Compare John Barry: Somewhere in Time by Original Soundtrack/John Barry to The Best of Saint-Sa?ns

Composed by John Barry. All songs written by John Barry. Personnel: John Debney (conductor); Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Original score by John Barry. Recorded at City Halls, Glasgow, Scotland on May 9, 1998. Includes liner notes by Robert Townson. This re-recording of John Barry's score for the 1980 Jeannot Szwarc romantic fantasy film is a bit of a puzzle, albeit a delightful one. Recorded in 20-bit digital audio by John Debney and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, this is the best account ever given of that score -- ironically, MCA/Universal, which distributes Varese Sarabande, also has out the original soundtrack as a full-priced item in its catalog, though the latter has never been upgraded from its late-'80s remastering and offers less music than is present here. Every section of Barry's music -- not just the vastly lyrical romantic passages, which are the obvious focus for most listeners -- is given a beautifully expansive reading. The darker sections, such as "June 27th," "Room 417," ... Less