A Clockwork Orange: Wendy Carlos's Complete Original Score [Soundtrack]

On this CD:

A Clockwork Orange, film score
Composed by Wendy Carlos

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
One of the most satisfying soundtrack "companion" pieces ever released, this collaboration between synthesist Wendy Carlos and producer Rachel Elkind manages to both logically extend and credibly expand on director Stanley Kubrick's masterfully conceived Clockwork Orange musical ethos. That shouldn't be surprising, as the pair was largely responsible for initiating those concepts with the music they'd begun as a follow-up to their successful, synthesizer-pioneering Switched on Bach collection. "Timesteps," a rich, wildly evocative, 13+ minute electronic sound and music collage, was based on impressions gleaned from Anthony Burgess's original novel (excerpts of it are liberally scattered throughout the film), while an abridged version of the fourth movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was an early experiment in vocal synthesis that ended up as one of the film's key motifs. Also featured here are synthesized versions of music Kubrick ultimately chose to use in orchestral form (Rossini's "The Thieving Magpie") as well as original Carlos/Elkind electronic compositions ("Orange Minuet," "Biblical Daydreams," and "Country Lane") that ended up on the cutting-room floor. Composed on primitive, monophonic analog instruments (which could play only one at a time!) long supplanted by generations of digital revolution, this work has a brooding otherworldly quality all its own. As our favorite Droog would say: "It was like a bird of rarest spun metal, or like silvery wine flowing in a space ship, gravity all nonsense now." --Jerry McCulley

A Clockwork Orange: Wendy Carlos's Complete Original Score,Wendy Carlos,East Side Digital,Electronic,Film,Film Music,Modern Composition,New Age,Original Score,Pop,Soundtrack,Soundtracks & Film Scores,Synthesizer

Tracks:

Timesteps
March From A Clockwork Orange (Beethoven: Ninth Symphony: Foruth Movement, Abridged)
Title Music From A Clockwork Orange (From Purcell's Music For The Funeral Of Quenn Mary)
La Gazza Ladra (Rossini's The Thieving Magpie, Abridged)
Theme From A Clockwork Orange (Beethoviana)
Ninth Symphony: Second Movement (Scherzo)
William Tell Ouverture, Abridged
Orange Minuet
Biblical Daydreams
Country Lane

Amazon.com

One of the most satisfying soundtrack "companion" pieces ever released, this collaboration between synthesist Wendy Carlos and producer Rachel Elkind manages to both logically extend and credibly expand on director Stanley Kubrick's masterfully conceived Clockwork Orange musical ethos. That shouldn't be surprising, as the pair was largely responsible for initiating those concepts with the music they'd begun as a follow-up to their successful, synthesizer-pioneering Switched on Bach collection. "Timesteps," a rich, wildly evocative, 13+ minute electronic sound and music collage, was based on impressions gleaned from Anthony Burgess's original novel (excerpts of it are liberally scattered throughout the film), while an abridged version of the fourth movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was an early experiment in vocal synthesis that ended up as one of the film's key motifs. Also featured here are synthesized versions of music Kubrick ultimately chose to use in orchestral form (Rossini's "The Thieving Magpie") as well as original Carlos/Elkind electronic compositions ("Orange Minuet," "Biblical Daydreams," and "Country Lane") that ended up on the cutting-room floor. Composed on primitive, monophonic analog instruments (which could play only one at a time!) long supplanted by generations of digital revolution, this work has a brooding otherworldly quality all its own. As our favorite Droog would say: "It was like a bird of rarest spun metal, or like silvery wine flowing in a space ship, gravity all nonsense now." --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Some things stand the test of time.......2007-08-05

This is a must have for true electronica fans. Wendy is one of the pioneers of this genre and this release shows more of the great work for this film classic. This music is still a vital force.

early moog recording.......2007-07-30

I have had this recording for a looooong time, admittedly, it is an acquired taste, but it is truly an original piece of work, and a great soundtrack (although some of the music was not actually in the movie). It is interesting to listen to this and to compare it to other works of electronic music that have evolved since its' inception. Wendy Carlos was a pioneer.

A little bit misleading.......2007-05-13

I thought I was buying the complete soundtrack to the film and not just Wendy Carlo's bits. But it was ok.

Pioneering and enjoyable electronic music .......2006-09-15

I used to have this recording on LP - the cover was a marvellous collage (the new cover is slightly naff) - and it was a very fine companion to the regular A Clockwork Orange soundtrack, which featured music which didn't fit together very well outside the context of the film.

Wendy Carlos's complete score is very satisfying and it still stands up well today (2006). I think that the standout tracks on this album are 'Timesteps' and 'Country Lane', which are powerful original compositions. Both tracks display a remarkable musical imagination.

Timesteps is a freely composed fantasia which takes us from place to place in the mind of the composer. There are moments which sound like jungle music, others which sound like sentimental film music with an ocean in the background and another second with an unnaturally sweet heavenly female choir sound. It is a unique composition and quite superb. It is a pity Wendy Carlos didn't write more music as inspired as this piece - perhaps she did and I haven't heard them!?

Country Lane is also very impressive. It is a piece which demonstrates very cruel emotions very well. The use of the ancient "Dies Irae" tune, also used very effectively by Liszt and Berlioz, "vocoded" is a brilliant touch. In fact, the vocoder was used very effectively by Wendy Carlos in Timesteps, Country Land and the Fourth Movement of the 9th Symphony of Beethoven on this disc. Perhaps the first significant use of this instrument on a recording? Kraftwerk and Zap went on to use the instrument in more popular musical styles.

The choral section of the fourth movement of Beethoven's 9th symphony recorded by Wendy Carlos is strangely beautiful and beguiling. Sort of a "reification" of a dreamt interpretation of the music? Perhaps.....

The purely "instrumental" works and Classical and Classically inspired works on this album are very interesting and represent some very effective use of the synthesizer. Of course, it would be easy for many people with a computer and some other equipment to do their own electronica versions of these works today. However, Wendy Carlos had a very personal style and understanding of this music. Her version of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Brandenburg Concertos still entertain me today, even though I am really a devotee of the HIP approach to this music.

I dare say that Wendy Carlos introduced a lot of young people to the music of Beethoven and to the idea of using synthesizers. I remember reading that Phil Oakey, from The Human League, said that Wendy Carlos was a major influence on him.

'A Clockwork Orange:Wendy Carlos's Complete Original Score' Movie Soundtrack (East Side Digital).......2006-07-03

I've heard several long-time music fans boast about how this movie soundtrack is simply 'one of' THE best album releases,period!Rather they be a big-time metal head,a classic rock supporter,someone who plays easy listening material all the time,maybe an school punk fan,etc.To best describe this CD(with added bonus cuts that wouldn't fit on the original vinyl lp)I would say it's like ahead-of-it's-time new age with an experimental vibe to it.Key tracks are the unforgetable thirteen minute "Timesteps",the creative "Theme From A Clockwork Orange","William Tell Overture,Abridged" and a tune that was co-written by Carlos and movie producer Rachel Elkind "Biblical Daydreams".A must-have reissue CD of the cult masterpiece Stanley Kubrick film,that after you've seen the flick for the very first time,it MAY effect the way you look at the world from here on out.Highly recommended.

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