ALBUM REVIEW: Reel Music: The Filmscores
RCA, 1991 | 60412-3-RC

ALBUM REVIEW: Film Cuts
RCA, 1996 | 09026-68438-2

by Sarah Adams

The following two albums are compilations of film scores done by the Chieftains.

"Reel Music"; Treasure Island, Barry Lyndon, Rob Roy, Three Wishes for Jaime, Tristan and Isolde, The Grey Fox , and The Year of the French.

"Film Cuts"; Circle Of Friends , Barry Lyndon, Tristan and Isolde, The Grey Fox, Far and Away, and Ireland Moving.

The Chieftains recent release is a compilation of filmscores they have done. The only difference between the two releases is that "Film Cuts" has only five new tracks and only three for Tristan and Isolde. The track for Rob Roy is a remix of "O'Sullivan's March" which was arranged by Michael Turbridy originally appears Chieftains 7. I like the new mix because it is softer than the original recording on Chieftains 7. My favorite track is an Air called "You're The One" from Circle of Friends. The tune written by Michael Kamen is performed with emotion. The piece starts out with Bell on the harp and is joined by Martin on the fiddle and complimented by the rest of the group. It is well done. Other new tracks include knuckle fighting theme from "Far and Away" and Dublin from "Circle of Friends" and the train sequence from "Ireland Moving".

I was disappointed not see other soundtrack work from "The Emerald Isle", "The Purple Taxi", and "Two If By Sea" and other projects the Chieftains. The liner notes are basically the same with the exception of "Rob Roy", "Circle of Friends", and "Far and Away". There is a new photo of the boys which was been stretched lengthwise to fit across two pages in the liner notes for the CD making them look heavier than they are. It would have been interesting to see other tracks from Barry Lyndon.

"Reel Music" is the first compilation of the filmscores they have done. It is strong and shows the versatility of Paddy Moloney as a composer and arranger and how the group adapts it to the image on the screen. It is interesting to see how Moloney has adapted Irish music to fit the particular topic of each film by giving the score an indelible Irish stamp whether the film is Irish or not. My favorite tracks on this release are the love theme from "Tristan and Isolde", the main theme from "The Grey Fox" and the love theme from Barry Lyndon.

All in all both releases are excellent and exhibit the diversity in projects the Chieftains have participated under the tutelage of Paddy Moloney.