"many were winners by the Academy for best scores"
J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 05/25/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Silva America presents the essential in film music during the period of World Wars ~ "Longest Day:Ultimate World War Movie Theme", featuring some long forgotten cues, 53 to be exact that sent chills and thrills into the pulses of world events ~ selections from a limited collectors edition that would make any "film-score-buff" green with envy.Released to commemorate the sixth Anniversary of D-Day, never has there ever been such a tribute compilation package from any other label and Silva comes to the forefront ~ featuring The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra (Paul Bateman, Nic Raine Tony Bremner and Carl Davis as conductors), The Philharmonia (Kenneth Alwyn, Jerry Goldsmith, Mario Klemens and Paul Bateman as conductors) and also the world renown Crouch End Festival Chorus (David Temple as choir master) ~ what a gathering of talented musicians and singers fill this collection supreme.The lineup of composers is a Who's Who in the world of film music ~ John Addison, Tomaso Albinoni, Kenneth J. Alford, Paul Anka, John Barry, Arnold Bax, Elmer Bernstein, Eric Coates, Carl Davis, Klaus Doldinger, Antonin Dvorak, Benjamin Frankel, Gerald Fried, Hugo Friedhofer, Jerry Goldsmith, Ron Goodwin, Bernard Herrmann, Maurice Jarre, Michael Kamen, Jerome Moross, Alfred Newman, Clifton Parker, Alan Rawsthorne, Ryvichi Sakamoto, Lalo Schifrin, Gerard Schurmann, David Shire, Max Steiner, Dimitri Tiomkin, Ralph Vaughan Williams, John Williams, Gabriel Yared and Hans Zimmer ~ set the stage for compositional human drama while exploring the deepest troves of musical emotion ~ one masterpiece after another, each cue manages to display both a convincing authenticity of the times and places ~ experience every tracks passion and skill for striking the exotic orchestral colors, explosive power and spectacular works of full large scale orchestral arrangements previal at every turn.We are grateful to James Fitzpatrick (producer), Reybnold da Silva (executive producer), Rick Clark (associate producer/album sequence), Marion Garden (associate producer) and the whole gang at Silva America who have resurrected many of the soundtracks for the "film-score-buffs" in all of us.Total Time: 4-CD-Set ~ Silva America 812 ~ (5/25/2004)"
These are not the same arrangements as the original movie so
Steve Shimkus | Glenview, IL United States | 01/20/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I was disappointed that these are not the same arrangements as the original movie soundtracks. For example, in Colonel Bogey, the countermarch from the movie soundtrack is not included in the arrangement on this CD. Don't get me wrong, the songs are good, but I would have preferred the same arrangements as the original movies."
The really good ones are missing.
Ronald B. Raff | Tome, NM United States | 07/17/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"While this compilation has some masterpieces such as the theme from The Great Escape and Is Paris Burning, it's missing some of the finest tracts ever written. Where is the theme from Victory and Ernest Gold's stirring epic from Cross of Iron? The closing theme from Inchon was also a feast for the ears, but it's not here. It was written by Jerry Goldsmith, one of the foremost soundtrack composers of our time. Instead we're subjected to the likes of Hanover Street and The English Patient. I'll admit Inchon and Victory weren't Academy Award winning movies, but their soundtracks were second to none. As John Stossel would say," Give me a break"!!!"
An outstanding compilation
Michael Bolliger | Stäfa, Switzerland | 08/24/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This compilation is superb and a real must-buy. From Band of Brothers to A Bridge Too Far: every war movie theme is represented here. An all time classic.