The team that is Leigh Phillips, William Stromberg, Intrada Records and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra have done it again! This time with a new Kickstarter-funded recording of Jerry Goldsmith’s score for the 1969 thriller “The Chairman” (AKA “The Most Dangerous Man in The World”). The film starred Gregory Peck, was mostly made in the United Kingdom and directed by British director J. Lee Thompson.
Goldsmith’s music is one of several projects of his that had far-eastern settings. He was a tremendous composer for percussion and one who really liked to experiment. Even to the point of using dried rice on a bass drum on the opening title cue. The reasons for this new recording are that the original master tapes no longer exist and that the original album is incomplete and only on vinyl (not including digital rips).
In July of this year, a few weeks before the recording sessions took place, I met up with score reconstructor and producer Leigh Phillips in Prague. He was able to give me an insight into the unique instrumentation of “The Chairman” score. He said that on receiving the original charts, orchestrated by Gary Hughes, there was not much specific information about percussion, despite requiring a lot of it. That was when Leigh’s incredible listening skills came in, ensuring that the reconstruction and interpretation honoured the film's original soundtrack.
The recording has been lovingly made with painstaking care. With the exception of two minor overdubbed parts, all of the players are together in the same space at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow.
With the “Main Title” music the listener is immediately immersed in a Chinese-influenced soundscape through the extensive and experimental use of percussion, as well as cimbalom, banjo and mandolin. In addition to sounding Chinese, I believe that the cimbalom adds an element of Cold War paranoia throughout the score - remember "The Ipcress File"? Probably my favourite of all the cues is “The Russians Are Coming", heard at the climax of the film. Its virtuoso use of the Almglocken (tuned cowbells) is like nothing else and pure Goldsmith.
“The World Only Lovers See” (love theme) features a wonderfully simple and romantic piano solo. Originally Jerry Goldsmith himself played the solo on the original album, however on this occasion it was performed by the pianist of the RSNO, Lynda Cochrane. Maestro Stromberg later remarked that her playing was, in his view, better than that of Goldsmith.
In addition to "The Chairman" score, the team were able to record some bonus cues from other films, thanks to extra money raised as part of the crowdfunding. These included the end credit music from “Rambo II” and a cue called “Alex’s Death” from “Under Fire”. The penultimate track on the album is a grand and majestic piece, “The Flag” from “Not Without My Daughter”.
The final track, is a new realisation from Leigh Phillips of an unused piece. It was composed by Goldsmith for “The Game of Their Lives”, shortly before his death in 2004. I’m sure Goldsmith would have been proud of Leigh’s arrangement. Leigh has even produced a video on how he did it.
Once again, the Intrada team have achieved immaculate results that all music lovers really ought to hear and they have already announced their next Kickstarter recording project, which is going to be "The Night of The Hunter”. Music by Walter Schumann.
A very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to everyone!!!
Buy the CD: Here.
Kickstarter page: Here.
