Intrada’s latest release revisits its first Disney project — the 1982 Jerry Goldsmith score to Night Crossing. Covering a dramatic range of ideas, Goldsmith’s score expresses both the menace and aggression of the East German locale and the soaring aspirations of two families hoping to escape from it. The score is one of Goldsmith’s busiest and throughout the action material the strings, woodwinds and piano are given an abundance of swirling, running figures that race over, under and around the thematic material. Comprised of three primary themes, the first introduces the theme for the oppressive East German military machine, a driving line of powerful brass and snarling string figures unfolding over the percussion motif and then in the trombones and tuba. The use of accordion introduces the second theme with a gentle and distant feel — a delicate waltz setting for the families that hope to build a balloon and escape from their cold environment. The third and primary theme, tackles the central subject of the film: building, testing and launching the balloon needed for the escape. The melody appears in a wide range of instrumental colors, from a delicate flute solo over harp figures to a glorious and impassioned musical finale for the entire orchestra at the close.
To restore the entire score, Intrada revisited the original ½” 15 I.P.S. Dolby A-encoded three-channel session masters engineered at EMI Abbey Road by Eric Tomlinson, making new digital stereo mixes of every sequence. In addition to a few alternates appearing for the first time, an important change between this new CD and the earlier release should be noted. This change comes with those all-important pauses that occur between the many bars of solo percussion. The earlier release included numerous edits of both the percussion and intervening silences and lent a degree of forward momentum to the respective cues, but also truncated the important, rhythmically timed pauses that generated much of the suspense. This particular “percussion and pause” motif, including the meticulously timed silences between the phrases, occurs throughout the score. As such, for this release Intrada retained Goldsmith’s original unaltered cues, including the exact timings of the silences integral to the musical effect. Listeners familiar with the earlier edition will probably have to become used to the longer, more deliberate pacing of these “percussion and pauses” sections of the score, but—once having done so—will no doubt find rewards in the rhythmic architecture of Goldsmith’s original structure.
All-new licensing arrangement with Walt Disney Productions allows brand new complete presentation of powerhouse Jerry Goldsmith soundtrack from Delbert Mann deadly escape from East to West Germany tale, starring John Hurt, Beau Bridges, Jane Alexander, Glynnis O’Connor. Brand new mastering from original multi-track stereo session masters provides best audio ever, includes two major alternate sequences where Goldsmith made interesting changes during scoring sessions. When Intrada visited score years ago with composer involvement, Goldsmith edited several bars of his opening percussion to “tighten pace”. Result was indeed a brisker reading of opening prologue music but somewhat lost were critically timed pauses between bars of percussion, pauses that later become part of interior rhythm of score throughout. Cues now play in their original unedited manner. For massive “First Flight” set-piece, Goldsmith recorded cue in two versions two accommodate editorial changes in picture, one familiar from earlier album, the other being heard for first time ever. Changes are both subtle (hard mallets on cymbals becoming soft mallets on gong) to pronounced (high, resounding trumpet statement of theme at climactic point becoming lower brass quote instead.) Both versions appear on this CD. Goldsmith also made two slightly different versions of final “Into The West” cue, originally scoring additional tenor drum hits that he ultimately deemed “too busy” for final film version. As with “First Flight”, both versions appear here. Though a slight nod to completeists, new CD also includes first release of Goldsmith-composed “Steel Guitar” cue, used as on-screen source music early in film. Another asset: This time around, booklet offers generous array of color stills from film. Goldsmith launches his masterful score with one of his most exciting “Main Title” sequences ever, creates thrilling action music, soaring flight music, wraps score proper with dynamic major-key fortissimo, then plays out with closing statement of his secondary waltz theme. One of Goldsmith’s classics! Jerry Goldsmith conducts National Philharmonic Orchestra. Intrada Special Collection release available while quantities and interest remain!
INTRADA Special Collection Vol. 280
TRACKLIST
01. Main Title (Part 1) (1:16)
02. Main Title (Part 2) (1:55)
03. The Market (1:05)
04. All In Vain (3:24)
05. The Picnic (4:04)
06. Plans (5:08)
07. First Test (0:43)
08. Too Much Work (1:33)
09. Success (3:44)
10. First Flight (Original) (9:39)
11. The Car 2:19
12. The Patches (2:51)
13. Short Of Time (2:44)
14. Tomorrow We Go (1:05)
15. The Chemist (1:32)
16. No Time To Wait (5:35)
17. Final Flight (6:15)
18. Into The West (Revised) (3:41)
19. End Titles (1:14)
The Extras
20. Steel Guitar (0:52)
21. First Flight (Revised) (9:38)
22. Into The West (Original) (3:41)
