Cleopatra

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Binding: Audio CD EAN: 4005939622428 Format: Soundtrack Label: Varese Sarabande Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande Number Of Discs: 2 Publisher: Varese Sarabande Release Date: 2001-05-21 Studio: Varese Sarabande
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Editorial Reviews: Finally available after four decades, this complete two-CD set of Alex North's monumental two-and-a-half-hour score for Cleopatra (1963) is a dream come true for serious film music aficionados. The story of the restoration of this music is an epic in itself, well told in the excellent accompanying 24-page colour booklet. The score is a landmark in film composition, combining elements of the bold militarism of Miklós Rózsa's Ben-Hur (1959) with North's own much more modernistic style to create a work which ranges from cold menace and atonality to the deep lyricism and romance. Considering the overlapping subject matter it is unsurprising to find references to North's own music for Spartacus (1960), though the material here is almost entirely new and is based on separate themes for Cleopatra's relationships with Anthony and Caesar, together with an "ambition" theme. Around these North weaves an extraordinarily complex fabric, interspersed with such bold set pieces as "Moon Gate" and the 14-minute "Sea Battle". Use of percussion, from the savagely warlike to the glitteringly mysterious is always imaginative, never resorting to Hollywood cliché. The restored sound, while lacking the impact of more modern recordings, is full and highly detailed. This is probably the most essential archive soundtrack release since John Williams' Superman. --Gary S Dalkin
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Cleopatra's ambition Comment: Cleopatra is undoubtedly Alex North's magnum opus and perhaps the greatest score ever written for a movie. It is more understated than his score to Spartacus and more wide-ranging than Rózsa's Ben-Hur. What I like about Alex North's music is that is not as repetitive as other film scores such as Ben-Hur or Herrmann's Vertigo. They both rely on the Wagnerian regurgitation of major themes. However this is why Alex North's music can be somewhat hard to comprehend on first hearing. There is so much more to take in, such as the primal sounding music that accompanies Cleopatra's grand entry into Rome, and the numerous layers of spectacular orchestrations including the brilliant use of percussive effects. However once you get to know the score of Cleopatra it will never leave you, and the love music is absolutely beautiful. Highly recommended! P.S If you like this soundtrack you will probably like the music of the classical composer Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) Customer Rating: Summary: A treat for all ears. Comment: For years and years I wore out my Cleopatra vhs tapes and dived into the enchantment of Ancient Egypt. The movie is a feast for all five senses and Alex North's soundtrack is truly fantastic - I love working (I'm a literature researcher) listening to this wonderful edition. Customer Rating: Summary: Soundtrack as they should be Comment: The opening music of this film have stayed with me for over 40 years (I even wrote some lyrics for it) The composer had his own ideas of how this score should be done and most of it is inspired. From the use of the the original style of Roman horns for blaring fanfares, to cues reminiscent of Prokofiev, to the almost 50's love theme for Anthony and Cleopatra, the music is interesting and compelling. The amount of music for the film was immense. Some have said North borrowed from Spartacus, but this is pure nonsense. These were two very different films. There is none of the innocence of the love in the other film. Cleopatra is about people who know their way around. The jet setters of the Roman World, and the music reflects this. As far as I can tell every cue is there on the discs. The recording is crisp and the double disc set comes with a 24 page booklet crammed with information about the film and the music. This is a must for anyone who claims to be a serious collector of film music, or indeed for those who just love music. Customer Rating: Summary: CLEOPATRA,S BACK WITH AVENGANCE! Comment: FOR MOST OF MY ADULT LIFE I,VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR A COPY OF THIS BRILLIANT SCORE BY ALEX NORTH, WHEN I FIRST HEARD THE MAIN THEME I JUST COULD,NT GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD, BUT NOW IT,S HERE AT LONG LAST, THE MUSIC ON THIS DOUBLE CD HAS BEEN TOTALLY REMASTERED TO TODAYS STANDARDS, THE MUSIC SOUNDS AS FRESH AS IT DID ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, THE MUSIC HAS BEAUTIFUL SWEEPING THEMES FOR CLEOPATRA,JULIUS CEASAR AND MARK ANTONY, THIS SOUNDTRACK IS FOR ALEX NORTH FANS OR FANS OF THE FILM ITSELF. More Reviews