GENERAL SUTTER

PHILIPPE BLUMENTHAL

Rating:

Original Review: On the whole, Switzerland does not have a particularly wonderful pedigree when it comes to the cinema. With the exception of classics such as the Oscar-winning Dangerous Moves (La Diagonale Du Fou), Swiss films are rarely released much beyond the Alps, let alone going on to become successful. In terms of film music too, Swiss composers are not recognised on an international scale, and tend to concentrate mainly on domestic projects. Once in a while, though, a film score slips through the net and emerges into the open for the rest of the world to see. General Sutter is just such a score.

According to the liner notes, which are in English and German, General Johann A. Sutter was a Swiss folk hero who, in the late 19th century, embarked upon an epic journey which eventually took him from his childhood home in Baselland to the vast open plains of the American frontier. Framed by a back story which shows him having his portrait rendered by artist Frank Buchser, Sutter relates the story of his life to the enthralled painter, which is then shown in flashback. The film, which stars Swiss actors Hannes Schmidthauser and Wolfram Berger and is directed by Benny Fasnacht, was released in 1999 during the 52nd Locarno Film Festival, and was subsequently shown in cinemas across Switzerland. It has also recently been released on DVD and home video (for more details, visit their website at www.generalsutter.com).

The surprising things about the score for General Sutter are twofold. Firstly, it is written by Philippe Blumenthal, who is probably better known for being the publisher of a German-language film music magazine and for being a prominent member of the on-line film music community. Secondly, the score is large-scale, vibrant, and truly impressive in its scope. As one would expect for a film set in the American west, the influences of all the great "epic western scores" of the past course through General Sutter's veins, and although it may not be the most original piece of film music you will ever here, fans of the genre will enjoy every moment.

If one was to be uncharitable, it could be said that General Sutter is nothing more than a new score cobbled together with music from other, more famous works. Even the most casual film music fans should be able to spot the echoes of Dances With Wolves and Legends of the Fall a mile away, both of which feature quite prominently, from the percolated snare drums and echoing trumpets of 'Sutter's Dream' to the tense woodwind and string lines of 'Gold!' and the folksy romanticism of 'This Is My Land', the track with the greatest Horner influence. The inclusion Bruce Broughton's O Pioneers! is slightly less obvious, but Blumenthal actually draws attention to the fact by openly crediting and thanking Broughton for allowing him to re-state the theme verbatim in the track 'Going West'. Such frankness, uncommon in the film music arena, is actually very refreshing and ultimately does Blumenthal credit.

However, making such blatant comparisons is unfair to Blumenthal's talent, because despite the superficial similarities, the vast majority of the melodic material is brand new. Blumenthal plays around with leitmotivic elements for much of the score, weaving an intricate instrumental and melodic tapestry in each subsequent cue. The large-scale main theme, heard throughout the score, is continually performed by the full orchestra with specific instrumental solos for different cues - flute in 'Sutter's Dream', celeste in 'My Son', clarinet in 'Burgdorf'. Solo violins introduce Sutter's childhood theme in 'When I Was A Child', while the bold brass theme that represents Sutter's spirit of adventure is presented three times in the rapturous 'The Crossing', 'Untamed Country' and 'End Credits'. There is even some action music, earmarked by a powerful timpani rhythm and accentuated by eerie rattling tambourines and nervous flutes, in the cue 'Death of the Indians'.

Rounding off the CD are six new arrangements of traditional American civil war songs, including 'Yankee Doodle', 'Bonnie Blue Flag' and 'When Johnny Comes Marching Home', which were used as source music in the film. To conclude, this is an impressive effort from Blumenthal, who has been hiding his light under a proverbial bushel for far too long. The CD, released by Fasnacht & Partner in Switzerland, is quite difficult to come by, but well worth seeking out, especially for John Barry or James Horner fans. Congratulations, Philippe - and let's have some more please!

Track Listing: Running Time: 48 minutes 39 seconds

Fasnacht & Partner ST-95116 (1999)

Music composed by Philippe Blumenthal. Conducted by Adam Klemens and Mario Klemens. Performed by The City of Prague Philharmonic. Orchestrations by Ross Care and Philippe Blumenthal. Violin solos performed by Jakun Trasak. Recorded and mixed by Jiri Zobac. Album produced by Philippe Blumenthal.

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