Customer Reviews

Christus Apollo

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this at first to see what Goldsmith would do without the background of the motion picture to back him up. I knew that he would be able to do it, I just wanted to see what it was like. I came out throughly satisified that he can accomplish the task.

All works here are commissions. The first, as other reviewers have implied, invokes Planet of the Apes and Alex North's 2001. Very discordant and atonal, the piece will saisify anyone who loved Planet of the Apes.

Christus Apollo, which forms the core of the recording, is the penultimate of his genius. With Ray Bradbury supplying the words and the lovely narration by Anthony Hopkins, the genius of Apollo is brought to life and the mind is filled with images of man striding the heavens to fulfill his destiny.

The last piece is one that shows that Goldsmith can write with such beauty and poetry that can bring tears to the eye, which Fireworks did when I first heard it. It is Blue Max brought to the 90's and invokes one to think of looking to the sky and seeing what is there and what can be. Fireworks is well worth the price of the whole thing to me and is a must in any Goldsmith fans collection.

Jerry Goldsmith is one of classical music's most outstanding composers of the twentieth century and a master of both abstract and programmatic music. His mastery of programmatic music has been long known from his prolific and spectacular film legacy, but his abstract music has been neglected until now. This album is a wonderful introduction to this side of his work, and now I want more.

The three pieces on this disc give a good cross-section of musical styles. Although Goldsmith states that he composed "Music for Orchestra" and CHRISTUS APOLLO using 12-tone techniques, his strong lyricism and signature treatment imbue both works with an immediate accessibility seldom found in serial music. He also is able to create quite different worlds in each, the first being tumultuous and the second being devotional in nature.

"Music for Orchestra" was written during a time of personal distress, and Goldsmith channelled this into his composition. It is a firestorm of sound. Goldsmith's confident direction and the London Symphony Orchestra's strong playing combine to give a powerful performance.

The title work of this disc is a four-movement cantata based on a text by Ray Bradbury. Written in 1969, CHRISTUS APOLLO brings Christian mysticism into the Space Age. The musings by the narrator of what a Christ would experience on another planet are answered by the chorus and mezzo soprano. This interplay of voices celebrates the universal nature of the divine. Goldsmith's music gives a sense of timelessness to the work, sounding simultaneously modern and ancient. Anthony Hopkins' smooth reading of the narrator and Eirian James' rich mezzo blend well with the London Voices' mesmerizing presentation.

"Fireworks" was written as a finale piece for Goldsmith's first concert series with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl-complete with fireworks, surprisingly enough. It evolved to become a celebratory work commemorating Los Angeles, his home town. The joyous nature of his feelings are readily apparent. It is an exuberant work that brings the disc to a brilliant close.

This disc is a continuation of Jerry Goldsmith's tradition of great music. Whether you are a novice to his music or a die-hard fan (like me), this music will inspire. It is another reason in a long list of why Jerry Goldsmith is one of the great musical voices of our time.

Music for Orchestra is very similar to Jerry's Planet of the Apes, and therefore, is quite atonal and dissonant. I personally like it, but if you haven't heard it before, you should probably listen to POTA again and decide if you like it!
Christus Apollo sounds very silly and very dated. Its similar in tone to Music for Orchestra. In my opinion, its the weakest (but also sadly the longest) piece on the disc.
And Fireworks, a fantastic 8 minute concert piece, is worth the price of the disc alone. Goldsmith calls it a celebration of his life and career, and it shows. Its not as musically complex as the first two pieces, but it is a lot more fun. Easily my favorite of the three. It strongly reminds the listener of Jerry's scores to Lionheart and Bad Girls. Its a great slice of Americana; the way Legends of the Fall was.
The performance by the LSO is absolutely flawless. Can't praise them enough, and Goldsmith's conducting is fabulous as always.
This is an essential CD for all Goldmsith fans, and makes one wish he'd written a lot more concert pieces in his illustrious career.

had Jerry Goldsmith divided his time between scoring films and writing concert works like his more famous contemporary John Williams has done. This disc must surely be a hint of the kind of music the composer may have
written for himself. This is very original music that much is certain and is performed exceptionally well by the
London Symphony Orchestra.
I don't think he would have just composed serial music. He was such a diverse and extremely gifted composer that
he would have gone in all sorts of directions. Two of the selections here, "Music for Orchestra" and "Fireworks"
proves that obvious point and he had said he was working on a concerto (which he never finished) and was approached for a "Star Trek" opera which would have been fascinating. we can only imagine what might have been.
All I can say is that the music on this album shows the composer at his most creative and free from the constrictions of a scoring schedule. "Christus Apollo" is an extremely interesting piece and the longest composition
here. He collaborates once again with writer Ray Bradbury (Goldsmith scored the film version of his "Illustrated Man") since they knew each other from the 1950s and the added bonus of the great Anthony Hopkins doing the narration
adds even more stature to this piece----Charlton Heston did the narration at the piece's premiere in 1969 and was very powerful stuff because I heard it.
"Music for Orchestra" was written at a difficult period in the composer's life and the music shows it. Its at times
turgid, reflective and savage, a powerful piece. And "Fireworks" is a standout piece showing Goldsmith at his most
lyrical. I only wish he had written more absolute music because I always considered him a great composer and not a 'film composer' which I always hated.
If you're a true fan of the composer and want to explore his musical evolution this fine album should satisfy your curiosity. It did for me.

These concert pieces written in 1970, 1960, and 1999 (Fireworks) show Goldsmith at his experimental and successful peak 30 years ago. Christus Apollo is well-performed, rich in texture, color, and a style distinctly Goldsmith. In fact, you will listen and hear shades of "The Omen" and the energy of "Planet of the Apes".

This recording shows Goldsmith as a gifted composer outside the shackles of film music. You will not find the toe-tapping melodies of "Rudy" or the "Star Trek" series. Instead you will find dissonent and 20th-century-styled strains that are still very accessible.

Anthony Hopkins' narration brings life to Ray Bradbury's text. The London Symphony Orachestra and London Voices lend virtuosity and charm to these wonderful works.

Poor music that walks without aim. Good for torture. Bad on the ears.

Last piece sounds like Goldsmith.

If you enjoy Jerry Goldsmith's music, look elsewhere.