by Pete M on 2/24/2002
favorite track: 8
 
This is a re-release of the 1989 UK CD "The Soundtracks of Jerry Goldsmith with the Philharmonia" that is now very hard to find. It has been fully remastered & enhanced with a bonus track edited from the OST recording of Legend. I haven't heard the original to compare it with, but the sound is terrific. The tempo and performances are mostly very similar to the original recordings. The Philharmonia are enthusiastic collaborators, and the gusto of their performance outshines that of the LSO on Telarcs' more recent Goldsmith compilation. You really get the feeling the orchestra is having a great time playing this music, while the LSO gave the feeling that they'd rather be performing more "serious" classical works.

The music selections are spot on. You could argue that over 16 minutes of The Blue Max is a bit much when more space could be given to other scores (there's no Trek for a start), but it's such a fantastic score that I'm only to happy to have this much, and it really provides a strong flavour of the overall work. The huge "Attack" is the standout, performed with real drive and gusto - even if it's arguably not as good a piece as "Retreat" (missing from this suite), it's still one of the many highlights of his career. Anyone who doesn't own the complete will suddenly find themselves having to purchase it after hearing this suite.

The "TV Themes Medley" ranges from the swing of "Man from UNCLE" and "Barnaby Jones" to the insouciant "Room 222." More TV work is represented with the strident concert suite from "Masada," while Gremlins gets a lengthy suite which takes in some of the incidental music, culminating in the full swing of the Gremlin rag in a purely orchestral arrangement.

The "Motion Picture Medley" is up next, and is very enjoyable, although it's worth mentioning that Poltergeist is one of the few examples of the tempo being noticeably different to the OST. The Wind and the Lion makes for a formidable close to the suite (I was very tempted to stop the disc and listen to the full album immediately).

"The Generals Suite" compromising the marches from MacArthur and Patton (with its famous echoing trumpets) is next, before a fine take on the march from Lionheart makes for a suitably rousing conclusion to the original album. Legend is then stuck onto disc's end with the increasingly frenetic "Faerie dance" leading into the sublimely beautiful and uplifting "Re-united," making for a peaceful send off. The track fits quite well on the disc, although the sudden appearance of a choir is maybe a little disconcerting.

Overall, I'd say this is probably the best Goldsmith compilation currently available - great sound, fine performances and a cracking tracklist. It really is a no-brainer. The only excuse Goldsmith fans can have for not buying this is if they already have the original issue (and Legend) - whilst for everyone else it provides a highly enjoyable and satisfying sampler of his works. Since many of these pieces aren't available elsewhere in these arrangements - or if they are, they're not performed quite as well as this - every film music fan really ought to get themselves a copy.