Mix Tape November

Christmas came early for me this year, but not soon enough for my November mix tape. As I write this, I am awaiting the 2 CD set of The Phantom Menace, as well as the German re-issues of "Twilight Zone -- The Movie" and "Under Fire." And to know that Phillipe Sarde's "Tess" is on its way, well, that has got me all aglow with Holiday cheer.

Someone must have gotten a hold of my Christmas wish list, but they keep missing the first three scores I would LOVE to have be released or re-released in the near future, all from high profile, Oscar-nominated films. They are John Williams's "The Witches of Eastwick" (come on, hasn't the new London musical prompted interest in the movie and the great score?), Maurice Jarre's "A Passage to India" (great music that was a little out of place in the movie, but it is an Oscar winner, isn't it?), and Marvin Hamlisch's "Ordinary People" (see below for more, but isn't it time that this sparse but brilliant score saw the light of day?). The first two are hard to come by, and the third has never been released (it's more than just Pachebel's Cannon, you know). With recent re-issues of the less popular scores of Penelope and Ryan's Daughter (see below) by Chapter III records, I'm hoping my top three will have a chance.

But, you can't win them all, and while I hope and pray someone hears my plea, I will make my November mix tape with an eye to the future and my ear to the past with some exciting music that I would recommend you take a second listen to. This mix will fit one side of 90 minute tape.

Summon the Heroes (John Williams) 1996

In honor of the Summer 2000 Olympics in Sydney, NBC reissued this CD from the Summer 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. The one, big regret here is that John Williams didn't have a chance to create another Olympic anthem. To date, he has done three, each as recognizable as the familiar Bugler's Theme. His most recent, entitled Summon the Heroes, is his best. Heroic, full of pomp and glory, with a couple of modern twists here and there, I believe this is Williams's BEST non-score composition.

2) Overture from "Twilight Zone -- The Movie" 6:02

Frontiers (Jerry Goldsmith) 1984 [year of film, not album]

While I wait for my CD of the original soundtrack, this excellent re-recording by Goldsmith himself shows what is so great about the score: the diversity, the intensity and the fun of it all. Without relying on the TV theme song, Goldsmith has created a different sound for each of the four segments and except for the first which has no discernable melodies (and is burdened with a troubled history), each has a brilliant life of its own, from the nostalgic to the scary. This overture reveals why "Twilight Zone -- The Movie" contains three of Goldsmith's best scores of the 80's.

3) The 4 Who Saved the 9 Kingdoms 2:36

The 10th Kingdom (Anne Dudley) 2000

We've all been there. We hear a theme from a TV commercial for a movie, and when we get the soundtrack, it's not there. Thankfully, the music from the commercial of this NBC mini-series is included in the soundtrack, and it is indeed, the best cue of the CD. Very melodic, with renaissance flavorings and dramatic flair, it doesn't unfortunately appear very often in the rest of the score. I wish this cue was twice its length. Anne Dudley is truly becoming one of the best composers of her generation.

4) Yearning of the Sword 3:34

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Tan Dun) 2000

To counter the first three energetic cues of the mix tape, I decided to slow things down with what is, at this point in time, the best score of the year. Tan Dun's music is deceptively quiet, creating in the length of the CD, an intensely powerful, spiritual score. This particular cue is very melancholy and highlights soloist Yo-Yo Ma's cello playing.

5) Epilogue/End Credits 5:40

A Far Off Place (James Horner) 1993

Not a score I know a lot about, but I remember enjoying the conclusion of the CD, so I decided to revisit one of Mr. Horner's least talked about score. It is quite beautiful.

6) Election suite (part 2) 3:11

Election (Rolfe Kent) 1999

I included this funny, eclectic score not just because I like it, but because the actions of the movie and the recent presidential election are eerily similar. Just substitute Gore for Tracey Flick, George W. Bush for Paul, the football player, and Jeb Bush for Matthew Broderick's teacher in the counting of the votes scene, and things become very clear. This is the second half of the all too short cue on the CD.

7) Knock the Cover Off the Ball 2:21

The Natural (Randy Newman) 1984

In honor of the Subway World Series with the Yankees and the Mets, this is the ultimate baseball music. Play this cue with any home run replay, and it works. It's Randy Newman at his best.

8) The Church of Glass 3:50

Oscar and Lucinda (Thomas Newman) 1997

Randy Newman's cousin Thomas is best known for his quirky score for "American Beauty" and the Americana of "The Shawshank Redemption," but there is so much to his music than that. Take for instance this beautiful and fragile cue from this small Australian movie starring Ralph Fiennes and Cate Blanchett, it is one of his most inspirational. It sounds modern but also historically accurate. Take a chance on this score.

9) Andy's Return 4:08

Switchback (Basil Poledouris) 1997

Intrada Records is starting to release limited edition CDs of score that never had a commercial release (please, Intrada, read the second paragraph on this column), and their inaugural release is this exciting, but not very memorable score from Poledouris. However, I am sure someone wanted this music, so I got it and this cue in particular caught my attention.

10) Main Titles 4:31

Ryan's Daughter (Maurice Jarre) 1970

Been curious about this score, the one Jarre-David Lean collaboration that I have the least knowledge of. Now the score is out again, and upon close listen, it sound remarkably similar to "A Passage to India" (or vice versa). Still, nice to have in my collection.

11) Vera's World from Dolores Claiborne 2:36

Music for a Darkened Theater Vol. 2 (Danny Elfman) 1995

Back to "Ordinary People" for a second. When I first saw the trailer to "Dolores Claiborne," they used the flashback boat accident scene music from "Ordinary People," and it was thrilling to hear and so appropriate to the trailer. When I finally heard Elfman's score, I was disappointed at first, but upon multiple viewings (and this is one of those movies that I will watch whenever it comes on TV -- one of King's best screen adaptations), Elfman's score reveals a brilliance and subtly that is right on target. This cue is particularly good.

12) The Great Sea 1:35

Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (Cliff Eidelman) 1992

You've heard it before. This is THE underrated score of the 90's, and if you still haven't gotten yet, what is wrong with you? Soon to be out-of-print, this score is grand, rousing and so melodic, it hurts. This cue includes the main theme in all its glory and is a fitting end to any mix tape.

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