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Rome: Music from the HBO Series
from: Rykodisc
List Price: $18.98Our Price: $14.99 You Save: $3.99 (21%)Prices subject to change.
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0014431089626
Format: Soundtrack
Label: Rykodisc
Manufacturer: Rykodisc
MPN: 10896
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Rykodisc
Release Date: February 20, 2007
Studio: Rykodisc
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Editorial Review:
After Carnivàle, Jeff Beal has given HBO another Emmy-nominated score, this time for the tale of sex, politics, and togas known as Rome. There's a long history of fabulously grand scores in the sword-and-sandals genre (Miklós Rózsa's Ben-Hur, Alex North's Cleopatra) but according to Beal HBO wasn't interested in classic big orchestral compositions, so he worked on a smaller--yet still lush--scale that emphasizes the ethnic instruments that could be found in the farther reaches of the Roman Empire. A Middle Eastern influence, for instance, can clearly be heard on "Rome Main Title Theme," "The Forum" and "Janus Breaks," among many others. If there's one signature sound on the CD, it's the recurring use of the flute, which can suggest emotions ranging from romantic ("Octavian & Octavia's Themes") to melancholy (paired with strings on "Farewells, the Storm") to dread (combined with percussion on "Caesar's Seizure"). The album starts running out of steam about two thirds of the way through, however, making one pine for a bit of orchestral bang for one's buck. --Elisabeth Vincentelli
Rome: Music from the HBO Series features a dramatic score by Emmy award winning composer Jeff Beal (Pollock, HBO's Carnivale). A haunting album of ancient sounds and rhythms, the album perfectly complements the HBO series that chronicles the epic times that saw the fall of a republic and the creation of an empire.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Excellent
I feel this CD is a great blend of music. The tracks vary from stirring martial themes to tranquil pieces and sensual vibes. Jeff Beal, in the liner notes, said that he only used instruments available in ancient Rome. He pointed out that we know little about the music that was played on these instruments. But the tracks meshed well with my perception of the events in the outstanding HBO series.
Rating:  - so so
there is only 3 or 4 themes that are good everything else is so so. i like soundtracks and i am big fan of it, but i am not so happy with this one. the themes are not well separated one from another and most of the times 3 or 3 scenes are combined in one 'title' that is too long. so from 1 to 10 i would give this cd 6.
Rating: - So sensual!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is one of the best soundtrack that I have heard. The music is as sensual as the one from Kama Sutra the Soundtrack.
Rating:  - Good soundtrack but it's only the first series
When I grew up the accepted authority on Roman Empire music was the Hungarian composer Miklos Rozsa who wrote the music for such films as "Ben Hur" and "Quo Vadis". Rozsa's music was epic and stirring but probably had very little to do with real Roman music.
Jeff Beal has taken a completely different approach in writing the music for the highly authentic mini-series "Rome". The music is basically a combination of ancient Roman and modern orchestral instruments arranged together in ... Read More
Rating: - fabulous, romantic music
I loved the series ROME and admired the theme music, and noticed the other background music. When I received the CD with the wonderful music, I loved it even more. I would also recommend it as a romantic, sensual backdrop. The composer should receive a grammy or emmy. I've listened to it many times, and I usually don't select this type of music.
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