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Russian film music label KeepMoving Records issues Eckart Seeber’s epic orchestral fantasy score for To the Ends of Time. Marking the directorial debut of former Hollywood prop master Markus Rothkranz, the film tells the story of a mystical kingdom where an evil witch takes over the control of time. Generations fade away within days and when a young lad is suddenly forced to grow up, he takes it upon himself to break the curse. Starring Tom Schultz, Christine Taylor, Joss Ackland and Sarah Douglas, To the Ends of Time is memorable for its nostalgic fantasy setting that involves giant castles, flying ships and trained animals – all achieved through practical visual effects as opposed to CGI.

Composer Eckart Seeber was born in the Austrian town of Innsbruck in 1963. He studied at the State Conservatory of Music in his home town, receiving a BA degree from the Simon Fraser University and MA degree from the University of Victoria. His teachers in composition and orchestration include such renowned names as Rudolph Komorous and Dr. John Celona. Seeber made the most out of his European heritage by building up on these traditions in his own music as well. Citing composers like Rimski-Korsakov and Igor Stravinsky as his main influences, Seeber’s most critically revered score for Shadowbuilder was voted the 8th best score of Film Score Monthly in 1998.

Seeber’s score for To the Ends of Time is one of the most beautiful, thematically conscious fantasy scores of the last two decades and it’s just a shame it isn’t better-known. Featuring major battle scenes with choral accompaniment and a haunting love theme for James and Princess Stephanie, the score is also characterized by a number of innovative features for fantasy elements like the magical clock that speeds up time! The album closes with Cristine Seeber’s “To the Ends of Time”, played over the end creddits. The score for To the Ends of Time was recorded by the Ukrainian State Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra and Chorus under the direction of conductor Vladimir Sirenko.

A shorter version of this score had previously appeared on Seeber’s own Sonovide label, but this new release by KeepMoving Records contains the whole work with about 20 minutes of previously unreleased music, plus a handsome packaging with a 12-page booklet featuring liner notes by Gergely Hubai, discussing the creation of the film and score based on interviews with the director and the composer.

TRACKLIST

1. Morlin Ships (3:08)
2. The Battle (3:59)
3. The Aftermath / The Commissioning (3:14)
4. Kitchen Clean-up (0:51)
5. King Ponders / The Alchemist’s Room / Karnissa’s Spy-Cat (2:26)
6. James’ Yearning (0:40)
7. Discovery of Time (2:32)
8. Stephanie’s Gift (2:21)
9. The King’s Order / The Storm (1:26)
10. The Funeral / Kindred Spirits (1:52)
11. Gamarah (0:38)
12. Love Theme (1:00)
13. Lost Ring / Building of the Clock (1:32)
14. The Clock is Ticking (2:57)
15. Stephanie and James (1:19)
16. Assembly of the Army (2:57)
17. The Fortune Told (1:29)
18. Sauris Returns (1:13)
19. Through the Desert (1:42)
20. The Hurricane (2:20)
21. The King’s Sad Premonition (2:20)
22. Alexander Returns (2:04)
23. James’ Quest (1:43)
24. Knighthood and Farewell (4:00)
25. The Death of King Francis (1:33)
26. James in the Desert (1:09)
27. The Lonesome Castle (1:13)
28. Stephanie and Sauris (1:27)
29. Ride into Valley (1:10)
30. Loffo Rescues Stephanie (0:57)
31. Boarding the Persephone / Launching of the Persephone (2:41)
32. The Scroll (3:01)
33. Loffo’s Heart Attack (1:09)
34. Gamarah Crash (2:28)
35. Climbing the Clock (1:29)
36. Turning Back of Time (2:07)
37. The Wedding (1:35)
38. Into the Sunset (0:50)
39. “To the Ends of Time” (End Credits Song) (05:24)

Total Time: 78:21