Farewell My Concubine: Film Music Classics From Chinese Cinema

構成数 : 1
合計収録時間 : 01:05:25
Includes themes from ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA, EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN, A CITY OF SADNESS, A CHINESE GHOST STORY, IN THE HANDS OF A PUPPET, MASTER, TEMPTRESS MOON, THE OSMANTHUS ALLEY, A MOMENT OF ROMANCE, FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE, ACTRESS, MY BEST LOVE, SWORDSMAN and RED ROSE, WHITE ROSE. All tracks performed by The City Of Prague Philharmonic conducted by Nic Raine & Mike Townend. Recording information: 1987-1993. Directors: Ho Yim; Hsiao-Hsien Hou; Ang Lee. Arrangers: John Bell ; Roy Moore; Mike Townend; Paul Bateman ; Nic Raine. The greatest surprise to the lay listener about this album of film score excerpts from Chinese films of the 1980s and '90s may be just how little of it sounds like traditional Chinese music; of the 14 selections, only the last one, Huang Jan's "Blue Sea Laughter" from Swordsman, is immediately recognizable as Chinese. One reason for this may be that these are not actual soundtrack recordings, but versions of scores that have been newly arranged and orchestrated, being played by the City of Prague Philharmonic with some ethnic instruments added. Then, too, some of the films are more westward-looking than others, since the compilation takes in films from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. That makes for a broad representation ranging from the Hong Kong action film Once upon a Time in China, starring martial arts expert Jet Li, to the crossover work of director Ang Lee ("Eat Drink Man Woman"), who has already made the leap to Hollywood, and the art house efforts of critically acclaimed director Hsiao-hsien Hou (A City of Sadness, The Puppet Master). Still, there is no denying the Western influence. Maybe Hollywood film conventions are so ingrained in world cinema that the music cues are necessarily similar. In any case, there are definite candidates for additions to the Hollywood film scoring community here, particularly the versatile Chen Huan Chang, who contributes a lush, melodic effort, "Take for Granted," to Temptress Moon and a stirring tango, "The Fragrance of Roses," to Red Rose, White Rose. Even Huang Jan, who can be so traditional in Swordsman, uses big, romantic effects of a Western flavor in "Halt the Sunrise" from A Chinese Ghost Story. So, if you're looking for an album of distinctly Chinese music, this is not the one for you, but if you want to hear a group of good, unknown composers likely to make their mark on film in the future, they are here. ~ William Ruhlmann
録音 : ステレオ (Studio)