Essential Western Film Music Collection Vol.1, The (The Wild West) - Various Artists

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Lacking inspiration
Lyrics	Not applicable
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
Value for Money	Poor

Advantages:	Good orchestra
Disadvantages:	All song sound the same

Recommend to potential buyers:

no

Full review

The Wild West CD is one which my hubby bought much to my disapproval. As you will probably gather from the title is contains 2 CD's which are full of theme tunes and music from Western films.

The cover of the CD has a picture of an old wagon cart being pulled by horses through the mountains and the title is at the top in black lettering. The back cover of the CD has the two tracks lists.

The tracks and the films which they are featured in are as follows:-

DISC ONE

1 - The Alamo - overture (Dimitri Tiomkin)
2. The Big Country - Main Title Theme (Jeremy Moross)
3. Buffalo Girls - Main Theme (Lee Holdridge)
4. The Cowboys - main Theme (John Williams)
5. Dances With Wolves - The John Dunbar Theme (John Barry)
6. A Distant Trumpet - Main Title (Max Steiner)
7. El Condor - Main Theme Title (Maurice Jarre)
8. A Fistful of Dollars - Main Theme (Ennio Morricone)
9. Gettysburg - Main Theme (Randy Edelman)
10. Glory - Charging Fort Wagner (James Horner)
11. Heaven's Gate - Sweet Breeze (adaptation: David Mansfield)
12. High Plains Drifter - Main Theme (Dee Barton)
13. How the West was Won - Prelude (Alfred Newman)
14. The Last of the Mohicans - main Theme (Trevor Jones)
15. Lonesome Dove - Main Theme (Basil Poledouris)
16. The Magnificent Seven - Main Theme (Elmer Bernstein)
17. Maverick - Run Over by a Stagecoach (Randy Newman)
18. Monte Walsh - The Good Times are Comin' (John Barry)
19. Once Upon a Time In The West - Main Theme (Ennio Morricone)

DISC TWO

1. The Professionals - Overture (Maurice Jarre)
2. The Outlaw Josey Wales - The War is Over (Jerry Fielding)
3. The Proud Rebel - Pastorale (Jeremy Moross)
4. The Rare Breed - The Cross Breed / End Title (John Williams)
5. Red Sun - Main Title (Maurice Jarre)
6. The Searchers - Opening Theme (Max Steiner)
7. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon - Main Theme (Richard Hageman)
8. Silverado - Main Theme (Bruce Broughton)
9. The Sons of Katie Elder - Main Theme (Elmer Bernstein)
10. Stagecoach - Opening and Closing Titles (Richard Hageman)
11. True Grit - Rooster Cogburn (Elmer Bernstein)
12. Two Mules for Sister Sarah - Main Theme (Ennio Morricone)
13. Unforgiving - Claudia's Theme (Clint Eastwood)
14. Villa Rides - Main Theme (Maurice Jones)
15. Wagon Trail - Main Theme (Jerome Moross)
16. The Wild Bunch - Train montage (Jerry Fielding)
17. Wild Rovers - Bronco Bustin' (Jerry Goldsmith)
18. Wyatt Earp - Prelude (James Newton Howard)
19. The Wild West (TV) - Theme From the TV Series (Richard Markowitz)

I have not detailed each song individually as there are just too many tracks and the review would have just gone on too long.

When hubby showed me his latest buy, well to put it politely for the review, I told him there is no chance of me listening to that one! He has had his way a few times and I had suffered the two CD's when we have been driving in the car. What can I say about them?

Well, not being a fan of westerns I do not know these songs and do not wish to but I have to say the music was quite pleasant at times and the orchestral was excellent. I have been shown a few video's on you tube of the orchestras actually playing and recording these songs and the sheer size of the orchestra is amazing and they usually manage to play the entire song once and it is then finished and recorded, not like today where one song takes forever to do as they mess with the vocals and the music.

I am pleased that there is a slight pause between the songs as personally I would not really have know one song from the next and would have just though it was the same song going on and on. I did recognise a few of the tracks but not many at all and it was mainly the newer films which I knew. I will admit that looking at the track list there are so many films and song which I have never heard of.

The first CD has a running time of 72 minutes and the second one has a running time of 73.35 minutes so for real fans of the westerns you can have 145 minutes of the songs for your listening enjoyment.

I do get annoyed when I am forced to listen to the CD's as hubby has great fun in skipping to certain songs and asking me to guess which film it was, my two usual and only answers are the Searchers and Big Jake, come on if I guess them enough times then I am bound to be right once or twice!

I will give credit to the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra who have performed the songs for the CD and also Paul Bateman who conducted the orchestra. The talent of all involved in amazing.

My hubby does love this music and he says he finds it relaxing to listen to, so maybe fans will enjoy this greatly but as I am not a fan I have no interest and I can only recommend it for true Weston fans.

This CD was purchased on Amazon for just over £10, personally I think this is very expensive but no doubt you may find it cheaper on Amazon Market Place or even EBay. I have not see this for sale in the shops at all. It was released by Silva Screen Records Limited in 1999.