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CONAN THE BARBARIAN (3CD)
Label: Intrada MAF 7123
Date: 1982
Tracks: 53
Time = 187:17
At last! Complete soundtrack by Basil Poledouris to John Milius epic with Arnold Schwarzenegger as Conan, James Earl Jones as Thulsa Doom, Sandahl Bergman as Valeria. Legendary music needs little introduction but long journey to 3-CD set warrants spotlight. Thought missing for decades, even by composer, Universal vaults reveal recently discovered 2" 24-track & 1/2" 3-track stereo session masters in mint condition for entire project, right down to rehearsal takes! (Assorted extra tracks on earlier Varese Sarabande release were made from composer's own incomplete 1/4" two-track copy.) Having complete multi-track session elements allows Intrada to newly mix and master everything, finding cool extras in the process! All of them are here! Poledouris originally scores main title with high trumpets joining horns on primary theme plus dynamic horn counter-melody playing in mid-section. Only one raw take is made before re-writes on podium create familiar final version. Other previously unreleased cues include rich version of "The Awakening" with lengthy never-before-heard woodwind bridge section dropped from final film version plus haunting early versions of "Orphans Of Doom", one scored for orchestra plus solo mezzo-soprano, one scored for chorus with harp alone. Three versions of opening prologue, alternate version of "Battle Of The Mounds Part II" add more fun! Original Poledouris music for snake sequence, savage "Pit Fights" are more highlights. Poledouris didn't write music for kitchen battle sequence as scene was scored editorially from other cues. For Conan purists, we have recreated entire sequence (including awkward edits) for this segment as well as for closing "End Credits", also created editorially in picture itself. Many of composer's unique percussion sequences were created through experimentation right at sessions, including size and pitch of tunable drums, volume of tam tams, density of rhythmic figures, so forth. It's all here! Poledouris was fond of his own 48-minute distillation of highlights from massive score so we have licensed that original 1982 MCA album from UMG as well, newly mastered from original album tapes. Two final extras: opening prologue with Mako narration plus actual mono tape master for film version of snake sequence preferred by director Milius. Fascinating, personalized notes by Nick Redman plus musical coverage by Douglass Fake give listener something to read, exciting graphic design by Joe Sikoryak featuring Schwarzenegger and other cast give listener something to look at. Primal intensity and crisp, vibrant details of original performances are without equal. Basil Poledouris conducts. MAF series 3-disc release!
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