Tim,

I agree with you on a few points you've made. When I popped this CD in for the first time, I had NO expectation of any music that would encompass the world-unifying aspect of the Olympics: a little shamisen, a little huqin, a little digeridoo, a little flamenco, a little bongo. I expected typical John Williams and that's what he delivered.

I didn't hear anyone complaining about Summon the Heroes being too American...when it is hardly less "American" than Call of the Champions. Nor have I heard a peep about the blatantly western, Bugler's Dream which has been the worldwide Olympic fanfare for what...30 years?

Anyone, in the entire world, who knows John Williams' work, should expect nothing different. Now if Williams had been chosen to compose Symphony 1997 commemorating Hong Kong's reunification with China and he delivered anything like American Journey, I could see people getting up in arms about it.

Now, I think such Olympic anthems SHOULD have more of an international flavor, but John Williams is NOT the man for such a task.

The bottom line is Call of the Champions is immensely inferior to Summon the Heroes and so people are piling on with this "not-international-enough" stuff. Had Call of the Champions flat out been "better" then I'd bet we hear less griping (although, until I read this review and subsequent posts, I haven't really heard anyone complaining about this aspect of piece at all.)

Whatever.