MARK McKENZIE

You're right

He is certainly better than most modern day composers

Best score of the year... by a mile!

-Erik-

Oh brother.

-Erik-

He is completely right I must say.

I'd be happier if all music was 24 bit 48khz like the Lord of the Rings box set DVDs...

...which after much effort I finally managed to extract at full quality onto my hard drive so I can listen whenever I want without having to deal with those infernal boxes.

Flogging a dead horse, Erik.
I guess there may theoretically be three or four people in the world with a rare mutation that allows them to transcend the physical human aural frequency and audio interference range. Let's leave those many, many audio afficionados who have convinced themselves they can actually hear the difference to the supposition they're one of those four anomalies.

I cannot tell the difference between 320k and CD most of the time, but those download store downloads are never 320k. Besides, when your headphone system costs almost $1000, you want to put the best you can through it...just like you probably wouldn't want to put 87 fuel in your Ferrari even if you never went above 40mph in it.

And everyone has 20:20 vision and an IQ of 120, right?

BUYSOUNDTRAX Records presents the original soundtrack to THE GREATEST MIRACLE, also known as EL GRAN MILAGRO, featuring music composed by Mark McKenzie (THE ULTIMATE GIFT, BLIZZARD, DRAGONHEART: A NEW BEGINNING) for the 2011 3D animated film produced by Dos Corazones Films, directed by Bruce Morris (HERCULES, POCAHONTAS, FINDING NEMO) and written by Luis De Velasco.

THE GREATEST MIRACLE is an animated film that tells the story of three characters who are facing different struggles in their life and how they find solace, love, hope and redemption through a series of mysterious encounters that take place during a beautiful Cathedral morning Mass.

The music for THE GREATEST MIRACLE was composed for large symphony orchestra and choir and mixed on the famed 20th Century Fox Newman Scoring Stage in Hollywood. The orchestra and choir material is supplemented by pre-recorded piano, pipe organ, celesta and various percussion tracks. All of this is augmented with a large choral contingent, including a 32-voice mixed choir, 24-voice women’s choir and the acclaimed 17-boy soprano ensemble Libera. The final result is a rich, harmonically colorful composition that radiates a palpable emotional depth.

The positive elements expressed within the film immediately appealed to composer Mark McKenzie and his own personal religious faith, which resulted in composing heartfelt music of sublime passion and beauty that is captivating regardless of the listener’s persuasion. Like the finest film scores, his music for THE GREATEST MIRACLE transcends its visual counterpart to exemplify the shared need for meaning and acceptance that lies within each of us. Mark McKenzie’s gift for melody, color and harmonic sensitivity as well as the profound emotional and spiritual elements in his writing made him the perfect choice to compose the music for THE GREATEST MIRACLE.

Mark McKenzie received his Masters and Doctorate in Music Composition from USC after studying with composers Pierre Boulez, Witold Lutoslawski and Morten Lauridsen. During his formal training, Mark was recognized with the prestigious Hans J. Salter Composition Award, The Norman Cousins Award and ultimately was honored as the USC Outstanding Doctoral Music Graduate. After briefly teaching at USC, he turned his interest towards film and began composing and orchestrating on a wide variety of scores.

As an orchestrator, McKenzie has worked with composers such as John Barry, Bruce Broughton, Danny Elfman, Mark Isham, Jerry Goldsmith, John Powell, Marc Shaiman, Alan Silvestri and John Williams, helping to flesh out their musical ideas into performances for full orchestras. As a composer, Mark has scored feature films such as SON OF DARKNESS: TO DIE FOR II, WARLOCK: THE ARMAGEDDON, FRANK & JESSE, DR. JEKYLL AND MS. HYDE, THE DISAPPEARANCE OF GARCIA LORCA, DOWN PERISCOPE, MI FAMILIA, DRAGONHEART: A NEW BEGINNING, THE ULTIMATE GIFT, BLIZZARD, THE LAST SIN EATER and SAVING SARAH CAIN, television films such as DURANGO, THE LOST CHILD, SILVER BELLS, IN FROM THE NIGHT and an episode of STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE from the second season.

Previously released digitally on iTunes, BUYSOUNDTRAX Records now presents the original motion picture soundtrack to THE GREATEST MIRACLE for the first time on compact disc, which includes additional music exclusive to this release. The booklet features notes by author Randall Larson, including an afterword by the composer and the music has been newly mastered for the highest fidelity by James Nelson of Digital Outland.

The first 100 copies purchased through our website will be autographed by the composer.

Order the soundtrack to DUMBSTRUCK and get THE GREATEST MIRACLE soundtrack at special sale price of $12.95 (reg. $15.95).

You will be asked at checkout if you wish to purchase
THE GREATEST MIRACLE at the sale price.

Offer Good thru Oct 10, 2011.

BSXCD 8894

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
The Greatest Miracle
(El Gran Milagro)

Music by
Mark McKenzie

$15.95

http://buysoundtrax.stores.yahoo.net/grmielgrmior.html

1. The Greatest Miracle Prelude (7:32)
(Part of Suite played in Madrid during
World Youth Days with Pope Benedict XVI visiting)
2. Call of the Spirit (2:36)
3. Entering The Cathedral (2:20)
4. Angels, Demons and Prayer (5:32)
5. Reclaiming Faith (3:12)
6. Benedictus Deus (1:36)
7. You’ll See (1:15)
8. Offerings (2:25)
9. Ask For What you Want (1:41)
10. I Miss You (3:33)
11. Ultimate Love (4:45)
12. A Clean Soul (3:03)
13. Go In Peace (4:03)
14. That Beautiful Smile (2:34)
15. Ascension / Gloria Patri (1:46)

BONUS TRACKS
16. Pictures With Black Bow (1:47)
17. Bus Accident (1:56)
Total Time 52:20

It's is easily the best score of the year! If you want to hear an extended suite from the score then click on the following link - http://www.cinematicsound.net/?p=756

Highly recommended!

-Erik-

I ain't dippin' but once.
Glad I held out.

I don't think the record label can be blamed - as far as I know McKenzie released the thing himself on iTunes originally and after it got such a good reaction, BSX wanted to do a CD.

I agree with Erik that it's the best thing heard in 2011 so far.

I most certainly did!
I will try and find the relevant post, but I think I even specifically stated I was waiting until the inevitable CD release!

I too think it's the best thing I've heard in 2011 so far. I bought the download instantly. I might buy this CD, too, just for the extra material. Who am I kidding, I'll probably buy it tomorrow... McKenzie is a wonderful composer and proved with this release that he can still write music that's just as great as anything he's ever composed.

I'm so glad for Mark McKenzie, this score truly deserves a CD release. I'm definitely buying it.