The Towering Inferno and Other Disaster Classics [Soundtrack]

Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams (Composer), Joel McNeely, Royal Scottish National Orchestra | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 9, 1999)
• Original Release Date: March 9, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B00000C2CX
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #261,030 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Main Title [From The Towering Inferno]

2. Planting the Charges and Finale [From The Towering Inferno]

3. An Architect's Dream [From the Tower Inferno]

4. Suite [From Twister]

5. Main Title [From Earthquake]

6. End Title [From the Swarm]

7. Main Title [From The Poseidon Adventure]

8. Main Title [From Dante's Peak]

9. March of Lava [From Volcano]

10. They're Coming [From Outbreak]

11. The Day We Fight Back [From Independence Day]

12. Suite: Distant Memories/Southampton/Rose/Take Her to Sea, Mr. Murdoch

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Disaster Movie Music and Much More!, February 29, 2000

By 

Geoff Brown. (Melbourne, Australia.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Towering Inferno and Other Disaster Classics (Audio CD)

This is an incredible album. I originally purchased it on the proviso that it was the Original Soundtrack to "The Towering Inferno", which would have made it the first issue ever on Compact Disc. As a film soundtrack aficionado and and insatiable collector of those composed by the great John Williams, it is surprising that no label has yet offered a CD version of what is really considered among Williams' best scores. Hopefully, someone at Varese Sarabande may obtain the rights to the Original recording and make it available to fans who've been longing for it. I would love to see the score in its entirety, perhaps even in an extended edition. However, this compilation recording, with some recreated tracks, as well as original recordings (that are obviously on the VS Label) are offered here. On the whole, there is good representation of the genre of music, with other tracks from the films "Twister" and even a suite from "Titanic". The recreated tracks are played by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and are well recorded. With respect to "Towering Inferno" the film's Main and End titles are showcased as well as an eleven minute section of the score that leads to the finale in the film, which is, to my liking, one of the most thrilling that Williams had composed up to that time. On the whole, of its type, a pretty well packaged album, and until the very rare Original Soundtrack is ever reissued, this little gem will have to suffice.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Williams & Goldsmith fans this is a treasure", April 22, 2000

By 

J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Towering Inferno and Other Disaster Classics (Audio CD)

For Williams and Goldsmith fans this is a treasure, a sure thing. Just listen, then purchase and add to your ever growing "soundtrack collection". The opening track - "THE TOWERING INFERNO" is powerful and far-reaching with the grandeur and essence of that Williams sound we've come to appreciate. Three cues from that film are "MAIN TITLE, PLANTING THE CHARGES/FINALE", and "AN ARCHITECT'S DREAM" are almost twenty minutes in length total, the score may never be released in its entirety on CD, so enjoy. "THE SWARM" by Goldsmith is awesome, fans will love it. Two other stand outs are - "INDEPENDENCE DAY" the David Arnold cue "THE DAY WE FIGHT BACK" - and Mark Mancina "TWISTER" are very good.

The highlight is "VOLCANO" by Alan Silvestri with "MARCH OF THE LAVA" building with emotion and suspense, with some outstanding orchestration.

Total Time: 69:37 on 12 Tracks/ Varese Sarabande - VSD 5807 (1999)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best disaster compilation, August 14, 2005

By 

tjguitar - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Towering Inferno and Other Disaster Classics (Audio CD)

I prefer this to Silva America's Disaster compilation for two reasons. More cues from The Towering Inferno and IMHO better track selection.

This compilation has 19 minutes of John Williams' The Towering Infero film score re-recorded by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted by Joel McNeeley. The original soundtrack to the towering inferno is not in print any more, and this 19 minute suite is more than enough for most film score fans. In addition there are composers like David Arnold (Independence Day), Mark Mancina (Twister), Alan Silvestri (Volcano), James Newton Howard (Dante's Peak, Outbreak), Jerry Goldsmith (The Swarm) and James Horner (Titanic). In additiion, Williams is represented by Earthquake and The Poseidon Adventure. All of the tracks are re-recorded by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under the batons of John Debney and Joel McNeeley with the exceptions of Dante's Peak, Outbreak and Volcano which are OST recordings from the Varese back catalogue.

Be sure to check out Great Science Fiction Blockbusters and Hollywood 95 as well from Varese.