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Rough Riders
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Co-Composed and Produced by:
Peter Bernstein
Co-Composed and Conducted by:
Album Produced by:
Douglass Fake
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LABEL & RELEASE DATE
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ALBUM AVAILABILITY
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Regular U.S. release, but out of print as of 2003. Copies have sold
for over $100 on the secondary market.
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AWARDS
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None.
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ALSO SEE
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Buy it... if you are an avid Elmer Bernstein completist and might be
interested in hearing the legendary master of Westerns hand the reigns of the
genre over to his son.
Avoid it... if only two interesting cues written by Elmer (as heard on the
album) aren't enough to compensate for a rather generic and predictable Western
underscore by Peter Bernstein.
BUY IT
 | | Bernstein |
Rough Riders: (Peter/Elmer Bernstein) In Rough Riders,
a venture to the great plains of the television genre, acclaimed director John
Milius tells the tale of the G Troop's heroics as their rough riding groups helps
establish the United States as a major world power during the Spanish American
War. With very few depictions of that war adapted onto film, Ted Turner's TNT
celebrated the 100th anniversary of the conflict with a surprisingly accurate
three hour perspective on Theodore Roosevelt's volunteer cavalry unit. As was
typical for TNT films of the era, the project would be very well funded, and a
significant budget was allotted for the score. The vast locations in the Southern
U.S. and Cuba, as well as several extended scenes of riding, caused Rough
Riders to be a film that would require a large-scale Western score, complete
with a significant presence of themes with a number of different purposes. While
Hollywood legend Elmer Bernstein turned down an inevitable offer to score the
picture himself, his son Peter picked up the assignment and sought to create a
Western score in his own style and voice. His intent was to blaze into new musical
territory, quickly pointing out that he didn't want to retread on the worn sounds
of previous Western material, and especially that of his father. Interestingly,
though, Elmer Bernstein would step in to score one major theme for Rough
Riders, amounting to about five minutes of material in its adapted sum. Elmer
also agreed to conduct the score, adding yet another touch of his own flavor to
the equation. The remarkable aspect of this contribution is that while Peter's
music is certainly adequate for the genre, it is rather pedestrian when compared
to Elmer's contribution, which is instantly recognizable in his usual style.
Coming from the same sentimentality as The Magnificent Seven, Elmer's "G
Troop" theme will bring back fond memories for any collector of the composer, and
for those fans in particular, those sequences will easily be the highlight of the
score.
Outside of Elmer's two cues, unfortunately, the score by Peter
follows predictable, though functional lines. It is disappointing that most of
Peter Bernstein's music for Rough Riders sounds like bits and pieces of
other Western scores thrown together in a stock package. Even without an abundance
of originality (or even a small new twist to the Western formula), though, this
score still functions in its place. It is exactly what one should expect for a
made-for-TV Western film score, and little more. The title theme bounces along
with riding-worthy brass and percussion, and the quieter moments feature the same
idea performed by strings. Other than the use of an acoustic guitar and a faint
harmonica in a few of the cues, the score is orchestral in a traditional sense,
with no experimentation with unique instruments, solos, or rhythms. Thus, with
such a distinct difference between the music of Peter and his father, the issue of
usability arises. Whenever one of Elmer's contributed tracks begins to play,
something in the back of the mind of any casual viewer of the film instantly
clicks and recognizes the veteran's superior style. The two short selections by
Elmer will be the enjoyable enigma on album and in the film, with the upbeat theme
that he wrote shining due to its swing of rhythm and other aspects of the genuine,
magical Elmer touch. It begs the question as to why this theme was not better
adapted by Peter into the starring role of the title theme for the entire
production, unless he was too concerned about allowing his own music to take
center stage. The rest of the score by Peter plays like little more than stock
Western music and is generally average work. Surely, the two tracks by Elmer
Bernstein are worthy of attention, but are they worth the price of the entire CD?
Perhaps so for Bernstein collectors, simply because Peter Bernstein's score,
although an offspring of other Western staples of the past, is still solid enough
orchestral music to suffice. With Elmer's career starting to slow down after that
year (1997), his Rough Riders music would become all the more important.
*** @Amazon.com: CD or
Download
rich, fabulous score Expand >>
JC Neighbors - November 19, 2003, at 12:40 p.m. |
2 comments (3432 views)
Newest: November 10, 2004, at 4:20 p.m. by
Paul Reilly Jr. |
Total Time: 53:23
• 1. Rough Riders Theme (2:49)
• 2. Artillery Duel (2:12)
• 3. Going to War (2:36)
• 4. G Troop to the Rescue* (4:13)
• 5. Charge (1:46)
• 6. Patriots and Outlaws (2:10)
• 7. Las Guasimas (3:33)
• 8. Training G Troop* (3:06)
• 9. San Juan Heights (2:28)
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• 10. Final Assault (4:27)
• 11. Spaniards or Cubans (2:24)
• 12. Graveyard (0:52)
• 13. No Cowards Here (3:10)
• 14. Out West (3:41)
• 15. Wounded Soldiers (2:15)
• 16. In Cuba (1:37)
• 17. Assault on Kettle Hill (3:38)
• 18. Homecomings (5:23)
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* contains the "G Troop" theme by Elmer Bernstein
The insert includes extra information about the score and film, including
the following note by Peter Bernstein (written in September, 1997):
"Writing Music for Rough Riders presented the type of challenge that composers such
as myself hope for a highly thematic score for a sweeping historical subject. In this case the
subject was America's emergence as a world power but within that grand picture was a range
of sub tests that all needed a musical voice. There were the individuals involved and their
stories, G Troop where most of them end up, the Rough Riders as a whole, the Spanish
American War of which they were a part and various locations in the U.S. and Cuba. There was
also the challenge of writing a western score without revisiting old musical ground.
I was immensely aided in this effort by the ability of John Milius to tell a story
through both writing and directing thus clearing a path for me to tread. I would also like to
think Larry Levinson and all the people at Larry Levinson Productions as well as TNT. Also
thanks to Richard Kraft, Cheryl Tiano, and most especially my father for conducting the score
and his contribution to the G Troop theme."
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