Search - Dominic Frontiere, Mark Mancina, Richard Barton Lewis :: The Outer Limits: Original Television Soundtrack (1963-65 Television Series)

There is nothing wrong with this CD....

Lee Hartsfeld | Central Ohio, United States | 12/31/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with this CD, at least for those of us who loved Dominic Frontiere's music for this series and were waiting for it to appear on CD. We are in a small minority, really. The majority of TV viewers pay little or no attention to background music. A minority of viewers notice the music, for better or worse. And a tiny, tiny minority not only notice background music but love certain scores to the point of buying them on CD. And so labels like GNP Crescendo stay in business.Frontiere's music for "The Outer Limits" recalls Ravel and Bartok, especially in its half-step modality and the parallel dominant-11th chords that move in whole steps at the close of the opening title and throughout the end title. Frontiere's bag of tricks also includes perfect fourths and fifths in parallel chromatic motion, interlocking perfect fifths, and other minimalist devices that sound anything but minimalist in the hands of such a gifted composer. I know these things because this CD has given me the ideal chance to transcribe some of these cues and plunk them out on my keyboard for my own nerdish pleasure. To actually hear cues from "The Man Who Was Never Born" on my very own Casio. "Nerdvana," Scott Adams calls it.At any rate, the sound reproduction is fantastic, even if hearing this music in clear, unmushy fidelity tends to demystify it a little. That is to say, the orchestra sounds smaller, even cramped in spots. But one can hear every last glorious note, score shuffle, and studio acoustic. And the sound effects are a revelation in digital. Now, if only I can mimick those on my Casio...."

"we take control of your entertainment center"

J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 03/24/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Neil Norman and GNP/Crescendo Records give us the long awaited original television soundtrack to - "The Outer Limits", music composed and conducted by Dominic Frontiere. This classic series has some of the greatest science ficition music ever composed for television. We have the unedited masters from the series and cues utilized in multiple episodes.Dominic's music for this series established a certain aire by which science fiction scores have been judged ever since. The music was a big part of the series success. Several volumes hopefully will follow this one, as we take control of your "entertainment center". So don't touch that remote, sit back and enjoy the sound effects from - "The Outer Limits"!Total Time: 26:11 on 38 Tracks/ GNP/Crescendo Records - GNPD 8032 (1993)"

You are about to experience "The 40th Anniversary".

inheritor | United Kingdom | 01/06/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Well this disk has been around since 1993. That was ten years ago. To discover the release was for me the music find of all time. However there is a flaw in its conception. It was meant to be part of a trilogy. The advent of the 32 story DVD set must reveal that the first series is rich with the most unique pieces of music ever made for a television series. What is missing are the other most essential soundtracks; "Don't Open Till Doomsday"(Robert Van Eps) and "Forms of things Unknown"(Dominic Frontiere). The music from these stories, demonstrate both a subtle and intense atmosphere. Chilling creepiness, dire tragedy and complete horror. The closest music to rival the work of Bernard Herrmann. What happened to these? What happened to the trilogy? Disk One provides us with the first essential "Outer Limits" soundtrack, "The Man Who Was Never Born". It encompasses all the elements I described about the latter two. We hear the original main theme music in all of its dramatic power and majesty. We also have "The Hundred Days of the Dragon " and "Nightmare". These are exceptionally good. The sound effects were really unnecessary and I would gladly sacrifice them for more of the great first series music. So I would like to plead with GNP Crescendo to revisit their plan to complete the Outer Limits Trilogy for the year of its 40th Anniversary...."