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Trevor Jones, Randy Edelman:
THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS
Original Motion Picture Score

Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Conducted by Joel McNeely

"Rousing, kinetic update of the James Fenimore Cooper classic, replete with 1990s sensibilities, potent depiction of violence, and a charismatic central performance by Day-Lewis as Hawkeye. Wavers between sweep of historical fiction and smaller canvas of its love story, but never fails to entertain. Oscar winner for Best Sound. Evocative score by Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman." - Leonard Maltin

The film and the score are among the most popular of the last twenty years. The original soundtrack has sold nearly 2 million copies and remains a bestseller!! To celebrate a new director's cut special edition of the film on DVD comes this special edition of its equally famous and much loved score. CD features 20-bit digital sound, cues never before available and a sterling performance by the award-winning Royal Scottish National Orchestra. To top it all off we present this classic score for the first time at a value-price. It's lush and romantic. It's sweeping and exotic. It's a much-loved contemporary film music classic!

Original Cover Painting by Matthew Joseph Peak

Varese re-recorded Out of Africa, a score that is still in print on the MCA label. Like Mohicans, a very successful score album.

Why did they do it? It doesn't really matter, because now Varese is up to it again. Apparently, their Out of Africa re-recording sold enough to make it worthwhile... again!

Jeron

Shaun

My first thought on seeing this topic was "LAST OF THE MOHICANS? what a waste of money!" But then again, maybe it's not. Robert Townson has been running Varese for long enough to understand what sells and what doesn't, although he's hit a few bloopers, as anyone in his position inevitably would. If he thinks this will sell, well then, it's his cash to make back or to lose. Sure there's lots of things I'd rather have, and I won't be laying out the green for this one (the original is just fine by me); but if this sells well, and means Varese can afford more stuff like the Herrmann rerecordings, etc., then, well, bring em on!

Nobody's ever talked much on this Board or any other about how MANY soundtrack rerecordings there are on the market. I don't mean the quality ones, I mean those on-the-fly Canadian or Bulgarian or Whereverian rerecordings that are done outside the unions, and always consist of the same STAR WARS, GONE WITH THE WIND, etc. etc. nonsense. For all the faults of the Silva Screen collections, at least they've tried to do some offbeat stuff. These other companies ... well, I'm sure all of us have fallen victim to one or another of these "compilations" at one time or another.

I'd suggest you might not be so quick to assume anything.

The soundtrack recording to THE WIND AND THE LION was recorded by the Graunke Symphony Orchestra in Munich in 1975.

By all accounts Goldsmith had a hell of time getting that performance out of the orchestra (as well as making Director John Millus happy as well).

IMHO, the brass section of the RSNO in 2000 by on the recordings I've heard to date are far stronger the the Graunke Symphony of 1975.

Also, The Seattle Symphony Orchestra already did a great recording of "Raisuli Attacks" on the VARESE album "Blood and Thunder".

Have you ever heard it?

Regards

This is being released by Varese at the same time the director's cut DVD is being released next month. Good move on Varese's part, unless there is a fully expanded, isolated score on the DVD!

http://www.moviemusic.com/title.asp?id=lastofthemohicans-varese

PeterK

quote:

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Originally posted by PeterK:
Looks like a "re-recorded" score and that's it. Nothing expanded about it at all, in fact there are only three Edelman cues on it. Ok, there are a few unreleased Trevor Jones tracks on it, but it is by no means an "expanded" release. Still, I am looking forward to it, even though I am completely happy with the original album.
PeterK

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Whoa, whoa, hold on a second. Varese is re-recording a score with LESS music than was on the original?? Huh?

Acording to your track listing the total time is 15 minutes LESS than was on the original CD, and they left off "Canoes" and most of Edelman's stuff!

And, they seem to have added the following tracks:
3. Bridge At Lacrosse - Randy Edelman
4. Garden Scene - Randy Edelman
5. Ambush - Trevor Jones
12. Ascent/Pursuit - Trevor Jones

I have no problem with additional music, but not at the expense of music we've already got!

and like Peter said they re-recorded Out of Africa AND Somewhere in Time (which I assume the OST is still in print, I see it everywhere). The RSNO/ Debney performance of the Somewhere in Time score is very much worth the money as it features the complete score; also a decent rendition of the Rachmaninoff melody.

I'm all for it, especialyl if they elect to include all of Jones' stuff; I could live without the Edelman.

Also, if anyone's interested, my local Best Buy has one billion (yes, I counted them) copies of the Mohicans OST-CD.

This is what bothers me. Varese announces the Jaws rerecording. We all say, "Gee, this is great, but we'd prefer the original recording." Then Decca announces their version MONTHS later. Which is out first? The Decca. Why? That's just it...why? Why did EMI announce the reissues of the Bond series? Why do they bother telling everybody and their grandmother (mine is sick of the calls) that a CD is coming out, then when we ask when it IS coming out, we get an answer like, "Don't hold your breath." Is it just me?

Why? Shaun? Why? Beats me! Perhaps some big wig label dudes pushin' and shovin' each other in bullying matches. :::FWAP::: "Take that, world, a new JAWS recording!!" ::::THUD:::: "Take that Varese, the ORIGINAL tracks" ::::POW:::: "Come on Decca, that's not cool!" ::::SLAM:::: "Stay down Varese, no rights to release re-recording until our tracks hit the street!" :::::BANG::::: "Come on Decca, that's not cool!" :::: DUNK :::: "Sorry splotty!!!"

Eh, if you hear any other answer to your "why" question, I'd like to hear it...

PeterK

It will sell alot of copies.

The soundtrack has sold tens of thousands of units world-wide and has a borad appeal well beyond collectors. if the VARESE CD sells just 15% of what the soundtrack has, it could become their most successful and profitable re-recording to date.

it's a wise business move on their part.

Regards

Ford A. Thaxton

quote:

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Originally posted by PeterK:
And one way to do that, which is the biggest, smartest business move that has yet to be mentioned, is the low pricetag it will have. The original Mohicans cannot be sold for less than $16 bucks, even at online stores, so this Varese's real winning card. When faced with such a price difference, the non-collector will opt for the cheaper disc, afer all, music simply costs too much.
PeterK

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Got my original at Best Buy for $11.99. They have hundreds more, I think, all at that price.

-McNeely lacks the energy and rythmic punch of the original. This rerecording is somewhat slack.

-the orchestra does well, but sounds tiny. If the original soundtrack sounded like it had a few players and whole lot of synths, this one sounds like it had a few players and no synths.

The music has come alive, and is fleshed out with a good orchestral arrangement of the synth schidt.

People need to get over this need to have a re-recording sound EXACTLY like the original soundtrack recording.

your first clue should be that it's a re-recording. A concert performance, for the most part. I find this to be an unusually lively McNeely recording.

Go RSNO!!