Romeo & Juliet

Although not perhaps his most acclaimed play, Romeo & Juliet is undoubtedly William Shakespeare's most well known. The tragic story of lovers from opposing families has been interpreted in many ways since its original conception as a modest stage play. Musically, it has been interpreted by both Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky. On film, the most renowned version is that by Franco Zeffirelli, starring Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey as the young lovers - whatever happened to them?! Although the film has endured well since it was made at the end of the 1960's, Nino Rota's achingly tragic love theme has permeated the public consciousness, even if its overuse on a UK radio show has unfortunately given it unwanted associations. Even so, some 34 years later, John Williams' love theme from Attack of the Clones is still being compared to Rota's classic.

Although the love theme is undoubtedly the centrepiece of the score, much of Rota's music has a less overtly romantic feel and a more period sound. The character themes for Romeo and Juliet are quite simple and generally orchestrated in a fairly modest way emphasising strings and woodwind soloists, but when the love theme appears, Rota engages a less modest orchestral force. Even then, he restrains from overly expansive readings of the love theme until closer to the end thus allowing it to have the emotional resonance it should as the tragic outcome of the story unfolds.

Aside from the gentle music as Romeo and Juliet first meet and fall in love, there are a few source cues such as The Moresca, a madrigal type dance. The joyous middle of Consent to Marry Us Today allows Rota to get a little more adventurous with a playful trumpet and strings idea that seems to have inspired many a Patrick Doyle score. A rather unfortunate inclusion is the vocal version, What is Youth? performed by Luke Bateman. His singing is fine, but adding naff lyrics to a superb but melodramatic theme really does it no favours. It's a shame it wasn't included at the end of the album. As things start to go wrong, Rota's music turns appropriately darker and more tragic. The renaissance sound gets dispensed with and a more turbulent edge is introduced. The bittersweet finale makes the character themes a little more romantically elegant and closes the score in a sombre, but quietly hopeful way.

Although those who have worked on this re-recording are very pleased with the results - producer James Fitzpatrick singles it out as his most enjoyable project to date and the composer's own daughter has given her enthusiastic blessings - it should be noted that a fairly complete version of the original recording is available, although I believe it is now out of print. The performance by the City of Prague Orchestra and Chorus is excellent, as is that of solo vocal contributors. However, given the original tracks have good sound and contain almost all of the score, those already owning that album might find this release a little redundant. However, as a superb presentation of one of Rota's best and well known scores, you can't go far wrong. The performance is pretty faithful (despite the occasionally expanded orchestrations mentioned in the liner notes) and the packaging first rate. Highly recommended.