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EDITOR’s RECOMMENDATION November
2000
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John
WILLIAMS
Jaws
Original Motion Picture
Score performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted by Joel
McNeely
VARÈSE SARABANDE
VSD 6078
[51:11]
Crotchet
Amazon
UK
Amazon
USA
This new recording presents John Williams' Oscar winning score "unedited,
unabridged, unaltered, the way they are heard and in the order they are heard
in the film itself", as producer Robert Townson says in his sleeve notes.
I think it would be superfluous of me to go into too much detail about individual
tracks, but let me at least draw your attention to a few cues that simply
cry out for praise. Obviously the 'Main Title' is one of the most instantly
recognisable themes of all time and one of the most effective too, but there's
also the poignant, charming 'Father and Son' to demonstrate what great film
music is really all about. Anyone who has seen Jaws will know just how much
these smaller musical moments bring to the film. But of course the main body
of the work is dominated by intricate, supremely inventive action/suspense
cues like 'Man Against Beast' and 'The Great Chase', both as exciting and
dramatic as they come. Less dynamic perhaps but just as crucial to the overall
success of the score are tracks such as the almost classical sounding (at
least at first), masterfully evocative 'The Shark Cage Fugue'. Elsewhere
the sheer power of 'Quint Meets his End' almost takes your breath away and
'Blown to Bits' features incredible brass work with a very telling, beautifully
judged finale.
This score is so much a part of the success of what is a truly great film
that it becomes a character in itself. For me this is what film music should
be; bold, powerful, lyrical, and emotional and there is far more here than
just the famous 'stalking' theme. Just listen to the skill and imagination
of the arrangements, the way that Williams has developed his own unique style
and sound. Genius is a term thrown around far too casually, but this composer,
when considering not only this magnificent score but also the achievements
of Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. and
Schindler's List to name just a few, more than deserves such an
accolade. Certainly he has had an incalculable influence on the art of film
music.
Everything here is of a very high standard, from the playing of the Royal
Scottish National Orchestra under the guidance of Joel McNeely, to the crystal
clear 20 bit digital sound. The only question mark has to be how desirable
this will be to someone who has already purchased Decca's twenty fifth
anniversary edition. Perhaps a detailed breakdown of the differences between
the two will be forthcoming at a later date, but I think it's safe to say
that any devotee of Williams or indeed Jaws itself will no doubt want to
own the authentic score as heard in the film.
Mark Hockley
