Voila!
The passing of Jerry Goldsmith was an event that effected me deeply, but it occurred at the beginning of my vacation in California, so I was unable to respond immediately to the event as I always had intended to: the creation of a multi-disc Jerry Goldsmith set, by genre. Upon my return to New York, I started going through my collection in preparation. While a certain sense of morbidity hung over the proceedings at the beginning, over time I found myself having more and more fun with the assembly of these collections, and, in a sense, I feel they have helped me come to terms with the fact that there will be no more new Jerry Goldsmith scores. I also have made a pretty good box set in the process, if I do say so for myself.
Make no mistake, this is an extremely personal set. It is not intended to be an overview of his career, but rather a compendium of what I like about Jerry Goldsmith's music. This has been one of the most personal projects I have ever worked on because I only had myself to answer to in its creation. I like to think that I've done the Maestro proud.
THEY'RE HERE
The Horror Film Music of Jerry Goldsmith
Interestingly enough, the first collection to actually be created was for the horror genre. Goldsmith was known for his chameleon like quality, and his versatility was one of the reasons his oeuvre was so large and spanned so many decades. It was the horror genre that Goldsmith one his first and only Academy Award, for 1976's The Omen.
Notes
Disc one therefore fittingly opens with “Ave Satani,” which is the main theme from The Omen, which was scored for orchestra and choir. In order to give the music a more sinister aspect, the Latin text is based upon backwards Gregorian structures. The overture from Twilight Zone: The Movie (actually an expanded version of the end titles of the film prepared by the Maestro for the Varése Sarabande recording Frontiers) then follows, showcasing the more emotive and playful side of Goldsmith's personality, encapsulating the thematic material from the “Kick the Can,” “It's a Good Life” and “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” segments of the film. We then segue into another of the composer's more memorable creations, his score from Poltergeist. “The Neighborhood and the Calling” is the main title from the film, which starts with foreboding electronics, from which the main Carol Anne choral theme emerges. After this cue reaches its sprightly conclusion, the brief but creepy “Walking Distance” from Alien (ostensibly a science-fiction film, but in truth it belongs firmly in the horror genre) appears, leading us into then next three tracks, a cycle of violence starting with the tense “The Blooding” from the second Omen sequel, The Final Conflict. This score is a rare beast, being one of the only epic horror film scores ever written. Goldsmith concentrated on new material for this score, although it is clearly cut from the same cloth as the previous two films in the series. The buzzing and intense “The Bees Arrive” from The Swarm then follows, then the harsh chanting of “The Dogs Attack” from The Omen.
I then broke this cycle with the scratching strings and echoplexed thumping of the film version of Alien's main title. Goldsmith originally wrote an opening sequence using a Romantic-style theme at the request of director Ridley Scott (who ended up using portions of Howard Hanson's second symphony, “The Romantic” over the finale), but then was asked to rewrite the credits using his alien planet music. One of Goldsmith's most terrifying moments of scoring occurs in “It Knows What Scares You” from Poltergeist, as medium Tangina explains that Carol Anne is trapped in the ethereal plane; this is scored with Carol Anne's theme. When Tangina then says “...but she is not alone...” the lowest registers of the orchestra then make their presence known. These musical forces continue their conflict on a darker and louder scale as the rescue of Carol Anne is then played out in “Rebirth.” “The Salt Flats,” the finale of Warlock then follows, featuring shimmering textures for the denouement and a recapitulation of the sinister Warlock theme as the end titles roll. “The Monastery” is a low-key diabolical cue from The Final Conflict which presents the Damien theme from that film.
The action kicks up again with “The Droid,” which was written for, but largely unused in Alien. Scratching strings coldly drone as Ash's true identity is revealed, which is then answered by jagged statements from the brass. The activity doesn't let up in “A Ravenous Killing” the second Omen film, Damien, leading us directly into the playful “Nightmare At 20,000 Feet” from the final vignette of Twilight Zone: The Movie, featuring a maniacal fiddle towards the end. We then return to Alien for “The Deaths of Parker and Lambert,” which features some of the composer's primitive sounds for the titular creature. “Broken Vows” from The Omen starts quietly on the 'celli, but gradually gains momentum as they are joined by brass and organ, leading to a frenzied choral finale. The first disc then concludes with the “End Title” from Psycho II. Faced with the daunting task of following Bernard Herrmann's masterful (and notorious) score from the first film, Goldsmith opted to write music in a completely different style, creating a beautiful theme for piano, strings, clarinet and electronics for the tragic Norman Bates.
Disc two opens with a bit of levity from Gremlins 2: The New Batch. The end credits is a suite of all the themes from the film, centering upon an orchestral arrangement of “The Gremlin Rag” from the first film. The tone turns much more foreboding in “The Face of the Antichrist” from Damien, a dark piece that features a passages for flutes and organs before becoming a disturbing vocal setting for the main 'Ave Satani' theme. “They’re Back” from Poltergeist II: The Other Side features choral work similar to that for The Omen films, punctuated by cutting electronics. More of the primitive and uncomfortable sounds from Alien are heard in “The Stowaway,” which scores Ripley discovering an unwelcome passenger on the her escape shuttle.
“The Hunt” is a major musical set-piece from The Final Conflict, a battle between an equestrian motive and the religious theme from “The Monastery,” heard as Damien is attacked during a fox-hunt, traditionally a fertile ground for composers. The harsh brass bleats of “Night of the Beast” scores the revelation at the end of Poltergeist that the house was not, in fact, quite as clean as it had been proclaimed. The suspenseful “Mother’s Room” from Psycho II features unsettling textures mixed with Norman's theme, but the music takes a more upbeat turn in the end title of “The Swarm.”
“Ash’s Domain” from Alien is heard over a tracking shot through the medical laboratory, featuring echoplexed steel drums, hinting at something more sinister than is apparent. “The Smoke” scores a ritual intended to protect the Freeling family in Poltergeist II: The Other Side. “All the Power” is the end titles of Damien, featuring a fresh arrangement of the 'Ave Satani' theme.
The only television score to appear on this album is from “The Invaders,” an episode of the original The Twilight Zone series that featured Agnes Moorhead as an unnamed protagonist fighting off mysterious aliens. Scored for piano, organ and celeste with a diabolical fiddle and stabbing strings, the music had the burden of carrying the show as it is almost completely free of dialogue. Carol Anne's theme is interrupted periodically by angry orchestral statements in Poltergeist's “Contacting the Other Side,” while the apocalyptic “Fallen Temple” is straight violence from Damien. “Fats Acts” from Magic features a frenzied string figure and the only known case of a harmonica sounding threatening. Mystery and murder go hand in hand in the intense “It’s Not Your Mother” from Psycho II, while the “Time Out” sequence from Twilight Zone: The Movie features percussion, chimes and piano in a cold portrayal of inhumanity as Vic Morrow plays a bigot getting his comeuppance (it was during the filming of this vignette that Morrow and two children were killed by a helicopter). “The Shaft” from Alien is a suspenseful cue in which Captain Dallas moves through the Nostromo's ventilation system. Closing off this album in a grand scale is the finale from “The Final Conflict,” for the death of the Damien, the Antichrist, which begins with Shostakovichian strings and chimes, the Damien theme leading into familiar 'Ave Satani' territory before electronics brings us to the rapturous choral outcry for the vision of Christ, which then subsides as the final variation of the Damien theme is presented with choir, giving the end of this record a fitting sense of closure.
DISC ONE - 71:50
1.Ave Satani (The Omen) 2:30
2. Overture (Twilight Zone: The Movie) 5:57
3. The Neighborhood and the Calling (Poltergeist) 4:04
4. Walking Distance (Alien) 0:08
5. The Blooding (The Final Conflict) 3:27
6. The Bees Arrive (The Swarm) 4:21
7. The Dogs Attack (The Omen) 2:26
8. Main Title (Alien) 4:00
9. It Knows What Scares You and Rebirth (Poltergeist) 15:51
10. The Salt Flats (Warlock) 7:09
11. The Monastery (The Final Conflict) 3:05
12. The Droid (Alien) 3:14
13. A Ravenous Killing (Damien) 0:42
14. Nightmare At 20,000 Feet (Twilight Zone: The Movie) 6:49
15. The Deaths of Parker and Lambert (Alien) 1:45
16. Broken Vows (The Omen) 2:00
17. End Title (Psycho II) 4:13
DISC TWO - 80:34
1. The Gremlin Rag (Gremlins 2: The New Batch) 4:45
2. The Face of the Antichrist (Damien) 2:17
3. They’re Back (Poltergeist II: The Other Side) 3:32
4. The Stowaway (Alien) 3:06
5. The Hunt (The Final Conflict) 3:54
6. Night of the Beast (Poltergeist) 3:43
7. Mother’s Room (Psycho II) 4:01
8. End Title (The Swarm) 3:13
9. Ash’s Domain (Alien) 0:54
10. The Smoke (Poltergeist II: The Other Side) 4:41
11. All the Power (Damien) 3:12
12. The Invaders (The Twilight Zone) 12:39
13. Contacting the Other Side (Poltergeist) 3:35
14. Fallen Temple (Damien) 1:26
15. Fats Acts (Magic) 2:43
16. It’s Not Your Mother (Psycho II) 5:05
17. Time Out (Twilight Zone: The Movie) 4:16
18. The Shaft (Alien) 4:24
19. Finale (The Final Conflict) 9:01
IT IS ALL TRUE
The Dramatic Film Music of Jerry Goldsmith
Drama is a very difficult genre to score because much of the time a main conflict may be internal. Because of his emotional approach to scoring, Goldsmith excelled at finding the psychological underpinnings of characters and creating attractive melodies.
Notes
Opening with the iconic main title for Chinatown, this album of Jerry Goldsmith's drama scores is a compendium of the composer's work in this most challenging genre. This cue showcases the Maestro's talent, offering not only the trumpet solo for the love theme, but the tinkling sounds that represent the generating element of the film's labyrinthine plot... water. The attractive nautically-flavored “Gift From the Sea” is the love theme from Papillon, a collaboration with Franklin J. Schaffner, which is in turn followed by the stately and gorgeous theme for strings, woodwinds and electronics from “Powder.” The main title from The Blue Max then follows. This is one of Goldsmith's most acclaimed scores, featuring a wind machine, capturing the euphoria of flight.
The mood more serious as the snare drums announce the appearance of the “Winter March” from Goldsmith's classic score from Patton. One of Goldsmith's most respected scores, Patton has only about a half hour's worth of music, yet feels heavily scored because of the incisive spotting by the Maestro and director Schaffner. The titles for strings and electronics of Basic Instinct then follows. This score for Paul Verhoeven's softcore opus has the dubious honor of redefining the sound of the erotic thriller from the passionate sounds of John Barry's Body Heat score to a cold and calculating aesthetic. Pat Methany's solo guitar emotes “Rafael’s Theme” from the political thriller Under Fire, a score which mixes Peruvian folk with contemporary sounds to illustrate the Nicaraguan rebellion. “The Wrong Clue” is another cue from Chinatown, this time with the piano and trumpet over a bed of strings leading to an active variation of the main theme. The score for Patton, another Schaffner collaboration, evokes the General's belief in reincarnation with the echoplexed trumpet triplets and his to devotion the military with a jaunty march (which would be spoofed by Robert Folk for the Police Academy movies).
Powder features a beautiful and delicate cue entitled “Steven and the Snow,” which is followed by the more avante garde title sequence from Freud, indicative of the doctor's pioneering work in delving into mysteries of the subconscious. This cue, although written for the John Huston film, would later be re-used by Ridley Scott and editor Terry Rawlings in Alien. A bouncy, “moving” version of the love theme from Chinatown is heard in “The Last of Ida.”
Another cue from The Blue Max, the adventurous “The Bridge,” presents the main theme from that film in a driving, propulsive setting. “Marlin,” a lengthy but galvanizing cue from another Schaffner film, Islands In the Stream then follows. The romantic main theme from The Russia House comes next, a concert arrangement by Morton Stevens.
The heat is then turned up in a cue from Basic Instinct, “Roxy Loses,” which features an active, string and horn-heavy action approach that is supplemented by electronics that Goldsmith had been honing from his previous Verhoeven collaboration, Total Recall. A Rebel March of sorts is heard in “Rafael” from Under Fire, which is then followed by the pleasant “Jake and Evelyn,” the most straightforward presentation of the love theme in the score proper of Chinatown. The pretty “Hospital,” written primarily for oboe, horn and strings, from Papillon closes this section of the album.
The enigmatic “Crossed Legs” from Basic Instinct is then heard with the score's characteristic high-register strings, bells and electronics that bounce from speaker to speaker. The more pastoral “It Is All True” from Islands In the Stream gives us a respite before the martial, pessimistic tones of “The New Arrival” mark the appearance of another cue from The Blue Max, this time presenting the dark theme for the protagonist's obsession with the titular medal. The album closes as it began, with the trumpet main theme from Chinatown.
81:04
1. Main Title (Chinatown) 1:58
2. Gift From the Sea (Papillon) 6:37
3. Theme (Powder) 4:19
4. Main Title (The Blue Max) 2:14
5. Winter March (Patton) 1:52
6. Main Title (Basic Instinct) 2:03
7. Rafael’s Theme (Under Fire) 1:35
8. The Wrong Clue (Chinatown) 1:39
9. March (Patton) 2:03
10. Steven and the Snow (Powder) 8:18
11. Main Title (Freud) 3:14
12. The Last of Ida (Chinatown) 0:37
13. The Bridge (The Blue Max) 3:04
14. Marlin (Islands In the Stream) 11:58
15. Theme (The Russia House) 5:08
16. Roxy Loses (Basic Instinct) 2:43
17. Rafael (Under Fire) 2:31
18. Jake and Evelyn (Chinatown) 2:48
19. Hospital (Papillon) 3:34
20. Crossed Legs (Basic Instinct) 4:40
21. It Is All True (Islands In the Stream) 4:58
22. The New Arrival (The Blue Max) 1:21
23. End Title (Chinatown) 1:57
VALHALLA
The Adventure Film Music of Jerry Goldsmith
An area where Goldsmith remained in the forefront of his field no matter what the current musical fad may have been in Hollywood was in the action and adventure genre. His gift for harmony and rhythm, and his keen eye for the dramatic soul of a scene... not to mention the ability to kick ass when necessary, kept him at the top of his game.
Notes
The strident and percussive main title from one of Goldsmith's crowning achievements, The Wind and the Lion, opens disc one with a bang (literally) and proceeds to quote that film's strong main theme. After this concert arrangement's rousing conclusion, more intimate tone is heard as a harp introduces a delicate passage for electronics strings and woodwinds in “The Lake,“ from the final Goldsmith/Schaffner collaboration, Lionheart. The tone becomes more sprightly as the main theme for Robert comes to the forefront, leading us to a martial beat and chanting choir for the selection of The Thirteenth Warrior in the cue “The Brave,” the first appearance in that film of Goldsmith's Viking theme, not included on that film's soundtrack album.
Goldsmith composed one of his most attractive and versatile love themes for the rollicking The Mummy. This serves as the basis of the cue “Camel Race,” which mixes the traditional symphonic sound with Middle Eastern flavors. For Ridley Scott's Legend, Goldsmith composed one of his most distinctive and acclaimed scores, dropped in the misguided American re-edit of the film. This cue, “The Armor,” contains the hero theme on horns with the strings playing a yearning countermelody. The rhythmic “Bitter Coffee” from The Edge then adds a sense of mystery to the proceedings, followed by the rapturous “The Trees” from the cautionary Medicine Man.
“The Road To Masada” from the television mini-series Masada is a main set-piece of the film, a colorful pageant of the themes, driven by the forward momentum of the track. The pretty “Upside Down People” from King Solomon's Mines is a moment of respite that features a delicate flute theme for a tribe of peaceful natives who live inverted. The primary love theme from the film makes a few brief appearances as well. The peaceful mood is broken by the arrival of the villains, represented by comedic settings of Wagner's “Ride of the Valkyries.”
A powerful quote of the main Viking theme introduces the next cue from The Thirteenth Warrior, as the town sets up their defenses. This is quickly upstaged by the Arab theme as heard as Ahmed has his heavy broadsword reforged as a saber. The light-hearted “Mathilda” from Lionheart follows, a sprightly folk-like tune that goes through several variations before the mysterioso textures of “No Thanks” lead us into a quote of the main theme from The Secret of N.I.M.H. “Night Boarders” from The Mummy scores an exciting action sequence in which the protagonists ship is attacked, and it features the brassy, heroic O'Connell theme.
The yearning love theme from The Wind and the Lion, “I Remember,” leads us into the guitar opening for “It’s A Long Road,” the original orchestral end credits from First Blood, which start quietly enough but soon opens up into a powerful brass statement of Rambo's theme. Electronic swooshes mark Kara's “Arrival on Earth” from Supergirl, and a euphoric setting of the main theme represent her discovery of her powers in “Flying Ballet.” “Camelot Lives” from First Knight is a stately piece representing the most positive qualities valued by King Arthur leading up to the fanfare for his funeral.
“The Horns of Hell” from The Thirteenth Warrior is an action cue showcasing Ahmed's theme as he rides his agile Arabian horse to rescue a child from impending doom, while “The Encampment” from Masada is a much more sedate presentation of a Middle-Eastern flavored sound.
For Legend, Goldsmith penned several songs for Lily with lyricist John Bettis, which emphasized the fairy-tale nature of the film. One of these, “Bumps & Hollows,” opens the next selection from that film, before leading us into a gorgeous orchestral setting of the “Living River” song (which will be heard at the end of disc two). The idyll is short-lived, however, as Lily has unknowingly lead evil goblins to the Unicorns. Nightmarish textures take over as the goblins pursue them and kill one, causing Winter to arrive. The climax of Medicine Man is a large forest conflagration that destroys the scientists' work in the foreboding “The Fire.” Disc one closes with “No Diamonds,” the finale and end credits from King Solomon’s Mines, which presents the love theme and the heroic, bright Quatermain theme.
“Old Bagdad” from The Thirteenth Warrior, opens with a brief quote of Ahmed's theme to establish his perspective, and then the heroic Viking theme is presented in its full glory. A passage for horns introduces the sweeping “Lost In the Wild,” from The Edge. A cue from Supergirl follows with harsh electronics mixing with the orchestra and choir in “The Vortex” to illustrate the dangers of the Phantom Zone. “The End of Zaltar” scores the death of the Peter O'Toole character in that film, a mounting brass passage leading to a triumphant statement of the title theme.
“Raisuli Attacks” from The Wind and the Lion is one of Goldsmith's most exciting action cues, an intense melange of the thematic material from that film, percussive and propulsive. A short electronic motif opens “Escape Route” from First Blood; this repeating rhythm will form the basis for much of the action music in the subsequent Rambo films. The epic finale from Lionheart, “King Richard” presents the entire canvas from that film, including the stately Robert and King Richard themes.
The next two tracks focus on the more impish side of the composer. “Fairy Dance” was written for a scene cut from Legend, in which Gump attempts to cause Jack to dance uncontrollably to his death if he can not answer a riddle. The was removed late in the editing process, and one can see in the riddle scene evidence of Jack becoming more and more sweaty for no reason. The upbeat overture from The Great Train Robbery then follows, a self-consciously Victorian work based around a wonderful scherzo.
“Escape From Torture” from Rambo: First Blood Part II immediately kicks the album back into high gear with a fanfare, following which is a galvanizing piece featuring the action rhythm (heard earlier in “Escape Route”). “The Legend” is the finale from Baby: The Secret of the Lost Legend features a pretty, playful theme for the dinosaurs. “Rescued” from The Edge is a pensive piece heard at the end of that film, an illustration of a man's return to the world. This track contains a low crackling sound in the right channel that was part of the CD master. A blaze of brass introduces the breathtaking “Arthur’s Farewell,” which scores the final battle in First Knight with a choir chanting in Latin as the orchestra builds tension with horns, bells and percussion.
“I’ll Stay,” the finale and unused end credits of Rambo III opens the final portion of this album. For this film, Goldsmith composed a new theme for Rambo, which is heard here mixing with his original Rambo theme at one point before the rhythmic end title begins, which plays out two settings of the new Rambo theme, framing a piece for Afghanistan. “The Sand Volcano” is likewise the finale and end credits from The Mummy, this time heard in the film (albeit in a different order), featuring the O'Connell and love themes. A stately variation on the Viking theme from The Thirteenth Warrior opens the selection from “Valhalla” that appears here, as the protagonists, assured of their own deaths, stand to fight the oncoming hordes of the Eaters of the Dead. This leads to a rousing statement, the culmination really, of the Viking theme... that was inexplicably cut from the film. This is followed by a quieter passage as the Eaters of the Dead flee from Buliwyf, who has slain their leader. “The House Raising” is the emotionally rewarding climax of The Secret of N.I.M.H., an evocation of a mother's love for her children. The album closes with “Reunited,” the end credits of Legend, which features the song “Living River,” the heraldic Unicorn theme, the jolly song for the fairies “Sing the Wee,” and a playful piece for Jack. In keeping with the fairy-tale nature of this score, it is a beautiful conclusion where light has vanquished darkness once and for all.
DISC ONE - 78:13
1. Main Title (The Wind and the Lion) 1:40
2. The Lake (Lionheart) 3:35
3. The Brave (The Thirteenth Warrior) 1:19
4. Camel Race (The Mummy) 3:15
5. The Armor (Legend) 1:05
6. Bitter Coffee (The Edge) 2:51
7. The Trees (Medicine Man) 5:52
8. The Road To Masada (Masada) 6:48
9. Upside Down People (King Solomon’s Mines) 4:43
10. The Sword Maker (The Thirteenth Warrior) 2:03
11. Mathilda (Lionheart) 5:52
12. No, Thanks (The Secret of N.I.M.H.) 1:56
13. Night Boarders (The Mummy) 3:53
14. I Remember (The Wind and the Lion) 2:36
15. It’s A Long Road (First Blood) 2:49
16. Arrival On Earth and the Flying Ballet (Supergirl) 5:32
17. Camelot Lives (First Knight) 5:36
18. The Horns of Hell (The Thirteenth Warrior) 3:15
19. The Encampment (Masada) 2:24
20. Bumps & Hollows and the Freeze (Legend) 4:46
21. The Fire (Medicine Man) 2:04
22. No Diamonds (King Solomon’s Mines) 4:07
DISC TWO - 81:12
1. Old Bagdad (The Thirteenth Warrior) 1:57
2. Lost In the Wild (The Edge) 2:51
3. The Vortex and the End of Zaltar (Supergirl) 5:45
4. Raisuli Attacks (The Wind and the Lion) 3:07
5. Escape Route (First Blood) 2:34
6. King Richard (Lionheart) 8:31
7. Fairy Dance (Legend) 1:50
8. Overture (The Great Train Robbery) 4:52
9. Escape From Torture (Rambo: First Blood Part II) 3:35
10. The Legend (Baby: The Secret of the Lost Legend) 7:23
11. Rescued (The Edge) 5:58
12. Arthur’s Farewell (First Knight) 5:19
13. I’ll Stay (Rambo III) 8:48
14. The Sand Volcano (The Mummy) 4:43
15. Valhalla (The Thirteenth Warrior) 5:54
16. The House Raising (The Secret of N.I.M.H.) 2:37
17. Reunited (Legend) 5:18
RED ALERT
The Star Trek Music of Jerry Goldsmith
EDIT: This particular two-disc set runs way too long, and so I have instead created a more concise single disc Goldsmith Trek compilation that makes a superior listening experience.
This particular album was one of the easiest to create, but also one which shows the most amount of initiative on my part in pursuit of Goldsmith's music. Many of the cues on these two discs do not appear on the official album releases of the scores, causing me to seek them out through alternative sources. While he may never have quite achieved the scope of the first film's score in the sequels, because all of these scores were written for the Star Trek universe, they all share a certain stylistic and thematic unity that the other mixes didn't intrinsically have. Goldsmith has said he enjoyed scoring the Star Trek films because of the bright future they depicted for mankind, an aspect that his initial score for the film series' big screen debut illustrated perfectly.
Notes
Goldsmith's “Main Title” march from Star Trek: The Motion Picture has become an unofficial theme for Star Trek, as associated with the franchise as Alexander Courage's original theme. An arrangement by Dennis McCarthy was used, at Gene Roddenberry's request, as the title sequence for the Next Generation television series. Presented here is the original film mix of the opening fanfare, which favored the snare drum; the album mix, and the new “Directors Edition” of the film feature a bass drum instead. The “Klingon Battle” is the first appearance of Goldsmith's Klingon theme, which in addition to reappearing in Star Trek V and in the Next Generation features as a theme for Worf, informed the musical depiction of the race from that moment on. This cue also presents the celestial textures created for Starfleet as Epsilon 9 is seen. The cutting blaster beam is also heard, representing the gigantic cloud that is V'Ger.
“A New Ending” is from the end credits of Star Trek: Nemesis, and is a full form arrangement of both Shinzon's theme and a memorial for Data. A rhythmic opening leads to haunting textures in “Fully Functional” from Star Trek: First Contact, which also features the monolithic Borg theme, heard here in electronics as Data is tempted by the Borg Queen. “The Hidden Ship” is an unreleased cue from Star Trek: Insurrection, heard as Picard and Data make a disturbing discovery. The rapturous theme for Ilia is heard in “Games” from The Motion Picture as Decker attempts to get the Ilia probe to recognize him. An interlude occurs when we cut away to Spock stealing a space suit.
“En Route” from Nemesis is an unreleased quote of the main theme, which leads into “The Mountain,” a piece of straight up Americana from the opening of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier set in Yosemite. Because of the popularity of Goldsmith's feature scores, he was asked to compose the theme for Star Trek: Voyager. A heraldic fanfare opens this flowing ode to a lost Federation starship. This is followed by a special treat; because of the post-production crunch, Goldsmith began to record portions of his score from The Motion Picture before his main theme was completed. This version of “The Enterprise” is from the initial recording sessions with an embryonic version of what would become the iconic march. This track has never been released. “A Perfect Moment” is one of the prettiest cues for a romantic moment in Insurrection (also unreleased). “First Contact” is the finale from Star Trek: First Contact in which the Vulcans land on Earth for the first time.
“Open the Gates” is an action-packed cue from The Final Frontier as Kirk and company besiege Sybok's compound. The strident blaster beam opening from “The Force Field” leads into a forbidding passage based on the V'Ger material from The Motion Picture. Electronic strains lead into the Courage television series fanfare, then the percussive Romulan theme in “Remus,” which opens Nemesis. “Not Functioning” is an action cue from Insurrection that features some of the pattering electronics that characterize this score.
“A Busy Man” begins with a traveling passage which leads to the beautiful “Sha Ka Ri” theme for electronics and strings from The Final Frontier; note the brief quote of the Klingon theme. The end of this cue was tracked into the film version of the end credits as well. “Red Alert” from First Contact is heard as the Enterprise E joins the battle with the Borg. The monolithic Borg theme is heard on brass here, along with the Klingon theme for the appearance of the Defiant. A dark 'cello figure is heard as Bones questions Kirk's ability to command the Enterprise, which is followed by the flowing strains for the shuttlecraft in “Spock’s Arrival” from The Motion Picture. The Courage fanfare leads into the attractive “Ba’ku Village,” a piece for harp, English horn and woodwinds, soon joined by the full orchestra for the opening of Insurrection. The Klingon theme is the centerpiece of “Without Help from The Final Frontier as Sulu attempts to dock a shuttlecraft in the Enterprise while under attack.
“Holding Station” is a brief, militaristic quote of the march heard as the Enterprise is readied for launch in The Motion Picture never released. “The Dish” is a major action set-piece from First Contact; a percussive and tense piece heard as Picard, Worf and Hawk go E.V.A. in order to prevent the Borg from mounting a beacon on the navigational deflector of the Enterprise. “Evasive Maneuvers” is an unreleased action cue from Nemesis. The film version of “The Enterprise” from The Motion Picture scores Kirk's great love for his ship, and a feeling of coming home. One can hear several of the same passages from the earlier version, but there is a stateliness granted by the use of the fully developed theme that is unique to this take, closing with a final fanfare.
“Life Is A Dream,” the end credits from The Final Frontier, opens disc two with the Courage fanfare, the march and the Klingon theme. “The U.S.S. Voyager” is a short quote of the theme from Voyager, probably intended as a commercial bumper. This is followed by the gorgeous main title from First Contact. From Star Trek: The Motion Picture comes “Total Logic,” music for Spock's attempt on Vulcan to achieve Kohlinar, represented by strings over exotic percussion, a task he fails in because of his connection to V'Ger, represented by the blaster beam. A bright quote of the march announces that the scene has cut to Starfleet Command, and the ethereal “Floating Office.” Geordi discovers the joys of his “New Sight” in Insurrection, a presentation of the idyllic Briar Patch theme.
The galvanizing “Let’s Get To Work” is another unreleased cue from Nemesis, while “Welcome Aboard” is a more introspective piece in which Picard shows Lilly that they are, indeed, in space in First Contact. “An Angry God” from The Final Frontier begins nicely enough, with the Sha Ka Ri theme, but turns dark as the entity that has been calling to Sybok is revealed to be evil. “Spock Walk” is an important moment in The Motion Picture, the first clue as to the true identity of V'Ger. Strains from “The Enterprise” are heard in “Returning Home,” another unreleased cue from Nemesis.
“Evacuation” from First Contact kicks up the action, with a pause during which Picard apologizes to Worf for a previous insult, while the bold “The Riker Maneuver” from Insurrection scores the Enterprise's space battle with the belligerent So'na with firmly stated rhythms and the pattering electronics. An uplifting opening leads to intrigue in “Battle Stations” from Nemesis, also unreleased. “Leaving Drydock” is another primary moment from The Motion Picture during which the march gets a workout. “A New Course” is another unreleased cue from Nemesis that converts the bass line that opens “The Enterprise” into a mounting call to arms. “The Healing Process “ is the climax of Insurrection, featuring the final confrontation with the So'na, and a reprise of the Ba'ku theme.
“Ilia’s Theme” was recorded as the overture from The Motion Picture (this film, along with Disney's The Black Hole, were the last two ever utilize this practice), although the original version of the film used a different take. The percussive opening of “Temporal Wake” from First Contact leads into another statement of the Klingon theme as Worf enters the bridge and the brass fanfare for the machinations of the Borg. “The Scorpion” from Nemesis opens with a figure ramping up the tension which then explodes into violence, segueing directly into the unreleased Insurrection cue “Dogfight,” which features a piano figure similar to the action rhythm from the Rambo trilogy as Picard and Worf pursue Data.
“The Flight of the Phoenix” is the climax of First Contact. Due to a lack of time, Goldsmith was forced to employ another composer on this film. This cue was composed by his son, Joel, utilizing Goldmith's themes and scoring structures for Zephram Cochrane's first warp flight and Data and Picard's last stand against the Borg. The climax of The Final Frontier, “Let’s Get Out Of Here,” then follows, a melange of action as the Klingons attack the Enterprise while Kirk attempts to escape the false God. “The Meld” is the climax of The Motion Picture, a euphoric mounting piece for blaster beam and orchestra heard as Decker fuses with V'Ger to become a new life form. This leads into “A Good Start,” which closes with a reprise of “The Enterprise,” a final fanfare announcing that while the film is over, “The Human Adventure Is Just Beginning.”
DISC ONE - 80:45
1. Main Title and Klingon Battle (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) 6:46
2. A New Ending (Star Trek: Nemesis) 2:53
3. Fully Functional (Star Trek: First Contact) 3:15
4. The Hidden Ship (Star Trek: Insurrection) 3:47
5. Games (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) 3:39
6. En Route (Star Trek: Nemesis) 0:27
7. The Mountain (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier) 2:31
8. Main Title (Star Trek: Voyager) 1:41
9. The Enterprise (Alternate) (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) 5:54
10. A Perfect Moment (Star Trek: Insurrection) 1:02
11. First Contact (Star Trek: First Contact) 5:46
12. Open the Gates (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier) 2:58
13. The Force Field (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) 4:58
14. Remus (Star Trek: Nemesis) 1:56
15. Not Functioning (Star Trek: Insurrection) 1:41
16. A Busy Man (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier) 4:35
17. Red Alert (Star Trek: First Contact) 2:11
18. Spock’s Arrival (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) 1:55
19. Ba’ku Village (Star Trek: Insurrection) 3:00
20. Without Help (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier) 4:06
21. Holding Station (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) 0:19
22. The Dish (Star Trek: First Contact) 6:59
23. Evasive Maneuvers (Star Trek: Nemesis) 2:16
24. The Enterprise (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) 5:57
DISC TWO - 80:45
1. Life Is A Dream (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier) 3:53
2. The U.S.S. Voyager (Star Trek: Voyager) 0:15
3. Main Title (Star Trek: First Contact) 2:07
4. Total Logic and the Floating Office (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) 4:42
5. New Sight (Star Trek: Insurrection) 5:34
6. Let’s Get To Work (Star Trek: Nemesis) 2:44
7. Welcome Aboard (Star Trek: First Contact) 2:36
8. An Angry God (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier) 6:51
9. Spock Walk (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) 4:02
10. Returning Home (Star Trek: Nemesis) 0:42
11. Evacuation (Star Trek: First Contact) 2:15
12. The Riker Maneuver (Star Trek: Insurrection) 3:05
13. Battle Stations (Star Trek: Nemesis) 2:38
14. Leaving Drydock (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) 3:25
15. A New Course (Star Trek: Nemesis) 0:57
16. The Healing Process (Star Trek: Insurrection) 6:50
17. Ilia’s Theme (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) 2:57
18. Temporal Wake (Star Trek: First Contact) 2:04
19. The Scorpion (Star Trek: Nemesis) 2:16
20. Dogfight (Star Trek: Insurrection) 3:59
21. The Flight of the Phoenix by Joel Goldsmith (Star Trek: First Contact) 5:59
22. Let’s Get Out Of Here (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier) 5:06
23. The Meld and A Good Start (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) 5:36
THE MONUMENT
The Science Fiction Film Music of Jerry Goldsmith
We go from the most unified of these albums to the most diverse. If Goldsmith was known for anything, it was his inventiveness. In no genre was this most apparent than in science-fiction, where he was often required to create musical accompaniment to bizarre and unusual situations. He often accomplished this by using groundbreaking techniques and orchestration.
Notes
A lone vocalist begins the main titles to The Illustrated Man, denoting mystery yet its earthiness suggests an intimacy. A concert arrangement of the old-fashioned love theme from Forever Young follows before the throbbing electronics and epic horns of “The Dome” announce the opening titles of Logan's Run; “The City” is consists of tinkling electronics. The dry sounds of “The Search Continues” from Planet of the Apes illustrate Taylor and company's journey across the desolate Forbidden Zone; this track has a hint of the more experimental sound design that Goldsmith will employ in this score.
“Fast Getaway” from Explorers is a very different cue, opening with a nervous passage that opens up into an expansive quote of that film's main theme, and then an electronic motif for the mysteries of space. A respite from the testosterone-driven action of Total Recall can be found in “The Mutant,” a musical depiction of an impossibly old structure found underground on Mars. “The Morning After” is a cue from “The Last Night of the World” segment of The Illustrated Man; a recorder and harp play a tender moment between a man and his wife, only to become a moment of horror.
A moment of levity can be found in “Meet Spengo,” the main title from Mom and Dad Save the World, a jolly piece for a planet of morons. The forbidding end title from Outland begins “Final Message,” a dark piece for strings and electronics depicting the impersonal world of a mining colony on one of Jupiter's moons. This is upstaged by a tender theme for flute heard as Marshall O'Niel sends an e-mail to his wife telling her that he will, indeed, be joining her and their son on their trip to Earth, and that he is “looking forward to sleeping with her for a year.” A rock influence can be heard in “The Arrival,” the main title from Escape From the Planet of the Apes with its guitar and Hammond organ, but the exotic percussive sounds from the original film's score are heard behind it all. “The Rocket” is a spooky seduction cue from The Illustrated Man, while “The Dream,” the main title from Total Recall has a witty homage to Basil Poledouris' score for Conan the Barbarian followed by cutting electronics playing over the film's main themes. A trumpet fanfare opens the tense main title from the cautionary Damnation Alley.
The score for Planet of the Apes is one of Goldsmith's most innovative, and “The Hunt” is a good example of why. Harsh and non-tonal, the cue begins as a chase scene, made into a nightmarish set-piece by a clarion call followed by strange sounds (all produced acoustically) that mimic the vocalizations of the Great Apes. This track blends seamlessly into a cue from Outland, “Early Arrival,” which begins queasily for an E.V.A. showdown. “Jonah and the Whale” was written as the main theme for the second season of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea; it was only used in one episode, but before the decision was made not to use it for the remainder of the series, Nelson Riddle had already interpolated it into his score. “The Monument” is an epic cue for the journey of Logan and Jessica to Washington D.C. in Logan’s Run. The love theme is heard, along with an impressionistic figure, which is then followed by a Coplandesque melody for the discovery of Monument Plaza.
“The Hologram” from Total Recall begins with the love theme from that film, but soon enough the mood is broken as Quaid and Melina come across Richter and his goons, marked by castanets. The pounding brass and percussion lead into the hopeful end title from Damnation Alley. Two violent, piano-driven chase sequences follow, “A Lucky Patient” from Coma and “No Escape” from Planet of the Apes, the latter cue containing the only musical resolution of that score for the famous “Get your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!” line.
“The Sun Dome,” from “The Long Rain” sequence in The Illustrated Man is an unsettling cue for an echoplexed electric flute and maracas. The muscular end title from Capricorn One follows, a piece relentless but for the brief appearance of the film's love theme as a bridge. This album closes with “The Construction,” an inspirational cue from Explorers that presents that film's main theme.
80:53
1. Main Title (The Illustrated Man) 3:21
2. Love Theme (Forever Young) 3:49
3. The Dome and the City (Logan’s Run) 2:04
4. The Search Continues (Planet of the Apes) 4:49
5. Fast Getaway (Explorers) 4:48
6. The Mutant (Total Recall) 3:14
7. The Morning After (The Illustrated Man) 1:54
8. Meet Spengo (Mom and Dad Save the World) 2:34
9. Final Message (Outland) 3:25
10. The Arrival (Escape From the Planet of the Apes) 3:27
11. The Rocket (The Illustrated Man) 1:12
12. The Dream (Total Recall) 2:33
13. Main Title (Damnation Alley) 1:55
14. The Hunt (Planet of the Apes) 5:05
15. Early Arrival (Outland) 4:07
16. Jonah and the Whale (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea) 0:23
17. The Monument (Logan’s Run) 8:06
18. The Hologram (Total Recall) 4:42
19. End Title (Damnation Alley) 1:59
20. A Lucky Patient (Coma) 5:02
21. No Escape (Planet of the Apes) 5:36
22. The Sun Dome (The Illustrated Man)v 1:19
23. End Title (Capricorn One) 2:45
24. The Construction (Explorers) 2:30
Music Composed by Jerry Goldsmith
Except:
Theme from Star Trek
Composed by Alexander Courage
“The Flight of the Phoenix” from Star Trek: First Contact
Composed by Joel Goldsmith Based on Original Material Composed by Jerry Goldsmith
“The Ride of the Valkyries” (used in King Solomon's Mines)
Composed by Richard Wagner
* * *
Orchestras Conducted by Jerry Goldsmith
Except:
The Omen - Alien - The Final Conflict
Performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra of London Conducted by Lionel Newman
Damien
Orchestra Conducted by Lionel Newman
The Illustrated Man
Orchestra Conducted by Samuel Matlovsky
The Swarm - The Russia House
Performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Nicholas Raine
The Great Train Robbery
Performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Paul Bateman
“Season Two Theme” from Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle
* * *
The Blue Max - Capricorn One - The Secret of N.I.M.H - Outland - Rambo: First Blood Part II - Legend
Supergirl - Total Recall - Medicine Man - Basic Instinct - Mom and Dad Save the World - Powder
Performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra of London
“Overture” from Twilight Zone: The Movie - Damnation Alley
Performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Islands In the Stream - King Solomon's Mines - Lionheart - Rambo III
Performed by the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra
Warlock
Performed by the Victorian Philharmonic Orchestra
Star Trek: Nemesis
Performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra
“Main Title” from The Wind and the Lion - Forever Young
Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra
* * *
Featured Soloists:
Trumpet on Chinatown Performed by Uan Rasey
Piano on Planet of the Apes and Coma Performed by Jakob Gimpel
Guitar on Under Fire Performed by Pat Methany
Blaster Beam on Star Trek: The Motion Picture Performed by Craig Huxley
Lyrics from Legend Written by John Bettis - Performed by Mia Sara
Digital Keyboards by Yamaha
* * *
Orchestrations by Arthur Morton and Alexander Courage
Additional Orchestrations by Hummie Mann, Fred Steiner, Jerry Goldsmith, Morton Stevens, Jeff Atmajian, Mark McKenzie, Brad Dechter, David Tamkin and Conrad Pope
In Memorium
JERRY GOLDSMITH
1929-2004