Erich Kunzel & Cincinnati Pops Orchestra – Mega Movies (2000) [Reissue 2006] MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

The Cincinnati Pops is one of America’s favorite orchestras, playing classical hits, orchestral versions of pop and jazz, movie themes and show tunes.

In the main, this is a collection of film music resembling others by Erich Kunzel and the indefatigable Cincinnati Pops, featuring short excerpts from film scores like those to Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, The Rock, Godzilla, and Titanic. Kunzel’s performances are brisk, a bit subdued compared to those in the original films, technically faultless, and carefully consistent. Anyone who has enjoyed other Kunzel discs will enjoy this one, but this is a film-music disc with a difference: there are five tracks of sound effects included. These are quite short, but they’re well worth hearing. For one thing, they’ll give a full workout even to stereo equipment costing thousands of dollars. The booklet contains various disingenuous warnings about not turning up the volume too high while playing these, but they are in no way oversold. What’s remarkable about them is that for the most part they don’t rely on synthetic sound synthesis. The bee attack in The X-Files: The Movie was recorded by engineer Michael Bishop in a field, with six microphones placed at the entrances of a beehive. It’s uncanny. This may be the only audiophile album in existence whose credits thank a beekeepers’ association. The sound, auditioned on a good conventional stereo, is the main attraction here, and those with the equipment to take full advantage of the glories only hinted out by mere mortals among sound reproduction systems ought to be fully satisfied.

Tracklist:

01. THE MUMMY – The Sand Volcano
02. Don’t Mess with “Z” (SFX)
03. THE MASK OF ZORRO – Main Title
04. AIR FORCE ONE – Main Title / The Parachutes
05. Chopper Flyby (SFX)
06. THE ROCK – End Title
07. CONTACT – End Credits
08. MIGHTY JOE YOUNG – Dedication and Windsong
09. Day at the Races (SFX)
10. STAR WARS: The Phantom Menace – Main Title / The Flag Parade
11. L.A. CONFIDENTIAL – Badge of Honor / L.A. Confidential
12. THE PRINCE OF EGYPT – When You Believe
13. What’s that Hum? (SFX)
14. THE X-FILES – Threnody in X
15. A BUG’S LIFE – The Time of Your Life
16. ELIZABETH – Main Title
17. A Stroll in New York City (SFX)
18. GODZILLA – Main Title
19. SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE – Main Title
20. Iceberg! (SFX)
21. TITANIC – Back to Titanic
22. ARMAGEDDON – Main Title