Close Encounters: The Essential John Williams Film Music Collection (Compilation)

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

ou know, I am a weird guy. Probably the weirdest guy walking around on this planet, probably the ... OK, drop the act. I'll cut right to the chase, this compilation is far from complete. This compilation not only consists normally of an extra disc but indeed of more than 80 minutes of music, that I didn't record when I made my own compilation of Close Encounters: the Essential John Williams Film Music Collection or shortened in "Johnny" as I will call it. I perhaps did do wrongly in the eyes of several film music fans and I sometimes wonder what the hell I was thinking when I recorded it in the first place. But what's done is done and I'll comment basically on what is found of the recorded disc, the rest I'll forget and of course you can hardly speak of an honest man's opinion about this compilation. So, everyone thinking I'm a idiot can stop now and get the hell out of here, others who love to hear me write (yeah, like that is possible) and love a little of crazy talk are on the right address, and aren't hitting that 'BACK" button on the Internet Explorer, which they will do just now since I'm not making any sense. Hell, I'm good today.

For those of you still eager to follow, let me directly quote that Johnny is no bad compilation. It is in fact a wonderful piece with a little bit of everything and the performances range from very good (The Cowboys and Schindler's List come to mind) to a bit on the subpar side (Hook and several moments of Saving Private Ryan). However, I am extremely pleased by the performance of the Crouch End Festival Chorus since it definitely feels alive and kicking once again, breathing a more emotional air in Saving Private Ryan than first imagined. Of the good pieces, I can range The Cowboys as very good since it is basically a nine minute suite of all the best moments of that score, mixed in a vibrant performance of the old west. The other selections I picked are the ones I didn't have at first and others because I liked the presentation, form or performance. Hook is a nice suite, even though it does offer misslips now and then and The Rare Breed was chosen because it indeed offered us more unreleased music, covering some mighty 18 minutes of them to start with. Especially 'On his Own' is important to remember since it covers a spectacular main theme performance at the end, something that the rest couldn't deliver in full. Family Plot and the first part of The River has a bit of The Towering Inferno's light playful nature in it while the darker sides of Jaws and Star Wars are noticed in Black Sunday, which I find one of the weakest tracks on my chosen list.

The non vocal arrangement of 'When you're Alone' will please a lot of fans, since it is fully orchestral with a commendable performance and even the mishaps are forgotten by the wonderful mix of bravura in 'Main Themes' of Hook. Why I didn't choose pieces of Indiana Jones, Star Wars, JFK or Superman is not a matter of discuss. Basically because I do not remember why I didn't choose them in the first place. I don't know if it was their performance, but most of the pieces of Star Wars as such are forgotten because they are heard in countless of other performances and that was enough. Others could have been equally suitable if even more intriguing but as said before, I am a weird guy. Johnny overall is a breeze of a listen. At least that is what I find of this release (do not forget, I am quoting my own CD). The two disc album could perhaps bore on occasions or could even soar, but that is not an issue of the matter. Johnny is basically in my book an easy listen, which has its weaker moments and the weaker orchestral performances. Yet at the same time it is diverse, loaded with new thematic moments for I think a lot of fans and even covering an unseen choral depth of the Crouch End Festival Chorus. So I could say that Johnny has now changed into the capital letters John Williams.

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Tracks

Single Disc

The Cowboys (1972)

1. Overture (9.41) Excellent Track

Family Plot (1976)

2. End Titles (3.53)

The Rare Breed (1966)

3. Universal Emblem / Hilary's Plight / Double Crossed / Tallow Ho (5.30)

4. Scottish Romeo / The Hunt (2.41)

5. On His Own (5.59)

6. The Cross - Breed / End Credits (4.23)

Hook (1991)

7. Main Themes (4.06) Excellent Track

8. When You're Alone (3.00)

The River (1984)

9. Main Theme / Love Theme (5.02)

Black Sunday (1977)

10. Suite: Fugue, Scherzo & Finale (10.31)

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

11. Hymn To The Fallen (6.02) Excellent Track

Presumed Innocent (1990)

12. End Titles (4.15)

Schindler's List (1993)

13. Theme (4.02) Excellent Track

Total Length: 69.31

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=== Link to Composer Site: John Williams ===