The Salamander
Jerry Goldsmith
" Newly recorded score unravels several Goldsmith gems "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
The Salamander is perhaps Goldsmith's best kept secret. A score nobody talked about, even more nobody even knew it existed. That was until Prometheus re scored it after they did the same so successfully with Hour of the Gun. Anyway, those samples made our mouths drool considering this was an unheard off Goldsmith score, in pristine sound clarity and above all a score that would ridicule most of the scores of the year 2013. As so it seemed by the samples. The entire score is a little less engaging, but still holding some of the most magnificent tracks released that year. Take for instance the choral "Funeral: Requiem for a General", capturing almost The Final Conflict standards. Or the "Goodbyes & End Titles" cue, delivering a soaring love theme statement and ditto Goldsmith finale. A thundering action cue ala "The Car Chase" is then of course obligatory as well (hello composers of today, wanna hear a great action cue and how it's supposed to be done?). Several cues deliver the equally experimental Goldsmith touch, such as the heartbeat and samples in "Car Bomb / Torture / Death of the Surgeon" (alongside racing fanfares and accordion). That accordion appears several times, unleashing a quite lovely love theme as counterpart to the more racing main theme. The score itself is quite suspenseful and slightly dark, but it's in the love theme and soaring finale that The Salamander becomes that special release. It's not the best Goldsmith, but it still has tracks worth craving about.
Several amazing tracks never before heard finally available.
The love theme is the star of this album and gets a wonderful finale in the final track.
The recording is top notch, and above all it sounds very Goldsmithian in orchestrations.
Always a treat, re recordings of other scores who did not have such amazing sound quality.
The score is rather suspenseful and dark, not everything is that impressive.
Track Listing
1. "The Salamander" Main Titles (1.44)
2. Funeral: Requiem for a General (2.37) Excellent track
3. Woodpecker / Neo-Fascist Training / Lawyers / Dead People (2.38)
4. Dante Runs Upstairs / The Surgeon (1.22)
5. Dante and Lili (2.29)
6. The Car Chase (1.40) Excellent track
7. Island Adventure (5.25)
8. Dante / Zurich / Lili (4.14)
9. Manzini / Assassination Attempt (2.14)
10. Photographs / Steffi's Abduction (2.22)
11. Steffi's Dead / The Mortuary (2.19)
12. Car Bomb / Torture / Death of the Surgeon (3.50)
13. Phone Call to Lili / The Forest (2.11)
14. The Guests Arrive / After the Show Ended (2.34)
15. Goodbyes & End Titles (5.34) Excellent track
Bonus Tracks
16. The Cassandra Crossing: Concert Suite (5.46)
Main Titles and The Climber
17. Ransom: Concert Suite (8.11)
Sky Chaser and Main Theme
Total Length: 57.10
Several amazing tracks never before heard finally available.
The love theme is the star of this album and gets a wonderful finale in the final track.
The recording is top notch, and above all it sounds very Goldsmithian in orchestrations.
Always a treat, re recordings of other scores who did not have such amazing sound quality.
The score is rather suspenseful and dark, not everything is that impressive.
Track Listing
1. "The Salamander" Main Titles (1.44)
2. Funeral: Requiem for a General (2.37) Excellent track
3. Woodpecker / Neo-Fascist Training / Lawyers / Dead People (2.38)
4. Dante Runs Upstairs / The Surgeon (1.22)
5. Dante and Lili (2.29)
6. The Car Chase (1.40) Excellent track
7. Island Adventure (5.25)
8. Dante / Zurich / Lili (4.14)
9. Manzini / Assassination Attempt (2.14)
10. Photographs / Steffi's Abduction (2.22)
11. Steffi's Dead / The Mortuary (2.19)
12. Car Bomb / Torture / Death of the Surgeon (3.50)
13. Phone Call to Lili / The Forest (2.11)
14. The Guests Arrive / After the Show Ended (2.34)
15. Goodbyes & End Titles (5.34) Excellent track
Bonus Tracks
16. The Cassandra Crossing: Concert Suite (5.46)
Main Titles and The Climber
17. Ransom: Concert Suite (8.11)
Sky Chaser and Main Theme
Total Length: 57.10