Karajan - Complete EMI Recordings Vol 2: Opera & Choral

Advantages: A worthy finale to a magnificent musical journey
Disadvantages: Some new themes not as strong, early scenes fairly dull and latter an half editorial mess

...and February 1983 at the EMI/Abbey Road Studios in London (by this time leaving behind Denham's now defunct Anvil Studios). The music was again recorded by Eric Tomlinson, orchestrated by Herbert Spencer and edited by Ken Wannberg. The end result was a whopping 146 minutes of music recorded in total, the most material recorded than in either of the other movies. Where this new score falters the most is in the invention of the new themes. The first is for Luke and Leia (a brother/sister thing), concluding the trio of romantic themes began by Princess Leia's theme and continued by Han and Leia's love theme. Although not as free flowing as either of the two, it does have a nice romantic melody with a little Russian tinge to it, though it doesn't quite live up to either of its predecessors. The ewoks in their turn have been blessed with a more... Read review

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Advantages: Very entertaining, and superbly engineered
Disadvantages: Some of the electronic effects are a little cheesy

...Vince’s superlative engineering. It is a producer’s disc if ever there was one, and an object lesson in how to create original, high-quality sound recordings. The sound quality is of course up to the usual very high standards of the Studio 2 label, which was once synonymous with easy listening repertoire of the utmost quality, in terms of both music and production. ~ Where Can I Get It? ~ The vinyl album has long been deleted, but the same material is available, along with “Space Experience 2” (an slightly inferior sequel, in my humble opinion) on a recently discontinued compilation CD called “Space Experience Vol. 1 and Vol. 2”. Both of these are still available on eBay from time to time (vinyl album averages £10.00 used, CD compilation around £8.99 new). Both are on the Studio 2 label.... Read review

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Advantages: More than a companion piece to the first Addictions release, a richly diverse and satisfying collection of tracks
Disadvantages: Still only covers up to the end of the 1980s, so nothing from his more recent albums is featured (no great loss, it has to be said)

...The intention was to release the second volume of Addictions 12 months after the first, but for whatever reason it didn't appear until early 1992. It came in the midst of a busy time for Robert Palmer in terms of recording output, with the 1990 double-album Don't Explain sandwiched between the pair of retrospective collections. None of those 18 songs made it onto Addictions 2, since he'd moved to EMI by then, and this was an Island label project. It's far from a second-rate exercise, scratching around for leftovers to fill the space. Quite the opposite, in actual fact. There are 15 tracks this time, 2 more than on Addictions Vol.1, and just as many classic Palmer songs, though no massive hit single in the Addicted To Love mould. In contrast to the first collection, virtually everything has been tinkered with and improved upon... Read review

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