Great Composers

• Artist : Various
• Binding : Audio CD
• EAN : 0030206607727
• Format : Soundtrack
• Label : Universal
• Manufacturer : Universal
• Number Of Discs : 1
• Package Dimensions : 0.40 inches (Height) x 5.60 inches (Length) x 0.20 pounds (Weight) x 4.90 inches (Width)
• Product Group : Music
• Publisher : Universal
• Release Date : 1999-10-26
• SKU : U0030206607727
• Studio : Universal
• UPC : 030206607727

Unlike the subject of the previous collection--Great Composers: John Williams--there haven't been many retrospectives of Elmer Bernstein's career. The best thing about Varese Sarabande's collection is the number of original performances from the composer himself the label has been able to assemble from its own back catalogue. Together with faithful re-recordings by Joel McNeely and Cliff Eidelman from other Varese albums, this makes for a brilliant introduction to Bernstein's long and distinguished film career. He practically invented the adventurous Western sound full of charging rhythms and vastly-stretching hero motifs. John Wayne's saunter would never have been the same without them. All-time highs include: The Magnificent Seven, The Ten Commandments, The Great Escape and True Grit. From the more recent end of his career there's a real display of diversity between The Age Of Innocence (a lush turn-of-century portrait), The Grifters (tongue-in-cheek film noir), A Rage In Harlem (a stroll through the backstreets of Bernstein's youth in mid-1930s New Yawk) and Wild Wild West (clearly an attempt at "The Magnificent Will Smith"). The latter is the closing segment of a Western section, preceded by Wayne's classic vehicles: The Shootist, The Commancherosand True Grit. If there's a few lesser items among the many greats, this is nonetheless an excellent career overview. --Paul Tonks

- Amazon.co.uk Review

Tracks:

• Disc 1

  • 1: Magnificent Seven
  • 2: Great Escape
  • 3: To Kill a Mockingbird
  • 4: Wild Wild West
  • 5: Age of Innocence
  • 6: True Grit
  • 7: My Left Foot
  • 8: Them Commandments
  • 9: Gifters
  • 10: Comancheros
  • 11: Shootist
  • 12: Frankie Starlight
  • 13: Lost in Yonkers
  • 14: Rage in Harlem
  • 15: Black Cauldorn

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• Music > Styles > Soundtracks & Musicals > Film Music
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• Music > Substyle Refinement > Soundtracks & Musicals > Film Music

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