The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey
Guy Farley
" From now, Christmas cheers you on. "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Guy Farley is one of the many composers who get the recognition they deserve through MovieScore Media. The Swedish label already released his Land of the Blind and has done so once again with the magical The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey. If something needs to be around Christmas time then it has to be the cheery and uplifting feeling of hope, happy memories and joyous occasions. I guess this all is present here.
Once again we get in contact with a score that would have been forgotten if not for the wonderful work by Mikael Carlsson. It all starts with the soft but magical "Jonathan Toomey" where the main theme grows from piano and strings to the Christmas cheery "Deck the Halls" melody. It sure is a Christmas way to begin.
The soft "Father's Letters" and "Baseball Cards" are appetizers for "Soldiers and Tragedy". Drums and flute warm up the famous war tune until the strings take over and unleash a soaring dramatic moment. This is one of the more stronger moments of the score and Farley really touches the heart with this one. "Life in the Country" (watch out for the Meet Joe Black ending, which also pops up in track 9), "Old Blue" and "Country Style" have a more Texan air to them. The familiar harmonica, solo violin and guitar are the instruments that bring that to life.
Also lively is "Leaving Town" where out of nowhere a flourish of brass and hope blossoms open. The main theme on piano in "Thomas Forlorn", the tinkling "When Were you Born" and the sorrowful "You Had no Right" are all tracks that correspond with the bigger tracks. And a track such as "Home From the War" can't go by unnoticed as once again Farley lets the war tune grow to a stunning collision of strings. I must however point out that this track is seriously influenced by Last of the Mohicans and with that I mean especially the theme at the end.
The Texan theme now meets the strings for a more relaxing journey through the land in "Thomas and Toomey". Again the influences with a Thomas Newman sound are easier to spot after a while. It's however in the end where the emotions start to grow. The nice usage of soft choir and strings in "Mother to Child" and "The Nativity Set" give back that happy feeling. You can't get more happy feelings than listening to "Christmas Joy", basically a waltz based on the Christmas tunes "Deck the Halls" and "Jingle Bells", making sure the festivity is exploding from the recording.
This is music that you must play when it suddenly begins to snow that wonderful evening around Christmas time. It's so joyous and sprightly. Resulting in once more a pleasing and lovely score from MovieScore Media. I can't honestly comment enough on the wonderful work they are doing by bringing us these forgotten but treasured releases month after month.
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey is the next in line that will warm the heart of many. It is not so strong in musical terms nor innovating, but it's the feeling you're going to get the moment you put it in your CD player. While it is sad that several temptrack influences are noticeable, Farley nonetheless makes the most of it by giving them the sound that the score needed. And by doing so, the spirit of the score is that what flourishes the most. For MovieScore Media it's another lovely entry in the already impressive list of releases.
Tracklisting
1. Jonathan Toomey (4.35)
2. Father's Letters (1.46)
3. Baseball Cards (1.17)
4. Soldiers and Tragedy (2.10) Excellent track
5. Life in the Country (1.55)
6. Leaving Town (2.27) Excellent track
7. Thomas Forlorn (1.21)
8. Old Blue (1.38)
9. The Dare (2.44)
10. Country Style (1.13)
11. Carving Lessons (1.39)
12. Home From the War (1.36) Excellent track
13. Thomas and Toomey (2.48)
14. When Were You Born (1.37)
15. Confronting Edward (2.16)
16. You Had No Right (2.37)
17. Mother to Child (2.44)
18. The Nativity Set (1.45)
19. Christmas Joy (2.55) Excellent track
Total Length: 41.11
Once again we get in contact with a score that would have been forgotten if not for the wonderful work by Mikael Carlsson. It all starts with the soft but magical "Jonathan Toomey" where the main theme grows from piano and strings to the Christmas cheery "Deck the Halls" melody. It sure is a Christmas way to begin.
The soft "Father's Letters" and "Baseball Cards" are appetizers for "Soldiers and Tragedy". Drums and flute warm up the famous war tune until the strings take over and unleash a soaring dramatic moment. This is one of the more stronger moments of the score and Farley really touches the heart with this one. "Life in the Country" (watch out for the Meet Joe Black ending, which also pops up in track 9), "Old Blue" and "Country Style" have a more Texan air to them. The familiar harmonica, solo violin and guitar are the instruments that bring that to life.
Also lively is "Leaving Town" where out of nowhere a flourish of brass and hope blossoms open. The main theme on piano in "Thomas Forlorn", the tinkling "When Were you Born" and the sorrowful "You Had no Right" are all tracks that correspond with the bigger tracks. And a track such as "Home From the War" can't go by unnoticed as once again Farley lets the war tune grow to a stunning collision of strings. I must however point out that this track is seriously influenced by Last of the Mohicans and with that I mean especially the theme at the end.
The Texan theme now meets the strings for a more relaxing journey through the land in "Thomas and Toomey". Again the influences with a Thomas Newman sound are easier to spot after a while. It's however in the end where the emotions start to grow. The nice usage of soft choir and strings in "Mother to Child" and "The Nativity Set" give back that happy feeling. You can't get more happy feelings than listening to "Christmas Joy", basically a waltz based on the Christmas tunes "Deck the Halls" and "Jingle Bells", making sure the festivity is exploding from the recording.
This is music that you must play when it suddenly begins to snow that wonderful evening around Christmas time. It's so joyous and sprightly. Resulting in once more a pleasing and lovely score from MovieScore Media. I can't honestly comment enough on the wonderful work they are doing by bringing us these forgotten but treasured releases month after month.
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey is the next in line that will warm the heart of many. It is not so strong in musical terms nor innovating, but it's the feeling you're going to get the moment you put it in your CD player. While it is sad that several temptrack influences are noticeable, Farley nonetheless makes the most of it by giving them the sound that the score needed. And by doing so, the spirit of the score is that what flourishes the most. For MovieScore Media it's another lovely entry in the already impressive list of releases.
Tracklisting
1. Jonathan Toomey (4.35)
2. Father's Letters (1.46)
3. Baseball Cards (1.17)
4. Soldiers and Tragedy (2.10) Excellent track
5. Life in the Country (1.55)
6. Leaving Town (2.27) Excellent track
7. Thomas Forlorn (1.21)
8. Old Blue (1.38)
9. The Dare (2.44)
10. Country Style (1.13)
11. Carving Lessons (1.39)
12. Home From the War (1.36) Excellent track
13. Thomas and Toomey (2.48)
14. When Were You Born (1.37)
15. Confronting Edward (2.16)
16. You Had No Right (2.37)
17. Mother to Child (2.44)
18. The Nativity Set (1.45)
19. Christmas Joy (2.55) Excellent track
Total Length: 41.11