Customer Reviews

Elizabeth I: The Virgin Queen

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Even from the very first minutes of The Virgin Queen, I just knew I HAD to have this soundtrack. I usually need to listen to a song before I can decide it I like it or not but this time it was different. On Saturday night, after watching part 1, I fell asleep humming to it and when on Sunday I saw part 2, all I cared for was how to get this album, regardless of means, regardless of cost.

People interested in the life of Elizabeth I who have not seen The Virgin Queen may be a little surprised as the OST did not feature typical Tudor music. Instead, there is a strong Medieval flavor, exceptional female voices and an interesting mix of musical instruments. The result is a perfect blend of surpassing beauty.

It is not just the tunes, or the voices, or the lyrics. These tracks have a life of their own. It is quality that sinks in you and grows on you like a mystical entity. Beautiful. Haunting. Breath-taking.

The Mediaeval Baebes are simply fascinating and I could not think of a better choice for this soundtrack. The tracks The Virgin Queen (#1) and The Work Of The Lord (#2) are my favorite from them and the tunes with variations are the most memorable from the movie. The lyrics of The Virgin Queen are actually taken from the poem 'On Monsieur's Departure' written by the Queen herself. The song enhances greatly the most dramatic moments in the movie (... my care is like my shadow...) and give a particular insight in Elizabeth's state of mind and her genius. Great compliments go to the composer Martin Phipps.

A curious fact I want to comment on is track 13. Oddly enough,
after listening to it for at least 20 seconds I realized the lyrics were not in English! It took me 7 more seconds to realize that I actually understood every word of them! I'm billingual now but of Bulgarian origin and the lyrics are in the Bulgarian language. Because it is extremely unlikely you will find the translation anywhere, here it goes:

'When you are gone, the summer is cool,
Your warm caresses slip by like the fall
Like an old song, our love, my dear.

When you are gone, the summer is cool,
Your warm caresses slip by like the fall
Like an old wound, our love, my dear.

(in English) Remember me...'

Later when I paid attention to the cover I saw that tracks #3, #10, #11 and #13 were performed by "The London Bulgarian Choir" and two Bulgarian singers.

To sum it up, this is probably the best OST in my collection and a must-have for everybody who enjoyed The Virgin Queen or appreciates the art of the Baebes. A true masterpiece.

I fell in love with this soundtrack when PBS aired 'The Virgin Queen' (BBC: Masterpiece Theatre). Unfortunately, I could not find this soundtrack for sale anywhere in the states and had to buy it from Amazon's UK site. But what a wonderful purchase!

It is a delightful and lively blend of early music and modern stylings composed by Martin Phipps and featuring the talented Mediaeval Baebes with solos by Katherine Blake. The mix of instruments include the hardanger, sarangi, kamanchi, celtic harp, flute, duduk, electric & acoustic cello, electric & acoustic violin, electric guitar and citern. But it is the rich vocal harmonies and memorable melodic lines that will play in your head long after listening.

There are some decidedly haunting tracks that feature vocals by Dessislava Stefanova & Eugenia Georgieva with the London Bulgarian Choir.

It is no longer available at amazon.co.uk, but I think these UK sites still have it for sale:
bucksmusicgroup, towensend-records.co.uk

If you can find this CD, get it... and let those angelic voices put a smile on your face.

I bought this CD a couple months ago. I love love love the music. I saw The Virgin Queen on Masterpiece Theater at PBS (an American network). The music I heard in the background entertained me so much that I had to find out who it was. The Mediaeval Baebes were wonderful. I have been a fan of this group ever since they started. I am surprised at myself that I did not even recognized the voices.

My only complaint is that I had to order this from overseas (which cost a fortune!!!), and took about a month to get to me, which is frustrating.

All in all this was worth buying and waiting for. I am glad I did.

This soundtrack is awesome. There is no skipping a track that I do not like. It takes me right back to the movie. I could listen to it all day.

The entire soundtrack made watching the two-part movie worthwhile. In fact, within the first 1/2 hour, I just wanted to listen to the music! The music is absolutely divine! The vocals are beautifully harmonized. The melodies are haunting. I did not like the movie, unfortunately, for all the work that went into it. Too much was compressed into the movie so that one could only get a glimpse of Elizabeth like one only sees the tip of an ice berg. However, I am glad that I was able to buy the CD soundtrack because it is a nice light addition to mix with English Renaissance Musicby John Bull, William Byrd, Richard Dering, Arthur Frackenpohl, and Orlando Gibbons and Istanpitta IIby Albert Cofrin and Istanpitta, which is medieval dance music.

Don't be disheartened by the words "This item has been discontinued by the manufacturer." As of July 2010, it is still available from Amazon.co.uk -- the United Kingdom link at the bottom of this page. Under the Music category, search for Elizabeth 1: The Virgin Queen. That's a "one," not the letter "I". Pay with your credit card, and the credit card company will work out the conversion from pounds to dollars.

When I watched this movie on PBS I thought it was pretty good (Glenda Jackson is still my favorite "Elizabeth") but I fell in love with the music. I searched and searched for the soundtrack and was thrilled to find it on Amazon Marketplace. Even my 8 year old son likes it. The only thing I was dissapointed about was track 13, Remember Me, wasn't in English like it was in the film(the scene with Amy Dudley). But other than that it's great.

I cannot say enough good things about this film. It is absolutely a must see. It is so outstanding -- Anne-Marie Duff is spectacular as Elizabeth -- and the music makes it even better -- that I have watched it 4 times in just 2 months! I cannot recall ever seeing a film that many times. The makeup artists did a fantastic job of aging Elizabeth from around 20 years old to her death. Elizabeth's dedication and compassion for her subjects and England while at the same time foregoing her own personal happiness (remaining unmarried and a virgin) is touching. I had to have the soundtrack and saw that only 1 copy was available at Amazon, which I just grabbed. It would have been a huge disappointment for me if the soundtrack was not available. I bought my first Medieval Baebes CD ("Mirabelis") and also just ordered "Salva Nos". Such beautiful, uncommon music and voices are haunting -- highly recommended!

I was very happy with this purchase. It was exactly the item I was looking for. Item was also brand new which is what I was looking for as well. The price was very reasonable and shipping was fast. No complaints here! I would definitely purchase from seller again. Thank you.

The soundtrack to The Virgin Queen is so soothing, calming, eerie,haunting and mesmerizing I am so very glad I bought it. It has a medieval sound with a bit of a twist. The instruments used are like no other. It is truly one of a kind.