Back in the Jan/Feb. "99 WWUH
Program Guide I reviewed the Ryko reissues of the United Artists soundtracks for Elmer
Gantry and The Misfits. I was quite excited to have these scores available on
CD and just ecstatic over the never released additional material that was included on the
CD’s. This release, which presents the original 1969 LP also contains some unexpected
and incredibly exciting additional material. But first an explanation, for there are
really two scores to the film Battle of Britain. Like Bernard Herrmann’s Torn
Curtain and Alex North’s 2001, a great composer wrote a fabulous score
which was rejected and replaced by the work of another composer. In this case the world
renowned William Walton was commissioned to score this movie about the English air
force’s defense of Britain. A veteran film score composer of some 13 previous films,
including Sir Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet, Richard III and Henry V,
Walton wrote the score and had it recorded in England with Malcom Arnold conducting and
the tapes were sent to Hollywood. Several weeks later, Walton found out through a reporter
that Ron Goodwin had been asked to replace his score. When the official word came from UA,
the reason for the rejection was because Walton’s score was not long enough to issue
on a soundtrack LP. "William had written to the exact length he had been
instructed," stated Susana Walton in her 1988 bio of her husband, Behind the
Facade. She goes on to tell that Walton could have written more music if asked and
that, "for weeks afterward he couldn’t sleep at night; the anguish over his
discarded score was devastating." So much for treating a world class artist with
respect. And what a lame excuse on the part of UA.
The program notes for this release meekly recounts that LP excuse. What
they fail to state was that someone in Hollywood didn’t like Walton’s score and
that Laurence Olivier was furious with the rejection. He threatened to have his name
removed from the film if some of Walton’s music wasn’t used. Therefore, the
producers retained Walton’s incredible "Battle of Britain" cue, which
underscored the most important part of the film, the recreation on screen of the furious
air battles over Britain, which helped save island from Nazi invasion. Thus the film and
LP have always had a special credit listing Walton’s contribution to the score. The
rest of Walton’s music lay unheard until the 1980’s when Colin Matthews
constructed a 2 movement suite. This suite can be found on Chandos CD 8870, in an
excellent recording by Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin’s in the
Fields. What a revelation to hear the incredible "Grand March" Walton wrote for
this film, cut from the same cloth as his "Coronation March."
To get back to the release at hand and the "incredibly exciting
additional material" promised above. The producer of this CD, by shear luck, located
the tapes of the original recording sessions!!! Long thought to be lost forever,
incredibly they had been saved by the original recording engineer. He kept them in his
garage! WOW!! With special care these tapes have been restored for this CD and
Walton’s complete score can be heard for the first time. Clocking in at over 20
minutes, containing music not found in the suite, this is a major find. Walton’s
score is just extraordinary, powerful, and exciting, with wild sounds, a vivacious
scherzo, an alternate take of "Battle in the Air,’ and of course the great
"Battle March" mentioned above. The selections feature superb conducting and
orchestral performances, with excellent wide spaced stereo sound. (There is some slight
distortion in the percussion on several cues which has been minimized by the restorers.)
If you love Walton, you’ll love this music.
Of course this CD also contains Ron Goodwin’s score as actually
used in the film. So how does it stand up next to Walton? Well, to paraphrase a certain
politician, Goodwin is a good composer, but he’s no William Walton. What UA got out
of Goodwin was a more conventional score, with a martial main theme (not to bad),and a
real march ("The Ace High March," which is excellent - however the first eight
notes of its first theme are used over and over again in subsequent cues), and a real
schmaltzy tune for the cue "Work and Play" (which I can’t understand).
There is also some effective mood music for the cues, "The Lull Before the
Storm," "Civilian Tragedy" and "Offensive Build Up." Taken on its
own, the Goodwin score is an enjoyable listen, although somewhat marred by the repetition
of that eight note march theme. It just pales, however, in comparison to Walton’s
extraordinary music. So, we have a schizophrenic release on our hands. It’s an
absolute must have because of Walton’s previously unreleased and rejected score. Its
20 minutes of music are worth the cost of the disc. Consider the reissue of the Goodwin
score - with the official take of Walton’s "Battle of the Air" as used in
the film - to be a very nice extra. But please for the greatest listening pleasure, listen
to them separately! Excellent production by Ryko, with the original cover art, lots of
pictures and notes and an extra CD-Rom section with what I believe is the original movie
trailer. Tune in on Monday, August 23 as I feature a Walton film score night, with the
"Battle of Britain" music and his music to Laurence Olivier’s Shakespeare
films.
Copyright©WWUH: July/August Program Guide, 1999 |
