| Christus Apollo |
| Composed by Jerry Goldsmith |
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Conducted by Jerry Goldsmith Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, London Voices, and Anthony Hopkins Produced by Robert Woods, Paul Reynolds, Philips S&L, and The Netherlands Release Date: 2002 |
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Non-film related albums from major Hollywood composers are usually quite rare, though often they are a nice treat for film score buffs. Even rarer than the typical concert CDs are the adaptations of textual sources. The only release I have been familiar with so far has been Joel McNeely's excellent Shadows of the Empire. This release from Telarc presents a cantata that Jerry Goldsmith composed for the California Chamber Symphony in 1969, based on a work by Ray Bradbury. In addition, two other concert works round out the album and provide a fascinating glimpse into Goldsmith's career outside Hollywood. The Christus Apollo work consists of four sections, interspersed with spoken narration between each section. Goldsmith made the decision to work with the 12-tone musical system for this piece, and the result is quite different from his usual style. Those who loved his avant garde approach to Planet of the Apes will undoubtedly appreciate that decision, while others may be left with a puzzled expression. Christus Apollo stands out as quite different from a typical Goldsmith score, but that works more as a plus than a minus, and it really shows how versatile of a composer he can be. The heavy use of a chorus also sets this work apart, as they are the primary "instrument" of the cantata. The orchestra is usually in the background to support the voices and I have never heard Goldsmith rely on a chorus as much as he does here. They imbue the work with an epic and far reaching sound that allows the music to have a life of its own. This is no Carmina burana or Duel of the Fates, but rather a style that is akin to opera, sometimes approaching the intensity of the choral voices that represented the monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey. The narration provided by Anthony Hopkins is quite excellent, and while it is primary used to open each section, there are moments during the music itself when his voice appears, though it is well integrated and never becomes a distraction. Thankfully, the linear notes provide the full text, both for the narration and the choral pieces. The album opens with another 12-tone concert work, Music for Orchestra. Being part of the same system, it flows well into the Christus Apollo work, but I found that it tended to become absorbed by the cantata since it doesn't have the same power that Christus Apollo does. The album ends with Fireworks, another concert piece. This is a more conventional piece that Goldsmith composed in celebration of the city of Los Angeles. Unlike the previous compositions, echoes of his film work can be clearly heard here, including a forerunner of one of the themes from The Mummy. The performances from the London Symphony Orchestra and The London Voices are as excellent as one would expect. The sound quality of the album is the usual terrific work from Telarc and is available in 2 and 6 channel versions with a price difference between the two versions of about ten dollars. For those who are adverse to the atonal system of music composition, this album will probably not go down as a favorite. On the other hand, those who can appreciate this style of composition will undoubtedly enjoy hearing Goldsmith delve into something original. In that case, this excellent release from Telarc is a must-have. **** |
| Track Listing - Total Running Time: 51:21 | |
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