A Clockwork Orange: Wendy Carlos's Complete Original Score [ENHANCED] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED] [SOUNDTRACK]

Wendy Carlos (Composer)

Product Details

• Composer: Wendy Carlos
• Audio CD (November 3, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Original recording remastered, Soundtrack
• Label: East Side Digital
• ASIN: B00000DGXX
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #6,119 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  #9 in	Music > Soundtracks > By Decade > 1970s

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
One of the most satisfying soundtrack "companion" pieces ever released, this collaboration between synthesist Wendy Carlos and producer Rachel Elkind manages to both logically extend and credibly expand on director Stanley Kubrick's masterfully conceived Clockwork Orange musical ethos. That shouldn't be surprising, as the pair was largely responsible for initiating those concepts with the music they'd begun as a follow-up to their successful, synthesizer-pioneering Switched on Bach collection. "Timesteps," a rich, wildly evocative, 13+ minute electronic sound and music collage, was based on impressions gleaned from Anthony Burgess's original novel (excerpts of it are liberally scattered throughout the film), while an abridged version of the fourth movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was an early experiment in vocal synthesis that ended up as one of the film's key motifs. Also featured here are synthesized versions of music Kubrick ultimately chose to use in orchestral form (Rossini's "The Thieving Magpie") as well as original Carlos/Elkind electronic compositions ("Orange Minuet," "Biblical Daydreams," and "Country Lane") that ended up on the cutting-room floor. Composed on primitive, monophonic analog instruments (which could play only one at a time!) long supplanted by generations of digital revolution, this work has a brooding otherworldly quality all its own. As our favorite Droog would say: "It was like a bird of rarest spun metal, or like silvery wine flowing in a space ship, gravity all nonsense now." --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Piece of Work: Complements the Film Very Well, September 24, 1999

By	Richard L. Clark "clarkrl" (Floridy) - See all my reviews

When I saw that Clockwork Orange was back in circulation, I had to get the soundtrack. I remembered how much I enjoyed these compositions back in my college days.

I purchased both copies, the Warner Bros. soundtrack (which includes work by Deutsch Gramophone as well as Carlos), and Wendy's original score. The WB version has three delightful songs that I just could not do without: "Overture to the Sun", "I want to Marry a Lighthouse Keeper", and "Singing in the Rain."

However, the original music by Carlos on her version was much more satisfying. Apparently, the WB soundtrack was released from tape copies that had been equalized for optimum performance on the film and theatre sound reproduction equipment of the day (1972). Carlos' version, however, is from the original masters, and is a superior product, even for that reason alone.

But, there are other reasons why Wendy's original score outshines the WB soundtrack.

Also, the entire composition of "Timesteps" is included, all 13:50 of it. This is a very good piece, I enjoyed it immensely. You lose the full emotional impact when only playing a part of it, as in the movie soundtrack.

Wendy's version of "La Gazza Ladra" is brighter and fuller than the movie's. "Country Lane" and "Biblical Daydreams" are not available on the original soundtrack. All in all, a very pleasing CD. I found that I enjoy it more now than I did when I was in college. I don't mean to make so many comparisons to the WB soundtrack, but I have just finished listening to both. I recommend that anyone get both to get the full impact.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best original movie scores ever, March 13, 2000

By	D. Carnell "Capn Dave" (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've been a huge fan of both Carlos and Kubrick since the mid '70's. I was lucky enough to find a copy of Carlos' vinyl pressing of this album in '79. This CD blows it away, I've listened to it once a month since I bought it about a year ago. Timesteps is one of the best works Carlos has ever done and it really shows you what potential electronic music has or had. It's too bad Kubrick didn't use the whole score, I think it would have made the movie even stronger. The mechanical/electronic works would have heightened the dystopic feel of the film. If you buy one soundtrack this should be it.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Bit of the Old Ludwig Van, October 20, 2005

By	directions "iladvocate" - See all my reviews

Yes the Moogs are this album are "primitive" but their sound is vastly superior to today's synths. The Moogs were vastly more expressive and subtle. If this album were recorded on digital synths, it would just sound cheesy. Timesteps is an amazing piece that gives you the creeps even if you haven't seen the movie. As a soundtrack it perfectly mixes the themes of ultra violence and Beethoven seemlessly. If you buy this cd (and by all means do)please refer to it as "early electronica" rather than "new age". It deserves the credit for everything it helped spawn