Les Deux Mondes
Richard Harvey
" Richard Harvey remains a voice to be reckoned with "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Okay we all know Richard Harvey today for his work on Hans Zimmer's The Da Vinci Code. Yet Richard Harvey is a pretty good composer too, and his score for Animal Farm still remains one of this reviewer's most treasured surprises. When it comes down to something epic, I'm always thrilled no matter the musical voice behind it. But considering how stunned I was due to his Animal Farm score, I began to dream just a little. And considering his epic adventure score Les Deux Mondes reaches my dream, it shows that Harvey remains a voice to be reckoned with.
Les Deux Mondes was long only available as a downloadable score, but the wonderful people of MovieScore Media didn't want such a good score go to waste. So they released it in 2010 with English tracktitles, and most importantly now on a legitimate CD. Making Les Deux Mondes finally available after all this time.
Yet what is Les Deux Mondes now? Call it a better more expressive score than Arabian Nights, call it a Harvey laden musical encore that brings out his amazing detailed voice. It paints us an epic picture where he mixes atonal and tonal battles for us to enjoy it.
There is a distinctive darker voice in Harvey that is quite easily heard when listening to his music. In "A Tyrant's Dinner" it is spotted during the choral singing, in "Another World Calls" it fleshes out a rhythmic encore at the end and in "A Levitating Cat and a Strange Journey" the first notes of the adventure theme is trying to break the darker frenetic mood.
The lovely piano work during "Nobody Believes Me!" is soon growing into a more magical piece with various wondrous fanfares leading into the staggering build up of the main theme. The way he let's the choir grow over building percussion is fantastic. Sadly here it ends abruptly before the final effect is reached.
Nonetheless the tone of the adventure is set. The lovely "The Golden Stones" and "Les Deux Mondes Theme" only inspire the work that follows it, namely "The Eve of Battle". At first the comedic theme is slowly underscoring the proceedings before another wondrous (I call it the hope theme) is presenting its charming effect.
And once this score is growing, there is no going back. The comedic theme in "The Heat of Combat" unleashes a sort of adventurous mood, growing with wondrous vocal work to its enchanting main theme. And in these moments Richard Harvey is as enchanting as he was in Animal Farm. And that mighty theme fuels "3000 Soldiers and a Tree Trunk" in all its wonder alongside the hope theme, forming together the heart and joy of Les Deux Mondes.
The wondrous material alongside joyous choir and trumpets in "Building a Kingdom", the sprightly nature of "Van Gogh Paint La Gioconda" alongside its touching piano work and the build up in "Reign and Revolution" bring a staggering mix of the comical theme, choir, and variations of the main theme in an insane mix. Basically it sounds too good to be true.
And in the climax Harvey goes for an even more bolder finale. This is music where everything happens all at once. The atonal beginning "Final Duel with Zotan" flourishes in a bold exciting orchestral piece while the threatening build up during "Both Worlds Are Dangerous Now" deliver us a climax unlike this album has done before. It is beginning to become clear that Les Deux Mondes is anything but a subtle work.
The main theme salutes us in "Maleedja and Le Pont d'Asnieres" while Harvey expands it even in "The Beach and the Totem". Basically this is a brilliant finale.
Altogether and all jokes aside, this is a work that belongs on CD more than say a piece like Arabian Nights. But I'm glad this treasure isn't lost in the end. And fans of Richard Harvey's Animal Farm and Plague and the Moonflower will discover the same virtues, in only more demanding yet ultimately vibrant new material. Les Deux Mondes becomes a stronger one after each listen, proving Harvey's music expands during each initial take. And while a little goofy at times, Harvey's mixing of both his comedic and adventurous music makes together for spectacular listening.
Tracklisting
1. A Tyrant's Dinner (3.55)
2. Another World Calls (2.39)
3. A Levitating Cat and a Strange Journey (4.37)
4. Nobody Believes Me! (5.05)
5. Our Saviour (1.19)
6. The Golden Stones (1.45)
7. Duel with Zotanians, Next to the Fridge (1.44)
8. Les Deux Mondes Theme (0.40)
9. The Eve of Battle (3.32)
10. 7 Women… For Me? (1.31)
11. The Heat of Combat (3.25) Excellent track
12. 3000 Soldiers and a Tree Trunk (2.32) Excellent track
13. Building a Kingdom (2.12)
14. Van Gogh Paint La Gioconda (4.09)
15. Reign and Revolution (4.17) Excellent track
16. Back to Paris at Night (0.53)
17. Final Duel with Zotan (3.33)
18. Both Worlds Are Dangerous Now (3.06) Excellent track
19. Maleedja and Le Pont d'Asnieres (1.48)
20. The Beach and the Totem (2.38) Excellent track
21. Les Deux Mondes End Titles (3.35)
22. Call to Arms of the Begamenians (2.58)
Total Length: 61.53
Les Deux Mondes was long only available as a downloadable score, but the wonderful people of MovieScore Media didn't want such a good score go to waste. So they released it in 2010 with English tracktitles, and most importantly now on a legitimate CD. Making Les Deux Mondes finally available after all this time.
Yet what is Les Deux Mondes now? Call it a better more expressive score than Arabian Nights, call it a Harvey laden musical encore that brings out his amazing detailed voice. It paints us an epic picture where he mixes atonal and tonal battles for us to enjoy it.
There is a distinctive darker voice in Harvey that is quite easily heard when listening to his music. In "A Tyrant's Dinner" it is spotted during the choral singing, in "Another World Calls" it fleshes out a rhythmic encore at the end and in "A Levitating Cat and a Strange Journey" the first notes of the adventure theme is trying to break the darker frenetic mood.
The lovely piano work during "Nobody Believes Me!" is soon growing into a more magical piece with various wondrous fanfares leading into the staggering build up of the main theme. The way he let's the choir grow over building percussion is fantastic. Sadly here it ends abruptly before the final effect is reached.
Nonetheless the tone of the adventure is set. The lovely "The Golden Stones" and "Les Deux Mondes Theme" only inspire the work that follows it, namely "The Eve of Battle". At first the comedic theme is slowly underscoring the proceedings before another wondrous (I call it the hope theme) is presenting its charming effect.
And once this score is growing, there is no going back. The comedic theme in "The Heat of Combat" unleashes a sort of adventurous mood, growing with wondrous vocal work to its enchanting main theme. And in these moments Richard Harvey is as enchanting as he was in Animal Farm. And that mighty theme fuels "3000 Soldiers and a Tree Trunk" in all its wonder alongside the hope theme, forming together the heart and joy of Les Deux Mondes.
The wondrous material alongside joyous choir and trumpets in "Building a Kingdom", the sprightly nature of "Van Gogh Paint La Gioconda" alongside its touching piano work and the build up in "Reign and Revolution" bring a staggering mix of the comical theme, choir, and variations of the main theme in an insane mix. Basically it sounds too good to be true.
And in the climax Harvey goes for an even more bolder finale. This is music where everything happens all at once. The atonal beginning "Final Duel with Zotan" flourishes in a bold exciting orchestral piece while the threatening build up during "Both Worlds Are Dangerous Now" deliver us a climax unlike this album has done before. It is beginning to become clear that Les Deux Mondes is anything but a subtle work.
The main theme salutes us in "Maleedja and Le Pont d'Asnieres" while Harvey expands it even in "The Beach and the Totem". Basically this is a brilliant finale.
Altogether and all jokes aside, this is a work that belongs on CD more than say a piece like Arabian Nights. But I'm glad this treasure isn't lost in the end. And fans of Richard Harvey's Animal Farm and Plague and the Moonflower will discover the same virtues, in only more demanding yet ultimately vibrant new material. Les Deux Mondes becomes a stronger one after each listen, proving Harvey's music expands during each initial take. And while a little goofy at times, Harvey's mixing of both his comedic and adventurous music makes together for spectacular listening.
Tracklisting
1. A Tyrant's Dinner (3.55)
2. Another World Calls (2.39)
3. A Levitating Cat and a Strange Journey (4.37)
4. Nobody Believes Me! (5.05)
5. Our Saviour (1.19)
6. The Golden Stones (1.45)
7. Duel with Zotanians, Next to the Fridge (1.44)
8. Les Deux Mondes Theme (0.40)
9. The Eve of Battle (3.32)
10. 7 Women… For Me? (1.31)
11. The Heat of Combat (3.25) Excellent track
12. 3000 Soldiers and a Tree Trunk (2.32) Excellent track
13. Building a Kingdom (2.12)
14. Van Gogh Paint La Gioconda (4.09)
15. Reign and Revolution (4.17) Excellent track
16. Back to Paris at Night (0.53)
17. Final Duel with Zotan (3.33)
18. Both Worlds Are Dangerous Now (3.06) Excellent track
19. Maleedja and Le Pont d'Asnieres (1.48)
20. The Beach and the Totem (2.38) Excellent track
21. Les Deux Mondes End Titles (3.35)
22. Call to Arms of the Begamenians (2.58)
Total Length: 61.53