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Posted: |
Sep 25, 2011 - 1:54 PM
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By: |
ToneRow
(Member)
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The tone pyramid heard within Frank Cordell's KHARTOUM reminds me of Leonard Rosenman more, but placing Cordell in the company of North & Fielding is also "spot on". 
Cordell's CROMWELL music is impressive and quite academic (possessing qualities one can hear in contemporary dissonant and/or choral concert works). I don't think CROMWELL and its music are well-known enough, despite their excellence, to receive the re-recording treatment.
RING OF BRIGHT WATER, however, did get re-recorded already (along with GOD TOLD ME TO) by Cordell himself, conducting the Phoenix orchestra. The LP was released in 1980, the year of Cordell's passing.
RING OF BRIGHT WATER may be even lesser known than CROMWELL, yet the composer was motivated enough to cull orchestral suites from his scores to this film as well as GOD TOLD ME TOO (aka DEMON). Perhaps these suites are published pieces available for concert performances and/or studio re-recordings.
I have a copy of this Phoenix LP. While it's a great thing to own, the 5 tracks on side 2 for GOD TOLD ME TO are not sufficient enough to satisfy my appetite for the entire score to this Larry Cohen movie. Yes, bring on more Cordell!
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I agree with that too. I'd put Richard Rodney Bennett in that bracket along with Cordell. There are parts of Khartoum that sound VERY influenced by North, particularly Cleopatra, to the point where I wonder if Cordell was writing in response to a temp track.
Cordell recycled the oracle music from 'Cleopatra' for the scene where Gordon enters the Mahdi's camp. I remember Lukas K saying that possibly temp-track was at work, right here on this board.
The opening Overture also has a passage from one of Holst's oriental-inspired works ('can't recall which one offhand) lifted more or less straight, and there are Waltonian bits here and there in the score. North's battle music in 'Spartacus' closely influenced the 'Cromwell' battle stuff.
That's the only criticism that MIGHT be levelled at his work, its derivative nature sometimes, but he had complete mastery of orchestration thanks to the RAF and jazzband training. He and his wife were pioneers in the pop-art movement (Richard Hamilton died recently) and I think some sneered at his 'pop-art' influenced arrangements like 'How Much is that Doggie in the Window?' and just didn't want him associated with 'serious' music, but he was on a par with Rodney-Bennett easily, and had great craftsmanship.
I like his particular blend of dissonance, he hits the balances just right for me.
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North recycled the oracle music from 'Cleopatra' for the scene where Gordon enters the Mahdi's camp. I remember Lukas K saying that possibly temp-track was at work, right here on this board.
Would I be correct in suggesting you meant to write "Cordell recycled North's oracle music from 'Cleopatra'..."?
Thank you. Amended, amended.
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bump
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If they decide to re-record the score, I hope they don't use the Crouch End Festival Chorus. I'm not big on their take on THE LION IN WINTER. Too flat in articulation, and no feeling for the Latin text.
The Monteverdi Choir would be perfect.
A clearly key consideration, given that there is no Latin in the score, and 17th Century English Puritans would have made sure none ever would be.
Don't spin, Oliver.
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