River Crossing

Track Listings

1. River Crossing

2. Golden Bird Duet

3. Zed's Song

4. Cry of the Hawk

5. Love and Gratitude

6. Joyful Sunrise

7. Reflections of the Night

8. Water Spirits

9. Raven Duet

10. Dance of the Heart

11. Princess in the Morning

12. Fire Dance

13. Sun and Moon

14. Sage

15. Canyon Sunrise

16. Earth Mother

17. Four Elements

18. Walk to the Water

19. Blackbird's Lament

20. Solitude

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Al Jewer is an internationally acclaimed flute player, composer, studio musician and record producer. His collection of flutes contains instruments from every major culture of the world. His work can be heard in scores for film and video and on over 30 CDs spanning the last 18 years. He has also received numerous industry nominations and recognitions including Best Native American CD and Best New Age CD.

Al has received critical acclaim for live performances at festivals, fine arts concert series, museums and other celebrations. His first CD on Laughing Cat Records, Prairie Plain Song, made its debut at #4 on the nationwide radio charts and is currently receiving international radio airplay and is in worldwide distribution. His last release, Two Trees, was in the top 1% of nationwide airplay for World Music in 2003 and has garnered airplay on over 700 stations worldwide. His latest release is River Crossing, which highlights his solo flute playing as it is heard in live performance.

Recent appearances include CBS's 48 Hours, The Fourth Annual Peace Summit in Rome, opening ceremonies for the NAMMYS (Native American Music Awards), Chicago's Whole Life Expo, Milwaukee's Indian Summer, Chicago's Adler Planetarium, Wisconsin Public Radio, the Shingoethe Center for Native American Studies, Chicago's Mitchell Indian Museum, and worldwide syndicated TV shows taped at WGN Chicago. As a composer, he has contributed music for film, TV and commercials, and most recently was selected as a member of the composer team for the Oprah Winfrey show.

Product Description
River Crossing serves up the beautiful and haunting sound of the Native American flute, with touches of light percussion and floating harmonies. It is a spiritual journey in sound, rendered by a master musician.

River Crossing,Al Jewer,Laughing Cat Records,New Age,New Age / Meditation,Pop,River Crossing serves up the beautiful and haunting sound of the Native American flute, with touches of light percussion and floating harmonies. It is a spiritual journey in sound, rendered by a master musician.

River Crossing

River Crossing

The Essential Elmer Bernstein Film Music Collection
Average customer rating:

Sad, Really Sad

An excellent movie themes antology by ELMER BERNSTEIN

Excellent

Great Film Music

Fun, Powerfull music

The Essential Elmer Bernstein Film Music Collection

Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
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Jerry Goldsmith: 40 Years of Film Music

The Wild West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection

Varese Sarabande 25th Anniversary Celebration

Way Out West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection, Vol. 2

John Barry: The Collection

ASIN: B0007XTQ14
Release Date: 2005-06-07

Tracks:

The Magnificent Seven
To Kill A Mockingbird (Suite)
The Buccaneer (Overture)
Walk On The Wild Side
An American Werewolf In London (Metamorphosis)
The Age Of Innocence (End Titles)
The Comancheros
Ghostbusters
Heavy Metal (Taarna's Theme)
Johnny Staccato
True Grit (Rooster Cogburn/A Warm Wrap-Up)
Hollywood And The Stars
Zulu Dawn (River Crossing)

Tracks:

The Great Escape
The Man With The Golden Arm
Far From Heaven
The Sons Of Katie Elder
Airplane (Suite)
The Shootist (Main Title)
Hawaii (Overture)
The Birdman Of Alcatraz (Finale)
The Hallelujah Trail (Overture)
The Bridge At Remagen
Thoroughly Modern Millie (Sky-Hi)
The Scalphunters
The Ten Commandments (Overture)

Album Description

*A specially priced 2CD set with over 110 minutes of some of the greatest film music in the history of cinema.

*New digital recordings in spectacular and sound performed by the acclaimed City Of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and National Youth Jazz Band.

*Includes world premiere recordings from "The Birdman Of Alcatraz," "Thoroughly Modern Millie," "Airplane!" and "An American Werewolf In London."

*In 2004 the world of cinema lost one of the most iconic figures in film composing. In a career that spanned half-a-century and over 250 films, Elmer Bernstein was responsible for writing the music to many of the greatest and most loved movies of all time ranging from "The Ten Commandments," "The Magnificent Seven" and "The Great Escape," through to "True Grit" and "Airplane!" This collection has been lovingly created and compiled as a tribute to a genius and true master of the art of film scoring.

Customer Reviews:

Sad, Really Sad.......2007-05-13

These CDs don't meet the standards that I expect from Elmer Bernstein's wonderful film music.
*It's just Boring*
The ensemble doesn't have the energy one would expect to play "The Magnificent Seven" and "The Man with the Golden Arm". I think the City of Prague and National Youth Jazz Orchestras were bargain orchestras used to make an inexpensive CD set of one of my favorite film composers. The conducting and arrangements were what made this an obviously bad album.

An excellent movie themes antology by ELMER BERNSTEIN.......2007-05-10

Silva Screen Records, presents this antology of the music from the late great composer/conductor ELMER BERNSTEIN, who supervised this recording just before die.
Played the The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, and conducted by his one time assistant James Fitzpatrick
Recorded in HDCD and Dolby Surround

Excellent.......2007-04-22

it's unfortunate that more tracks weren't able to be recorded as theree was a good 15-20 minutes of space remaining on both discs. Regardless, this is an excellent sampler, especially in conjunction with Varese's Bernstein sampler including rare stuff like the Black Cualdron.

With regards to this silva set, these recordings range back to 1994, with Sons of Katie Elder and True Grit being recorded for a John Wayne CD and Bridge At Remagen for a CD of classic War themes. The Great Escape was also recorded for that CD, but producer James Fitzpatrick opted to record a new arrangement (same with Magnificent Seven). In '97, The Buccaneer for included on a Swashbucklers disc, while Heavy Metal was on the popular 'Space and Beyond' compilation. In '98, the world premiere recording of Airplane first appeared on a DISASTERS film disc. So while it may technically be the world premiere RECORDING it certainly is not the world premiere CD RELEASE of that recording. Ghostbusters was included on Space 3: Beyond the Final Frontier, the second followup to the popular 'Space and Beyond'. Fast forward to 2002 and 4 recordings first appeared on WAY OUT WEST: ESSENTIAL WESTERN FILM MUSIC COLLECTION VOLUME TWO, those being The Comancheros, The Hallelujah Trail, The Scalphunters and The Shootist. Man With the Golden Arm and Walk on the Wild are from Silva's JAZZ IN FILM cd.

The remaining tracks were all newly recorded for this release. They are of course the strongest tracks, seeing as the City of Prague Philharmonic has improved over time. I do wonder though why they did not include the older arrangements of Great Escape and Mag. Seven as bonus tracks.

I also recommend the simultaneously released '40 years of Film Music: Jerry Goldsmith' for another great set honoring a late great film composer.

Great Film Music.......2007-03-09

This is a great recording of some of the best film music ever. From the
great westerns to the Theme from Airplane to music he did for television,
Bernstein was one of the greatest.

Fun, Powerfull music.......2007-02-17

It's great! It brings back memories of my dad. He loved John Wayne and the old cowboys of the Magnificent Seven. But it's nice just to listen and relax (it's not all cowboy music).

Average customer rating:

the most soothing album ever
Beautiful is a good starting point.

Red River Crossing

Manufacturer: Eyes & Stars Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Jericho
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Bluefields

ASIN: B0006DQ5XW
Release Date: 2001-01-06

Tracks:

Red River Crossing
Easter Fires
Tyler Rose
Heart of the Hills
Ingram Canyon, Coming Rain
Ballad of Brenhan Road
East of Eden
In the Days of Oliver Loving
Summer Night, Port Isabel Light

Album Description

RED RIVER CROSSING RECORDED IN 2001, IS THE THIRD AND FINAL PIECE OF A TRILOGY. USING PIANO AND SYNTHESIZERS, RED RIVER CROSSING INCORPORATES GENTLE MELODIES ON TOP OF RICH LAYERS OF SOUND. THIS CREATES A UNIQUE BLEND OF MUSIC THAT IS AS SIMPLE AS IT IS DEEP.

Customer Reviews:

the most soothing album ever.......2005-04-01

This is the ultimate album to sit back and think. I listen to this cd every night before i go to bed and it never gets old. Every track is powerful, I highly recommend

Beautiful is a good starting point........2005-02-01

I bought this CD on impulse, liking the description and the cover art. Beautiful is a good beginning point for describing the songs on this CD. There is a richness and spiritual quality that would settle the most troubled mood. If you are a person who experiences music visually (seeing images of people and places while enjoying it) and like the kind of music that takes you to those secret places in your heart that you save for special quiet moments, then you will like this collection very much.

The Alamo: The Essential Film Music Collection

Average customer rating:

More expensive than the other Essential but worth it.
Excellent compilation of an important composer.
"film composer Dimitri Tiomkin gave his all and then some"

The Alamo: The Essential Film Music Collection
Dimitri Tiomkin
Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Tiomkin: Red River
The Essential Elmer Bernstein Film Music Collection
Way Out West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection, Vol. 2
The Wild West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection
The Alamo (1960)

ASIN: B00022MBNK
Release Date: 2004-07-13

Tracks:

Night Passage
Tension At Table Rock
High Noon
The War Wagon
The Wild Wild West: Main Theme
The Wild Wild West: The Ballad Of Jim West
Gunfight At The O.K. Coral
Rio Bravo
Rawhide
Red River
The Unforgiven: Across The Texas Panhandle
The Unforgiven: The Need For Love
The Unforgiven: Horse Ballet
The Young Land
Duel In The Sun

Tracks:

The Fall Of The Roman Empire: Overture
The Fall Of The Roman Empire: The Fall Of Love
The Fall Of The Roman Empire: Pax Romana
55 Days Peking
Land Of The Pharaohs
Circus World (The Magnificent Showman)
Dial M For Murder
Strangers On A Train
Giant: Main Title
Giant: Love Theme
Giant: The Jett Rink Theme
The High And The Mighty
Wild Is The Wind
The Guns Of Navarone

Tracks:

Cyrano De Bergerac
The Well
Friendly Persuasion
Town Without Pity
It's A Wonderful Life
Tarzan And The Mermaids
The Thing From Another World
The Alamo: Overture/Prologue
The Alamo: Davy Crockett
The Alamo: Tennessee Babe
The Alamo: The Battle Of The Alamo
The Alamo: The Green Leaves Of Summer
The Alamo: Finale

Tracks:

Giant: This Then Is Texas
Rawhide: Rawhide
High Noon: Do Not Forsake Me
Night Passage: Follow The River
Giant: The Ballad Of Jett Rink
Friendly Persuasion: Thee I Love
It's A Wonderful Life
Wild Is The Wind
The High And The Mighty
The War Wagon: The Ballad Of The War Wagon
Rio Braco
The Young Land: Strange Are The Ways Of Love
The Wild Wild West: The Ballad Of Jim West
The Wild Wild West: The Wild Wild West

Amazon.com

Dimitri Tiomkin was one of the most prominent composers of Hollywood's Golden Age and beyond, his career spanning a half-century and some of America's most classic films. This sprawling, four-disc anthology (its title a marketing nod to the modern remake of one of Tiomkin's notable collaborations with John Wayne) features new digital recordings of full-bodied performances by the City of Prague Orchestra and Festival Chorus, the most ambitious and comprehensive tribute to the composer yet attempted. There's something here for film score buffs (rarities like a suite from his sci-fi genre-defining Thing From Another World and the "Main Theme" for the pilot of TV's Wild, Wild West) and novice alike; indeed one could scarcely ask for a more complete overview of Tiomkin's robust orchestral oeuvre. Divided into four chapters, disc one chronicles how the Ukrainian immigrant concocted a rich Western film heritage (including such genre landmarks as Red River, High Noon, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and Rio Bravo) from largely European traditions, while the next two CD's cover his rousing work for epics and thrillers of every stripe, and collaborations with Hitchcock, Wayne, Capra, Stevens and more. The concluding disc pays homage to Tiomkin the unlikely pop tunesmith, via his hit vocal themes to Rawhide, Wild is the Wind and High Noon's "Do Not Forsake Me." --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

More expensive than the other Essential but worth it........2007-04-22

This is an excellent set of music of Dimitri Tiomkin's music! The 4th disc is short (at just over 30 minutes), but thats because it is just the vocal versions of tracks which appeared in instrumental form throughout the first 3 discs. Whenever you buy a silva screen compilation, the first thing you ask yourself is 'when were these recordings made' and 'do I have these tracks on other compilations? Thankfully, this set has TONS of new recordings, but there is some recycled stuff and they are as follows:

Dial M For Murder is from the 1993 History of Hitchcock Vol. I, while Strangers on a Train is from 1995's History of Hitchcock Vol. II.

Three tracks originate from 1994's "Music From the Films Of John Wayne". They are "The High and the Mighty", "The Alamo - Overture" and "The Alamo - Green Leaves of Summer".

Red River is from 1996's "How The West Was Won: Classic Western Film Scores Vol. One".

The Thing From Another World suite is from the excelllent 1998 set "Alien Invasion: Space And Beyond II"

Many tracks first appeared on "Way Out West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection Vol. Two". They are: "Duel In The Sun", "The Alamo (Davy Crockett)", "Friendly Persuasion", "Giant (Main Theme)", "Gunfight at the OK Corral", "High Noon", "Rio Bravo", and "The Unforgiven (The Need For Love)".

The rest of the tracks are brand spankin new, and most are not available on other discs, so snag this one up in a hurry!

Excellent compilation of an important composer........2004-07-16

This long overdue collection of Tiomkin standards and rarities is a must for any fan of symphonic music; albeit, for film or concert hall. As the liner notes clarify; these recordings are a real labor of love for James Fitzpatrick and the Silva Screen team. Tiomkin is; undoubtedly, one of the most difficult of composers to replicate. This recording comes extremely close to "hitting the nail on the head" particularly with tracks such as: "Across the Texas Panhandle" from the Unforgiven, The Entr'acte from Duel in the Sun, The Guns of Navarone, The War Wagon, and the main title and Jett Rink theme from Giant. This recording is a bargain, particularly for collectors who have sought after many of Tiomkin's composer conducted soundtracks (which are getting harder and harder to obtain). Listeners who enjoy this set should consider seeking out previous cd releases of the soundtracks to "The Guns of Navarone" (SONY, Varese Sarabande), "The Fall of the Roman Empire" (Varese Sarabande, PEG), "55 Days at Peking" (Varese Sarabande), and "The Alamo" :original soundtrack (still available on SONY-Legacy).

"film composer Dimitri Tiomkin gave his all and then some".......2004-07-13

Silva America presents the ultimate in film music during the illustrious career of an icon and legendary composer of film scores ~ "Alamo:Dimitri Tiomkin Essential Film Collection/O.S.T", featuring some long forgotten 53 cues that sent chills and thrills into the pulses of world events ~ selections from a limited collectors edition that would make any "film-score-buff" green with envy.

Tiomkin was born in Ukraine, Russia [1894-1979] attended and graduated from St. Petersburg Academy[studied under the famed composer Glazunov] ~ had a degree in music as well as law ~ came to America in 1925, shown great interest for Native American music early in his film career.

Great fondness for "The Western" ~ "DUEL IN THE SUN" (1946) (Gregory Peck, Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotton, Lionel Barrymore, Lilian Gish and Charles Bickford - one of biggest and successful epic Westerns ever, score & photography was simply breathtaking), "RED RIVER" (1948) (John Wayne, Monty Cliff and Walter Brennan - the Duke should have won an Oscar for his performance as the aging cantankerous cattle baron)"HIGH NOON" (1952)(classic film with Gary Cooper in his Oscar winning performance of Will Kane), "TENSION AT TABLE ROCK" (1956), "GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL" (1957)(Burt Lancaster as Wyatt Earp & Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday pulled this off with the help of the Main Theme), "NIGHT PASSAGE" (1957), "RIO BRAVO" (1959) (top box office leaders John Wayne, Dean Martin, Walter Brennan and Ricky Nelson), "THE YOUNG LAND" (1959) (young Dennis Hopper), "RAWHIDE" (TV Series) (1959-66) (Eric Fleming as trail boss Gil Favor & Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates), "THE UNFORGIVEN" (1960) (Burt Lancaster, Audie Murphy and Audrey Hepburn), "THE WILD, WILD WEST" (TV Series) (1965-69)(Tiomkin's music never saw the light of day), "WAR WAGON" (1967) (John Wayne & Kirk Douglas starred) (beautifully melodic) ~ it's easy to see why Tiomkin loved Western lore.

Second disc contains The Epics ~ "LAND OF THE PHARAOHS" (1955) (Jack Hawkins as Pharaoh Cheops and a beautiful Joan Collins as his scheming wife), "55 DAYS AT PEKING" (1963) (Charlton Heston, David Niven and Ava Gardner is the all star cast), "THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE" (1964) (featuring Alec Guinness as emperor Marcus Aurelius), "CIRCUS WORLD" (1964) (John Wayne, Claudia Cardinale and Rita Hayworth under the big top) ~ next we Hitchcock Thrillers with "STRANGERS ON A TRAIN" (1951) (a masterpiece film featuring Robert Walker and Farley Granger are both very convincing as we learn, never talked to strangers on a train or anywhere), "DIAL M FOR MURDER" (1954) (tense moments come from Grace Kelly, Ray Milland and Robert Cummings - they don't get any better than this) ~ finally Drama and High Adventure with "HIGH AND MIGHTY" (1954) (another outstanding performance by John Wayne, as the co-pilot of an airline whistling the haunting theme), "GIANT" (1956)(another big epic film with Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean and Chill Wills show us what it's like to be a Texan, with oil and money), "WILD IS THE WIND" (1957) (Anthony Quinn, Anna Magnani and Anthony Franciosa), "THE GUNS OF NAVARONE" (1961) (World War II film featuring Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, David Niven and Stanley Baker on a small Greek Island trying to outwit the Germans and a very big gun) ~ some of Tiomkin's most inspiring themes rise to the surface.

On disc three ~ as we continue with Drama and High Adventures "IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE" (1946) (James Stewart, Donna Reed, Thomas Mitchell, Lionel Barrymore and Ward Bond with wholesome warm and endearing themes from our favorite composer), "TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS" (1948) (in his 12th film as Tarzan, Johnny Weissmuller still had what it takes to swim and defeat the man-god Balu - Weissmuller and Tiomkin the perfect combination for this Tarzan adventure), "CYRANO DE BERGERAC" (1950) (Jose Ferrer stars as Edmond Rostand's famous swordsman with a even more famous nose), "THE WELL" (1951) (intense cues give the film musical triumphs in final scenes), "THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD" (1951) (exciting Howard Hawks film with a score to match), "FRIENDLY PERSUASION" (1956) (director William Wyler shows the life and times of a Quaker family played by Gary Cooper, Dorothy Mcguire and Anthony Perkins during the American Civil War, very touching), "THE ALAMO" (1960) (big budget epic western with Big John Wayne it's producer, director and star as Davy Crockett with a haunting and never to be forgotten "The Green Leaves of Summer"), "TOWN WITHOUT PITY" (1961) (Kirk Douglas in a post-war Germany story, blends jazz themes with Tiomkin signature arrangements) ~ Tiomkin always made the difference when it came to scoring a film.

The last and final disc four ~ The Tiomkin Vocal Songbook featuring "This Then is Texas" (Giant), "Rawhide" (Rawhide), "Do Not Forsake Me" (High Noon), "Follow the River" (Night Passage), "The Ballad of Jett Rink" (Giant), "Thee I Love" (Friendly Percuasion), "It's A Wonderful Life", "Wild Is The Wind", "The High and the Mighty", The Ballad of the War Wagon" (The War Wagon), "Rio Bravo", "Strange are the Ways of Love" (The Young Land), "The Ballad of Jim West" (The Wild Wild West), "The Wild Wild West" (The Wild Wild West) ~ many were hit makers of the day and in the top ten.

Outstanding performances by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra (Nic Raine, Paul Bateman, Mario Klemens - are the conductors), Crouch End Festival Chorus (David Temple - choir master), featuring vocals by Jason Howard and Keith Ferreira ~ hats off to James Fitzpatrick (producer), Reynold da Silva (executive producer), Olilvia Tiomkin Douglas, John Waxman, Rick Clark and Gareth Williams (associate producers) ~ all film producers and directors welcomed the legendary composer with open arms for their forthcoming projects ~ the "film-score-buff" collectors are ecstatic about this four disc release on the essential film music collection of DIMITRI TIOMKIN, the arrangements and performances are top notch inclusive of HDCD/Dolby Surround.

When listening to the music of a film, you had the feeling of the storyline, characters and convictions of the whole picture, they'll never be another to come this way again ~ Silva America has outdone themselves on this one, it is definitely a five star film score box set...gotta love it!

Total Time: 4-CD-Set ~ Silva America 811 ~ (7/13/2004)

Harry Partch: U.S. Highball
Average customer rating:

A Rebuttal and Praise

small reservations, but that's only because I'm biased

This should be the post-ultimate thing you hear.

Harry Partch CD US Highball Kronos Quartet

David Barron and Kronos do justice to a masterpiece

Harry Partch: U.S. Highball
Kronos Quartet , and Composer: Harry Partch
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Kronos Quartet | ( K ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0000AN4FH
Release Date: 2003-08-19

Tracks:

Leaving Carmel, Californi-el
Leaving Imlay, Neva-day
Wait For The Next Drag
Crossing Great Salt Lake, U-take
There Are Rides On The Highway At Green River
Did I Ever Ride Freights? Huh!
Leaving Little America, Wyo-ma
North Platte, Nebras-katte

Album Description

U.S. Highball is one of the first underground masterpieces in American music. Partch's work explores what, decades later, would be called a 'subculture' - the hoboes, who traveled across the U.S. in search of work or new experience, defying social conventions and the strictures of civilized society. The recording on this CD is not U.S. Highball in any of Partch's (three) versions, but an arrangement for voice and string quartet made for Kronos in 1997 by Ben Johnston, a composer who studied and worked with Partch and with whose own music Kronos has had a long and fruitful relationship. Slipcase. Nonesuch. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

A Rebuttal and Praise.......2007-01-06

There have been comments and concerns with this CD in saying that it may not be in keeping with the original composition. What has been egregiously overlooked in previous complaints is the simple fact that Harry Partch was never actually in keeping with his OWN original compositions. Though most people think of an ensemble of Harry Partch instruments and performers as the true rendition of this piece, it must be realized that it first came out simply for microtonal guitar and voice--Harry traveled around to colleges and did solo performances of it! It then took on several various iterations, expanding up to, at one point, ten individual performers. Harry Partch was constantly reworking this piece, and, had he never died, would probably still be rearranging it. This particular arrangement was a commission written specifically for the Kronos Quartet, and was arranged by a former protege of Partch's. It remains as true as possible to Partch's original notes, styles and intentions. Seeing how faithfully this has been converted to string quartet is truly inspiring.

The Kronos Quartet does an absolutely incredible job managing all of the subtleties of this work. Microtonality is not easy!

I highly highly recommend this CD.

small reservations, but that's only because I'm biased.......2006-08-03

I cringe a little whenEVER I see a Partch transcripted for something other than his original instrumentation. I think that's because Partch's work at creating his own music and theatre for that music was so creative and unique that I never tire of it and want to see newer recordings using those wonderful music machines just so I know that Partch's ideas won't fade in time and remain only in some select recordings.

I'm still getting over Kronos taking my favorite Partch piece, Barstow, and stringifying it on Howl, USA, but in all honesty Kronos does justice to Partch. It shouldn't seem too suprising--Kronos has made their reputation by doing string quartet work that doesn't always sounds like string quartet. Since they've reinvented the string quartet, it would seem feasible that they could reinvent Partch FOR string quartet.

I'm not wholly buying into it yet, but I also know that far worse could have been done to Partch in this recording, so I credit Kronos for the efforts they took to keep the spirit of the original composition alive. A central connection here seems to be the common desire to make truly American music that doesn't just glom off of European traditions. In doing this, Partch set to music notes of his own hobo trip, to put American experience to music. Though Kronos will always in the end sound a little too polished for the raw nature of Partch's work, I thank them for keeping his name relevant in contemporary music.

Thank you, Kronos.

This should be the post-ultimate thing you hear........2005-10-01

Can't really criticize the performance because the composition was so terrible. Often one can say that one's musical purchases are simply a matter of taste. In this case, I can say that this music is bad on an absolute scale. Really, if you like this kind of stuff, hang out with some homeless people. I think I've seen this performed live outside the methadone clinic. You can check there, too.

Harry Partch CD US Highball Kronos Quartet.......2005-09-20

The whole deal was top notch. Price, speed and quality. Could not have asked for more. Very, very pleased.

David Barron and Kronos do justice to a masterpiece.......2003-11-19

The performance by David Barron and the Kronos Quartet of Harry Partch's landmark "US Highball" provides an experience of precise abandon. This entertaining, demanding, and thoroughly original work is given a performance in which the highlight is certainly Mr. Barron's expressive reading of Partch's gem of a text, in which vignettes narrating the hobo's life appear as brief scenes, sometimes hilariously funny, as in the statement by an old man emerging from a piano crate, who tells the gathering of hobos who have just arrived in his train yard, "I used to be a bum once"; or the hobo who observes concerning the passing motorists, "They don't stop much, do they?" Mr. Barron's ability to modulate his inflection, accent, and tone with the greatest flexibility, while still articulating the words so that they are always intelligible, bring a vitality to the performance which Partch clearly intended, and it is this vitality which, supported by the Kronos' standard excellence, makes this performance an experience to be treasured. This reviewer has driven across the country on several occasions, and the performance captured wonderfully the sense of changing vistas and conditions characteristic of such journeys.

Average customer rating:

Crossing That River
Grant Dermody
Manufacturer: Grant Dermody
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00069UD0C
Release Date: 2003-09-09

Tracks:

Breakthrough
Why You Been Gone So Long
Greasy Coat
Standing at the Judgement
Get to Heaven on My Own
It's Allright
River of Jordan
Leeward Side
Slow Boat
Anacostia Two-Step
Cut You Loose
What Comes Around
Boats Up River
Bye Bye Baby
Yew Piney Mountain

Product Description

First solo recording for this seasoned side man. An eclectic, acoustic journey through folk and country ballads, calypso and jazz-flavored instrumentals, old-time tunes and country blues.

Famous Folk Song arrangements by Bartók, Kodály, Lajtha

Average customer rating:

Famous Folk Song arrangements by Bartók, Kodály, Lajtha

Manufacturer: Hungaroton
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00004S90U
Release Date: 2000-03-15

Average customer rating:

River Crossing
Al Jewer
Manufacturer: Laughing Cat Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

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Two Trees
Prairie Plain Song

ASIN: B0009RO1KE
Release Date: 2005-05-01

Tracks:

River Crossing
Golden Bird Duet
Zed's Song
Cry of the Hawk
Love and Gratitude
Joyful Sunrise
Reflections of the Night
Water Spirits
Raven Duet
Dance of the Heart
Princess in the Morning
Fire Dance
Sun and Moon
Sage
Canyon Sunrise
Earth Mother
Four Elements
Walk to the Water
Blackbird's Lament
Solitude
Dream Time

Product Description

River Crossing serves up the beautiful and haunting sound of the Native American flute, with touches of light percussion and floating harmonies. It is a spiritual journey in sound, rendered by a master musician.

Average customer rating:

Plentiful on vinyl
This soundtrack is wonderful!
Quite possibly the best soundtrack in the world ever!
A must for any "Watership" fan!
Watership Down, a modern classic

Watership Down
Angela Morley
Manufacturer: Pendulum Ent.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000061UG
Release Date: 1998-04-14

Tracks:

Prologue And Main Title
Venturing Forth
Into The Mist
Crossing The River And Onward
Fiver's Vision
Throught The Woods
The Rat Fight
Violet's Gone
Climbing The Down
Bright Eyes And Interlude
Bigwig's Capture
Kehaar's Theme
The Escape From Efraf
Hazel's Plan
Final Struggle And Triumph
The End Titles

Customer Reviews:

Plentiful on vinyl.......2005-11-24

If you dont want to pay outrageous prices for the rare cd edition this album, it is available widely on lp on the many second hand vinyl web shops. These days it is simple to have it transferred to cd. All the technology is out there!!
Watership fan.

This soundtrack is wonderful!.......2005-10-17

So of all the soundtracks I've ever heard for movies, this one is definitely the best of them all. The music for starters is absolutely gorgeous. "Climbing the Downs" is truly inspirational, from the way it starts out with a lone French horn solo then gradually adds cellos and crescendoes...it's really moving and so gorgeous.

The use of instruments is really great in this piece. Use of alto and bass flute really adds depth to the music that other soundtracks hardly ever have. "Keehar's Theme", how it's longer here than in the movie, is REALLY great. The alto saxophone in that theme is perfect and ideal, it really fits the mood. Love the adding of oboe and flute in the extended of that song, it's so jovial and light.

It's a truly amazing CD...this music is FABULOUS. Like, it fits with everything in the movie. "Bright Eyes" totally brings tears to your eyes, and there's such a mournful oboe solo that's really touching and unique. Fiver's Vision, I never realized until I got this CD that the reason that scene always would scare me was not just the scene itself but because the music behind it created SUCH atmosphere...that is seriously some of the scariest music I've ever heard, it lends to such atmosphere in the movie and adds to it so much.

The Efrafan theme is very fitting...excellent drums, love the beginning with the brass and how it builds.

I reccomend this CD very, VERY highly to ALL Watership fans. Yes, it is expensive, but believe me...it is well worth it. I have no regrets on getting it, I am simply enthralled by this music, by the brilliance of this composer, by the amazing use of instruments in this to create probably the greatest soundtrack I've ever heard. I reccomment it very highly, because it is truly an amazing experience as a musician and as a very long-time Watership Down fan to own this soundtrack. Five stars and then some!

Quite possibly the best soundtrack in the world ever!.......2004-09-03

Forget 'Lord of the Rings', ignore 'Titanic', disremember '2001: A Space Odyssey'.
The soundtrack to the wonderful Watership Down animated film, is one of the greatest soundtracks, if not the greatest original soundtrack ever composed.

Featuring music from Malcolm Williamson - the Queen's official composer (who sadly passed away last year), Angela Morley, and Mike Batt, this is some of the most moving and touching music you will ever hear in a film.

At every point in the film, the music superlatively captures the mood, and affects the viewer.
Even the much-teased Bright Eyes theme, composed by Mike Batt, and sung in an ambient-dream style by Art Garfunkel (which was a British Number One for a number of weeks), never fails to leave most people without a dry eye.

Drama, fear, sadness, death, life, hope - all of these and much much more are wonderfully portrayed through the many different songs. And at the same time, a common motif - now eternally associated with Watership Down and rabbits - plays through the soundtrack. Sheer Brilliance!

This soundtrack is proof that film-makers don't have to follow the over-used formula of just mixing some chart rubbish with a couple of pedestrian original scores.

Although now hard to find, this soundtrack is an absolute must if you appreciate music that moves you...

A must for any "Watership" fan!.......1998-09-30

This release includes the haunting "Bright Eyes," though it is the album cut and not the version was topped the charts in England in 1979 (the single version has an extra verse, and a more uptempo mix). The album cut is the same version heard in the movie.

I've waited years for this CD issue and I'm very glad that it's finally out. My only complaints are minor: The packaging was poorly executed (the artwork looks like a bad scan of the original LP cover) and the liner notes are a bit sparse. I would also have liked it if they had included extra cuts, like the single version of "Bright Eyes," or the three other songs that Mike Batt composed for the film that weren't used. However, the mastering and overall sound quality on the disc are excellent. Angela Morley's soundtrack stands very much on it's own as a beautiful symphonic work.

It is a must for any "Watership" fan.

-Tim

Watership Down, a modern classic.......1998-09-08

The Watership Down original soundtrack album is a masterful blend of lyrical beauty, suspense, excitement and triumph that accurately and movingly captures the spirit of the motion picture and the original book. Assembling a soundtrack album is never easy--music is usually clipped into pieces to be sandwiched into the cinematic sequences--but the tracks were intelligently and sensitively arranged to provide a concert-like effect. The melodies are intelligent and deeply felt, and the orchestral arrangement was strangely appropriate--strong when it needed to be but disarmingly simplistic in keeping with the pastoral setting of the film. One of my all time favorite albums when I am in a thoughtful mood.