Customer Reviews

The War: A Ken Burns Film

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This CD seems to be the lead in sampler of the music to Ken Burns' documentary, The War, his long awaited film on the Second World War. Actually it is just one of four separate CDs available if you don't want to buy the entire soundtrack. One of the CDs is strictly classical music, two popular, and this one relies on a hodgepodge of music, mostly period, some not, mostly popular, some classical, one or two semi-new age, some jazz, etc. Although Burns uses his selections with the same special care and nicety that marked his Civil War songs, there is never the thematic consistency as was the case with the grandaddy of this sort of production, Victory at Sea. A few words on this Homeric original documentary on World War II are in order to give perspective on Burns' efforts. Winner of an Emmy in 1954, Victory at Sea was the brainchild of Henry Salomon, a researcher for historian Samuel Eliot Morison's monumental 15 volume History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. (A great book incidentally.) Salomon was friends with Robert Sarnoff, son of the chairmen of RCA, and they successfully talked up a huge and expensive half-million dollar project, based on Morison's book and using film archives from the warring countries. With the cooperation of the US Navy they ended up with an incredible 60 million feet of film. I'm sure Ken Burns could tell us just how many minutes that runs, but whatever the time involved it's a lot! This series was shown in 26 half-hour programs without commercial interruptions - surprise! - beginning in the Fall of 1952 and finishing up in May of 1953. Burns covers the entire War in almost exactly the same time, one hour more at 14 hours. (Perhaps like many of the G.I.s he documents Burns is superstitous about the number 13?) Victory at Sea boasted a truly amazing music score, the collaboration of musicals giant Richard Rodgers and top orchestrator Robert Russell Bennett. Without going into all the released permutations of that score, suffice it to say it's unlikely we'll see the like again, though the indefatigable Philip Glass may prove me wrong. The music was huge part of the shows success, and to this day I can't hear the music to "Under the Southern Cross" without picturing the quiet wartime Brazilian city of Bahia.
Burns, having already put together a large documentary on Jazz, with an emphasis on the first thirty years, or roughly from World War I through the end of World War II, has no difficulties calling up the right music for the moment. From previews he clearly has mastered the art of applying the most apt music of the time to a scene. When he streches outside the parameters of popular topical music-making his choices are usually for emotional scene setting. Why he chose to omit Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, the slow movement from his B minor quartet forever linked with moments of American public rememberance after it's use at Franklin Roosevelt's service, I can't say, though I think it a serious error. Just because it was used in Platoon? That was twenty years ago Ken - an entire generation has grown up. Besides, it's nice to see things in their original context, isn't that what documentaries are supposed to be about?
Overall the music Burns choses is great stuff, and will serve very well as introduction to a new generations' picture of what Tom Brokaw quite correctly labled, "The Greatest Generation." Burns has five CDs, one with all the music, and four sold separately. Of these I recommend the two with the most music of the period, titled "Sentimental Journey" and "I'm Beginning to See the Light". These should offer the best slice of music of the day. The classical selections remind me of BBC productions, and the sort of stuff organists once upon a time played in darkened music halls for silent films. Nothing wrong with that, either, but I prefer my classical music 'au naturel' - and not attached to extraneous medium associations unless specifically linked to a historical moment, as is the case with the Barber Adaigo for Strings.. But you may disagree, and the samples always are there if you're curious.
The Barber Adaigo can be found on several CDs, though I urge the curious to try the late Thomas Shippers' wonderful performance of Barber's music on a single CD including the Adaigo. (Barber's aunt, Louise Homer, a singer at the Metropolitan Opera, helped raise Bonds during the first World War.)

One reason for the wide acceptance of the highly praised 15 hour television documentary "The War" can be found in its wonderful soundtrack. Like other productions from Ken Burns and company, "The War" comes with a cross section of music drawn from pop tunes of the period, evocative classical themes and original compositions composed for this spectacular production that not only strongly support the visuals but capture the essence of countless emotional moments. Available as a four CD set or individually, music from "The War" includes a carefully selected overview on three CDs, (the fourth CD - Song Without Words - consists of classical selections,) of American pop music from the early 1930s - Louis Armstrong's "Memories of You" to Benny Goodman's version of "We'll Meet Again" - heart breakingly sung by Peggy Lee to Harry James' Aug. '45 release of "Waiting For The Train To Come In." Personal favorites like "Rose Room" and "Frenesi" appear along with Billie Holiday singing for Teddy Wilson's band, "Pennies From Heaven", Billy Eckstine and Earl Hines with "Skylark" and the quintessintal expression of returning home, Les Brown's "Sentimental Journey" with the great Doris Day. Part of what makes these tunes - orginally recorded mostly during the 1940s -sound so fresh is the loving digital sound restoration and mastering they received . Gene Krupa's "Let Me Off Uptown" with Anita O'Day and Roy Eldrige never sounded more full bodied and fresh as if someone stumbled into a treasure trove of state of the art undisturbed mono masters. What a treat to have these orginal tunes sounding so airy and dynamic. For those who enjoyed the music featured in the Ken Burns and Lynn Novick production "The War" to the just plain curious, this CD collection will help transform facts, figures and events of the cataclysmic disaster known as World War Two into the life affirming feelings and emotions of its outcome. What better way to celebrate the life so many people struggled for than to listen to this music.

I bought the soundtrack and another CD from the set looking for that grim piece of music you hear on the first program in the series while the veteran Marine describes the island of Bougainville as a "pile of pestilence." It is so totally devoid of hope and dripping in misery -- it just etched itself in my brain. It had those weird woooo woooo moaning sounds and just sad, sad chords -- the LAST piece I thought it would be was a Wynton Marsalis composition, but I have underestimated him once again. It is an amazing piece and it is on this soundtrack CD. The moaning is evidently a guitar although that's a new guitar sound to me. Several people I have asked could not identify this spooky piece, and were wondering about it. If that is the piece you are looking for, yes, it's here, and it's not the Yo-Yo Ma/Silk Road Ensemble piece. It's Wynton Marsalis!

The previously unreleased American Anthem by Norah Jones is worth the price of the entire CD. I was a great tribute to the Greatest Generation !

The work by Wynton Marsalis is incredible & I really enjoy the tempo of the song In The Nick Of Time....

You will not be disappointed with this purchase.

I watched the series on TV and really enjoyed the soundtrack, it really is excellent and very evocative of the era even though much of the music is by contemporary artists. Well worth a listen.

I have searched far and wide but cant find any reference for this. During the bombing sequence of Monte Cassino, there is a beautiful "religious" piece playing in the background. Can anyone identify what piece it is? I would appreciate it..

Stirs chilling memories of the documentary. I highly recommend for anyone who enjoys Ken Burns.

Outstanding CD which combines some of the great instrumental and vocal music and performers of the World War II era with a wonderful theme song written for the PBS TV series. This is not "martial" war music at all. It has become one of my favorite CD's.

This soundtrack for Ken Burn's "The War" documentary can be evaluated on two different criteria:

First, there is the period music (mostly jazz). I did not buy the soundtrack for this reason, but for those older than I it will likely bring back many great memories of times gone by.

Secondly, however, there are the haunting melodies that are the undercurrent of the entire film. Whether it be the soothing voice of Norah Jones, the aching violin, or the soft, solo piano, this soundtrack perfectly blends the music to fit the tone of the material. Each time I listen to these tracks, it makes me remember watching the film, along with all the sadness and joy that came with that experience.

If you enjoyed "The War", you will more than likely also enjoy this collection of songs.

Haunting sounds and lively music captured the time my parents met, married and had me. They music is great as a stand alone, but brings back images of the PBS special. I cannot believe it has been over 60 years since the war. My father, and uncles would sit in the livingroom of my grandparents house and discuss the better times of their military life. I never heard anything about the action that they experienced. My grandfather would add his experiences of his life in WWI. These are wars that changed the fabric of our lives and I wonder where we would be without the brave men who fought and died and the woman who stayed behind and worked and all the US who sacrificed with rationing, victory gardens, collecting scrap and other activities. It would be good if we as a country could participate in today's soldiers' experiences with some sort of sacrifice and unity.