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The
Notebook,
based on the acclaimed best selling novel by Nicholas Sparks ("A Walk
To Remember", "Message In A Bottle"), is the story of a young
couple, Noah and Allie, who are separated by class differences and the World
War II. After 14 years apart, they meet again and rekindle their true love.
Starring Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, James Garner, and Gena Rowlands, The
Notebook is directed by Nick Cassevetes, who hired the
composer/producer/arranger Aaron Zigman to write a score recreating elements of the 1940's
music.
Along the years Aaron Zigman
has worked extensively as a music producer, arranger and producer for
recording artists including Seal, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Phil
Collins, Tina Turner and Carly Simon. Zigman's work has also been featured
on film soundtracks like Mulan,
The Bircage
and Pocahontas,
but The
Notebook
is only his second original film score. His first foray came from another Nick
Cassavetes film, 2002's John
Q,
starring Denzel Washington, but this time his score has to stands alongside some truly great 1940's
music from universally recognized masters. The album features not one but
two versions of "I'll Be Seeing You", one from
Billie Holliday and the other from Jimmy Durante. Each has its own qualities,
using the talent of each vocalist to shed new light and bring new meaning to
the song.
Duke Ellington appears on track four with "Alabamy Home." Benny
Goodman and his Orchestra give us "Always and Always", as well as
"One O'Clock Jump." "A String of Pearls" comes to us
thanks to the great Glenn Miller and his Orchestra, and Rex Stuart and the
Ellingtonians sing "Diga Diga Doo". I must confess I was not
familiar with this kind of music (except for the Glen Miller standards), and
this CD served to me as a great introduction to it.
In addition to this classic WWII era pieces included on disc, Zigman
provided a score that enhance the film with beautifully inspired themes,
like the piano-solo "Main Title" and the string-based
"Overture". One of the most appealling qualities of Zigman's music
here is how it contains and
displays the classical elements needed to emulate the music
reminiscent of the period, and how it blends with the song compilation. The
score is performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony, augmented by some jazz
greats including Dan Higgins, Gary Grant, Bill Reichenbach, Warren Luening,
Dean Parks, Jimmie Wood, Charlie Loper and Robert Zimmitti. And for a final
touch on recreating the era's sound, the score's jazz music was recorded with
sound equipment from the 1940's.
Besides the jazz music ("House Blues / The Porch Dance / The Proposal /
The Carnival" is a remarkable and delicious eight minute suite), Zigman's themes are quite simple but dramatic,
soothing and lyrical, able to relax and to touch the listener in a very effective and
elegant way. Listen to
"Allie Returns", "Noah's Journey", "On the
Lake" or the finale "Our Love Can Do Miracles" and you will
find why the
composer is rapidly establishing himself in Hollywood, thanks to his lyrical and
evocative scores.
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