CD REVIEW - KINGS ROW/THE SEA WOLF + NEWS FROM TOP DOLLAR PR


Kings Row/The Sea Wolf
Music by Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Film Score Monthly Vol.10 No.15 (US)
Disc 1 - 12 Tracks 74:56 mins Disc 2 - 16 Tracks 57:13 mins

Here is a must-have release that almost needs no introduction. Erich Wolfgang Korngold's music for the 1942 production of Kings Row, based on Henry Bellamann's novel is one of a handful of great scores to come from the pen of the Austrian composer and sits comfortably alongside his perhaps more well-known efforts for The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Sea Hawk. Indeed, the way the score opens, with a rousing, regal flourish, one might think that another swashbuckler is in store. Now, the nature of this theme (which surely inspired John Williams' Star wars and Superman) may or may not be a result of a misunderstanding on the part of the composer, but what follows certainly isn't. It's highly appropriate to the story filled with melody, and carries the epic sweep that can be found in all of Korngold's best film work. And, although you may already have re-recorded selections from this score (the Gerhardt album probably being the most desirable) this is probably the definitive release of the score, which is almost complete, save for a few lost cues and fills all of disc one, with the concluding moments leading off disc two. What's more, you have Korngold's conducting, which is legendary and quite unique, allied with the superb musicianship of the Warner Bros Orchesta.
Completing disc two is one of Korngold's shorter scores, presented complete, for 1941's The Sea Wolf, a dark tale, featuring one of the composer's darker scores, more akin to his work for the opera, and featuring such as vibraphone and novachord, although still boasting a gorgeous love theme.
As always, a splendid booklet accompanies the set, filled with plenty of stills from the films, as well as behind-the-scenes shots of the composer and his orchestrators at work, together with Korngold biographer Brendan G., Carroll's detailed notes and the customary cue-by-cue guide to the music presented. Go to www.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm?ID=8271 for further details, samples, and to order your copy. Don't be without it!

From Top Dollar PR

MEDIA RELEASE

CONFLICT: DENIED OPS TO FEATURE
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK COMPOSED BY
RICHARD JACQUES

Veteran Composer Provides Interactive Hollywood Score Treatment
for Latest Instalment in Conflict Video Game Series

London, United Kingdom – January 22nd, 2008 – Renowned for his Hollywood caliber orchestral writing, multiple award-winning composer Richard Jacques (Headhunter, Mass Effect) has scored an original music soundtrack for CONFLICT: DENIED OPS, a new two-player co-op first person shooter from Pivotal Games and the fifth game in the best-selling CONFLICT series. CONFLICT: DENIED OPS will be released on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in February 2008.

To complement the non-stop action and cinematic moments throughout the game, Jacques composed an energetic military score that employs traditional ethnic instruments and vocals for the settings across Africa, South America and Russia. The music is fully interactive, reacting to the player’s movements, and enhances the immersive experience of the fast-paced gameplay.

“Richard Jacques’ work on Conflict: Denied Ops has been inspirational,” said Stuart Poole, Senior Producer at Pivotal Games. “He rose to the challenge of producing dynamic music for multiple regions and has given Conflict: Denied Ops its own distinct sound whilst giving each region in the game its own unique feel. The music deeply enhances the gaming experience by making the player feel very much part of the action.”

Richard Jacques is classically trained with an extensive repertoire in contemporary music genres and the recipient of numerous industry awards including Best Music from GameSpot and GameSpy. Continually in demand by the world’s leading game studios, he is internationally recognized as one of the A-list composers working in video games and rated as “One of the truly distinctive game music composers in the industry today” (PLAY Magazine, US).

For more information on Richard Jacques please visit: www.richardjacques.com.

For more information on CONFLICT: DENIED OPS, please visit: www.conflict.com.