MARK McKENZIE

Yeap, due to thematology i suspect it'll be nothing short but great.

A pity it didn't come out just before Christmas - but in all honesty, this is a score which can be enjoyed all year round. I love it!

It's an excellent score. I'm happy that it will be available again. Anyone who missed out on it should definitely go for it.

In other news, McKenzie will have two new scores released this year. The first one, JAMMA, has already been anounced and should come out sometime soon. I don't think anyone here has mentioned EL GRAN MILAGRO / THE GREAT MIRACLE, which he announced back in December on his site:

"Mark recently finished composing and recording a symphonic score to the 3-D Animated feature film "El Gran Milagro / The Great Miracle." The film directed by Bruce Morris, will be released in English, Spanish and Polish territories in April of 2011. The score, conducted by the Great Falls Symphony’s music director Gordon Johnson, imbues Large orchestra, Mixed Choir, woman’s choir and Boys choir with a deep beauty not heard in any other McKenzie scores. The score is dedicated to the memory of Thomas McKenzie. The Soundtrack will be available in 2011."

I'm really looking forward to both of these. It's been far too long since we've had a new McKenzie score.

Wow, that is the best score announcement I've heard in a long time!!

YES!

Tom, you didn't say in your Warlock review, how much Christopher Young's Hellraiser/Hellbound scores influenced it?

McKenzie's "The Great Miracle / El Gran Milagro" is now available for download on itunes. From his website:

02.24.11 THE GREAT MIRACLE / EL GRAN MILAGRO RELEASED
Mark McKenzie’s newest score "The Great Miracle / El Gran Milagro," composed for large symphony orchestra, choir, and boys choir is now available on itunes and at all other major digital outlets. This 3D animated, Catholic themed film directed by Disney writer Bruce Morris (Pochahontas & Hercules) tells a story of hope, love and redemption. It will be released theatrically in the USA, Europe, Central and South America.

No word on a CD release there.

Here's my review for McKenzie's EL GRAN MILAGRO:

It’s been over three years since Mark McKenzie’s last score was released. With THE GREAT MIRACLE / EL GRAN MILAGRO the wait is over. The film is the first Mexican 3D computer animation ever. It tells the story of how three average people get caught up in a battle of good against evil that involves angels and demons. The animation looks to be about as good as a cheap Saturday morning cartoon. I really wonder how McKenzie came be involved with such a project.

My wonderment, however, is completely overshadowed by my joy that he has finally scored another film! McKenzie got to record this one with a large symphony orchestra, choir, boys choir (yes, that’s two choirs), piano, and organ. It’s great to hear McKenzie wielding such a big group of musicians again. Some of his last few releases have had smaller budgets for music. This score has the big McKenzie sound, like DURANGO, GARCIA LORCA, or THE LAST SIN EATER.

At just over 41 minutes, this is a very satisfying album. It doesn’t waste time, overstay its welcome, or repeat itself too often. The lack of repetition may be one of the things this score has going against it, however. Because there are so many themes here, and not one of them is used in a way that one would recognize it as the “main theme,” casual listeners may be disappointed by a lack of continuity here. There are also some softer tracks that are undeniably lovely, but may bore film music fans that like more noise.

The score starts off beautifully with “Entering the Cathedral,” the very first note of which begins the presentation of the first theme. As soon as this track starts, I melt. It’s a slow but soaring melody on strings, with all manner of lovely orchestral harmony backing it up – McKenzie in top form. It quiets down about half way, but is never less than lovely. This theme shows up several more times on the album, but never the same way twice. It’s massive in “Angels, Demons and Prayer.” It’s soft and tender in “Reclaiming Faith.” Other than “A Clean Soul,” it doesn’t appear on the last half of the album, which would be tragic if there weren’t several other equally good themes taking over.

A second, and also gorgeous, theme appears first in “Call of the Spirit.” It’s another McKenzie classic. It shows up again on solo piano in “You’ll See,” and gets a great presentation on strings over harp and boys choir toward the end of “Ultimate Love.” He ends the album with this theme.

There are several other themes on display here. I count at least six altogether. All of them are wonderful. Two of them are only used once apiece (listen for one on piano in “I Miss You,” the other becomes a major highlight of the album in “Go in Peace”). There’s also a lovely appearance of Bach’s “Prelude” (also of “Ave Maria” fame) on harp which segues into a lovely statement of the first theme in “A Clean Soul.”

The use of the boys choir is fantastic. Their shining moment comes in “Benedictus Deus,” an obviously religious piece with Latin lyrics. The choir sounds phenomenal, as does the glorious orchestral accompaniment. The piece is so beautiful it makes me want to cry. The choir is back for “Offerings,” which starts with swirling strings, adds the boys choir, and then goes through some very cool descending harmonic progressions with the choir chanting inspiringly, reminiscent of some of the choral work from Morricone’s THE MISSION (think “Vita Nostra”).

My biggest complaint is that the longest track, “Angels, Demons and Prayer,” is a little manic, switching from lovely to fearful to playful to ominous, and finally to a massive climax that sounds unfortunately synthetic. I don’t think it actually is synth - I think it’s that McKenzie has every brass instrument playing the melody of the primary theme in unison so loudly that creates this effect. This cue doesn’t seem to have the same compositional completeness most of the other tracks have.

The score ends powerfully. “Go in Peace” starts out beautifully, presenting a new theme that may be the best of the bunch. Both choirs sing wordlessly with the strings in the middle of the track, and then the last minute is a heart-breakingly beautiful repetition of that new theme. The whole orchestra swells in a sweeping statement of this excellent theme, then the key shifts up to present the theme again. This cue would make a brilliant conclusion to the score - I might program this track to finish the album on.

Which is not to say that the final track, “Ascension / Gloria Patri,” isn’t great. The boys choir is back this time wordlessly singing the second theme, accompanied by strings and harp. The music builds, incorporating brass fanfares and another driving layer of strings, and then the adult choir chanting that MISSIONesque theme. By the end the full orchestra, full choir, and boys choir carry the score to a truly glorious and inspiring moment. It’s McKenzie magic, similar to the best moments of his score for BLIZZARD. The only problem with this cue is that after this huge and wonderful moment, the music dies down and keeps going for several bars with not much going on, and then ends seemingly in the middle of a thought. It’s not conclusive at all. I wish McKenzie would have ended it on a big sustained note with the might of his choirs and orchestra behind it. Alas, the film probably didn’t allow for such a finish. It is for this reason that I might put track 12 at the end.

In spite of the small complaints I’ve made, this is a very strong album. I personally consider it one of McKenzie’s top five: a must-have for any McKenzie fan. He is a phenomenal composer. His music is so mature, his themes so fresh, his orchestrations so classic. Listening to this score reconfirms what an incredible talent he has.

I give EL GRAN MILAGRO a very strong four stars out of five.

Track Listing:
1. Entering the Cathedral 2:21
2. Call of the Spirit 2:37
3. Angels, Demons and Prayer 5:34
4. Reclaiming Faith 3:13
5. Denedictus Deus 1:38
6. You’ll See 1:16
7. Offerings 2:27
8. Ask for What You Want 1:43
9. I Miss You 3:35
10. Ultimate Love 4:46
11. A Clean Soul 3:04
12. Go in Peace 4:04
13. That Beautiful Smile 2:37
14. Ascension/Gloria Patri 1:47

The score is available for download on itunes, Amazon, and at cdbaby.com

Somewhat, it's not fully a horror score, but it definitely has links to Christopher Young and Jerry Goldsmith.

after the wonderful review of Christopher, here's my impression of The Great Miracle

Always nice to hear there is a new score from him ! Ordered it from Cdbaby as a download.

you won't regret it

Thanks for the review, Thomas. I was very interested to read about McKenzie's own opinion of that last track. Where did you learn that?

I agree with your assessment of the "excellent tracks", but would add the first two to the list myself, and subtract the third. I think that third track might be a little polarizing.

Very cool about your correspondence with Mark McKenzie! He's my favorite composer. I'm jealous.

I could see calling the second track an appetizer, I guess. The best rendition of that theme is certainly the one in "Ascension," but I think the first track is the definitive performance of that first theme. I just LOVE how the theme starts from note one. And it's so noble and grand in that first track! Clearly we're on the same page with this score, and it's silly to argue about which tracks are very best, but I love that first track. I'd put it in with 12 and 14 as the best tracks on the album.