As a teacher of history including the Russian and French revolutions', the email from the talented Gary Pozner, (the composer of the highly acclaimed 2004 Emmy nominated soundtrack for the History Channel’s acclaimed “Russia: Land of the Tsars) requested that I listen to his soundtrack of the “French Revolution”, also produced by the History Channel, and “possibly” review the piece for Amazon.com, came as a flattering surprise.
Without hesitation, my return email communicated a resounding affirmative.
Wondering where I would find the money for the CD, ($ is tight these days), he offered to mail the CD to me from NYC. The CD arrived, and because of a variety of excuses, have not had time to listen let alone review his music.
As I sit at my computer, my headphones wrapped around my head, turned at a proper volume, we are currently listening to Track 7, The Great Terror; one can actually feel the madness as the streets of Paris literally flow with blood.
A great filmmaker once commented that a soundtrack should never rise above the story or film, stand out on its own, but contributes, as if invisible, only adding to the drama and pathos. This is Gary’s true talent; however, listening to the music without the images of the documentary, my own images conjure… imagining the guillotine at work, in some cases during the Reign of Terror for twenty-four hour shifts. In some places in France during the Terror, hundreds if not thousand of heads were removed and taken away by wooden carts like an assembly line of murder. It is true the blood literally flowed through the streets.
One of my favourite tracks is 10, “The Doomed Queen”, of course, Marie Antoinette, sitting nobly in a wooden cart on the way to the guillotine as the angry, absolutely mad and hungry mob screaming base obscenities, throwing rocks and anything they could get their hands on; the Queen, facing her death with dignity, continued to look ahead, ignoring the mob’s cries. A true aristocrat who existed in the bliss of ignorance, not knowing or even realizing her subject’s suffering. This is a very sad moment, and Pozner captures the Patho’s of this shameful event.
Rather than comment further, I’ll think about Pozner’s soundtrack for a day or two and write the review later once the entire composition has been absorbed, processed and thoroughly appreciated.
Lou & I have decided to order Italian as my sister has had a gruelling couple of days.
Because she loves the “Pepper Steak” (Italian style), and me, the restaurants famous Ravioli, a delight that will last two days; because like true Italian’s, more is never enough, and the quantities would feed a small army.
Gary’s music was not a disappointment in any sense of the word.
Gary is a true feeling composer.
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