Holst: (The) Planets; The Mystic Trumpeter; Matthews: Pluto;

Advantages: Unique tone poems
Disadvantages: None

.... No 6: Uranus, the Magician Described as a nightmarish version of Dukas' Sorcerer's Apprentice. In a similar manner, Holst uses his music to depict the awe, anticipation excitement and wonderment, which are felt by an observer as a magician works himself up to a climax the completing his trick. The movement has a lively skipping rhythm and Holst utilizes dominant brass instruments and drums from the start to build up to the climax. For the climax Holst writes in a striking glissando (a rapid ascending slide across the full organ keyboard). No 7: Neptune, the Mystic Alone in the depth of space at the far reaches of our solar system is Neptune (Pluto having not yet been discovered by astronomers however its existence had at the time Holst composed this peace been predicted by theoretical scientists.) This movement portrays the loneliness... Read review

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Advantages: Much flavour
Disadvantages: Not that original

...Gladiator is in many ways a traditional Zimmer action score, with its brass fanfares, synths, predictable rhythms, and long cues (or in this case, the entire soundtrack is mixed to flow from cue to cue without any breaks). To provide softer and more etheral moments, Zimmer collaborated with Dead Can Dance founder Lisa Gerrard, whose vocal contributions can be heard in cues like "Sorrow," "Reunion" and "Now We Are Free" among others. These vocals create a kind of Arabian sound to the score, although by now such vocals are becoming more and more like a cliché in Hollywood (think about Troy?). Other contributions include the duduk solos by the instrumentalist Djivan Gasparyan in the cue "To Zucchabar" and additional material written by Klaus Badelt. Also there are extensive quotations of "Mars, the Bringer of War" from Gustav Holst... Read review

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Advantages: Two fantastic versions of a brilliant show
Disadvantages: Hard to get hold of

...On a recent tour of Florida's Theme Parks, I paid a visit to the Disney MGM Studios. The big show there at the moment is Fantasmic, advertised as a might-time spectacular. And that's one of the most truthful advertising slogans ever. In a huge (and I mean huge!) theatre, Mickey Mouse battles battles evil to classical and jazz music, with a few Disney songs thrown in for good measure. So in the space of half an hour you'll be treated to a comilation of such songs as Beauty and the Beast, Someday My Prince Will Come and Part of Your World, followed by Hades (from Hercules) introducing Mars from Holst's The Planets. You really will feel the flowing beauty as it passes from one part to another. And the them tune is something else. You'll be whistling it for weeks! The brilliance of this CD is that it contains two versions of the show... Read review

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