Javelin: The Music of Michael Torke

Track Listings

1. Javelin - Atlanta SO/Yoel Levi

2. December - PO/Michael Torke

3. Run - Atlanta SO/Yoel Levi

4. Adjustable Wrench - London Sinf/Kent Nagano

5. Green - Baltimore SO/David Zinman

6. Music On The Floor (II) - London Sinf/Lothar Zagrosek

7. Bright Blue Music - Baltimore SO/David Zinman

Tracks:

Summon The Heroes - John Williams/Boston Pops Orchestra
Carmina Burana: O Fortuna - Tanglewood Festival Chorus/John Oliver
Bugler's Dream/Olympic Fanfare And Theme - John Williams/Boston Pops Orchestra
Canto Olympico: Ode To Zeus - Tanglewood Festival Chorus/John Oliver
Javelin - John Williams/Boston Pops Orchestra
Olympic Hymn - Tanglewood Festival Chorus/John Oliver
Festive Overture, Op.96 - John Williams/Boston Pops Orchestra
Conquest Of Paradise (Theme) - Tanglewood Festival Chorus/John Oliver
Ben Hur: Parade Of Charioteers - John Williams/Boston Pops Orchestra
Toward A New Life - John Williams/Boston Pops Orchestra
Chariots of Fire (Theme) - John Williams/Boston Pops Orchestra
The Olympic Spirit - John Williams/Boston Pops Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

Loved "Summon the Heroes".......2007-03-17

Great soul-stirring music! Highly recommended for anyone who loves Olympics orchestral and similar music.

Inspirational music during awards.......2007-01-22

I use the music on this CD as background when I give awards during track. It's very inspirational & uplifting to the athletes. They love it.

Rousing but...........2006-02-24

This CD, with John Williams at the baton, summons the heroes in a rousing manner with a wide range of Olympic as well as "heroic" (e.g., "Parade of the Charioteers" from "Ben Hur")selections. Three of the twelve tracks were written by Williams himself with his "Olympic Spirit" being recorded for the first time. The electrifying "Ode to Zeus" by Mikis Theodorakis is probably the single greatest selection.
In an amazing oversight, however, this CD does not include the Olympic Theme.

Enjoyable romp through Olympic Themes.......2005-09-01

In the US at least, John Williams is known more for his movie scores (Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark to name a few), but he has put his stamp on the Olympics with his several themes and fanfares for the Olympics. Dating back to 1984, Mr. Williams has composed many well known fanfares to the Olympics, and this compilation contains several of his fanfares in addition to music used in other Olympics. The original release for the disc was 1996, which makes it current through the Atlanta Games; if you're looking for the work that John Williams composed for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics (2002), you have to go with American Visions (I believe that's the title).

On the whole, the music is well done, but I'm more used to the faster pace of the Parade of the Charioteers found on Eric Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops' Hollywood's Greatest Hits Vol. 1.
One other quibble (minor, really) is that people tend to think of the 1984 Olympic Fanfare as being always merged with the traditional Olympic Fanfare, but you can find it separately on By Request by John Williams and the Boston Pops. You'll also have to hunt around for the full composition of what people consider the traditional Olympic Fanfare on another disc, but that's a minor issue.

One nice item on the disc is The Olympic Spirit, which was composed for the NBC Broadcast of the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, but never used. My children really like that piece a lot, and usually request it to be replayed when it finishes.

One of the most uplifting and motivating albums!!!.......2005-07-19

When I first listened to this album, I was in awe of the beauty and grandness of the music composed/performed by John Williams. John can make composing music an exalted art. His music is purely genius and captures the ideas of the album in which the score is in. Back to the album . . . it is AWESOME! This includes many well-known songs but also many undiscovered treasures. Of the twelve songs, I especially enjoyed:
Track One-Summon the Heroes
Track Three-Bugler's Dream/Olympic Fanfare and Theme
Track Twelve-The Olympic Spirit
Bottom Line: BUY THIS ALBUM!!!!!!!! A TREASURE!!!!!

Average customer rating:

Poor selection...
Inspirational cd
Excellent compilation of inspiring scores
The BEST!
Excellent Music

Summon the Heroes

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

American Journey - Winter Olympics 2002
Summon the Heroes
By Request: The Best Of John Williams And The Boston Pops Orchestra
Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl
Scooby Doo, Where Are You! - The Complete First and Second Seasons

ASIN: B0000029R1
Release Date: 1996-04-30

Tracks:

Summon The Heroes
Carmina Burana: O Fortuna
Buglers Dream: Olympic Fanfare And Theme
Canto Olympico: Ode To Zeus
Javelin
Olympic Hymn
Festive Overture, Op. 96
Conquest Of Paradise (Theme)
Ben Hur: Parade Of Charioteers
Toward A New Life
Chariots Of Fire (Theme)
The Olympic Spirit

Customer Reviews:

Poor selection..........2000-11-06

Personally, i bougth this CD because i want the official Olimpic Himn, and i thougth this CD include that. Wrong! This fantastic music is not hear. Why? So the selection is not the best! Despite, the quality of the recording and musical direction is very good. The Olympic Spirit is the best theme in the seleccion, Bernstein`s Olimpic Himn is a deception! In the rest, they are good music between same eroded and "dejá vu" themes.

Inspirational cd.......2000-04-29

This cd contains some of the best most inspirational music I have heard. I personally think the best track is "Towards a New Life". Trust me and buy this cd.

Excellent compilation of inspiring scores.......2000-04-13

The majority of "Best of" compilation albums are disappointing, and although this album certainly isn't flawless, it contains some of the greatest invigorating scores ever composed. The album opens with the William's and Arnaud's infamous "Buglers Dream, Olympic Fanfare and Theme" immediately setting the dramatic and inspirational tone. However, the following score - Williams' rendition of "Chariots of Fire" - is not on par in relation of the other tracks. Fortunately the strength of the entire album remains unaffected and you are easily engulfed by passionate classics like "Festive Overture", "O' Fortuna" and "The Olympic Spirit". An amazing addition to any fan of Classical/Orchestral music.

The BEST!.......2000-02-08

I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote my Conan Soundtrack review. I recently started listening to this CD again, and it is very possibly the best hour of music you will ever hear.

Conducted by John Williams, the world's best, and including a couple of songs composed by him too, this CD collects the most epic, heroic, bold songs you will ever hear into one CD.

I can't recommend this one enough. If you only buy one CD, buy this one!

Excellent Music.......1999-10-14

John Williams proves he still has the Right Stuff. With this album, Williams proves he is the master of modern classical music. The fanfares and marches are soul-stirring, and the Olympic Themes are a good reminder of what the Olympics mean to the world. If you're not careful, you might find yourself marching around your cubicle when you listen to this.

Average customer rating:

Patience's Reward!
Innocuous Music for Dangerous Times
"DECEMBER" is brilliant.
michael torke's music is repetitive and boring.

Javelin: The Music of Michael Torke

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Javelin - Atlanta SO/Yoel Levi
December - PO/Michael Torke
Run - Atlanta SO/Yoel Levi
Adjustable Wrench - London Sinf/Kent Nagano
Green - Baltimore SO/David Zinman
Music On The Floor (II) - London Sinf/Lothar Zagrosek
Bright Blue Music - Baltimore SO/David Zinman

Customer Reviews:

Patience's Reward!.......2003-09-05

A wonderfully ecletic selection of Micheal Torke compositions, albeit hard-apparently-to find...except at The Jazz Classical & Opera Shop on 112th Street, New York City. Ordered the cd on Labor Day; it shipped September 2; and arrived in Colorado two days later. Thanks guys for the marvelous service! But more, thanks for "Bright Blue Music" and all the other scarce seections
of this neglected 20th-21st century American composer.

Innocuous Music for Dangerous Times.......2003-04-19

The 1980's are definitely over. Torke's obsessive party music doesn't speak to me, though I did feel a rush of nostalgia-laced recognition of the 80's when I listened to this disc.

"DECEMBER" is brilliant........1999-06-30

Michael Torke's "December" is a composition rich with the complexity of emotional and musical sophistication. It breathes deep feeling and artistry, is comprised of much orchestral innovation and is one of the most moving, exciting compositions I have ever heard. BRAVO.

michael torke's music is repetitive and boring........1999-03-30

michael torke's music on this cd s***ks. one listening is more than enough.

Average customer rating:

Evocative Classical Masterworks Meld Nicely for the Scenic Open Road

Pacific Coast Highway

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Blue Ridge Parkway
Autobahn
Route 66
Serenity (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B0009OUB1A
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Tracks:

Symphony No. 6 - Pastoral (I. Awakening Of Cheerful Feelings Upon Arrival In The Country) - Cleveland Orchestra
From Holberg's Time Suite, Op. 40 (I. Prelude) - London Festival Orchestra
Symphony No. 2, Op. 43 (I. Allegretto) - Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Symphony No. 2 - Mysterious Mountain (I. Andante Con Moto) - London Symphony Orchestra
Concierto De Aranjuez (Adagio) - David Burgess
Javelin - Boston Pops Orchestra
Symphony No. 3 - Sinfonia Espansiva (II. Andante Pastorale) - Olle Persson
Symphony No. 5, Op. 82 (III. Allegro Molto) - London Symphony Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

Evocative Classical Masterworks Meld Nicely for the Scenic Open Road.......2006-09-20

I'm all for repackaging great music under the guise of something more digestible to the general public. That's why Sony Classical's Drive Time series is an intriguing marketing idea which groups classical pieces of a similar subgenre using a world-renowned roadway as the unifying theme. This one uses the Pacific Coast Highway as the constant imagery, and Gilbert Hetherwick (credited with the concept) and reissue producer Richard King have chosen pieces that have a pastoral, often Nordic feeling to them. Various world-class orchestras from London to the Boston Pops play the pieces impeccably under the batons of Lorin Maazel, John Williams and Sir Colin Davis among others.

The program opens appropriately with Beethoven's pastoral Symphony #6 (1808), which was actually subtitled "Recollections of Country Life", a stunning melding of woodwinds and strings somewhat similar in tone to Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons". Then we get music from a brethren of Scandinavian masters. Finnish composer Jean Sibelius is well represented here with two pieces from his symphonies, the introductory Allegretto movement of #2 (1902) and the concluding Allegro Molto movement of #5 (1915), both of which show a strong sense of his dramatic use of folk melodies. There is the famous "Holberg's Time Suite" (1869) by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg with its fanciful opening flourish, as well as Danish composer Carl Nielsen's Symphony #3 (1911), which works beautifully within the sonata form.

There are three modern pieces, tonally compatible with the other compositions - Joaquín Rodrigo's beautiful piece for classical guitar and orchestra, "Concierto de Aranjuez" (1939) - my personal favorite of the entire disc, Alan Hovhaness' contemplative 1955 "Mysterious Mountain" (Symphony #2), and Michael Torke's exciting "Javelin" composed for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. All together, this is well over an hour of splendid music, and to Sony's credit, they do evoke the fog and cold breezes coming from the Pacific. Marketed as "specially mastered for the car audio experience", it is well worth keeping in your car CD case. Other CDs in this series include Route 66, the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Autobahn.

Michael Torke: Rapture; An American Abroad; Jasper

Average customer rating:

Refreshing!
Weak compared to other releases of Torke
Michael Torke and the rebirth of art music
Bright Lights, Big Deal
Yowza!

Michael Torke: Rapture; An American Abroad; Jasper

Manufacturer: Naxos American
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Rorem: Three Symphonies
Creston: Symphonies 1-3
Virgil Thomson: Symphony No 1-3

ASIN: B00006S1WW
Release Date: 2003-01-21

Tracks:

An American Abroad
Jasper
Drums And Woods
Mallets
Metals

Customer Reviews:

Refreshing!.......2004-07-19

Mr. Torke is perhaps the most gifted melodist working in classical music today. If you listen to this CD or any other one by Torke (I can recommend OVERNIGHT MAIL) you will remember what you heard. Sometimes maybe only and hour later or even a week, but you will remember. His music is not easily forgotten like Joan Tower or Glass or Adams. I look forward to hearing a more formal work from this great artist. Yep,I think you will like it.

Weak compared to other releases of Torke.......2004-06-17

Unfortunately, the offerings on this CD are not anywhere near as strong as Torke's best music -- from the 80's and early 90's. Thankfully, the wonderful recordings of those pieces have been re-released on Ecstatic Records (Torke's own label).

In particularly, look out for "Four Proverbs", "Book of Proverbs", "Saxophone Concerto", and some of his shorter concert overtures such as "Javelin" and "Run."

Skip this Naxos disc and explore his other recordings for a better introduction to the zestful and exciting music of this composer.

Michael Torke and the rebirth of art music.......2003-12-12

The cacophony in art music that prevailed for most of the 20th century can now be seen as simply an expansion of the musical pallette and a taming of technique under the rigors of admittedly academic formalisms. Unfortunately for composers who have embraced the methods of Second Viennese School, the devotees and listeners of "classical" music have found it exceedingly difficult, sometimes excruciating, and usually quite unsatisfying to relate to the skewed sounds of the dodecaphonic/cacophonic music, no matter how much the composers of that music write articles about how tightly and logically constructed their music is and how incredibly ingenious their "solutions" have been. Ultimately, most of this music has been a monologue the composer did with himself/herself and the narrow group of those who "understood" his/her music.
Ultimately, music should communicate without the need for programmatic essays by the composer. If the music doesn't convey its meaning and wholeness to its listeners beyond the printed word, then it will cease to be listened to. That's a fact of life, especially with music being played in concert halls. The new movement among composers of art music toward more tonally conceived sounds is an acknowledgement of that truth. Tonal music has a basis in harmonics that 12-tone music and freer cacophony lack - while tonal music sounds natural, the other seems artificially contrived. It also hasn't helped that most of the dodecaphonic/cacophonic music, lacking any understandable reference points for most listeners, sounds dark, brooding, pessimistic, and ultimately incomprehensible.

Having written all this, I should also let those reading this know that I once spent many years writing in the 12-tone style and mannerisms of the 2nd Viennese School. Having spent a lot of time with this sound, I have developed an understanding and appreciation for the music of Schoenberg, Berg, Webern and others who spent most of their lives writing in this style. But communicating with audiences has been extremely problematic - the sounds come off as strange and, because of that, hides whatever the composer wanted to say...

However, the music of Michael Torke, and the more tonal music of others over the last decade or so, is immediately approachable and quite often satisfying. Really, art music does not have to be difficult sounding or somehow beyond the pale of human experience to be masterful. After listening to Torke and others who write with more tonal sounds, you leave the concert hall with the sense that much of what you heard found an immediate and unspoken understanding within you. And that's what music should do - COMMUNICATE

The 3 pieces of music on this CD are well-conceived and thoroughly enjoyable. Also highly recommended is Torke's "Book of Proverbs; Four Proverbs". As an introduction to his music, one has only to listen to "Book of Proverbs: Opening" to come away with a smile and an abiding interest in his music. Michael Torke should be taken very seriously by all of us who are optimistic about the future of art music.

Bright Lights, Big Deal.......2003-04-19

"Rapture" is unrelenting in its sameness throughout, and the rest of this CD sounds like a pale copy of work that this gifted composer created during the late 1980's. I am sad to give it a pass.

Yowza!.......2003-01-25

Poor Michael Torke has a hard time being taken seriously, largely because he writes uniformly optimistic, pop-tinged, lively, soul-easing music. But then Gershwin had the same problem in his era. Torke's time will come, I strongly suspect. And this release will help.

Someone has called him 'the American Ravel'. That's over-reaching a bit, but I can see their point. Torke is a master orchestrator (possibly the best currently working in America, although John Adams is right up there with him), and there is an insouciance that we generally associate with 20th-century French composers. He can write a meltingly beautiful tune, and he is a master of complex recognizably _American_ rhythms, some of them Latin American. He has been fortunate to have had wonderful recordings of his music; I'm thinking now of that string of Argo releases featuring David Zinman and the Baltimore Symphony.

For several years Torke was composer-in-residence for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and all three pieces on this CD were written for them. The title of the first, 'An American Abroad', reminds us of Gershwin's 'An American in Paris', but that's about the only similarity - and there are no taxi horns in the score! The predominant feeling in this 21 minute piece is that of an American, fresh-faced, curious, naïve, full of wonder wandering from place to place in a journey abroad. There are some invigorating rhythms (always a feature of Torke's music) and a middle section, rather more reflective, that has one of Torke's patented tunes, the kind that get in your head and won't leave you alone. There is a touch of melancholy in this section; it made me think of the sadness of leaving wonderful travels behind when it's time to go home. But then there is the excitement of going back to familiar places and people. Hmmm, I've just described a 21st Century tone-poem, haven't I? Liszt and Richard Strauss would be proud.

The shorter second piece, 'Jasper', is a set of informal variations on a simple tune, one that uses each of the notes of the diatonic scale only once. The tune gets dressed up in varying rhythms and instrumentation, but retains its recognizability.

The final piece, the longest on the disc at 28 minutes, is a percussion concerto, entitled 'Rapture', written for and performed by the brilliant young (very young: he's only 26, and was only 23 when he premièred it) Colin Currie. A percussionist friend tells me that 'he beats Evelyn Glennie all hollow'; I'm not prepared to say that, but he certainly is hugely talented. I only wish I could _see_ him performing the piece. The concerto has an unusual form in that each of the three movements features a different subset of the percussion family. The first is subtitle 'Drums and Woods', the second 'Mallets', and the last 'Metals'. You get the idea. Needless to say, Torke's rhythmic vitality and ingenuity get a real workout here. The insistent rhythm in the first movement leads eventually to a kind of hypnotic state in the listener, the 'Rapture' of the title. This, in itself, is not my own cup of tea, but I did get caught up in the jittery excitement of it all. The second movement, the one with mallet instruments, is less frenetic and more intrinsically melodic, lots of deep marimba, lots of chords of the ninth. I will admit that it was my favorite; I guess I'd been a bit worn out by the first movement. But we're off to the races again, this time with a salsa beat, in movement three and the whole thing ends up in a flurry almost unbelievable virtuosity on the part of Currie. Hoo boy!

Tracks:

Green - Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Purple - Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Ecstatic Orange - Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Ash - Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Bright Blue Music - Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Tracks:

I. Better A Dish - Catherine Bott
II. Drink Water - Catherine Bott
III. One Man Pretends - Catherine Bott
IV. There Is Joy - Catherine Bott
I. Opening - Kurt Ollmann
II. The Door Turns - Kurt Ollmann
III. Better A Dry Crust - Kurt Ollmann
IV. The Whip For The Horse - Kurt Ollmann
V. The Way Of An Eagle - Kurt Ollmann
VI. Drink Our Fill Of Love - Kurt Ollmann
VII. Like The Man Who Seizes - Kurt Ollmann
VIII. Boast Not Of Tomorrow - Kurt Ollmann

Tracks:

Javelin - Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
I. - John Harle
II. - John Harle
III. - John Harle
December - Philharmonia Orchestra
Run - Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Charcoal - Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Tracks:

Adjustable Wrench - London Sinfonietta
Priority - Orkest de Volharding
Standard - Orkest de Volharding
Saturday Delivery - Orkest de Volharding
Monday - Lothar Zagrosek
Tuesday - Lothar Zagrosek

Tracks:

Vanada - London Sinfonietta
Flint - Michael Torke
I. - Lothar Zagrosek
II. - Lothar Zagrosek
III. - Lothar Zagrosek
Slate - London Sinfonietta
Rust - David Alan Miller

Tracks:

The Yellow Pages - Present Music
The Blue Pages - Present Music
The White Pages - Present Music
July - Apollo Saxophone Quartet
Chalk - Balanescu Quartet
East 33rd Street - Michael Torke Band
Riverside Drive - Michael Torke Band
Bank Street - Michael Torke Band
West 102nd Street - Michael Torke Band
West 4th Street - Michael Torke Band
West Houston Street - Michael Torke Band

Album Description

Michael Torke has created a substantial body of works in virtually every genre, each with a characteristic personal stamp that combines restless rhythmic energy with ravishingly beautiful melodies.

Last December, this boxed set of Michael Torke's complete recordings was picked by The New York Times as one of the top classical albums of the year.

Customer Reviews:

What's not to like about contemporary music?.......2006-07-08

Ever since I first heard Javelin, I have looked for more recordings of Michael Torke's music. I resisted old recordings offered at a very high price after some effort and was delighted to find this collection containing a wide perspective of his work ranging from the color pieces (Green, Cool Blue Music, Ecstatic Orange) to the vocal Proverbs to the utilitarian tool music. Don't miss it.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Music Review

Turn It On [Import]

Tchaikovsky and Juon: Piano Trios

Sym 8-Morris

Places

Trend Explorer Club V.2 [Import]

Time Dreams

Verso a la Mar [Import]

The Suicide Machines [Explicit Lyrics]

Travellin [Import]

The Butterfly Lovers Concerto

Sunday at the Village Vanguard [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Too Hot to Handle

Steel Drums Of The Caribbean Volume II

The Final Tour

Prime Cuts

1. Javelin - Atlanta SO/Yoel Levi
2. December - PO/Michael Torke
3. Run - Atlanta SO/Yoel Levi
4. Adjustable Wrench - London Sinf/Kent Nagano
5. Green - Baltimore SO/David Zinman
6. Music On The Floor (II) - London Sinf/Lothar Zagrosek
7. Bright Blue Music - Baltimore SO/David Zinman