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Editorial Reviews

Cobbled together from a number of ongoing recording sessions over three years, this SACD finds the indefatigable Erich Kunzel going back to the movies in search of yet another sonic symphonic blockbuster. This time, the linking theme is the term "epics," which conjures images of Cinerama screens and larger-than-life historical or science-fiction storylines of tremendous sweep and length. Interestingly, an earlier Kunzel film album opened with a swatch from Alex North's original discarded score for 2001 : A Space Odyssey; this one is more conventional, opening with the film's familiar Richard Strauss sunrise theme. That is a dead giveaway of the nature of this package, which eschews the dizzying sound effects and zanier ideas of previous Kunzel projects in favor of safer selections and some remakes from earlier Hollywood albums. Luckily, this restraint is repaid, because the caliber of music is higher than on the average Cincinnati Pops movie album. "Tara's Theme" from Gone With the Wind is here, and so are the sweeping themes for Ben Hur, Lawrence of Arabia, and Spartacus -- and "The Magnificent Seven" makes a return visit from the Round-Up album, just a bit more casual than before. Of the recent Hollywood product, Tan Dun's intriguing ideas for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon stand out, while other newer things from the The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Star Wars series are pleasing enough for a jacuzzi-like sonic immersion that doesn't get too profound or irritating. The performances are big and sumptuous; the SACD Surround Sound version is huge, crunching, bass-rich, and conservative in its use of the rear channels. Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide

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