Composed and Conducted by JERRY GOLDSMITH
Unused Score Composed and Conducted by MAURICE JARRE
The 1994 Universal Pictures film THE RIVER WILD features Gail (Meryl Streep) in a troubled marriage and on a family outing to go rafting in the country to get away from it all. Along the way they meet a pair of thieves who hijack a ride on the raft, turning a family bonding adventure into a family survival ordeal. The decision as to just what music would be heard was a challenging issue for the filmmakers. Composer Maurice Jarre was hired to record a lengthy, large-scale symphonic score in June 1994. The score is on a massive, epic scale, focusing on the grand outdoor adventure — the majesty of nature itself — and later the thrills as the tale progressively gets darker. The action material speaks to the conflict between that natural power and Gail’s determination to conquer it. This approach apparently did not work for the filmmakers.
Jerry Goldsmith was then brought in and recorded a score in August, taking a much gentler approach, featuring a main theme that speaks to the serenity Gail finds in nature and her enjoyment in navigating its waters. This transparent theme is typically heard on solo flute or trumpet and is based on the folksong, “The Water Is Wide.” Where Jarre avoids using that familiar tune until the end of his score, Goldsmith anchors his entire score with it. Where Jarre works variants of his original main theme to focus on the action and hits hard with dissonant brass figures, Goldsmith moves away from the traditional melody he started with and instead creates an entirely new secondary theme for the river rafting sequences, an imposing minor-key idea that assumes prominence as the action unfolds. For the action sequences, Goldsmith opts for rhythmic intensity over dissonance.
And yet for the lengthy action set-piece where Gail successfully negotiates the deadly gauntlet as well as the equally lethal villains, both composers feature a plethora of energetic, jagged brass rhythms over massive blocks of percussion. Ultimately, both scores are musically riveting and worthy of the showcase Intrada presents on this 2-CD set. This new release features the complete scores from the masters housed at Universal that not only include the complete scores, but the numerous rewrites for both scores as the filmmakers honed in on the approach for which they were looking.
Both Jerry Goldsmith’s complete powerhouse score and Maurice Jarre’s dynamic unused score together in exciting 2-CD set! Under director Curtis Hanson, Meryl Streep becomes sensational action heroine with husband David Strathairn, son Joseph Mazzello battling killers Kevin Bacon, John C. Reilly plus whitewater rapids, violent waterfalls shot on spectacular locations of Montana, southern Oregon. Incredible opportunity for listeners to hear two Academy Award-winning, top-drawer composers at peak of their craft, both commanding large orchestras – with two dramatically contrasting approaches to thrilling tale! Jarre approaches with epic, majestic David Lean-style main theme, numerous dramatic variants, culminating in powerful action finale with spectacular array of percussion in the spotlight. Jarre then allows room for traditional “The Water Is Wide” before wrapping with rich statement of his own main theme plus fortissimo coda. 50-minute score is presented plus more than 20-minutes of additional cues and alternates. After producers deleted entire effort by Jarre, Goldsmith enters project with his own dynamic score. His thematic approach relies on traditional melody, given emotional resonance courtesy soaring solo trumpet quotes over expressive string harmonies. Once established, theme gives way to one of Goldsmith’s best nineties devices: not just one but two important thematic ideas take over, competing for control through remainder of score. First is surging minor-key “water” theme with imposing chords for dangerous currents. Second is five-note motif that becomes all-important Rambo-style action theme, usually connected with Strathairn as mild-mannered businessman who springs into action during second part of film. How this tiny idea grows in importance, now as solitary melodic percussion figure, now as soaring French horn melody, now as solo clarinet line, now as rhythmic ostinato against soaring minor-key “water” theme becomes just one compelling aspect of knockout score! Also commanding attention is 10-minute action cue “Vacation’s Over”, amongst composer’s all-time greatest. Original RCA release offered just 30 minutes of score. New Intrada release not only premieres entire Jarre score but also doubles the amount of Goldsmith music with a half hour of previously unreleased score plus another 16-minutes of unused alternates. Jarre score recorded by Shawn Murphy at Sony Pictures Scoring, Goldsmith score recorded by Bruce Botnick at Todd-AO Scoring Stage. Entire 2-CD set presented from complete digital scoring session masters preserved by Universal in pristine condition and released courtesy Universal, RCA and Sony. Maurice Jarre, Jerry Goldsmith conduct.
Intrada Special Collection Volume ISC 301
TRACKLIST
CD 1 (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK)
01. Practice (2:24)
02. The Field (1:25)
03. Let’s Go Boys (1:26)
04. Here We Go (1:01)
05. No Favors (1:32)
06. Graffiti (1:38)
07. My Life (0:45)
08. Wade’s Over (3:20)
09. Same Old Story (2:13)
10. All Is Well (0:47)
11. Get The Drinks (4:00)
12. Stand Off (0:48)
13. Run Maggie (0:41)
14. Pictures (1:54)
15. Maggie’s Back (1:02)
16. Secrets (2:03)
17. Where Are You? (2:34)
18. Anything I Want (1:10)
19. The Raft (Original) (3:41)
20. Go, Mom (2:11)
21. What Happened? (2:41)
22. Do It! (2:53)
23. Ballast (Revised #1) (1:43)
24. Vacation’s Over (10:05)
25. One Left (Revised #1) (0:35)
26. Family Reunion (End Title)
Contains Edited Version of “The Water Is Wide” (Traditional)
Performed by Cowboy Junkies Produced by Michael Timmins (5:46)
Total Score Time: 62:06
The Extras
27. The Gun (Pizzicato Hits) (1:52)
28. The Raft (Revised) (3:42)
29. Now What? (Original) (1:44)
30. Ballast (Original) (1:18)
31. Ballast (Revised #2) (1:19)
32. One Left (Original) (0:36)
33. One Left (Revised #2) (0:37)
34. Great Timing (Original) (1:59)
35. “The Water Is Wide” (Electric Violin Version)
(Adapted and Arranged by Jerry Goldsmith) (2:58)
Total Extras Time: 16:18
Total CD Time: 78:52
CD 2 THE UNUSED SCORE
01. The Bridge (2:59)
02. We All Go (3:58)
03. Wade Overboard (4:27)
04. The Stakes Just Got Higher (5:02)
05. Tom Lost (3:46)
06. The Cliff (2:32)
07. Ranger Danger (1:00)
08. Raft In Trouble (2:32)
09. Gail Strikes Back (1:30)
10. Hold On (4:28)
11. The Gauntlet (9:29)
12. Final Fight (2:06)
13. Reunion And End Title (6:33)
Contains “Mandolin Mix” of “The Water Is Wide” (Traditional)
Performed by Cowboy Junkies Produced by Michael Timmins
Total Score Time: 50:36
The Extras
14. Racing Victory (0:44)
15. Racing Victory – Alternate 1 (0:35)
16. Racing Victory – Alternate 2 (0:29)
17. Gail Leads – Alternate (0:13)
18. Maggie, Too (0:36)
19. Maggie, Too – Revised (0:36)
20. First Baggage (0:36)
21. First Baggage – Revised (0:28)
22. Rock Symbols (0:55)
23. Baggage Again (0:28)
24. Gail’s Advice (0:50)
25. Wade Shows The Gun (0:36)
26. Terry Hesitates (0:44)
27. Threats (0:18)
28. Wade And Terry Argue (0:34)
29. Tom’s Plan – Revised (0:22)
30. Twigs And Leaves (0:47)
31. Raft In Trouble – Revised (2:30)
32. Tom And Maggie (0:30)
33. Untie Us (0:43)
34. Final Fight – Revised (2:06)
35. Reunion – Version 2 (2:00)
36. Reunion – Version 3 (1:59)
37. Reunion – Version For Album (2:02)
38. Reunion – Version 4 (0:10)
39. “The Water Is Wide” (Traditional)
Performed by Cowboy Junkies
Produced by Michael Timmins (3:10)
Total Extras Time: 25:26
Total CD Time: 76:06
