 The
producers of the movie The Work And The Glory pulled out the big guns when they
got ready to do this soundtrack. The music on the soundtrack is composed, orchestrated,
and produced by Sam Cardon, and is conducted by Kurt Bestor. Cardon's superior
musical craftsmanship is evident throughout the album. From
the first track it is easy to see that nothing was held back in creating the soundtrack.
The orchestra is rich and full, and the sound quality is top notch. It goes without
saying that this movie would not be the same with the accompanying orchestration,
though with the visuals stripped away, the music doesn't have as much to stand
on. Many of the songs are soft and slow, and have a difficult time holding the
attention of the listener.
There are some obvious exceptions to the above
statement. Tracks such as "Seneca Square Dance" are lively and energetic,
and have that old country hoedown feel to them. "To Be A Steed" (don't
let the name throw you, this really is a good song) has a mystical, mellow tone
that you could find on any contemporary new age album. Arguably the strongest
track of the album is "Finale", which captures the mood and message
of the movie. The full orchestration on the track is bold and lively, and carries
themes from previous music on the soundtrack. The
Work And The Glory would not be the masterpiece it is without the compositions
on its soundtrack, and many songs are strong and engaging. Someone looking for
a disc full of this music would probably be better off buying a CD from those
big guns, Kurt Bestor or Sam Cardon. On the other hand, those who were touched
by the books or the movie would find this album a great addition to their collection. 3
stars out of 5
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Cory
Reese |
