Bride of the Wind

For Bruce Beresford's new film chronicling the life of Alma Mahler, Bride of the Wind, composer Stephen Endelman had the enviable task of not only arranging the music of Gustav and Alma Mahler into the musical fabric of the film, but also offering his orchestral contribution to this period tale. The film chronicles the turbulent story of the famous composer's wife, who was a composer in her own right, until her husband requested she cut her composing career short.

The lengthy Deutsche Grammonphon album offers around twenty-two minutes of Endelman's neo-Classical score, performed with verve by The Czech Philharmonic under Frantisek Preisler. Aside from two source cues by Janos Bihari, the remainder of the album is devoted to the music of the Mahlers. Fortunately, the pieces drawn from Gustav's output are taken from the Deutsche Grammonphon archives, performed by such luminaries as Boulez, Abbado and the Vienna Philharmonic, and focusing on the 3rd, 5th, and 6th symphonies. As always with the composer, the selections here are dramatic, occasionally playful, and always compelling. Classical fans will more than likely have these essential recordings already, yet film score fans would do well to investigate these great works further.

Alma Mahler is represented by three pieces of lieder, sung by Renee Fleming and accompanied by Jean Yves-Thibaudet. "Bei Dir Ist Es Traut" is given a gorgeous reading, accompanied by gentle strings. "In Meines Vaters Garten" is also tinged with sadness, yet equally lovely, scored for piano duet.

Endelman's contribution is notable, and stands alongside the Mahler's quite admirably. His opening titles bustle with energy, and are firmly rooted in the classical mode, and most of the score seems to include quotations from Gustav Mahler's works. Many of the other cues ("The Lovers", "Give Up Your Music", "I'm Pregnant") rely heavily on the string section, with droll adagio's that briefly recall the writing of Howard Shore. Even the minute long "The Battle" cue plays through the action with a long string line. Not all is doom and gloom however. Aside from the busy main title, "The Hot Springs" contains a hopeful clarinet, flute, piano and violin theme which is a bit more removed from the somber nature of the other cues. "She Walks" contains a touch of lightness from a rising string figure, which crescendo's into a hopeful horn and string theme. "Bride of the Wind" brings back the sprightly main title in a dramatically brief reading.

This album for those looking for something with a nice balance of underscore and music from one of the greatest composers ever. The disc features notes by the director, lyrics for the Mahler lieder, and full credits.