Music for the Imagination
bananajuice | jakarta | 09/08/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am thoroughly pleased with all the tracks in this soundtrack CD. It covers all the main tracks of each of the arabian nights tales in the television series. Naturally therefore it is a blend of the sounds associated with the different tales. Most of the tracks assume middle eastern sounds and some tracks associated with the tale of Aladdin and the magic lamp (tracks 16-20) have oriental sounds akin to sounds in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (although not as haunting and dramatic).Listening to it is like taking a trip to faraway lands on a flying carpet above desserts and magical palaces.The music does fuel the imagination, an effect that I find similar when listening to Loreena McKennitt's Book of Secrets particulary Marco Polo and Night Ride Across the Caucasus or Cusco's Ancient Journeys: A Vision of the New World. Richard Harvey has indeed woven an interesting tapestry of music and sounds with this 27-track album."
"mystical & reflective score from the tales of make believe"
J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 05/17/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Varese Sarabande presents a Richard Harvey score - "Arabian Nights", an Original Television Mini-Series telling the tales of the mystical and advenures of various heroes we grew up with. Harvey who gave us such wonderful scores - "Animal Farm" (1999) Original TV Score - "Jake's Progress" (195) TV Mini-Series with Elvis Costello who also co-composed - "G.H.B." (1991) another collaboration with Costello, a British TV Series. Harvey now gives us the romantic, tragic, playful and even reflective moods from his almost classic score. Highly emotional in content with wonderful musical themes interwoven throughout the soundtrack.Richard Harvey and the people from Varese Sarabande have given us an album that will be greatly enjoyed by any fan of film scores or instrumental music. Each selection is a stand out and beautifully breaths life into each movement of this enchanting musical score. Film score lovers, do not pass this one up - "Arabian Nights" is a triumph!Total Time: 69:21 on 27 Tracks/ Varese Sarabande - 302 066 141 2 (2000)"