New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ CineMedia Promotions) BuySoundtrax Records is proud to announce the release of Legend, composed by Tangerine
Dream and produced/arranged by
Brandon K. Verrett.
In 1985 the German group Tangerine
Dream (then Edgar Froese,
Christopher Franke, and Johannes Schmelling) found themselves in the unenviable position of having to replace Jerry Goldsmith's score for Ridley Scott's cinematic fairy tale Legend. The group, known for the electronic sound and for starting the new age music genre, had already made the transition to film scoring with music for movies including Risky Business, Sorcerer, Firestarter, and The Thief.
As described in the liner notes by Randall D. Larson:
The group met with Ridley Scott in London and discussed what he had in mind for the film's new score. They saw the film as a complex one at whose heart lies the ultimate struggle of good against evil, and it is this metaphysical theme, which lies at the heart of their score. "The whole film is produced on different levels, and that's what we've tried to follow in creating the music," Froese said. "There are parts of the music which could be called pure entertainment, parts which follow a more spiritual line, and there is some music which has just a few nice melodies which relate a bit more to the fairy tale quality of the film."
Because of licensing issues the film was released by Universal the US and Japan with Tangerine Dream's score. In
Europe the film was released by
20th Century Fox and contained the original Goldsmith score.
BuySoundtrax Records approached composer
Brandon Verrett a few years ago with idea of arranging the "Unicorn Theme" for a digital single. "The success of that arrangement is what sparked the idea of recreating the entire album," Verrett explained. "Our original intent was to take the conception of the original Tangerine
Dream tracks and arrange them in such a way that they feel organic, earthy, and more contemporary while still capturing the essence of the originals."
The original soundtrack also contained two songs featured in the movie: "Loved by the Sun," sung by Yes singer Jon Anderson (a lyricized version of "Unicorn Theme"), and "Is Your Love Strong Enough", performed by
Bryan Ferry and heard over the end credits. On this recording, singer Katie Campbell, a frequent performer on BuySoundtrax albums, gives these songs a new dimension with her interpretations.
The original soundtrack featured synthesizer sounds of the day and 80s guitar. "In keeping with that organic concept," said Verrett, "I decided that a more orchestral approach would likely solicit a visceral and appeasing response from listeners both familiar and unfamiliar with the original score. With that I also decided to utilize living, breathing instrumentalists. So, on this album you will find violin, erhu, piano, guitar, voice, cello and a few other instruments coupled with synthetic textures all carefully molded to bring the album alive."
Brandon Verrett's formal music training began at age 11. After having discovered an interest in composing while in middle and high school, Verrett continued his studies at the University of Louisiana-Monroe, where he received a bachelor's degree in theory and composition. He also holds a graduate certificate in Scoring for Motion
Pictures and Television from the University of Southern California.
Verrett's scores have been featured in films for theatrical and network television releases and have also premiered in both local and international festivals. In addition to composing, Verrett's arrangements and orchestrations can be found in films such as Priest, Drag Me To Hell, Untraceable, and The Informers.
New interpretations of classic film scores are gaining in popularity with music audiences, similar to how classical ensembles record their take on compositions or how pop artists cover songs from other performers. "I think it's a great way to introduce music of yesteryear to an entirely new audience," Verrett said. "It's in a new package with new sounds and new colors. In a way, it's been given cosmetic surgery. As a composer, however I would encourage a healthy respect for reinterpreted music, but I would also encourage authenticity and forward thinking when adapting this kind of music into new forms."
Legend will be available digitally on June 12th and on CD (limited edition 1500) on May 21, 2012.
