Composer with the Dragon Tattoo

What with the global mania about Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy, wasn’t it only a matter of time before we had the film scores released on CD? Well, Salander fans, wait no more. Composer Jacob Groth’s dark, twisty, and highly thematic scores for all three films are now available on two discs from two different labels.

Milan Records’ soundtrack from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was out first. The music is quite something, compelling in every way. It so easily could have been melodramatic, but Groth avoids this, creating instead a mysterious, sometimes horrifying soundscape for these characters -- and plot -- that are, one must admit, just a little bit “off.”

The pulsing sounds of the opening track, “Warning Cry,” gives way to the gentle, though threatening tones of “Evil Men.” This is menacing, string-heavy music, offset by the gentler, introspective “Mother & Daughter.” For “The Rape,” Groth focuses his orchestra low on the scale, with persistent heartbeats that signal Salander’s horror at what’s happening to her. The rest of the CD is filled with pounding action cues, introspective pieces, and the like. Groth, one of the most celebrated Scandinavian composers, has done incredible -- even indelible -- work here. I can hear him doing James Bond scores in the future, bringing a certain gravitas to the spy’s otherwise airy proceedings. My only complaint: I wish the final track, “Salander,” were allowed to segue into the closing credits, which contains superb music.

Silva Screen Records has quickly followed up the original release with a compliation CD called Music from Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Triology that features music from all three films. Here the menace continues, allowing the films -- directed by two different men -- to retain a welcome sense of continuity. The music is, therefore, much the same in tone, with pounding dark colors, rich melody, and cues that seem triggered by characters' memories. And there's a real yearning here, too.

Both CDs are wonderful examples of Groth’s work. They’d be wonderful to play as you read the books. That is, if you somehow haven’t done so already.

John Williams: Music of America

For many years now, I have believed that John Williams is the composer of our time. His film scores, since the 1970s, have defined how movies sound, and his non-film work, while not as easily accessible, displays an uncanny way to bend the orchestra to his whim. As melodic as his film work is, as many doors as he offers to those who wish to enter, his other work is sometimes dissonant, difficult, surprisingly challenging. I read somewhere that Williams said he composes film scores for the public and his other work for himself. I can’t think of another composer whose two musical lives are so different.

Much of his non-film work is gathered in a new CD set called "Music of America." This landmark series, from Sony Masterworks, highlights several other composers: Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, and Charles Ives. The Williams set provides an interesting cross-section of his work. It’s not exactly a greatest hits package…but almost.

There’s film music here, of course, gathered on the 3rd disc, themes from Star Wars, Jaws, ET, Schindler’s List, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Close Encounters. All of this material is avialable on other, previously released discs.

The other two discs are where the magic really is. His “Air and Simple Gifts,” previously unavailable, was written for Barack Obama’s inauguration. “American Journey” is a six-movement celebration of America that was originally the score for a Steven Spielberg-directed film shown on the National Mall on December 31, 1999. “Suite from Memoirs of a Geisha,” a stunning expansion of his score for that film, featuring Yo-Yo Ma, was available in a Ma box set last year. There’s also “The Five Sacred Trees,” a lengthy, lovely, dark meditation that deserves focused listening to discover its quiet, hidden treasures. And there’s much, much more.

If you’re looking for Williams’ signature film music alone, this is not be the set for you. But for sweeping look at Williams’ broader scope of work—particularly work that features themes inspired by the great cultural expanse of America, this is wonderful stuff.

Biography: Becoming Jimi Hendrix by Steven Roby and Brad Schreiber

Before you even pick the book up, you know that the story of legendary rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix is flawed; sure to disappoint. The star of the story dies in the end. Astonishingly, September 18 is the 40th anniversary of Hendrix death.

As befits a rock god, there is bound to be some brouhaha. Expect to hear some never-before-aired studio recordings and a documentary film, Valleys and Neptune, will come out this fall.

And then there’s Becoming Jimi Hendrix (Da Capo), a very good biography co-authored by author and journalist Brad Schreiber and noted Henxdrix historian, Steven Roby. The inside background stuff is rich and thick and it starts on the very first page:

He was born Johnny Allen Hendrix. But when his father, Al, returned from World War II and saw his son for the first time, he renamed him James Marshall Hendrix.

As a little boy, he earned the nickname “Buster,” because his hero was the actor who played Flash Gordon, Buster Crabbe.

In his Seattle band The Rocking Kings, his innocent face and quiet demeanor made others call him “Cupcake.”

There’s more -- quite a bit more, actually -- but you get the idea. Roby and Schreiber have worked at unearthing the story of Jimi and then they share it with all of us here. Even so, they’re careful to point out that they’ve chosen exactly what to share with some care. From an interview with the authors:

Most biographers try to capture most of a life and can overwhelm readers with too many facts. Becoming Jimi Hendrix is in 6-month chunks, from 1962-66, highlighting the events that shaped him musically, psychologically, personally and professionally. We’ve also included an extensive appendix for the hardcore fan, with timeline, sessionography, bibliography and Internet links.

This is the first biography that deals extensively with Hendrix’s early years, including his roots, his army stint, his influences and his time as a sideman. Frankly, Becoming Jimi Hendrix rocks. ◊

Lincoln Cho is a freelance writer and editor. He lives in the Chicago area where he works in the high tech industry. He is currently working on a his first novel, a science fiction thriller set in the world of telecommunications.