CHAIRMAN, THE

Label: Prometheus PCD 158
Date: 1969
Tracks: 12
Time = 31:44

Reissue of original soundtrack from J. Lee thompson political action thriller with Gregory Peck, Anne Heywood. Jerry Goldsmith brings Western sensibility to Eastern locale. He writes quasi-Oriental main theme, implies pentatonic scale but roots idea in rich minor key instead. Interestingly, composer also roots "love theme" in minor key as well. Pure major chords remain secondary to minor chords, sevenths, so forth. Resulting harmonic structure of entire score feels saddened, fragile. Goldsmith also supplies dynamic action music with emphasis on jagged strings, staccato brass, snappy percussion. Prometheus CD comes not without liabilities, however. Sequence alters original 1969 album architecture, weights love themes and quiet material to first half, groups action material to second half. Also, though liner notes fail to disclose, source material remains LP-based, as was earlier Silva label issue. Happily, more judicious attempt to sanitize analog LP sound into digital domain yields satisfying listening experience. Solid warhorse has seen original (and best to date) release on Tetragrammaton LP then oddly-mastered A.E.I. reissue plus LP-sourced CDs on Silva, now Prometheus. In addition, Varese Sarabande packaged thirteen minutes into master tape-sourced (albeit mono) suite for their own now-deleted CD. Well-travelled score itself remains a knockout! Jerry Goldsmith conducts.

1. The World That Only Lovers See (Love Theme From THE CHAIRMAN - Piano Solo Performed By Jerry Goldsmith) (2:25) 2. Main Title (2:23) 3. Good-bye For Now (1:45) 4. A Late Visitor (2:44) 5. The Tour (2:37) 6. Soong Chu (2:17) 7. The Red Guard (3:15) 8. Hathaway's Farewell (2:45) 9. Escape (3:02) 10. Fire Fight (3:20) 11. The Fence (1:40) 12. End Title (3:13)