John Barry: Somewhere in Time

by Royal Scottish National Orchestra, John Debney

Overview

This re-recording of John Barry's score for the 1980 Jeannot Szwarc romantic fantasy film is a bit of a puzzle, albeit a delightful one. Recorded in 20-bit digital audio by John Debney and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, this is the best account ever given of that score -- ironically, MCA/Universal, which distributes Varese Sarabande, also has out the original soundtrack as a full-priced item in its catalog, though the latter has never been upgraded from its late-'80s remastering and offers less music than is present here. Every section of Barry's music -- not just the vastly lyrical romantic passages, which are the obvious focus for most listeners -- is given a beautifully expansive reading. The darker sections, such as "June 27th," "Room 417," and "The Attic," benefit from the playing of the full-size symphony orchestra, which offers more virtuosity than the MCA pick-up orchestra could ever bring to this music. Edwin Paling's solo violin and Lynda Cochrane's piano also bring an optimal realization to the key musical moments in the original portions of the score, which the Rachmaninoff variation used as a key plot element. One is able to perceive, in this score as realized on this CD (especially on the track "A Day Together"), the rich and expansive internal orchestral language that Barry would employ to brilliant effect in his scoring of Dances With Wolves a decade later. ~ Bruce Eder

Product Details

Release Date:	09/08/1998
Label:	Var?Se Sarabande
UPC:	0030206591125
Rank:	59103

Tracks

1. Somewhere in Time, film score~Somewhere in Time
2. Somewhere in Time, film score~Old Woman
3. Somewhere in Time, film score~Grand Hotel
4. Somewhere in Time, film score~Nineteen Twelve
5. Somewhere in Time, film score~Thanks
6. Somewhere in Time, film score~June 27th
7. Somewhere in Time, film score~Room 417
8. Somewhere in Time, film score~The Attic
9. Somewhere in Time, film score~Near The Lake
10. Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Introduction and 24 Variations), for piano & orchestra in A minor, Op. 43~[Excerpt]
11. Somewhere in Time, film score~Is He the One?
12. Somewhere in Time, film score~A Day Together
13. Somewhere in Time, film score~Rowing
14. Somewhere in Time, film score~The Man of My Dreams
15. Somewhere in Time, film score~Razor
16. Somewhere in Time, film score~Total Dismay
17. Somewhere in Time, film score~Coin
18. Somewhere in Time, film score~Whimper
19. Somewhere in Time, film score~Somewhere In Time (End Credits)

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Royal Scottish National Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra
John Debney   Primary Artist,Conductor
John Barry   Primary Artist
Lynda Cochrane   Featured Artist,Piano
Edwin Paling   Violin

Technical Credits

Robert Townson   Liner Notes,Producer
John Barry   Composer
Royal Scottish National Orchestra   Performer
Matthew Joseph Peak   Cover Painting
Jonathan Allen   Engineer
Richard Hale   Assistant Engineer
Bruce Botnick   Mastering Engineer,Mastering
Sergey Rachmaninov   Composer