On the Beach
Christopher Gordon
" Powerhouse Television effort of one of today's most beloved composers "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
On The Beach is a post-apocalyptic television movie released in 2000, and it is a remake of the 1959 film (which itself was based on the 1957 novel by Nevil Shute). Differing from both the novel and the original film in several ways, On the Beach was nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Many consider that a third was definitely in order as well, this for the music of composer Christopher Gordon. Because to many, it was not only a revelation to the music of Christopher Gordon, it also remains to this date on of the fans most highly beloved scores of the year 2000.
Composer Christopher Gordon is now for many one of their all time favourite composers. And I couldn't disagree more that it was due to On the Beach. Having surprised the audience with Moby Dick several years earlier, it was On the Beach that confirmed the rousing voice of London born composer Christopher Gordon. All you have to do is open your ears and determine it for yourself.
Because if you're not enthralled after just having heard that very first track, I don't know if it ever will. Opening somber and gloomy with "The World at War", it is the powerful descending tone of Gordon's writing that will immediately captivate you. After those powerful first two minutes, you'll immediately fall in love with the rousing main theme of On the Beach.
The dramatic piano version of the love theme soon transforms into a brief main theme in "A New Day", a low mournful cello solo darkens the outcome in "A Matter of Months", a choir enlightens the spirits after that in "Melbourne Decays" and a loud drum pattern receives a solo trumpet call in "Decommission". In general Gordon paints every colour in On the Beach vividly and powerfully.
The somber opening theme of the first track returns in "Nordstrom's Theory", but that fades away when you receive some of the most heavenly music you ever heard in "Through the Darkness". Not only is the harp prominently featured in the opening seconds, it's also the heavenly dramatic sound of the solo violin and accompanying strings, which enter afterwards and grace your speakers like you haven't heard it much before. If that isn't enough, you'll receive absolutely sprightly encores in "Moira and Towers Meet".
The harp reappears when mentioning the love theme once more in "A Christmas Memory", all while the cello transforms the lovely opening theme of "Moira and Towers Meet" into another level in "On the Jetty" (accompanied by the heavenly dramatic theme of "Through the Darkness"). But the great thing about On the Beach is discovering that everything is memorable after that. "The Great Ocean Road" is again a memorable experience. Not only are two dramatic themes soaring through your speakers, it also opens rather amazingly with a pounding war march.
A great thundering main theme that explodes to the dive of a submarine in "Prepare to Dive", the dark opening theme returning in "Voyage North" that ignites the most triumphant main theme version of the entire disc (you'll be saluting this one for sure), dramatic encores and powerful fanfares that receive extra weight through a rising climax in "Anchorage", atonal attacks in "Alien Landscape" that resonate to the theme's most powerful answer, a hopeful main theme in "The Vote"... There's no stopping the powerful answers that this soundtrack exhibits.
Though, the most heartfelt answers are yet to come. In "Hirsch" the dramatic heavenly violins are returning for another round (almost stating the dramatic heavenly theme), in "Flight Through the Apostles and Elegy" the second dramatic theme gets another spine tingling moment, as does "Final Farewells". The choir that goes for the climax in "Lacrimosa" and the solo vocal in "Lux Perceptua" sending the dramatic theme out of your speakers and into your hearts. While "From the Beach, Silently Sweeping" does it more delicately through heartfelt solos. All these pieces are the score's most emotional answers in the end.
If I can say something wrong about On the Beach, it has to be the sometimes somber emotional weight of the music that doesn't invite you every time for a quick listen. Like several other monumental classics in the same weightily category (Schindler's List to name the more obvious one), On the Beach is indeed a score that deprives you from your happy feelings (especially in the second part of the score). It nonetheless leaves a lasting impression upon you, especially if you finally realized how complex and detailed Christopher Gordon's music truly is. To this date, it will rank to many as Gordon's most pivotal score of his career, making sure you'll have to check it out once if you truly consider yourself a film music fan in the first place.
Tracklisting
1. The World at War (4.07) Excellent track
2. A New Day (1.23)
3. A Matter of Months (0.56)
4. Melbourne Decays (1.47)
5. Decommission (1.39)
6. Nordstrom's Theory (1.09)
7. Through the Darkness (2.25) Excellent track
8. Moira and Towers Meet (2.36) Excellent track
9. A Christmas Memory (1.17)
10. On the Jetty (1.45) Excellent track
11. The Great Ocean Road (4.04) Excellent track
12. The Beginning of the End (1.02)
13. Prepare to Dive (1.30) Excellent track
14. Voyage North (3.15) Excellent track
15. Anchorage (5.46) Excellent track
16. Alien Landscape (4.53)
17. Swain Returns Home (3.24)
18. The Vote (2.30)
19. At the Taj Mahal (0.49)
20. Homecoming (0.48)
21. Hirsch (3.52)
22. Flight Through the Apostles and Elegy (5.58) Excellent track
23. Final Farewells (4.56)
24. Lacrimosa (2.53)
25. Lux Perceptua (2.25)
26. From the Beach, Silently Sweeping (6.35) Excellent track
Total Length: 73.35
Composer Christopher Gordon is now for many one of their all time favourite composers. And I couldn't disagree more that it was due to On the Beach. Having surprised the audience with Moby Dick several years earlier, it was On the Beach that confirmed the rousing voice of London born composer Christopher Gordon. All you have to do is open your ears and determine it for yourself.
Because if you're not enthralled after just having heard that very first track, I don't know if it ever will. Opening somber and gloomy with "The World at War", it is the powerful descending tone of Gordon's writing that will immediately captivate you. After those powerful first two minutes, you'll immediately fall in love with the rousing main theme of On the Beach.
The dramatic piano version of the love theme soon transforms into a brief main theme in "A New Day", a low mournful cello solo darkens the outcome in "A Matter of Months", a choir enlightens the spirits after that in "Melbourne Decays" and a loud drum pattern receives a solo trumpet call in "Decommission". In general Gordon paints every colour in On the Beach vividly and powerfully.
The somber opening theme of the first track returns in "Nordstrom's Theory", but that fades away when you receive some of the most heavenly music you ever heard in "Through the Darkness". Not only is the harp prominently featured in the opening seconds, it's also the heavenly dramatic sound of the solo violin and accompanying strings, which enter afterwards and grace your speakers like you haven't heard it much before. If that isn't enough, you'll receive absolutely sprightly encores in "Moira and Towers Meet".
The harp reappears when mentioning the love theme once more in "A Christmas Memory", all while the cello transforms the lovely opening theme of "Moira and Towers Meet" into another level in "On the Jetty" (accompanied by the heavenly dramatic theme of "Through the Darkness"). But the great thing about On the Beach is discovering that everything is memorable after that. "The Great Ocean Road" is again a memorable experience. Not only are two dramatic themes soaring through your speakers, it also opens rather amazingly with a pounding war march.
A great thundering main theme that explodes to the dive of a submarine in "Prepare to Dive", the dark opening theme returning in "Voyage North" that ignites the most triumphant main theme version of the entire disc (you'll be saluting this one for sure), dramatic encores and powerful fanfares that receive extra weight through a rising climax in "Anchorage", atonal attacks in "Alien Landscape" that resonate to the theme's most powerful answer, a hopeful main theme in "The Vote"... There's no stopping the powerful answers that this soundtrack exhibits.
Though, the most heartfelt answers are yet to come. In "Hirsch" the dramatic heavenly violins are returning for another round (almost stating the dramatic heavenly theme), in "Flight Through the Apostles and Elegy" the second dramatic theme gets another spine tingling moment, as does "Final Farewells". The choir that goes for the climax in "Lacrimosa" and the solo vocal in "Lux Perceptua" sending the dramatic theme out of your speakers and into your hearts. While "From the Beach, Silently Sweeping" does it more delicately through heartfelt solos. All these pieces are the score's most emotional answers in the end.
If I can say something wrong about On the Beach, it has to be the sometimes somber emotional weight of the music that doesn't invite you every time for a quick listen. Like several other monumental classics in the same weightily category (Schindler's List to name the more obvious one), On the Beach is indeed a score that deprives you from your happy feelings (especially in the second part of the score). It nonetheless leaves a lasting impression upon you, especially if you finally realized how complex and detailed Christopher Gordon's music truly is. To this date, it will rank to many as Gordon's most pivotal score of his career, making sure you'll have to check it out once if you truly consider yourself a film music fan in the first place.
Tracklisting
1. The World at War (4.07) Excellent track
2. A New Day (1.23)
3. A Matter of Months (0.56)
4. Melbourne Decays (1.47)
5. Decommission (1.39)
6. Nordstrom's Theory (1.09)
7. Through the Darkness (2.25) Excellent track
8. Moira and Towers Meet (2.36) Excellent track
9. A Christmas Memory (1.17)
10. On the Jetty (1.45) Excellent track
11. The Great Ocean Road (4.04) Excellent track
12. The Beginning of the End (1.02)
13. Prepare to Dive (1.30) Excellent track
14. Voyage North (3.15) Excellent track
15. Anchorage (5.46) Excellent track
16. Alien Landscape (4.53)
17. Swain Returns Home (3.24)
18. The Vote (2.30)
19. At the Taj Mahal (0.49)
20. Homecoming (0.48)
21. Hirsch (3.52)
22. Flight Through the Apostles and Elegy (5.58) Excellent track
23. Final Farewells (4.56)
24. Lacrimosa (2.53)
25. Lux Perceptua (2.25)
26. From the Beach, Silently Sweeping (6.35) Excellent track
Total Length: 73.35