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Young Sherlock Holmes
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Composed, Conducted, and Produced by:
Orchestrated by:
Mark McKenzie Don Nemitz
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LABELS & RELEASE DATES
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ALBUM AVAILABILITY
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The 2002 2-CD set was a limited promotional product
assembled by Intrada Records. That label's 2014 set existed as part of
its regular catalog and was a commercial release that sold initially for
$25. After falling out of print, it sold for over $100. Intrada's 2019
3-CD set is a limited CD product of unspecified quantity, originally
available through soundtrack specialty outlets for $30. Various bootlegs
also exist for this score 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... on either the 2014 or 2019 album if you seek a dynamic
blend of Victorian character themes and challenging writing for conflict
at the height of Bruce Broughton's ascendance in the mid-1980's.
Avoid it... if the striking atonality of the suspense and killing
cues is too disparate from the pretty and innocent themes for the
protagonists, this score maintaining a split personality from start to
finish.
BUY IT
 | Broughton |
Young Sherlock Holmes: (Bruce Broughton) With the
combined talents of Steven Spielberg, Chris Columbus, Barry Levinson,
and John Lasseter all channeling the best intentions that Amblin
Entertainment could have at the time, it's surprising that 1985's
Young Sherlock Holmes turned out to be such a misfire. Little had
been explored about the early lives of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famed
characters of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, and Columbus's completely
original story sought to illuminate the motivations of the men as most
audiences later knew them. In this story, Holmes and Watson meet at a
boarding school and solve their first murder mystery together, one that
exposes an Egyptian cult that is killing people in London for a reason
the boys must discover. At this point, Holmes is in love with a young
woman whose fate in the film ultimately guides the master detective's
solitary life thereafter. Cool inventions, weird temple rituals, and an
abundance of Victorian style all firmly place the picture in the perfect
Spielberg frame, but critics and audiences ultimately rejected the film
as unnecessary and dissatisfying. Still, Young Sherlock Holmes
will be remembered for two distinct positives: its inaugural
introduction of CGI character effects on the big screen and Bruce
Broughton's score. The latter was a risky decision by Spielberg's
studio, as Broughton was far from a known commodity at the time. Mostly
relegated to television scoring, the composer was in the process of
creating his outstanding score for Silverado at the time Young
Sherlock Holmes was seeking its own scoring path, and Broughton was
recommended to Levinson for the job because of the prior work. No doubt,
1985 proved to be the most notable year of production on the big screen
in Broughton's entire career, the composer blasting onto the scene with
sudden momentum that never translated into an established career on
front-line films. Regardless of that opportunity lost, Broughton fondly
recalled the production of Young Sherlock Holmes as one of his
smoothest. The relatively long score not only required him to write
quickly but do so immediately after exhausting himself on
Silverado. To his fortune, Levinson was highly supportive of his
strategy for the music, and the recording in London was among the
composer's easiest and best career experiences.
The score for Young Sherlock Holmes remains highly
respected and popular in the film score-collecting community, a dynamic
orchestral action and adventure romp that pushed the boundaries in a
number of historical musical genres. For its characters, the score
espouses the sound of a 19th Century British romance, but that demeanor
is countered with more challenging 20th Century tones in the chord
structures used for suspense and action. For every cue of sweet and
innocent tonality is another one or two of difficult, often atonal
explosions more akin at the time to Alex North's or Leonard Rosenman's
methodology. The orchestra is sometimes sufficient for this task but
often finds itself underwhelming, especially in the dramatic and tender
passages. The spread of orchestrations, with the help of future composer
Mark McKenzie in one of his earlier orchestration jobs, makes the London
ensemble sound larger than it was, but the strings seem particularly
underpowered in the score. Most of the personality of the leading themes
is guided by woodwinds, and these are sometimes left hanging too far
back in the mix. There isn't an abundance of instrumental creativity in
the score, though Broughton does explore a unique rattling sound effect,
one that emulates the shuffling of boots on a stage floor, for his
opening and closing title cues. A 16-member choir is employed to
represent the chanting of the Egyptian cult group on screen, though
these performers don't have any impact in supplemental duties in other,
more traditional cues. Broughton wrote a bevy of themes for Young
Sherlock Holmes, and some of them are really quite attractive.
Although each is certainly sufficient for what they represent, these
ideas have difficulty adapting to the suspense and action scenes prior
to the climax, and Broughton sometimes doesn't attempt to really adapt
them for purposes of true conflict in some cues at all. The atonal
portions of the work therefore seem disconnected from the broader
narrative in several cues, the heroic identities not forced into obvious
discomfort when needed. As a result, the suspense portions tend to be
atmospheric and nondescript. While these passages are respectable,
listeners are left gravitating towards' Broughton's thematic constructs
in their more accessible forms. These cues were assembled together for
the original LP record of the score and are highlighted by the fabulous
early cue, "Solving the Crime."
Broughton employs five major themes in Young Sherlock
Holmes, but none can compete with the amicable and flowing idea of
adventure that also serves as the film's main identity. This adventure
theme is often intertwined with Broughton's investigation and love
themes, and it is structurally related to the latter by intent. This
upbeat march-like theme is initially associated as an interlude to the
investigation theme at 0:42 into "Main Title," exploring its great,
melodramatic harmonic shifts in its secondary phrasing before returning
in lesser incarnations later in the cue. It occupies all of "Watson's
Arrival" optimistically and warmly, revealing its additional purpose as
a theme of friendship between Holmes and Watson. The idea rolls with the
same attitude into all of "The Bear Riddle," takes a more formal stance
at the outset of "Fencing With Rathe," and returns initially in "Solving
the Crime" as yet again an interlude to the investigation theme before
it starts to dominate the cue at 3:39 and 4:17 on trumpets. The
adventure theme becomes tentative at 0:43 into "The Hat," is reduced to
plucking against the investigation theme in "Getting the Point," and is
slight and disturbed late in "Discovered by Rathe" on flutes. It offers
some slightly soothing relief on strings at the start of "To
Cragwitch's," victoriously bursts with lofty style at 4:26 into "It's
You!," continues its brassy defiance at 2:49 into "Temple Fire," and
earns a few suspenseful moments at 1:33 into "Ehtar's Escape." At the
climax, the theme is propelled against the fencing rhythms in "Duel and
Final Farewell" and shifts its harmonies for new nobility at the start
of "The Riddles Solved and End Credits." In that last cue, Broughton
then builds to the credits with the investigation theme alongside, the
adventure theme receiving its own bright treatment following the
investigation and love themes and guiding the fanfare that closes the
suite. That investigation theme has a bit of a quirky presence in the
score, meant to represent Holmes in his studious and deductive mode.
Although its stately and slightly mysterious tone works for the purpose
intended, the identity never establishes itself beyond the adventure
theme as any more of a Holmes signifier, and some listeners may find the
idea somewhat unnecessary. Had Broughton opted to incorporate it as more
of a propulsive idea that could set the rhythm under any other theme,
then perhaps its presence would have better benefitted the score.
The investigation theme debuts on piccolo at 0:12 into
"Main Title" and develops over the remainder of the cue, stepping aside
until it opens "Solving the Crime" on its trademark woodwinds and builds
momentum on those soloists and a trumpet until it is overflowing with
enthusiasm. From there, its use is less obvious, barely evident at the
start of "Cold Revenge," tickling the bouncing movement in the middle of
"Getting the Point," meandering early in "Discovered by Rathe" on
various woodwinds, and interrupting the driving suspense at 3:29 into
"It's You!" Broughton uses the investigation theme to split the
villain's material at 0:58 into "Ehtar's Escape," and descending figures
from the theme are applied as stingers in "Duel and Final Farewell," the
composer denoting the final swordfight as a resolution of the
investigation overall. The idea joins the adventure theme at the front
of the credits in "The Riddles Solved and End Credits" and is provided a
reprise of its opening piccolo presence at 2:56 along with the rumbling
effect that had joined it in "Main Title." The love theme, a structural
adaptation of the adventure theme, does not enjoy much depth to its
expression of romance, usually too dainty and quiet to suggest any true
attraction at work. That said, it's a pretty theme, and Broughton
adapted it for the LP album in the standalone track, "Holmes and
Elizabeth - Love Theme." (Why not "Sherlock and Elizabeth?" Perhaps
therein lies the problem with formality impeding passion in the idea.)
In the score proper, the love theme is introduced on flute and strings
in "Library Love" and carried by oboe at the start of "The Glass
Soldier." As the film darkens, the idea is expressed with sadness in the
latter half of "Waxflatter's Death," struggles at the start of "The
Hat," and is carried by solemn horns at the end of "Ehtar's Escape." It
very quietly follows the climax in "Duel and Final Farewell" and
succeeds the other two main themes in "The Riddles Solved and End
Credits" but still with no sense of convincing romance. As a secondary
theme, Broughton's idea for Elizabeth's wacky uncle, Waxflatter, is a
zany, prancing idea of exuberance for a mad inventor, the most malleable
motif in the score. It soars at 1:34 into "Waxflatter's First Flight"
and flutters about with hope at the beginning of "Second Attempt,"
turning sour at the end. The idea is then injected with skill into the
suspense of "Cold Revenge," reduced to solo piccolo early in
"Waxflatter's Death," turning briefly dramatic on strings. It echoes
against the love theme early in "The Hat," shifts into a horror parody
in "Pastries and Crypts," and barely touches "The Explanation."
For the villains, Broughton supplies a Rame Tep theme
that is introduced with a Carl Orff-like chant by the 16 singers in
"Rame Tep," a recording that also owes a bit to Basil Poledouris'
Conan the Barbarian. While the vocalized version of this theme is
the most memorable, Broughton does adapt it pretty well into the
surrounding underscore. It stews in the first half of "Cragwitch Goes
Again" in comparatively light orchestrations, becomes forced into
full-ensemble urgency in the first minute of "It's You!" before taking a
softer stance later and closing the cue more ominously. It continues in
"Waxing Elizabeth" after a massive fanfare and devolves to fragments in
the chaos of "Temple Fire" before regaining some cohesion in the middle.
The Rame Tep theme then guides the action throughout "Ehtar's Escape,"
some full performances in along the way, and thrashes in the margins in
"Duel and Final Farewell." In that cue, Broughton also consolidates his
fencing motif for the score in the driving rhythmic formations. In the
revelatory post-credits scenes, the composer suggests a Moriarty motif
in the fluttering alternations around key in "Ytrairom Spelled
Backwards," but this idea does not seem openly connected to the Rame Tep
theme, a missed opportunity. The narrative of these themes is adequate
but not entirely satisfying, the Waxflatter idea understandably
consolidated to the middle third of the score but the Rame Tep theme not
adequately foreshadowed in ways that can really reach audiences in the
otherwise disconnected "The First Victim" cue at the outset of the film.
For most listeners, however, it's the enthusiastic and attractive
adventure theme that will carry all the weight of Young Sherlock
Holmes, and those undeniably wonderful highlights are likely why the
score has remained one close to the heart of Intrada Records through the
years. With the condensed LP record presentation of 1985 never
translated to CD, the label assisted in the creation of a promotional
album of the fuller score in 2002. For many years, this 2-CD set was a
hot collector's item on the secondary market despite accidentally
cutting off one of the tracks. In 2014, the label formally expanded the
presentation and separated out its cues to their original recorded form
for a widely available 2-CD product that included a handful of bonus
tracks. The label returned to the score in 2019 for a 3-CD set that
remixes the 2014 presentation from better sources and adds even more
bonus tracks and a remastered rendering of the original LP album. For
most listeners, the 2014 product will be sufficient, an excellent survey
of an affable but not flawless score in decent archival sound. For
Broughton, these were certainly the best of times.
**** @Amazon.com: CD or
Download
Bias Check: |
For Bruce Broughton reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.36
(in 11 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.28
(in 4,522 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.
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2002 Promo Album Tracks ▼ | Total Time: 83:25 |
CD 1: (32:57)
1. The Gamecock/The Bird is Alive (2:56)
2. Flaming Hat Rack/Main Title (3:43)
3. The Heart of London (1:02)
4. A Deductive Mind Never Rests (0:48)
5. Library Love/Waxflatter's First Flight/The Visitor (2:54)
6. Fencing Lesson (1:08)
7. I Never Want to Be Alone/Stained Glass Knightmare/Solving the Crime (8:09)
8. Waxflatter Flies Again (1:12)
9. One Last Duel/Window Parting/Cario Vision (4:10)
10. Waxflatter's Death/Holmes Returns (3:40)
11. The Hat/Holmes and Elizabeth-Love Theme (3:18)
CD 2: (50:28)
1. The Game is Afoot/Tip of the Iceberg (0:43)
2. The Ceremony (3:06)
3. Stop! She's Alive!/Pastries & Crypts (6:44)
4. Caught/Friends of Waxflatter (4:57)
5. Warning Shot (1:34)
6. Cragwitch's Vision (1:49)
7. The Struggle (1:24)
8. A Fifth Princess/Holmes in Flight (6:17)
9. Waxing Elizabeth/Diversionary Tactics (7:06)
10. Ehtar's Escape/The Final Duel/Final Farewell (9:39)
11. The Riddle's Solved/End Credits (6:26)
12. Moriarty? (0:48)
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2014 Intrada Album Tracks ▼ | Total Time: 104:45 |
CD 1: (33:28)
1. The First Victim (2:57)
2. The Old Hat Trick (1:45)
3. Main Title (2:01)
4. Watson's Arrival (1:03)
5. The Bear Riddle (0:46)
6. Library Love/Waxflatter's First Flight (2:54)
7. Fencing With Rathe (1:07)
8. The Glass Soldier (3:22)
9. Solving the Crime (4:54)
10. Second Attempt (1:11)
11. Cold Revenge (4:08)
12. Waxflatter's Death (3:38)
13. The Hat (1:21)
14. Holmes and Elizabeth - Love Theme (1:58)
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CD 2: (71:17)
1. Getting the Point (6:25)
2. Rame Tep (3:06)
3. Pastries and Crypts (6:44)
4. Discovered by Rathe (5:05)
5. To Cragwitch's (1:32)
6. The Explanation (1:48)
7. Cragwitch Goes Again (1:23)
8. It's You! (6:17)
9. Waxing Elizabeth (3:37)
10. Temple Fire (3:24)
11. Ehtar's Escape (Revised Version) (4:04)
12. Duel and Final Farewell (5:41)
13. The Riddles Solved and End Credits (6:27)
14. Ytrairom Spelled Backwards (0:48)
The Extras!
15. Main Title (Film Version) (1:42)
16. Belly Dancer (1:02)
17. Waxing Elizabeth (Chorus) (3:01)
18. Waxing Elizabeth (Orchestra) (3:37)
19. Ehtar's Escape (Original Version) (4:03)
20. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (1:06)
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2019 Intrada Album Tracks ▼ | Total Time: 154:51 |
CD 1: (40:15)
1. The First Victim (2:59)
2. The Old Hat Trick (1:46)
3. Main Title (2:01)
4. Watson's Arrival (1:01)
5. The Bear Riddle (0:45)
6. Library Love/Waxflatter's First Flight (2:55)
7. Fencing With Rathe (1:06)
8. The Glass (3:21)
9. Solving the Crime (4:55)
10. Second Attempt (1:10)
11. Cold Revenge (4:08)
12. Waxflatter's Death (Alternate) (3:41)
13. The Hat (1:20)
14. Holmes and Elizabeth - Love Theme (1:57)
15. Getting the Point (6:32)
CD 2: (50:16)
1. Rame Tep (3:06)
2. Pastries and Crypts (6:46)
3. Discovered by Rathe (4:50)
4. To Cragwitch's (1:33)
5. The Explanation (1:49)
6. Cragwitch Goes Again (1:22)
7. It's You! (6:18)
8. Waxing Elizabeth (3:37)
9. Temple Fire (3:23)
10. Ehtar's Escape (Revised Version) (4:03)
11. Duel and Final Farewell (5:41)
12. The Riddles Solved and End Credits (2:57)
13. Ytrairom Spelled Backwards (0:46)
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CD 3: (64:20)
The Extras: (26:59)
1. Main Title (Film Version) (1:44)
2. Waxflatter's Death (Original) (2:46)
3. Belly Dancer (1:01)
4. Rame Tep (Orchestra) (3:06)
5. Rame Tep (Chorus) (3:01)
6. It's You! (Alternate) (6:16)
7. Waxing Elizabeth (Orchestra) (3:37)
8. Ehtar's Escape (Original Version) (4:04)
9. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (1:06)
Original 1985 MCA Soundtrack Album (37:12):
10. Main Title (2:00)
11. Solving the Crime (4:52)
12. Library Love/Waxflatter's First Flight (2:25)
13. Pastries & Crypts (5:45)
14. Waxing Elizabeth (3:37)
15. Holmes and Elizabeth - Love Theme (1:56)
16. Ehtar's Escape (4:01)
17. The Final Duel (3:52)
18. Final Farewell (1:55)
19. The Riddles Solved/End Credits (6:26)
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The insert of the 2002 promotional album consists of a single
page slip and includes no extra information. Its back cover overstates
time of track 1 on the second CD because the track was accidentally cut
off in the edit. The packaging of the 2014 and 2019 Intrada albums both
contain extensive information about the film and score.
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