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Composed by
BRUCE BROUGHTON

Rating
*** 1/2

Album running time
75:01

Performed by
THE SINFONIA OF LONDON
led by
MICHAEL DAVIS
Conducted by
BRUCE BROUGHTON

Orchestrated by
BRUCE BROUGHTON

Engineered by
MIKE ROSS
Edited by
ED KALNINS
Produced
by
BRUCE BROUGHTON
DOUGLASS FAKE

Released by
INTRADA
Serial number
SPECIAL COLLECTION VOLUME 9

Artwork copyright (c) 2002 MAT Movies & Television Productions GmbH; review copyright (c) 2003 James Southall

ROUGHING IT

Nostalgic western score is a welcome return for Broughton
A review by JAMES SOUTHALL

If I were asked to think of the perfect composer for scoring a film adaptation of Mark Twain's semi-true "autobiography" Roughing It about life on the frontier in the old west, nobody would spring to my mind quicker than Bruce Broughton.  Having almost certainly scored more westerns than every other film composer put together over the last twenty years, Broughton excels in the genre; coupled with the inherent wit and warmth in the story, there could be nobody better.  The movie is actually one of Hallmark's high-budget productions (Broughton scoring a theatrically-released feature film seems about as likely as me becoming King) but even so, he clearly had the budget to write a lengthy orchestral score and record it with a top orchestra, so no complaints.

There are several themes which intertwine over the course of the score.  Mostly of the semi-comic variety, this is very much happy music, designed to generate warmth and put a smile on your face.  And what's wrong with that?  Far too little of it these days.  Few composers can write such lyrical, expressive music and use an orchestra so well as Broughton.  Here, his themes are jaunty, favouring warm strings and quick-tempo woodwind, creating images of strolling through an old town, drinking a beer, chewing hay, jumping onto your horse, exclaiming "them darn critters!" and so on.  It really is terrifically descriptive music.  Broughton mixes in a little action - "Bandits!" - a little romance - "Silver and Snow" - and a whole lot of joyous spirit. 

The album is the ninth in Intrada's Special Collection.  At 75 minutes (and thirty-eight tracks) I think it begins to wear a little thin, but by and large this is a winning score.  Perhaps not quite on the same level as other Broughton scores for westerns, nevertheless this is a winning album, well worth getting for the composer's fans. 

Tracks

  1. Nervous Preparation (1:50)
  2. The Clemens Brothers (1:27)
  3. The Adventure Begins (1:36)
  4. Hearing About Slade (:42)
  5. Indian Mail Drop (2:06)
  6. The Prize Cow (1:11)
  7. Pony Express Rider (1:17)
  8. Mama's Hopes (2:43)
  9. Slade and the Barkeep (2:38)
  10. Bandits! (1:54)
  11. Slade's District (1:33)
  12. Considering a Plan (2:42)
  13. This is Slade (4:31)
  14. Feeling Lucky (1:05)
  15. Sam Moves On (1:29)
  16. Walking Nevada (1:12)
  17. The Critters are Loose (:14)
  18. Meet Mr Balloo (:47)
  19. Under Way (2:07)
  20. In the Drink (:44)
  21. Silver and Snow (1:01)
  22. Fresh Tracks (3:08)
  23. Confessions (5:05)
  24. Reneging on Redemption (1:33)
  25. Attacked! (1:03)
  26. My Luck Was Gone (3:02)
  27. Drifting (1:08)
  28. Louise's Poetry (1:01)
  29. Visions of Louise (1:20)
  30. The Louise Story (3:07)
  31. Sam Reevaluated (:46)
  32. Musing on Wealth (2:08)
  33. Orion's Ill (1:26)
  34. Talking to Orion (2:11)
  35. Orion Recovers (2:54)
  36. Stupidigration (3:28)
  37. Peroration (2:04)
  38. End Credits (1:58)