Corigliano: The Red Violin (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Joshua Bell, violin/ Philharmonia Orchestra/Esa-Pekka Salonen (Sony Classical SK 63010).

Corigliano: The Red Violin (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Joshua Bell, violin/ Philharmonia Orchestra/Esa-Pekka Salonen (Sony Classical SK 63010)

This is not your typical soundtrack. First, it was written by a contemporary "classical" composer who is not usually associated with film music. Second, it contains not just music from the film, but also a "serious" concert orchestral piece written using some of the themes from the soundtrack music (this piece, which is titled "The Red Violin": Chaconne for Violin and Orchestra, is the 17-minute track that closes this CD in spectacular fashion.) Third, the film itself (which I have not seen) is itself based on a tale involving music, so the music that Corigliano wrote was conceived as integral to the film itself, not just something to supply the proper mood for certain scenes.

The music is quite able to stand on its own; even the "soundtrack" sections of the program are musically interesting, and the sounds that Corigliano's scoring are colorful but never merely splashy. Probably because this is a soundtrack, there are some bass effects that will put your woofers--or better yet, your subwoofer--to the test (but some really low, loud notes occur in the concert piece, not just the soundtrack sections themselves), so be forewarned. The music is colorful and enjoyable; for my money, this is the best thing that Corigliano has yet done. - KWN