Suites And Themes
 
 

This recording was made the day after a concert in 1987 at the Barbican Centre in London and featured the Philharmonia Orchestra performing a series of musical highlights from Jerry Goldsmith's career. The only odd omission from the concert was a performance of Star Trek The Motion Picture?

The Filmtrax label advertised they were to release the recording shortly after the concert, but failed to deliver on the promise. So it was left to the Canadian company Masters Of Film Music to issue the recording as a special limited edition CD a year later. Masters' went to town on their production values and produced a gorgeous CD package with massive booklet featuring detailed notes, and for the first time an official Jerry Goldsmith filmography. To complete the packaging they included limited edition artwork from famed artist Bob Peake.

This recording remains the best of Jerry Goldsmith's re-recordings on CD and features some impressive arrangements of some of his most popular themes. The CD kicks off with a suite from the composer's legendary score to the Blue Max. Goldsmith has included a number of major cues here and to hear them performed by a modern day orchestra and recorded with current technologies remains a jaw dropping experience.

The second suite encompasses most of his themes from his time in TV. This suite kicks off with a thunderous percussive motif before introducing his main theme from The Man From U.N.C.L.E. The suite continues on impressive lines with the sweetly sounding Dr Kildare to the sublime Room 222 arrangement via the ever popular Waltons before finishing with the rousing Barnaby Jones.

The stirring theme to Masada is combined into an enjoyable suite, though a lot different from the main theme heard on the soundtrack albums. Followed up by a welcome suite from box office smash Gremlins. This 7 minutes not only takes in the brilliant orchestral arrangement of the Gremlin Rag but also some key moments from the score which remain unreleased.

The lengthy Motion Picture Suite contains all the big guns from Goldsmith's filmography and over the years has been extended to include more major themes. This original one takes in the up beat Sand Pebbles arrangement, the haunting theme from Chinatown, the beautiful theme from A Patch Of Blue and equally so for Poltergeist, while the theme from Papillon gets a thunderous presentation as does the grandeur of The Wind And The Lion.

The Generals is perfect concert fare with two powerhouse themes just begging for standing ovations as soon as they've finished. Ironically the lesser known MacArthur gets the vote as the better concert toe taper over the more acclaimed theme to Patton.

The CD and concert closed with a heartfelt performance of the theme from the little known Lionheart, which sadly was the last time Goldsmith would collaborate with friend and mentor Franklin J Schaffner. Goldsmith is always clearly moved when he talks about Schaffner at the podium and always uses Robert's theme from Lionheart as tribute. The film may not be memorable but Goldsmith again writes his best work for Schaffner with this towering achievement.

Sadly this disc is now ultra rare and very expensive to buy if someone is silly enough to sell it. Thankfully though Silva Screen issued the album again under the title Goldsmith Conducts Goldsmith. So don't miss it this time, if you haven't got it in your collection.