Release Date: 08/05/2008
Run Time: 61:05

With music so engrained into the cultural consciousness as John Williams' scores to the various Star Wars films, new recordings by anyone other than Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra are fighting an uphill battle. For starters, it's impossible not to draw a comparison to the original, and this album of selections from each of the six films performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra is quite removed from that benchmark. The orchestra itself is not a poor ensemble by any means, but there are many aspects lacking in this recording. Most noticeable is the problem of articulation; from the imprecise opening chord, listeners will notice that this ensemble is not as precisely detailed as the LSO. Throughout the album, various sections (particularly the strings) have difficulty playing their notes together with the militaristic precision that characterizes much of Williams' writing. Intonation -- again in the strings -- is also not as polished as heard in the LSO recording. Finally, the recorded sound quality of this CD lacks the presence, clarity, and well-tuned balance it so desperately needs. Listeners already familiar with most of this music will likely find themselves disappointed with this reading and may do well to invest in recordings of the original. ~ Mike D. Brownell, All Music Guide

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Release Date: 08/05/2008
Run Time: 61:05