Thanks to this thread, I noticed that I hadn't actually picked up the CD, to go with his other 3 India-centric scores. With the way CD's can disappear and become Gold Dust overnight, I managed to snag a copy for normal retail price. So now my Thomas Newman Indian Quartet is complete. And what a fine score this is too. I think it's actually the most consistently enjoyable of the four. I know I've whittled the other 3 scores down slightly, to take out some of the less enjoyable tracks for my playlist, but this one will probably make the jump intact* I haven't heard one cue yet that I wouldn't want to hear time and again. Thanks...(to whoever jump started this thread).
edit...*oops, spoke too soon...a marching band source track just came on...he might have to go.
Although I purchased the score on release in 2017, I missed the film......until tonight. We've just finished streaming it and what an impressive piece of work. Initially quite humourous as Abdul and Mohammed travel to England to present a Queen Victoria, with a mohur, a gold coin that has been minted as a token of appreciation from British-ruled India. Abdul is from a Muslim, Urdu-speaking family in Agra, India but it develops into something much darker but is also, ultimately very moving. Great performances all round, particularly Judi Dench, of course, and Ali Fazal.
Thomas Newman's score works so well, particularly the tracks 28-30 on the album Banquet Hall of Eternity, The Empress of India and Victoria and Abdul.......all so moving and imo as good as anything Newman has done.
Just playing the score now.
Film is well worth catching if, like me, you missed it initially.
A wonderful cue covering seperate scenes near the end of the movie. Once again, Newman uses ethnic instrumentation and vocals to mesmerising effect on the opening 2/3 of the cue before sequeing into a full orchestral mode for the remainder. So effective in the film. Recorded at Abbey Road, engineered by Simon Rhodes.
