It's My Party


Colosseum (4005939570125)
Varèse Sarabande (0030206570120)
Movie | Released: 1996 | Format: CD, Download
 

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# Track Artist/Composer Duration
1.It's My Party3:19
2.Drifting Apart3:13
3.Skiing 0:56
4.Reflections2:00
5.It's Not My Fault/Setting Sun3:01
6.This Is My Home2:12
7.Can I Stay?0:50
8.Be Strong For Me 3:04
9.Kiss Goodbye5:10
10.I Love Art 2:15
11.Ski With Me2:20
12.Don't Cut Me DownOlivia Newton-John4:11
 32:31
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It's My Party - 08/10 - Review of Tom Daish, submitted at (English)
For a composer mostly remembered for his grand and eminently satisfying orchestral works, Basil Poledouris composed only a handful of smaller scales works of which It's My Party is the most understated. The film is a highly personal story of a guy dying from AIDS, who decides to hold a party to say farewell to his friends and family while he's still able to enjoy his life. Its fluid narrative (such as it is) and realistic style does not call for a grandiose, intrusive score and so Poledouris' contribution is for solo piano, performed by the composer.

Piano concertos I love, the piano as a percussive instrument can be terrific and piano led pop is my favourite, but despite being a life long pianist, I very rarely listen to solo piano music. Therefore, it's with more than a little pleasure to note that It's My Party is a constant pleasure. There is some small measure of sentiment, but not maudlin, which ensures the entire half hour melts past in a gentle mood of genuine emotion, rarely stirring too forcefully (save for the occasional brief flourish such as during This Is My Home) but not idle noodling as would be so tempting. That its melodic content is typically strong is a distinct bonus.

There aren't really any benchmarks in the Poledouris canon, indeed the more intimate scores of James Horner are probably a better comparison - To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday springs to mind. However, whereas Horner writes long and rather repetitive (although undeniably lovely) cues, Poledouris remains concise and only repeats the melodic material as necessary. These aren't instantly implanted in the consciousness, but a couple of riffs easily linger beyond the first couple of listens. At half an hour, the disk is perfectly timed and rounded out by a surprisingly effective Olivia Newton-John ballad. For an alternative perspective on a great composer and much missed composer, It's My Party has much to recommend it.


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