Oscar and Lucinda

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Sometimes Thomas Newman can be one of the most original composers alive, his style is so appropriate yet so daring and fresh, and his typical playful and energetic pulsating cues are so fun to hear, that they never become boring. Oscar and Lucinda has this all but with one extra touch that differentiates it from the rest, namely the Paulist Boy Choristers of California's performance during some occasions. And this is where it all becomes too good for such an unnoticed score. There are really some moments that deserve to be heard by a lot of people. Thomas Newman can be a fantastic composer, and these moments simply make me one of his new adoring fans. The score starts quiet but builds on a typical Thomas Newman style before unexpectedly exploding into choral wonder. The performance is short but superb, and it catches your attention with enormous interest. Newman's short and playful waltzes are once more found in several tracks, namely 'Six Rivers to Cross', 'Floorwashing', 'Odd Bod' and 'Leviathan' to name a few. The main underscore isn't great, but several moments are nice and sometimes very good. The main failure is that many tracks are simply too short, Newman's short themes can never become fully developed, or can never make a full orchestral performance. This is sad because there are some good themes.

Still, what Thomas Newman's scores posses is sometimes better underscore then the usual bunch, because his unique twist drives the interest and his original score fulfils the charm. But I told you, if there is one moment that differs from other Newman moments, it has to be 'The Church of Glass'. It has the main theme as heard in the first and last track but simply longer, better and presenting this with more orchestral and choral power. The absolute highlight of this score and one of the best cues I have ever heard of Thomas Newman. With 55 minutes you get a serious amount of score (I deleted the last cue, a recited piece by Ralph Fiennes), but the short and numerous tracks don't help much, because it would've been better if those numbers where longer in time. That is one of the reasons why Oscar and Lucinda doesn't get 4 stars, the same is that there aren't enough highlights, and especially variations on the main theme or it's choral background are missing. But this also includes that those three choral moments are treasured to the end. Oscar and Lucinda isn't Thomas Newman's most known score, nor is it his best, but some moments are superb, and those include the excellent choral performances and some short but great waltzes and underscore. So, if there are Thomas Newman fans out there that want some more moments to treasure, I can name a few on this score to recommend.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Prince Rupert's Drop (Main Title) * (2.35) Excellent Track

2. Throwing Lots (0.43)

3. Dutch Hazards (0.50)

4. Sydney Harbor (1.46)

5. Rumors (1.27)

6. The High Downs And The Sea (1.49)

7. Forgive Me (1.04)

8. Bruckner: Os Justi ** (4.38)

9. Six Rivers To Cross (1.13)

10. Two Gamblers (2.23)

11. The Murder Of The Blacks (1.40)

12. Never Never (1.16)

13. Floorwashing (0.41)

14. Cards And Dogs (1.00)

15. One Obsessive (1.09)

16. The Church Of Glass * (3.51) Excellent Track

17. Letters On The Mantel (1.25)

18. Odd Bod (1.06)

19. Prayer Wounds (2.09)

20. Leviathan (1.10)

21. Magic Boxes (White Man's Dreaming) (1.50)

22. The Other Compulsive (1.04)

23. A Broken Thing (1.00)

24. The Seduction Of Mrs. Chadwick (2.34)

25. Wesley: Blessed Be The God And Father *** (1.18)

26. Aqua (4.09)

27. The Caul (1.21)

28. Oscar And Lucinda (End Title) * (2.56) Excellent Track

* Featuring The Paulist Boy Choristers of California

** Os Justi - Written by Anton Bruckner - Performed by La Chapelle Royale & Collegium Vocale

*** Blessed Be the God and Father - Written by Samuel Wesley - Performed by The Paulist Boy Choristers Of California

Total Length: 50.33

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=== Link to Composer Site: Thomas Newman ===