by PK on 11/23/1999
 
In only a few words, this Oscar-nominated score is absolutely stirring. It is nearly shocking that this music, aside from one or two themes, has never been available until now - almost a half a century later. We must be forever grateful to Jerry Goldsmith for holding this score close to his heart for such a long time; without the Maestro's passion for Alex North and his music, we'd probably not hear from this score for another fifty years.

Here, then, is North's film score at its best. Heavily influenced by events surrounding Mexico's revolutionary days from the early twentieth century, this music explodes with dissonance, all the while dancing with the flavor of Mexican culture and song.

Emiliano Zapata was a revolutionist leader, and North's music assures us of his power to lead the unempowered. But Zapata wasn't a total brute when it came to taking matters into his own hands. "Zapata's Love" embraces the leader's human emotion, as he vows to do everything to earn the cherished love of forbidden Josefa.

At the very heart of the score is the Zapata motif, fully developed in "Gathering Forces." In a remarkable cinematic moment, Zapata's planned execution brings his peasant followers together as they begin tapping their stones, calling everyone out of hiding. North's percussive music resonates the rhythmic pulse created by the peasants, and slowly turns into a rich, inspirational theme as the crowd grows in numbers and their awakening begins. With such a stirring characteristic, this motif has been included in Goldsmith's concert performances more than a few times. Of course, if you've seen Goldsmith conduct before, you've probably heard the Zapata motif... and most probably fell in love with it.

This new recording represents the best of two worlds. Finally, we get a complete edition of North's resilient score; a direct result of just how much North's music and friendship means to Goldsmith. We also get a beautifully recorded score, with unsurpassed technical quality. The quiet moments remain tender, the revolutionary bombasts remain bold and terrifying - an impossible feat that absolutely no 1950s recording studio could have achieved. If North could only hear this recording, he would be resting in the most serene kind of peace.