Customer Reviews

John Barry: Film Music Masterworks

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This collection is some of John Barry's best film themes on one album --- worth their weight in GOLD --- Barry creates visual moods for each film he scores...romantic, sentimental, action, adventure, suspense and mystery...the list could go on. Strings, brass and lush-velvet arrangements overlay each cue in his distinctive style of legendary scoring --- we have "Film Music Masterworks by John Barry, Silva Screen's release traces 40 years of film music, featuring "The City Of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra" --- conducted by Mr. Nic Raine (as always outstanding) --- "Crouch End Festival Chorus", featuring David Temple, Choir Master...perform 14 selections, close to a full hour of symphonic suites with a full orchestra sound...all individually wrapped-up into one neat package...just the way "film-score-buffs" like 'em! --- without a doubt Barry is my favorite contemporary composer and leads the list of the top five ever --- Barry's touching cues are from the heart melodies while speaking to the inner feelings that can move mountains --- listen to the pure emotion with periods of soulful longings from within --- there is a sadness to Barry's music with blends of joy that prevail .

Must ask the following to take a bow ~ James Fitzpatrick (compilation producer), always in their pitching, Reynold da Silva (executive producer), Rick Clark (mastered tracks), Nic Raine (conductor, arranger, orchestrator), a tremen!dous asset to every project he undertakes...and the man who made it all possible...a legendary icon always leading the way in film scoring ~ JOHN BARRY!

Total Time: 53 mins on 14 Tracks ~ SILCD 2002 ~ (6/06/2006)

While it's nice to hear the late, great John Barry's themes in crystal-clear CD sound, the truth is that these re-recordings have none of the subtle production of the originals and are much too goosed up on the chimes, dulcimers, and strings. Barry was the master of introducing themes with great subtlety but powerful emotion -- unfortunately, the conductor and musicians on this compilation decided to slather it on pretty thick. Just listen to the strings on the theme from "The Quiller Memorandum" or the herky-jerky slow movements from the "Walkabout" theme for examples.

A rather unique combination of Barry's broad set of scores; including the iconic TV score from the "Persuaders"