Customer Reviews

Somewhere In Time (1998 Re-recording)

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I saw the movie for this soundtrack quite some time ago, back when I was too young to understand "love". I only watched it because "Superman" was in it. Now that I'm older, I appreciate alot of things in life, and have just been re-introduced to the story of Richard Colier. I bought the movie, the book, and this CD soundtrack very recently. The beautiful music literally brought tears to my eyes. Every track on this CD is haunting, yet comforting. Not only did I recall the scenes from the movie as certain tracks were playing, but I also experienced a true feeling of joy and happiness as the melodies ran through my ears. If the actual feeling of "love", or "being in love" could be put into song...this is THE finest example of it!! It's difficult to explain, but once you listen to the CD, you'll know exactly what I mean, because you'll feel it too! Don't pass up this oppurtunity. It's a wonderful feeling.

1980's "Somewhere In Time" is the only film that I know of (besides Bernard Herrmann's score to "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir") that seamlessly marries score with dialogue and ambiance: not only serving a supporting role, but uplifting the film with the power of the music, as well as succeeding as a standalone album.

Barry's score is simple yet elegant, based around the sweeping, romantic "Somewhere In Time" theme, which is reprised on nearly every track. A gentle, plaintive melody started by flute and harp, bridged by shimmering strings, and wistfully ended by piano reprising the theme, the "Somewhere In Time" theme has been played at countless weddings and has served as the soundtrack to true love everywhere.

Initially, due to the film's halved Universal budget, Barry was never in the running as composer since the production team couldn't afford his services. However, Barry happened to be a friend of Jane Seymour's, and he finally signed on to the project, accepting a portion of the soundtrack sales as payment-a wise move, since the "Somewhere in Time" soundtrack continues to sell well to this day, almost fifteen years since its initial release.

This version is a 1998 Varese Sarabande rerecording conducted by John Debney that extends the original 1980 soundtrack release (which only clocked in at a scant half an hour) by half, adding lyrical passages that compliment onscreen action and underscore montages (as well as setting a romantic mood for a candlelight dinner). Soloists Lynda Cochrane (piano) and Edwin Paling (violin) rise amply to the challenge of Rachmaninoff and the score's tender solos. Another bonus is the excellent sound quality of a newer recording: the original 1980 release (and subsequent gold CD release in the mid-1990s) suffered from less-than-ideal clarity (and the aforementioned brevity). Care was even taken in the new packaging: rather than a bland case design and booklet per the original CD, the 1998 version features a beautiful Impressionistic oil painting of one of the film's pivotal moments: when Richard Collier (Christopher Reeve) meets Elise McKenna, the actress of his dreams (Jane Seymour), for the first time as she walks by the lake. She gazes at him, enraptured, and whispers, "Is it you?" The back of the CD features the fateful portrait of Elise that hangs in the Grand Hotel's Hall of History.

A beautiful, decadently romantic soundtrack and easily my favourite of all time. "Somewhere in Time" was, in a way, the soundtrack to my childhood summers spent Up North (Harbor Springs and Petoskey, MI)-we would play it in the car, at home, while relaxing and as a soundtrack to Sunday dinners for as long as I can remember. A wonderful gift for fans of the film, or if you are simply seeking beautiful background music to dream and relax to.

Just purchased this re-recording and it's just lovely, but I still prefer John Barry's own original soundtrack to this one. This one is beautiful, as how can any of John Barry's music be anything but beautiful, but it's still not John Barry conducting his own music. I definitely notice a difference, although very slight. I think John Barry's own conducting skills really come through on his own original recording of this soundtrack. But if you are a true John Barry fan as I am (and have been for years), you still will love this new recording just the same.

I'm usually not a fan of re-recordings of original work, especially if it has to do with some of my favorite music. However, this recording is a pleasure namely because the original "Somewhere In Time" soundtrack doesn't contain all of the music from the film. This version fills in all the gaps and covers just about the entire movie. If you love the original Barry score, I guarantee that you will enjoy this as well.

This is a marvelous re-release of some of John Barry's loveliest work.
I cannot recomend this more highly, even if you have the original score this version is clearer and has many pieces that were not on the original release!
The music is well orchestrated and just beautiful and the solo pianist is marvelous!
Get this, get this, get this!

Rarely are movie soundtrack recordings actually that. The music on "soundtrack" releases is usually similar, but not exactly what you heard in the movie. That was what was so amazing about the original Somewhere In Time soundtrack. Possibly because of budget constraints, the music on the original soundtrack was what was in the movie. Now somebody has decided to improve upon that. While the variations aren't extreme, they're certainly significant enough to be irritating. Why someone would feel the need to "interpret" John Barry's music is mysterious enough. This is sort of a "Yeah, well here is how I would have done it" soundtrack. Particularly annoying is the solo violin, which appears frequently. Want to hear how it would sound with a fiddle? Here you go. (Check it out on the sample cuts.) And the whole idea of better sound fidelity is absurd. The original sounded just fine. You might imagine that this version is a bit "brighter,", but having a little more treble hardly makes for a better recording. A digital recording of an inferior performance is hardly an improvement.

There is more music, which is interesting, though it's sort of like having a bad meal at a restaurant but being happy that the portions were large.

This new CD sounds best where it sounds like the original. If you liked the music in the movie, and you can only own one version of the soundtrack, buy the original. If you buy both versions, you'll keep the original handy for when you want to hear what the soundtrack actually sounded like.

I was first introduced to this soundtrack by an aquaintance at a time when I was just hopeless and miserable. I completely fell in love with every single track on this soundtrack when I first heard it. Not only was it soothing,comforting, but very emotional. Unfortunately for me, it got stolen from my car. I have bought the original soundtrack from the early 80's, but really wished they would have told me ahead of time that the sound recording was not as clear and crisp as the re-recording. Amazon does not guarantee satisfaction of products like these, so I definitely recommend that anyone who buys the soundtrack to this movie to buy the re-recording and get your money's worth.

This re-recording of the outstanding music of John Barry's movie score of Somewhere in Time is truly a great example when the artist's work isn't completely heard in a movie or on the original soundtrack CD/Record. With John Barry's blessing, John Debney and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra does a great tribute to John and his great talent of writing such scores.
We don't always find such re-recordings to stay true to the work of the artist but John Debney did this with all his heart and soul. I'm glad that he found this score as lovely and haunting as I did when I first heard it, enough to recapture this lovely music to John's long list of music for the screen. If one is a romantic, as I am at a fault for such music, then this is a CD to have playing at the right moment with the person you most care about. It will carry you and your significant other to the areas of your mind and soul that you may not have reached before. It transends a loving feeling that you only want to share with such another that you care about.

I have listened to this soundtrack at least weekly for the last 12 years. I never tire of it. I find this Barry score to be the best thing he has ever done. If you need to set a mood of romance, love, or just remembrances of good times you spent with that special someone, this is the one I choose above all others.A visit to the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island combined with this music is almost more than a weak heart can take. The inspiration Barry must have felt from Rachmaninov's opus seems to have set the mood which he carried throughout the whole score. Every song is special. A must for everyone with any amount of sentiment and romance.

This soundtrack is my favorite music of all time I think. It almost puts you in a trance. I had them play parts of these songs as I walked down the aisle at my wedding. Instead of people commenting on my gown, they asked what music was playing just then. It fits every mood and sends goosebumps down my spine. It is music I would expect angels to listen to. The melodies say it all without any word or lyrics. I must say anyone with an appreciation for music will adore this album. It is wonderful addition to anyone's music library.