The Duellists / The Riddle of the Sands

Airstrip One Company

Music Composed and Conducted by Howard Blake

Performed by The National Philharmonic Orchestra and The John McCarthy Singers

Produced by Howard Blake, Ford A. Thaxton, Christopher Landry, and John J. Alcantar III

Release Date: 2000

     Well, this is quite a departure from my previous experience with Howard Blake scores. The only other time I've been able to sample his music was for the Flash Gordon release. While it was a nice homage to sci-fi scores from the 30s and 40s, it doesn't really compare to the quality of these two scores. While one can detect in Blake's style from Flash Gordon, The Duellists and The Riddle of the Sands are more "serious" works, and they really show off the talent of this British composer.

      The Duellists was, incidentally, Ridley Scott's first feature film. This disc could not have arrived at a better time since I've been exploring his films lately. While I've heard some disparaging comments on The Duellists, I'm still interested in checking it out (and just for the record, I don't think Blade Runner is all that great). Blake's score is really interesting in the way that it doesn't sound like a typical film score. The orchestra does not sound all that large, and Blake relies heavily on scoring for the style of the period that the film takes place in. He also utilizes his main theme to Barryesque proportions. The theme is not very fancy, but it is beautiful in its simplicity. For the duels that take place (hence the title of the film), Blake takes an avant garde approach to the scoring with a lot of dark string work and heavy percussion. 

     For The Riddle of the Sands, Blake gives us something a little more conventional in nature. In addition to the orchestra he also employs a female chorus to liven things up. The style is adventurous and several action cues are quite interesting, although sometimes the music begins to sound like the orchestral scores that would come out of early 80s television (specifically, parts from The Incredible Hulk). Despite those occasional spots, the music is quite enjoyable and contains a nicely balanced mixture of lush romantic cues, thrilling action sequences, and tense sections. The chorus work is really good and the German lyrics make for an interesting listen.

     For two scores that were recorded in the late seventies, the sound quality is terrific and Airstrip One should really be commended. The linear notes are terrific and provide an interesting amount of information. For instance, Blake was Ridley Scott's choice to score Alien but the (cue: Imperial March) studio heads picked Jerry Goldsmith instead. 

     All in all, this a great release, especially for Howard Blake fans. For those interested in his music, you should definitely check out this CD as it's sure to have something for everyone. ****

Track Listing

The Duellists

1 - The Duellists (3:01)

2 - Mme. de Leon's Salon (2:38)

3 - Opening Titles (0:59)

4 - Military Life (0:23)

5 - Laura (1:47)

6 - Armand and Adèle (1:32)

7 - I Renounce Love (0:59)

8 - Tarot (1:31)

9 - Cellar Duel (0:58)

10 - Cavalry Duel (2:13)

11 - Jubilation (0:29)

12 - Russian Winter (6:21)

13 - The Château (1:11)

14 - The Marriage (1:35)

15 - The Challenge (0:49)

16 - Pistols (1:05)

17 - Final Duel in the Woods (3:29)

18 - The Lonely Walker (2:44)

19 - End Credits (3:17)

The Riddle of the Sands

20 - The Riddle of the Sands (4:29)

21 - A Walk in the Dunes (1:41)

22 - The Dulcibella (1:10)

23 - Sailing (4:46)

24 - The Inn / Rowing Ashore (1:57)

25 - Barge Building (3:51)

26 - The Kormoran Moves In (1:12)

27 - Into the Fog (1:26)

28 - Carruthers Investigates the Barn (1:48)

29 - The Train to Emden (2:53)

30 - Carruthers Reboards the Train (2:22)

31 - Rehearsal for Invasion (5:03)

32 - Sink the Dulcibella! (1:36)

33 - End Titles (2:23)

Total Running Time: 73:33