Epics

If it's powerful and majestic music you're looking for, you've come to the right place with Telarc's release of "Epics", featuring the world renown Cincinnati Pops Orchestra under the direction of maestro Erich Kunzel. Flawlessly recorded with exceptional detail from Direct Stream Digital (masters made during the recording sessions with the Sony/Philips DSD recording system) and it shows, believe you me you've never heard anything like it.

In most cases the performances closely match the original film score themes ~ listening to this album is like watching the film all over again, as the tension builds up and the release is right in your face ~ just like being there. Quality sound is the reason to purchase this CD, simply amazing.

Many "film-score-buffs" will already have some or many of the cues in their collections ~ but for the avid collector this is a dream come true. All under one umbrella is Elmer Bernstein, Maurice Jarre, Tan Dun, Alex North, Miklos Rozsa, Max Steiner,...Read more

While the original compositions that this recording is based off of were all notable compositions, worthy of recognition and inclusion on a compilation disc such as this, it pains me to say that the Telarc/Cincinatti team has fallen from glory with this one (and a few others). Contrary to other reviewers, Kunzel was not the arranger for most or all of these. Someone named Jospeh Price, a name I hope never to see again on a Telarc recording unless immediately preceded by the words "not arranged by". I cannot stomach his cliched, bombastic, and empty endings most of all, but the arrangement (or despoiling of) the Lord Of The Rings themes is probably the worst mustical travesty I've come across. There is no resemblance to the original work except by accident. The only tracks I care for at all on the disc are the ones untouched by him, including the Overture from Lawrence of Arabia, the Harry Potter themes (apparently a Williams arrangement), and perhaps another track or two. Overall a...Read more

Simply goes to show that good music is more than the composition: Arranging and conducting are the other elements which Eric Kunzel is a master at. The "Magnificent Seven" is a masterpiece of knowledge of the intent of the piece, instrumentation and clever ways of brining out the best that each instrument has to offer.