atmospherics and a depth that is surprisingly overflowing with romanticism from start to finish, Howard Watts where are you?