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Can any one tell me if there are any major differences between the Varese and Intrada editions of Alex North's '2001: The Unused Score'?
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Posted: |
Mar 30, 2011 - 6:43 AM
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By: |
ToneRow
(Member)
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Sure.
The 1993 re-recording of "2001" on Varese Sarabande, which was the first to appear on disc, was based upon manuscripts. Unfortunately, the box in which those manuscripts were stored also housed the main theme for Alex North's "Africa" TV program, which passed by un-noticed all throughout the re-recording process and got conducted by Jerry Goldsmith as part of the unused score.
Intrada's 2007 CD of the original recordings do not contain that "Africa" theme. ["Africa" was recorded in Munich with the Graunke Symphony Orchestra, while sessions for "2001" were done in England's former Anvil studios (recorded by Eric Tomlinson, I believe)]
In addition, there's a little more music from those original studio master tapes because North, with the help of his orchestrator Henry Brant, wrote replacement music for a scene or two which were done on the spot within the recording studio (and thus not on those manuscripts which Varese used).
At first, I considered Intrada's release to be not quite essential, since we already had a good-sounding recording on disc. But I quickly grown to love the Intrada disc, and now prefer it over the Varese re-recording
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The Varese appears to have 4 tracks that the Intrada doesn't:
1. Main Title (01:37)
6. The Dawn Of Man (03:14)
11. Interior Orion (01:26)
12. Main Theme (02:31)
While the Intrada appears to have 1 track that the Varese doesn't (other than the 4 alternate version tracks):
4. Bones (01:41)
What is the deal there?
Also the tracks are in a different order on both as well. Which one is the chronological order?
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The Varese re-recording sounds more like a Jerry Goldsmith score than an Alex North score. Not that that is a bad thing; I really enjoy the Varese.
However, the Intrada release is pure Alex North. And, as I get older, I'm discovering that North just may be my all time favorite film scorer. My appreciation for him grows and grows.
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Posted: |
Mar 30, 2011 - 8:30 AM
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By: |
ToneRow
(Member)
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The Intrada ousted the relatively bland Goldsmith-conducted version from my collection. That said, I doubt I'll listen to it more than once more in my lifetime – when the initial curiosity value has dissipated, I don't think there's a lot to reward repeated listening.
"2001" receives a lot of replay by me 
Guess it depends how acclimated one is towards absorbing abstract sound sculptures (which are much more abundant in the contemporary classical music world - consider all those Finnish albums on the Ondine label which feature one-movement works by the likes of Magnus Lindberg and Esa-Pekka Salonen, for instance).
Actually, one need not replay the 2001 album(s) to hear North's music again; in soundtracks as divergent as "The Shoes Of The Fisherman", "Hard Contract", "Dragonslayer" (and reportedly in the William Castle "Shanks", as well), North recycled motifs from "2001" to various degrees.
If one considers North's "2001" too hard an aural nut to crack, what would one think of the avant-garde music of his orchestrator Henry Brant?, whose got a series of CD albums (Innova, New World Records, etc.) to his credit, such as an album for massed flutes(!) and another which has "Dormant Craters" for percussion ensemble.
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The Varese appears to have 4 tracks that the Intrada doesn't:
1. Main Title (01:37)
While the Intrada appears to have 1 track that the Varese doesn't (other than the 4 alternate version tracks):
4. Bones (01:41)
What is the deal there?
"Bones" was used as the "Main Title" on the Goldsmith rerecording. They're the same piece, but Goldsmith's name and placement are incorrect.
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I listen to both CDs and enjoy them both. One added difference is: Varese--Stereo; Intrada--Mono. That is not important to me -- but may be to others.
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I really liked the Varèse issue, but the music on the Intrada release often sounds completely different. I have to say that despite the sonics, I prefer the Intrada edition which was conducted by Henry Brandt. The music seems to be more mysterious.
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The Varese appears to have 4 tracks that the Intrada doesn't:
1. Main Title (01:37)
6. The Dawn Of Man (03:14)
11. Interior Orion (01:26)
12. Main Theme (02:31)
While the Intrada appears to have 1 track that the Varese doesn't (other than the 4 alternate version tracks):
4. Bones (01:41)
What is the deal there?
Also the tracks are in a different order on both as well. Which one is the chronological order?
Does anybody know the answers to these questions?
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