Buy it... if you often find yourself straying closer to the classical crossover genre and recognize that this kind of concert work often has little in common with the typical film score.

Avoid it... if restrained interpretations of traditional English hymns and carols, as well as a diminished ensemble size, cannot compete with the more explosively impressive concert works by other film music composers.

Dudley

Ancient and Modern: (Anne Dudley) As part of one of the more eclectic careers in the digital age of film music, Anne Dudley offered her debut solo album of concert compositions and arrangements in 1999, titled "Ancient and Modern." Already popular from her years with the group The Art of Noise, with whom she had experimented with various electronic techniques, Dudley received the Hollywood spotlight in the 1990's with her unique orchestral scores for such films as The Crying Game, American History X, and The Full Monty, the last of which garnering her a controversial (and commonly considered undeserved) Academy Award. Her continuously growing talents with classical and orchestral music, as well as a specific appreciation of the works of J.S. Bach, inspired her to create this interpretive album of orchestral melodies. Her intent was, in her words, to "raid the treasure house" and "display willful eclecticism" with a distinctly modern English tone. As a result, the title of the album is very true to its contents. The music's foundation is built upon the foundation of famous themes of classical and holiday origins, with interpretations of international hymns mixed with a few of her own compositions. Unlike other classically-inclined albums by well known film music composers (and specifically the relevant Zbigniew Preisner "Requiem for my Friend" concert work from earlier in 1999), the ensemble gathered for this recording is not as overwhelming. This shouldn't come as a surprise given that Dudley's film scores have never been known for their sheer volume. A group of 50 players in the orchestra combines with 18 choral members to create a cathedral ambience that is more intimate than most. Many of the themes are those that listeners might recognize if familiar with traditional English hymns and carols; some may recall melodies on Christmas-related compilations they may own.

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Dudley's interpretations vary greatly, and much of your opinion of the album as a whole will depend on whether or not you accept and enjoy the modern interpretations of these pieces. Some will inevitably work better than others. The spirit of the first two pieces is greatly restrained, lulling the listener into a relaxed state. The mixture of percussion and piano in "Veni Emmanuel," when combined with the chorus, is superb, and raises memories of similar interpretations made by Cliff Eidelman. "The Holly and the Ivy," on the other hand, is performed with entirely the wrong spirit, resembling a Philip Glass-style of rhythmic pacing with a frantic electronic carnival tone rather than recalling the classy piece that it is in traditional form. The "Coventry Carol" builds to a stunning choral climax with pronounced string solos, while the following interpretation of Bach's "Prelude" is restrained and flat. The highlights of the album are the final three tracks, titled "Three Chorales in Common Time," each offering the strings, woodwinds, or chorus in the lead role. The latter two of these tracks are especially powerful, with mixes that provide the orchestra and chorus with additional depth. On the whole, Dudley's interpretations are interesting (at the least), commendable (on the average), and masterful (for three to four of the tracks). Her approach to the traditional hymns and carols presents over an hour of noteworthy music that largely defies the expectations that some will have based solely on her more popular orchestral film scores. In general, however, Dudley utilizes techniques that fans of The Art of Noise and her scores will recognize, while riding the classical and choral wave to a new level in her career. Because the work does not really feature one style or set of motifs from start to finish, it's difficult to recommend this concert work specifically to the film score collectors, but that should not diminish the individual merits of "Ancient and Modern." ***   Amazon.com Price Hunt: CD or Download