Monsignor (Expanded Original Soundtrack)

Monsignor (Expanded Original Soundtrack)

Intrada's latest release from 20th Century Fox and UMG is an expanded edition of John Williams' 1982 score to Monsignor. This new release features two programs. The first is the original Casablanca LP program (previously released on Intrada), but with improved mastering as well as the complete score in film order, including additional music not heard on the LP program. With Mike Matessino at the helm, this new release sources the LP program from the first-generation master stored at UMG in London and the 1-inch, 8-track masters stored in the vaults at 20th Century Fox. Both source elements featured very different mixes, so Matessino elected to include the two aforementioned programs. The album-only material includes "The Meeting in Sicily" and "At the Forum" which were recorded specifically for the LP at a later session, while the complete program includes some previously unreleased tracks, including "The Vatican" and "The Book Shop." One of the score's highlights featured in both programs is "Gloria," a set piece featuring 500 costumed extras in Rome's Cathedral of St. John and Paul -- a five-minute musical sequence with no dialog or sound. The main theme itself is a haunting melody, first heard for solo trumpet, performed by long-time Williams collaborator Maurice Murphy. This definitive release concludes the quest to present the score to Monsignor in the best possible light.