Angela's Ashes

[Incanus 5,715]

This score belongs to my all time favourite Williams scores and recently I have been listening to it a lot along with some other smaller scale/intimate Williams scores. Angela's Ashes combines all that is so graceful and beautiful in Williams' music into a one delicate and intimate score. It has the lyricism, the effortless sense of heartfelt melody and skillfull and thoughtfull use of solo instruments. And most of all it has the sense that it was a labour of love for the composer. Every note seems to resonate it.

The music is also interesting in the way Williams chose to score the film. Instead of using traditional Irish elements or the period he chose to score the emotional content and the story in a more universal way and I think it was the right choice.

This score is varied although it revolves around the melancholy central theme usually perfomed by piano and strings but just as powerful is the secondary theme that represents Angela, Frank's mother which has a beautiful spiritual or even religious quality. This secondary theme seems to be performed on oboe quite frequently which seems to be Williams instrument of choice to represent both family and the character of Mother (A.I., JFK, Minority Report, Episode I etc.).

The music is scored mainly for string orchestra and shows Williams' great skill at string writing. The two themes are vowen into the fabric of the score accompanied by solo instrument performances from oboe, cello, harp and piano all played soulfully by Williams frequent collaborators. The solo parts show Williams' familiarity with the players and their individual voices and strengths. John Ellis' oboe lines are touching and heartfelt and you can hear the air between the notes of Steven Erdody's cello solos and the emotional resonance of that single instrument. Williams even wrote a piece for solo harp for JoAnn Turovsky (The Lanes of Limerick) that unfortunately went unused in the film since it is one of Williams' best solo harp passages since E.T. but gladly it is on the album. And of course Randy Kerber's piano solos crown the whole thing in flowing and delicate style.

The score also offers a great variety besides the themes. There are two delightful swift pieces performed with pizzicato strings in Delivering Telegrams and My Dad's Stories, the aforementioned harp solo in the Lanes of Limerick, mysterious twilight music in Watching the Eclipse and independent melodic moments like Angels Never Cough and the gloriously optimistic finale Back to America which soars with hope and joy. The finale is also the single piece in the score that has significant presence of the brass section which makes it all the more impactful.

The soundtrack album makes a wonderful listening experience on its own (I am refering to the one that contains no dialogue). The themes never over stay their welcome since Williams constantly uses different orchestrations and themes are performed in interesting variations. The album is book ended in classic Williams style with the concert performance of the main theme which in this case is a good thing as it encapsulates the album as a sort of a symphonic suite. The two period songs are a minor distraction that can be easily skipped or programmed out. In my opinion it is one of the best arranged Williams albums.

1999 was one of those amazing years for Williams since he produced two exceptional scores:Episode I and Angela's Ashes. This score should receive at least as much recognition as the first Prequel score since it is one of Maestro's most heartfelt compositions and shows his mature style so beautifully.

[nicholas 1]

Beautifully put - I couldn't agree more. I have always felt that Angela's Ashes was under-rated - it is, in my opinion, one of Williams's consummate masterpieces. Part of the reason for this is the way it is presented on album - there's just no waffle or dull underscore. Like Schindler's List, it feels like a suite for orchestra as much as a soundtrack. As in Schindler's List, every note conveys the composer's profound involvement with his subject matter.

Thank you, Icanus, for reminding me how much I love this music. this

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

Angela's Ashes. This score should receive at least as much recognition as the first Prequel score

It did, they negected TPM an academy award nomination, but Angelas' got it. (and since he lost anyways, they should have nominated both...)

[Incanus 5,715]

Well I was refering to the fact that this is a score that no one on the MB seems to talk about. I remember that the score got a Academy Award nod but as usual Williams was there to fill the obligatory place he is given each year he has scored something. But Williams would have deserved an Oscar yet again in 1999.

It would be interesting to know had Williams read the book before scoring this film and how it might have affected him or inspired him.

[Ollie 1,059]

Thanks god Decca released a version without the excerpts being read over the music.

It is a lovely score.

[nicholas 1]

It's funny, but I only have the version with the voice-overs. I don't mind them at all - in fact I find, if anything, they seem to contribute to the unique atmosphere of the music.

[Bowie 45]

Well I got criticised on this very board a year or so back, because I decided to give this score 5½-stars. (I had to change my Nixon-onwards star-system to /6 because of this score.)

[StrongBad992648 0]

I have to agree that the readings over the score definately DO contribute to the album. I love hearing McCourt's voice over the music. It really makes the album more than just a soundtrack...it's almost like a book on tape!

I was lucky enough to see McCourt with the Boston Pops. While Williams was conducting the music, McCourt read passages over it. It was truly amazing.

[Bowie 45]

The whole score!?

[Ollie 1,059]

No just certain cues.

If I wanted a book on tape I would have bought the audio version of Angela's Ashes.

I want music and music only. Even Morgan Freeman's narration on War Of The Worlds is annoying.

[JMan 0]

I have to agree that the readings over the score definately DO contribute to the album.  I love hearing McCourt's voice over the music.  It really makes the album more than just a soundtrack...it's almost like a book on tape!  

I was lucky enough to see McCourt with the Boston Pops.  While Williams was conducting the music, McCourt read passages over it.  It was truly amazing.

Was that at Tanglewood one year? I think I was there but cant remember anything they played from it. Do you remember what songs they did with his narration?

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

I want music and music only. Even Morgan Freeman's narration on War Of The Worlds is annoying.

indeed

[Incanus 5,715]

I really do not like any kind of narration interrupting the flow of the music on a score album but I guess if one has gotten used to the narration it might not bother.

[futuremartymcfly 0]

No just certain cues.

If I wanted a book on tape I would have bought the audio version of Angela's Ashes.

I want music and music only. Even Morgan Freeman's narration on War Of The Worlds is annoying.

epsecially when it gave away the entire ending

[King Mark 3,631]

Back to America is one of my all time favourite Williams cues.I almost broke the c.d. in half when I first heard the narration over the opening clarinet line.I got the Decca luckily.

Some of A.A. is a bit boring...

K.M.

[codanai 0]

I absolutely love ANGELA'S ASHES as one of Williams most lush, elegant scores. I think a large reason it hasn't been given enough credit is because, unfortuntely, the film wasn't at all popular. I don't like it, but oftentimes a score's popularity goes hand in hand with the movie's popularity.

A year or two ago, I was taking my Music Theory IV class and was thrilled to see that the editor had put in an excerpt from ANGELA'S ASHES (I believe it was that first opening rhythmic pattern on the piano). I was just so excited that Williams is already being put into textbooks! (he should be put in more though)

[Ollie 1,059]

epsecially when it gave away the entire ending

I would probably think there are quite a few people who knew how the film would end.

[Marcus 390]

I absolutely adore Williams' score for "Angela's Ashes"! It is simply a lyrical masterpiece!

"Lanes of Limerick" is one of the best written pastoral solo harp pieces I know, and I have given the music to many of my harpist friends, who now perform it regularly. It was actually repertoire at the International Harp Congress a few years ago...

And Williams' string writing is amazing, in this score and elsewhere. I love studying his doublings, inner lines, etc. I like to view this score as an hommage to the English pastoral school, which must have influenced Williams profoundly.

[Romão 2,274]

It's one of the best Williams scores ever. One of the reasons why I love "modern" Williams so much.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

epsecially when it gave away the entire ending

I would probably think there are quite a few people who knew how the film would end.

Well its not like king kong, where you knew the ape dies.

Its knowing WHAT kills the aliens.

It could be humans, a secret weapon, or what it is in the movie...

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

epsecially when it gave away the entire ending

I would probably think there are quite a few people who knew how the film would end.

Well its not like king kong, where you knew the ape dies.

Well thanks a LOT! :spiny:

[Ollie 1,059]

I believe in every version of WOTW the aliens die the same way.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

I know, but i hadnt seen any before this one.

Kong is more popular, but really the two are classics are people should know about them.

Shame on me for WOTW...

[A24 4,336]

It's one of the best Williams scores ever. One of the reasons why I love "modern" Williams so much.

The music doesn't sound very modern though. Harmonically, it's all very easy on the ears.

[Romão 2,274]

I don't modern as in style. I was refering to modern as "recent output".