CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD REVIEW - AMALIA


Amalia
Music by Nuno Malo
MovieScore Media MMS 10024
23 Tracks 47:54 mins

MovieScore media promised more releases from Portuguese composer Nuno Malo, after releasing his score for Julgamento, and the first of these has not been long in coming; and if you were impressed by the first score, I am sure you'll be similarly happy with this one, written for "a dramatic portrayal of one of Portugal's most famous musical personalities - Fado legend Amalia Rodriguez," as it features lots of fine melodic writing, especially for strings and guitar.
The opening score track, "Lament: Fado Dos Meus Erros (orchestra version)," is lovely, yet at the same time quite heartbreaking, and leads into the spiritual "Opening: Close to Death," where the soaring strings are joined by heavenly choir.
Happier, more innocent times, are recalled in the waltz-like "Bola De Berlin (Young Amalia)," whilst the tender "Amalia and Santo" hints at Amalia's first tentative romantic steps towards romance. By complete contrast is "Nightmare," with the heavenly choir taking on a darker hew.
"Amalia At Her Parents' Home" is a nice, but subdued guitar piece, whilst guitar also features, along with whistler, in the brief but catchy "Cesar's Theme."
"The Death of Aninha" is suitably mournful, and "The Cliff" passionate, whilst "Amalia Tenders to the Poor" offers more tender guitar work. This is followed by "Making Love/The Beating/The Collapse" which, as you can imagine, goes through a range of emotions, with "Trashed Poem" suitably devastated, a mood continued in "The Girl From Israel."
The main theme gets a tender Spanish guitar treatment, that is all too brief, in "Amalia Remembered," with piano taking it up in the following "Goodbyes." Things take a much sunnier turn for "Amalia: The Ending," with strings reprising the waltz theme from "Young Amalia," before the score closes on a reprise of the "Lament" theme, featuring Tina Guo on cello.
After Julgamento, I was looking forward to hearing what more the composer had to offer, and I have certainly not been disappointed with this follow-up release. More of the same to follow, I hope.
Incidentally, in addition to Malo's score, the CD release also features two songs from Amalia herself.
Go to www.moviescoremedia.com/amalia.html for samples, a trailer for the film, and ordering suggestions.