Composed and Conducted by RON GOODWIN
Rousing, flavorful Walt Disney/Ron Goodwin soundtrack music arrives on CD at last! One of several pictures scored by Goodwin for Disney, Candleshoe offers music both comedic, dramatic. Jodie Foster, David Niven, Helen Hayes, Leo McKern headline terrific cast, Norman Tokar directs with flair. Candleshoe is English countryside estate replete with possible ancestral treasure. Hayes is owner Lady St. Edmund, Niven her loyal butler, Foster the American orphan staged by thieves to pose as missing granddaughter in order to locate treasure. Events funny, exciting, warmly sentimental all result. Goodwin tackles all of them with his score. Energetic “Main Title” launches with brass line over striking major key rhythms. Other themes abound throughout score but two outstanding ideas based on harmonic vocabulary of main theme deserve spotlight. First is richly expressive string music in modal Vaughan Williams manner during “Casey Takes A Walk With Lady St. Edmund”, opening portion of “End Title”. Second is incredibly dynamic sword-fight action music for “The Big Fight At Candleshoe” with blazing brass, powerful rhythms, unfolding to similar modal harmonies. Results are widely varied orchestral scoring with unusual degree of coherency throughout.
The 1977 Walt Disney film Candleshoe was one of four feature films Ron Goodwin scored for Disney in the ’70s, along with two TV movies. Ron Goodwin infused his score for Candleshoe with three distinct flavors: family comedy, warm sentiment and rousing action. The first provides animated drive, the second offers emotional weight and the third sets off dazzling orchestral fireworks. The Devon native was an obvious choice for a film shot in England, about English people, and his comedy chops were fine-tuned having been put to use on a string of comedies in the 1960s. Goodwin’s scores features one of the most addictive main themes of any film, first introduced in the main titles, pumped out on trumpet and trombone in a syncopated meter over ’70s funk rhythms, accompanying protagonist Casey and her motley orphan crew as they roam the streets of downtown L.A. wreaking havoc.
All of the music Ron Goodwin recorded in London during April 1977 is being presented in this premiere CD release, mastered in vibrant stereo from the 1/4″ two track session mixes courtesy Walt Disney Pictures and the Ron Goodwin Estate.
Candleshoe was the second film in Disney’s deal with child actress Jodie Foster, who plays teen orphan Casey, running amok in the streets of urban Los Angeles until she’s literally purchased from her unfeeling foster parents by an English con man, Bundage. Bundage recognizes an opportunity to pass Casey off as the missing granddaughter of Lady St. Edmund (Helen Hayes), mistress of the English countryside estate of Candleshoe. Bundage’s motivation is the promise of an ancestral treasure buried somewhere on the grounds, and he grooms Casey to take in the old lady and root out the storied chest of Spanish doubloons.
Entire score appears on Intrada CD, presented from two-track stereo session masters recorded by Goodwin in April 1977 at Anvil Studios with Eric Tomlinson engineering, all courtesy Walt Disney Pictures and Ron Goodwin Estate. Goodwin scores lilting “Candleshoe Waltz” for both vintage phonograph-style chamber ensemble plus full orchestral statement, then melds portions of each as nostalgic scene between Hayes, Niven plays on screen. Film mix plays as track 14, complete separate versions appear later as extras. Also included in extras are two additional alternate takes of “Main Title”, two piano quotes of “Greensleeves” that figure prominently in first part of film plus one alternate take of lively “Market Day” sequence. Informative liner notes by Tim Greiving, colorful package design by Joe Sikoryak. Ron Goodwin conducts.
TRACKLIST
01. Main Titles (Retake) (3:30)
02. Casey Is Carried Off (0:56)
03. Bundage Reveals Plot (0:15)
04. Casey Arrives In London (0:44)
05. Bundage Writes A Letter/Casey Comes To Candleshoe* (1:45)
06. Tea With Lady St. Edmund (1:21)
07. Lady St. Edmund Welcomes Casey (0:46)
08. Casey Explores Candleshoe (1:29)
09. Lady St. Edmund Dismisses Gipping (0:31)
10. Casey Takes A Walk With Lady St. Edmund (2:18)
11. Casey Is Apprehended In The Library (1:19)
12. Casey Finds The First Clue (1:07)
13. A Fight In The Family (2:16)
14. Casey In The Churchyard (0:56)
15. Colonel Dennis At The Gallop (0:35)
16. Market Day (2:04)
17. Casey Gets Knocked Out (1:04)
18. Candleshoe Waltz (Film Mix) (0:43)
19. Catching The 12:20 Train (2:28)
20. The Big Fight At Candleshoe (6:07)
21. Bundage Comes Back For More* (0:54)
22. The Treasure Is Found (1:20)
23. End Title (1:41)
Total Time: 36:31
The Extras
24. Main Titles (Take 5)** (3:30)
25. Main Titles (Take 6)** (3:29)
26. Greensleeves No. 1 (Piano) (0:11)
27. Greensleeves No. 2 (Piano) (0:15)
28. Market Day (Take 2)** (2:04)
29. Candleshoe Waltz (Phonograph Version)* (0:42)
30. Candleshoe Waltz Orchestra Version)* (0:43)
Total Extras Time: 11:01
* = Includes Music Not Used In Film
** = Not Featured In Film
