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Walkabout is one of my top 5 Barry scores! (Yes. Shock horror, Steven actually has a top 5 list of Barry scores. Just don't ask for a Morricone one.)

"sending CDRs is soooo old school"

What? Like film composers still putting pencil to paper and even *shock! Horror!* conducting their own music!?

Two very different things. Some composers just prefer to work that way and feel more at ease with pen and paper. Sending a CDR these days is very much pointless unless of course you've spend a lot of effort in making the artwork yourself and presenting it as a gift. Which is all very nice, but not very appealing to collectors like ourselves.

Particularly if you send an audio CD made from MP3s. If the person then goes to rip those files onto their computer, they'll have a greatly reduced quality from the original since they'll be compressing already-compressed files yet at the same time taking up an equal (if not more) amount of space. A data disc makes a little bit more sense, but if you're gonna do that, why not just cut out the middle man and use RapidShare? It's free, much faster and you retain the original quality!

Point being, if there IS anyone who still sends CDRs without taking all of this into account... well... they really should. The old composers using pen and paper idiom is a bit misleading. (I'm assuming you know this already, fret not.)

Oh I know. But I like to think my destiny in life is to save people from bad ideas. Sending CDRs through the post is, in most cases, one of them!

Oh definitely! His concert works are superb and very accessable, get the two CD's of his concert works released by NAXOS which includes his fantastic EXODUS, piano concertos and more, all are absolutely superb.

Film score wise I see you didn't mention The Ninth Gate, a superb score though I don't know if it's still readily available?

I like it too. Hypnotic, but definitely Barry. The main theme is quite strong as well.

I'd say that they have different kinds of energy as a score like Bolt couldn't be any more far away from Largo Winch, as it's also the case between the two composers. Maybe the energy of something in the vein of Bolt and generally stemming from someone like John Powell echoes much stronger to your own musical tastes, upbringing, musical data; but that alone doesn't make him a better composer than Desplat, imo.

I said not. I'm really not a fan of it. Guilty pleasure maybe because of just how ridiculously over the top it is and for Dennis Sands' awesome recording but I've heard Silvestri do this type of score millions of times before and way better than this as well. I just don't think it's as inspired as other scores Silvestri has written for Zemeckis.

-Erik-

NP: The Last Starfighter - Craig Safan

Not sure if you could get away with a film of this sort these days. Same said with the score. Why? Because they are so full of heart and while it's a special effects film the story and it's characters take centre stage. This is also one of those quintessential 80's films. Absolutely magical, innocent and inventive. The score, while surely inspired by Star Wars, soars along giving the film it's own distinct sound and voice. What I love about the score is that the main theme is so versatile. Heroic, tragic, and romantic. Along with Son Of The Morning Star, The Last Starfighter is Craig Safan at the top of his game! Highly recommended... if you can find it!


-Erik-

NP: The Last Valley - John Barry


This is good! Unmistakably Barry, but full-bodied, robust, energetic, exciting. Menacing and overpowering with some powerful Wagnerian overtones (the German lyrics to the battle song may help in that respect ).
I love it! Really excellent and a mark of a true musical master.
So much going on. SO much to retan full interest.
Outstanding!

This actually marks only the second non-Bond Barry I love...

The Silva or the original Martijn?

It doesn't quite have the "beef" of the original but due to the recording and the extra music it's the one I play most often. I think if the film had done better this score would be deemed a classic ( which it is by film score enthusiasts ), the film itself is very good if you get the chance to see it, Michael Caine considers it a personal favourite amongst his own films.

p.s. I thought you liked Mary Queen of Scots?

You're right. I do.



I actually forgot about that one as a separate score as I only have it bundled together on one CD with Delerue's Anne Of The Thousand Days.

Thanks, I'll check it out.