Alternative Film Soundtrack Cues

[Hawkbit]

http://www.target.com/Film-Television-Music-Angela-Morley/dp/B002OL4MFM



I linked to Target because you can listen to clips--itunes was giving me grief.  The John Wilson orchestra is a highly respected group of players, and in this disc they took on some of the themes and music of Angela Morley.

There are four cues from Watership Down here:

13 - Venturing Forth (extended version of soundtrack track 2; includes reprises heard in the film)

14 - Through the Woods (no big differences from the soundtrack version)

15 - Keehar's Theme (sonically, it sounds different from the soundtrack version; sax solo is not close miked like the original; sax solo is also jumpy--kind of like Keehar's flying, so there is character there not present in the original rendition)

16 - Final Struggle and Triumph (again, sonically different from the soundtrack version; the bridge where Pipkin lures Woundwort is presented very differently, and you do not get the urgency of the situation - the London Symphony was made for film scoring; not so much this group--too whimsical to do the scene justice)


So what's a fan to do? Buy or not to buy?  Well I have bought all four track from itunes because its far cheaper than buying the entire cd.  I like the extended Venturing Forth piece that brings in cues throughout the film.  Through the Woods is almost an updated recording of the piece.  Keehar's Theme will be hit or miss with fans that love the tune.  The playing of the alto sax is very different, and again, its not a close-miked performance, so it fits more in place with the orchestra, rather than in front of it as a soloist.  I don't believe that was the intention during the film...it was about Keehar at that point, and the sax was the voice of Keehar in the music.  Bad choice to push the sax back in the middle!  But I do like the abrupt jumpiness in the sax playing because Keehar was no graceful flier!  I'm sure this recording will grow on me.  Final Struggle is just too different, and its not like the performance you heard from the film.  Their performance cannot replicate the danger of the film, and that's a true shame!

If you want to buy - get Venturing Forth, and Keehar's Theme if you're interested in more than one interpretation of it.

[Hawkbit]

http://www.emusic.com/listen/#/album/Leo-Potts-LUNDE-L-Alto-Saxophone-Sonata-No-1-HIGGINS-MP3-Download/11607230.html:




What you're listening for here is the Watership Down - Keehar's Theme track.

What you have is a solo sax and piano duet of Keehar's Theme.  Its taken in the same tempo and style of the soundtrack version with no creative differences.  Its almost like you lifted the sax playing from the cd and just set it to a solo piano accompaniment.  This is a nice track if you're a fan of Keehar's Theme and just want to hear the flighty sax without the background orchestra.  A worthy download.  I haven't seen this anywhere else besides emusic, so it might be the only place you can get the track.

[Campion1]

Excellent job finding all those.. Although knowing you it's a another hobby. I hope to buy the soundtrack soon enough

[Hawkbit]

^ A hobby it is, but if they weren't worthwhile cues I wouldn't have purchased them.  As for the cd soundtrack, I don't know what your finances look like, but its up there in price and has been for some time now....around $100.00 because its so rare.  

I don't even remember when I bought my copy...2002 maybe, but it was like $25 then.  I don't know if it'll ever see a re-release depending on who owns the rights to the music, but my opinion, don't spend more than $50 to get it.