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Filmtracks Recommends: Buy it... if you are interested in hearing Native American chants and solo instruments performed with skill alongside a large orchestral ensemble. Avoid it... if you prefer your orchestral bombast to carry its rhythms without the highly distinct, Native American chants and contemporary country rhythms. Filmtracks Editorial Review:
With the story divided between the contemporary settings and those contained within the tales, Warbeck balances between the two eras well by keeping the modern cues very light in instrumentation. In "The Journey" and "Riding to the Rainbow," as well as during the final scenes of the family before and during the grandfather's passing, Warbeck presents an acoustic guitar over familiar country rhythms. The small band effect is effective in offering a taste of the youngest generation's sensibilities without interfering with the more authentic historical music for the stories of adventure. The youngest boy's journey culminates with a more sophisticated performance of this country theme (with a slight touch of big Western strings) at the very end of the mini-series. Contemporary rhythms aside, though, the multitude of unhindered orchestral action music is an outstanding achievement for the television genre. Early on the album for the series, Warbeck presents authentic percussion and chanting recorded in America and featuring all of the historical accuracy that the project could ever dream of. At the same time, listeners attached to their favorite orchestral styles will be appeased by Warbeck's ability to tastefully integrate the full orchestra into every level of the chanting and solo woodwind performances of ethnicity. The dancing chants occasionally build into an enormous orchestral crescendo, as in the opening cue, or are sustained for lengthy cues together. Warbeck uses the dramatic effect of alternating strings in moments of chase and activity ("high Horse Captures the Ponies") that listeners will recognize from Shakespeare in Love, but other than these few stylistic resemblances, Dreamkeeper is a powerful effort that stands on its own. Highlights of the score include momentous, timpani-pounding action in "Killing the Buffalo" and "The Serpent," with the latter containing a creative bird cry at the outset. The "Resurrection of the Dun Pony" cue contains a heroic performance for the trumpet that shines with dignity, as much of the score does to a lesser degree. The focused choral chants in "The Elk," as well as the women's choir in "Quillwork Girl's Journey" are vocal highlights. Overall, only some suspect sound muffling in larger orchestral sections can pull this score down from five stars, and collectors weary of television scores should not balk at this most impressive splash of ethnic diversity. ****
The insert includes no extra information about the score or film. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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