Album: Bridge on the River Kwai and music from other films of David Lean
Malcolm Arnold Bridge on the River Kwai - original motion picture soundtrack
- Studio Orch. under the composer
Maurice Jarre Suites from Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, Ryan's Daughter, Passage to India
- Royal PO under the composer (live recording)
Malcolm Arnold's score for
Bridge on the River Kwai won the Oscar in 1958, but its funny that the famous tune
Colonel Bogey March isn't his composition. That's included here, and the score has many themes, including the march, also one more Romantic and conveying a sense of hope, another with these stabbing rhythms that is more violent and also music reminiscent of gamelan. Its all bought together very effectively towards the end of the score.
Maurice Jarre also did some great scores for David Lean,
Lawrence of Arabia being a combination of Orientalism with epic vibes. You've also got the famous
Lara's Theme from
Doctor Zhivago that sounds quite a bit like the
Beer Barrell Polka (I only just noticed this).
Passage to India has hints of a similar theme, and it also includes theremin and celesta giving spooky vibes.
Handel Italian Cantatas: Clori, mia bella Clori & Amarilli vezzosa
- Patrizia Kwella and Gillian Fisher, sopranos; Catherine Denley, contralto; London Handel Orch. under Denys Darlow
Onto two of the three
Italian cantatas on this disc, works that where composed when
Handel was in Italy. They've got his usual warmth in terms of the string writing, which is one of my favourite aspects of his music.
Balakirev Russia - Symphonic Poem
- Leningrad PO under Victor Fedotov (Russian Legacy)
Continuing with the
Balakirev disc with
Russia, which was surprisingly quite lyrical for the most part. Looking forward to hearing his second symphony that rounds off the disc.
& in relation to a bit of my last post here:
Corelli was no just a tunesmith though, his importance can't be overestimated in terms of his innovations in string writing. In his own time he was a revered composer, teacher and violinist. His students included Vivaldi and he played in orchestras conducted by the young Handel when he came to Italy.
I went back to check and looks like my memory was not entirely correct there. Vivaldi was taught at the academy Corelli set up, but not taught by him personally. Germiniani and Locatelli where also taught there.