 |
|
|
|
|
 |
Conducted by:
|
Jonathan Sheffer
|
Orchestrated by:
|
Robert Elhei
Elliot Goldenthal
|
Produced by:
|
Matthias Gohl
|
Vocals by:
|
Sinead O'Connor
|
|
|
|
|
Release Date:
|
October 1st, 1996
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Availability:
Regular U.S. release.
|
|
|
|
|
Awards:
Nominated for an Academy Award, 1996.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Filmtracks Editorial Review:
 |
| | Goldenthal | |
|
Michael Collins: (Elliot Goldenthal) Proving that the young composer was
here to stay, Michael Collins garnered Elliot Goldenthal with his second
Academy Award nomination. Although he would not win such an award in the 1990's
(nor would he be nominated again), the years of 1994 through 1996 were
Goldenthal's ticket to success. While Goldenthal has been criticized by the
older generations of film scoring for what may appear on the surface as a
haphazard method of film scoring, he has produced a small handful of scores from
all times in his career that stand apart as being among the best of their years.
Michael Collins, along with Interview with a Vampire and Final
Fantasy: The Spirits Within, is among these few strong entries in the
composer's career. The year of 1996 was a rather bland entry itself, coming on
the heels of an outstanding 1995 for film scores, and Goldenthal's Michael
Collins hit early in the fall season to awaiting ears. The prominent role
that the score would play in the film assured Goldenthal of more press than he
might have received only a year earlier. Strangely enough, when you hear
Goldenthal fans banter about their favorite scores by the composer, Michael
Collins is only occasionally mentioned.
The story of the Easter Rebellion and the Irish struggles in the streets
requires a score that is much more lyrical than Goldenthal's action and horror
scores had been. Works such as Batman Forever and Alien 3 utilized
an often dissonant sound, without harmony in key sequences and shrill in the
brass section. In Michael Collins, practically none of that previous
style is evident, as Goldenthal composed what would be a precursor of a sorts
for Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. The balance between sweeping
themes of independence, delicate piano solos, and the incorporation of female
vocals is well performed in Michael Collins. The scenes of fighting and
raids are understandably troublesome, as Goldenthal allows himself to slip into
some 2-minute sequences of that old dissonant sound. But the greater mass of
this score consists harmonious statements of theme and pulsating underscore. It
is noble in stature, leading to a grand anthem at the end. The highlights of the
score, however (just as in Final Fantasy) are the softer cues of melody
performed by a solo trumpet or piano, such as "Kitty's Waltz," which is nearly
unrecognizable compared to Goldenthal's norm. The Funeral scene at the end is a
remarkably powerful string piece, offering the culmination of an album that
continues to build steam until the last cue. The ethnic opera piece at the end
of the album is no less enjoyable (even with the dreaded accordian), providing
one last reminder of the locale of the story.
More importantly, Goldenthal accomplishes two more important things with
Michael Collins. First, he manages to insert enough Irish influence into
the score without beating the listener over the head with it, as James Horner
has been known to do. The ethnic instrumentation is light, and the action scenes
largely include the full orchestra in addition to one or two soloists on the
pipes or whistle. Secondly, Goldenthal successfully incorporates very heavy
strings and a weighty bass without becoming overly brooding, as Basil Poledouris
did with Les Misérables. The sense of gravity and importance of
the character of Michael Collins and the burden of an entire people is handled
well by Goldenthal's bass. Then again, Goldenthal is an expert at creating
darkly dramatic music, so this should come as no surprise. The most likely
reason why this score was nominated for an Oscar, though, was the obvious use of
Sinead O'Connor for the vocals in three pivotal scenes. The first two
appearances by the popular singer are closer to wordless accompaniment for the
full orchestra, but her final performance, in "She Moved Though the Fair," is a
full fledged classical song, weaving in and out of Goldenthal's interludes of
underscore. While the mass of good music on this album cannot be attributed to
her, the contribution she makes helped it become a mainstream attraction.
Overall, Michael Collins remains one of Goldenthal's strongest
compositions to date, and it sustains itself for a powerful album. ****
 |
|
Viewer Ratings and Comments:
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
• 1. Easter Rebellion (3:15)
• 2. Fire and Arms (1:41)
• 3. Train Station Farewell (1:56)
• 4. Winter Raid (2:38)
• 5. Elegy for a Sunday (3:07)
• 6. Football Match (1:50)
• 7. On Cats Feet (4:28)
• 8. Defiance and Arrest (1:50)
• 9. Train to Granard (1:31)
• 10. Boland Returns (Kitty's Waltz) (1:19)
| |
• 11. His Majesty's Finest (2:11)
• 12. Boland's Death (1:39)
• 13. Home to Cork (1:19)
• 14. Civil War (2:10)
• 15. Collin's Proposal (1:25)
• 16. An Anthem Deferred (1:45)
• 17. She Moved Through the Fair (4:57)
• 18. Funeral/Coda (4:33)
• 19. Macushla (3:29)
|
Insert includes no extra information about the score or film.
|
