Epics [Hybrid SACD]

 (5 customer reviews)

This cd is an essential for any person that particularly enjoys the score in films. Epics is a full length cd containing 14 songs performed by the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra under Erich Kunzel.Usually, I am weary of cds that come out with songs from movies that aren't the original recordings, but I have to say there should be no worries with this cd. The songs remain exactly the same in tempo and sound as you hear them in the movies.The choices for this cd was amazing. Every song that you hear are the songs that make the movie it is in, most often giving you chills and goosebumps as the music encompasses you into the movie (like what happened to me when I saw Lord of the Rings). From the Theme from 2001: a Space Oddysey to Star Wars: Attack of the Clones to Lord of the Rings, these songs are performed beautifully with a clear and crisp sound. I am hoping for an Epics II to be released someday, but in the meantime, check this out, you will NOT be dissappointed!

EPICS is plagued by the muddled sound of TELARC's recordings. I noticed this trend beginning with TELARC's Hollywood's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2. The recoding seems flat. Also, this recording is a bit bombastic and just not representative of the original scores. The Suite from Gladiator is a good case in point. It glosses right over the basic themes presented in the film with an annoying nonce lance.

EPICS is very disappointing. It is nowhere up to the usual standards of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. The recordings are harsh and just too showy. There is no heart, only might and if these are supposed to be epics, what is MINORITY REPORT doing there?