Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard "Gladiator" (OST) (2000)

Gladiator (soundtrack)

release date: Apr. 25, 2000

format: digital (35 x File, FLAC) (20th Anniversary Edition, 2020 reissue)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,06]

producer: Klaus Badelt, Hans Zimmer, Ridley Scott

label: Universal Music Classics - nationality: Germany / Australia

Track highlights: 3. "The Battle" - 5. "Sorrow" - 6. "To Zuccabar" - 9. "The Might of Rome" - 15. "Elysium" - 17. "Now We Are Free" - *19. "Now We Are Free (Juba's Mix)" - *25. "Rome Is the Light" - *35. "Now We Are Free (Maximus Mix)"

*2020 Anniversary Edition

Soundtrack to a Ridley Scott directed epic drama starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Derek Jacobi, Richard Harris, and Oliver Reed (who passed away 1 year before the film premiered). The soundtrack is like the film an acclaimed work in its own rights, and all music here is credited Zimmer & Gerrard in collaboration and with Gavin Greenaway conducting [The London] Lyndhurst Orchestra.

The original soundtrack runs for just over one hour and counts the first 17 tracks - the remaining 18 tracks have been added to the 20th Anniversary Edition; however already in 2001 the soundtrack was released in this version as a 2-disc CD edition for the European market doubling its running time.

The music is held in a classic (heavily) orchestrated frame. The music is pompous but quite fitting to the likewise dramatic imagery side of the film. At times I notice a strong influence from Morricone and some inspiration from Richard Wagner but then aren't all great composers inspired by others? What really works on a higher level here, is that themes and styles go hand in hand with the images and the story, and yet as a standalone piece of work, this soundtrack still works quite nicely; although, I prefer the more progressive compositions and especially those featuring Gerrard's enigmatic vocal performances.

Gladiator (OST) is one of those rare soundtracks where everything is in sublime synergy. I may prefer more experimental and subtle soundtracks but this is one to cherish.

[ 👍allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

[ Hans Zimmer on the making of the soundtrack ]

Elvis Costello & The Brodsky Quartet "The Juliet Letters" (1993)

The Juliet Letters
release date: Jan. 19, 1993
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,68]
producer: Brodsky Quartet, Elvis Costello and Kevin Killen
label: Warner Bros. - nationality: England, UK

Studio album by the music crossover-project featuring pop / rock artist Elvis Costello and British classical string ensemble (the) Brodsky Quartet consisting of Ian Belton and Michael Thomas on violin, Paul Cassidy on viola and Jaqueline Thomas on cello.

The album was released to mostly positive reviews and the project also perfomed live to critical acclaim. I just don't think it works that well. Costello performs songs from his most delicate jazzy corner à la "Almost Blue" / "Shipbuilding" with the string quartet as instrumental appendix trying to fit in, or simply communicate that this is true art. I find it boring, uninspiring altogether, and see it as more of a media stunt he pulled through.

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Angelo Badalamenti "La cité des enfants perdus" (OST) (1995)

La cité des enfants perdus (soundtrack)

release date: May 1995

format: cd (0630-10251-2)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]

producer: Angelo Badalamenti

label: EastWest - nationality:

Track highlights: 1. "Générique (a: Marcello, b: Who Will Take My Dreams Away?, c: Theme de La Cité des Enfants Perdus)" - 2. "L'anniversaire d'Irvin" - 8. "Le Voyage du Rêve" - 9. "Miette" - 10. "L'exécution" - 12. "La foire" - 16. "La Cité des Enfants Perdus"
👉 [ Soundtrack playlist ]

Soundtrack album by Angelo Badalamenti for the French film "La cité des enfants perdus" by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro - a film featuring Dominique Pinon, Ron Perlman, and Jean-Claude Dreyfus. The total running time of the album just excedes 52 minutes.

The soundtrack has a bit of the same uneasy vibe as you'll find on the "Soundtrack from Twin Peaks" (the TV-series) from 1990 as well as Badalamenti's soundtrack for "Blue Velvet" (OST); however, the style is more orchestrated both displaying elements from a popular French culture as well as more string-based arrangements. The soundtrack works splendid in the film but appears a bit weaker on its own.

Gabriel Yared "37°2 Le matin (Betty Blue)" (OST) (1986)

37°2 Le matin (Betty Blue) (soundtrack)
release date: 1986
format: vinyl (V2396)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: Gabriel Yared, Georges Rodi
label: Virgin Records - nationality: Lebanon

Soundtrack album composed, arranged and directed by Lebanese composer Gabriel Yared who has composed music to several major French movies during the 1980s. The film "37°2 Le matin" has become more commonly known as "Betty Blue", and is directed by French director Jean Jacques Beineix.

Angelo Badalamenti "Blue Velvet - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" (OST) (1986)

Blue Velvet - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (soundtrack)

release date: 1986

format: cd (VCD47277)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,02]

producer: David Lynch

label: Varese Sarabande - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Main Title" - 2. "Night Streets / Sandy and Jeffrey" - 3. "Frank" - 6. "Frank Returns" - 8. "Blue Velvet / Blue Star (Montage) (feat. Isabella Rossellini)" - 10. "Akron Meets the Blues" - 11. "Honky Tonk Part I (performed by Bill Doggett)" - 12. "In Dreams (performed by Roy Orbison)" - 13. "Love Letters (performed by Ketty Lester)" - 14. "Mysteries of Love (feat. Julee Cruise)" 👉 [ Soundtrack playlist ]

Soundtrack album to the film "Blue Velvet" by David Lynch featuring Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, and Laura Dern. The soundtrack is Badalamenti's first full-length soundtrack under his own name, although, he debuted as soundtrack co-composer as Andy Badale together with Albert Elias (as Al Elias) - together they were credited as Badder Than Evil - and they stood behind the majority of the music for the 1973 film "Gordon's War" (directed by Ossie Davis); a year later, again with Al Elias and still credited as Andy Badale they made the music for "Law and Disorder" by Ivan Passer, they also made music to one episode of the "NBC Special Treat" TV-series in '77, and then in '83 he released the album Nashville Beer Garden under the name of 'Andy Badale and The Beer Garden Band'; however, the Blue Velvet soundtrack is his first soundtrack under his own name and as a solo artist.

The music here represents a huge mix of styles - from traditional r&b, blues, jazz, popular standards, classical, and contemporary pop music, but not in a big melting pot, but various tracks contain bits and pieces from this or that and altogether its a highly coherent mix. Like the film has a disturbing element, so does Badalamenti's soundtrack contain an eerie dimension that helps transporting the film to its status as a certified classic, and perhaps the film rocketed Lynch to the top of hot directors in the 80s.

Badalamenti's soundtrack is regarded as a major work and one of the best soundtracks of the 1980s, and 'frankly' [!] it's one of those, which really works on its own. It's really not a collection where the single compositions compete in gaining the listener's attention but the type of albums where the whole works as the biggest accomplishment.

As the film is a must, the soundtrack by Badalamenti is worth every penny.

Zbigniew Preisner "La double vie de Véronique" (OST) (1991)

La double vie de Véronique (soundtrack)
release date: 1991
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]

"Weronika"

Original Soundtrack album made for the brilliant movie "La double vie de Véronique" (1991) directed by Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieślowski. Preisner (aka Zbigniew Antoni Kowalsk) has worked with Kieślowski on several feature films including "Blind Chance", "Dekalog" (TV-series and feature film), and the trilogy "Trois couleurs: Bleu", "Trois couleurs: Blanc", "Trois couleurs: Rouge".
This is my favourite Kieślowski film and one of Preisner's best soundtracks (I know many consider the 1st of his Trois Couleurs' films the best but I think it's too cheesy with way too heavy symbolism, and Presiners' score seems too close to this earlier work, and it lacks complexity). Preisner is a modern classical composer mostly making music for films.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

[ film trailer ] [ extract ]

Cecilia Bartoli - Live

Cecilia Bartoli
"Vivaldi Arias"

[Live in concert]

"Se tu m'ami" (Live)

'My' Cecilia Bartoli albums

.  .  .

.  .

. 

Julian Bream & John Williams "Together" (1972)

Julian Bream & John Williams
Together (1972)
[debut collaboration album]

[album rate: 4 / 5]

"Manuel de Falla: Spanish Dance No. 1 - La vida breve"

.  .  .

.  .

. 

Julian Bream and John Williams "Together Again" (1974)

Together Again
release date: 1974
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]

Tracklist: 1-3. Ferdinando Carulli: 'Serenade, Op. 96' - 4. Enrique Granados: 'Danza Española, No. 6' - 5. Isaac Albeniz: 'Bajo La Palmera, Op. 232' - 6. Enrique Granados: 'Danza Española Nr. 11' - 7. Mauro Giuliani: 'Variazioni Concertanti, Op. 130' - 8. Isaac Albeniz: 'Evocación'

3rd collaboration work with Julian Bream and John Williams. Before this they released the album Julian & John (1973), which seems much alike their first co-work, Together (1972) featuring interpretations of works by Lawes, Carulli, Albéniz, and Granados, and this one really just continues the same path, now without Lawes but with Giuliani. The quality is at the same high level.

Julian Bream & John Williams "Together" (1972)

Together [debut]
release date: 1972
format: cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5]

Tracklist: 1-3. William Lawes: 'Suite for Two Guitars' ('Corant') - 4-5. Ferdinando Carulli: 'Duo in G major' - 6-8. Fernando Sor 'L'encouragement' - 9. Isaac Albeniz: 'Cantos de Espana, Op. 232' - 10. Enrique Granados: 'Goyescas - Intermezzo' - 11 Manuel de Falla: 'Spanish Dance No. 1' - 12. Maurice Ravel: 'Pavane pour une infante défunte' - 13-18. Gabriel Faure: 'Dolly, Op. 56' - 19. Enrique Granados: 'Danzas espanolas, Op. 37'

1st collaboration work with these two great classical guitarists. Julian Bream is probably the best-known English classical guitarist playing Spanish guitar and lute. John Williams (not to be confused with the American classical conductor and composer of film music) is an Australian classical guitarist and like Bream mostly known for classical pieces for Spanish guitar. I came across this album around the late 1980s and has had an ear for Bream ever since.

Andrés Segovia - Live

Andrés Segovia
"Sevilla"

[Live performance of Isaac Albeniz's "Sevilla", 1962]

Andrés Segovia Live:

"Live concert" (43:44 min.)
playing "Mozart variations" (3:33 min.)
playing "Gavotte" by J.S. Bach (4:17 min.)
playing Villa-Lobos "Prelude no. 1, e minor", live in Spain (4:36 min.)
playing Luis de Navaez at the age of 86 (2:52 min.)

.  .  .

.  .

.