The album is a beautiful assimilation of small and large ensembles, classic and original melodies, depicting the history of Russia through music. Like the film for which it was created, the soundtrack for RUSSIA: LAND OF THE TSARS sculpts over 1000 years of Russia’s rich history. Listening to the album from beginning to end, one comes face-to-face with the Vikings, the Mongols, Catherine the Great, Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great, the Revolution, Stalin, and even the hope of what Russia has yet to become.
The music is reminiscent of the great Russian Masters Glinka, Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev. Included in the album is a track-by-track outline of which scenes from Russia’s history are being portrayed through song.
WWhen we asked the composer, Gary Pozner, why he thought this soundtrack CD was so special, he pointed to the wide variation in the music from scene to scene and the exceptional performances of the musicians.
"Just like the filmmakers, we had to reenact the history of Russia. It wasn’t an easy task, but it was truly a labor of love."
We also asked Gary where the Russian influences came from, because his biography mostly consists of working with fringe elements of the music scene: Lou Reed, Debbie Harry, Tom Tom Club, David Byrne, Bernie Worrel, Nona Hendryx, UTFO, Mimi Goese, and Peter Gabriel. He explained that all of his grandparents were from Eastern Europe. "I just thought of them and channeled their spirits."
The soundtrack for the History Channel’s RUSSIA: LAND OF THE TSARS will be released May 26, 2003, to coincide with the film’s release. Sneak previews can be heard at www.whirledmusic.com.