Africa | Soundtrack Suite (Alex North)

[@SoundtrackFred]

“Africa” (1967) is a lengthy tv-documentary (over three hours runtime) about the continent and its newly developed and independent states, featuring various mini-documentaries focusing on different details. The program is narrated by no other than Gregory Peck. Unfortunately it's very hard to find (is it even available anywhere?). One highlight is the musical accompaniment by Alex North. For the inspiring material he did not only write a score but in fact a whole symphony, the “Symphony For A New Continent” in four movements. To record the difficult piece with its colorful percussion-moments, North went to Germany to record with the Graunke Symphony Orchestra. Kurt Graunke’s assistant Annemarie Hoellger was tasked to help communicate between North and the orchestra and the two would later marry and stay together until North’s passing. Highlighting the symphonic material is a suite with about 17 min. runtime and with a reduced orchestra (which we are listening to now). Enjoy!

[@gabrieleevangelista2636]

The real reason for going Germany in order to record a soundtrack, wasn't technical nor artistical (american musicians were extremely skilled), but only economical, or better to save Money! At that time, there were in Germany two very good budget orchestras for these matters, the Graunke (named after his principal conductor and founder, Kurt or Karl Wilhelm Graunke) Symphony Orchestra aka Munich Symphony Orchestra from 1990 (the recording venue was the Bavaria Klang Studio in Munich) and the Frankenland Symphony Orchestra aka Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra. The musicians were slavers badly payed, attending to reach more prestigious seats in major orchestras, and that's the truth! For similar reasons, a lot of soundtracks were recorded in Italy too, with the Rome Symphony Orchestra (sometimes named Rome Cinema Symphony Orchestra), conducted by various composers such as Miklos Rozsa, Elmer Bernstein and Henry Mancini, recordings usually placed at A Studio of italian branch of the RCA, located in Via Tiburtina, km. 12, in Rome.

[@TheVid54]

I was so glad when they released this Alex North score on CD. It epitomizes his characteristic and charming scoring style.

[@miltonabbiati7598]

Thanks Fred❤🙏🏻 I don't know this documentary. Wonderful Alex North❤👏🏻 The only things I knew were that Miriam Makeba was among the characters and it was narrated by Gregory Peck.

[@slightlygrouchy]

Any North score is an absolute treat, and this one is no exception! Thank you so much for your suite, Fred!

[@BSilva1984]

Africa is the place to be in the Safari country. Thank you for sharing this upload.

[@BSilva1984]

thank you

[@WilderBarbasGrimião]

Hello, Fred! Here we have a true rarity! North makes a skifull combinations of woodwinds, beautiful string sessions and some brass with typical instruments from various regions of Africa, such as the shekere, the kalimba and the ekwe with strings and woodwinds in " Man in Africa "; in " The Joyful Days " there is an unusual mix of woodwinds with palillos ( a Phoenician percussion instrument very characteristic of Spain! ); in " Victoria Falls... " we hear ekwe and a mix of high strings with what seems to be an agogô ( the strings are louder, but I think that's it ). Everything ( orchestrations by Henry Brandt ) with beauty and discretion, since Nature is eloquent enough! Thanks and bye!!

[@dingorex]

Jambo! Asante!

[@user-ChicagoJoe19]

Excellent Friday choice Fred! Thanks for posting

[@SOBIESKI_freedom]

That was an interesting score. Thanks, Fred! 🤗

[@whoami6394]

Hi Fred, thank you for this extremely interesting work! A couple suggestions for scores that are extremely hard to find good arrangements of by Jonh Williams: Fitzwilly (1967) and Sabrina (1995) Both are somewhat unique for Williams in that they are more on the social comedy side of film, but they are both very fun scores with lovely songs. Thank you again! I always love listening to whatever you choose to present to us.

[@SoundtrackFred]

Thank you so much for your warm words. Sabrina is very warm and lush. I really enjoy it as "evening music" rather of looking at it as film score. Fitzwilly is classic 60s Williams with giving hints of his serious talents "Make Me Rainbows" is a gorgeous song! I will have an eye on those two and we surely will get to them in some time. Thanks again! Fred

[@whoami6394]

Thank you, Fred!

[@SRM-h7w]

Gracias

[@kslfrasl]

الف رحمة على ذاك الاب

[@MikeBurgerPunish69th]

Awesome Fred. :)

[@bowman05]

Echoes of some of his scores from Cleopatra and his original for 2001. Some nice selections but overall not a score to love.