Joel
McNEELY
Lover's Prayer
OST The London Chamber
Orchestra conducted by the composer.
VARÈSE SARABANDE
VSD-6173
[43:50]
Crotchet
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UK
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USA
Lover's Prayer is based on Ivan Turgenev's novel First Love
and The Peasant Woman by Anton Chekhov. It is set in 1800s Russia
and it tells the story of an innocent rich boy's infatuation with a beautiful
young woman who is summering next door. This teenage boy's prayers are answered
when he finally meets the princess he has worshipped from afar. His obsession
turns to despair when he discovers that her secret lover is his own father.
McNeely delivers a lovely, radiantly romantic score, tender and delicate
with melodic music that reflects the innocence of the boy and the elegance
of his class and the period setting. The opening Main Title, full of feminine
grace, sets the mood of romantic yearning and languor. 'Reunion' begins in
a flurry of romantic excitement and tenderness but there is also a feeling
of chilly remoteness and loneliness too. 'We shall be friends' beginning
with harp and string quartet before the orchestra enters is formal and coy,
a dialogue between shyness and yearning and restrained romantic flirting.
'Suitor's Dance' has faster moving music in a predominantly slow moving score.
This glittering little cue presents dance music of a rather stiff and formal
nature with trumpets giving the steps a quasi-military feel before the music
turns to a vivacious mazurka. 'Dennis and Mashenka' returns to pensive dreaming
with something of the styles of Vaughan Williams and Finzi. 'Death and the
Maiden' is another remarkable cue more racy and agitated and anxious, its
shadows are heavy indeed. 'Jealousy' has much Russian angst indeed the opening
cello dominated material reminds one of Tchaikovsky in particularly sombre
mood and there are many orchestral tremors and sighs. 'The Pond' with its
haunting oboe and cor anglais solos and tremolando strings over solo guitar
seems to suggest some enchantment, another outstanding imaginative cue.
'Goodbye', 'Zanaida Again' and 'Redemption, Retribution' reprise material
and add dramatic overtones. End Credits music is prayer-like and gushingly
romantic for the ladies as they reach for their Kleenex. The bonus is,
'Nocturne', a lovely piano solo by Clifford Benson based on the main themes.
An unashamedly romantic wallow and a welcome change from all the usual bang
and crash.
Ian Lace
