Mark McKenzie

February2015

DRAGONHEART 3: SORCERER’S CURSE Pumping Adrenaline on iTunes and Varese Sarabande Records

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Varese Sarabande Records released a limited autographed Cd of Dragonheart 3: Sorcerer’s Curse. Universal’s Back Lot Music also released it digitally on iTunes so it is available most anywhere music is sold.  Over 77 minutes of music, epic battles, tense moments, action, triumph, thrills, humor, mystery, heart, magical happenings; it’s all there.

Thanks to J. Broxton at Movie Music UK who writes: “A new score by Mark McKenzie is always a special event…The score’s finale, comprising the cues “Clans Arrive For War,” “Battle to the Death” and “Final Victory and End Credits,” is a 20-minute action extravaganza, featuring some of the most brutal and complicated battle music …anyone used to his sweeping romance and lush religioso themes may be surprised to hear him pumping so much adrenaline…Dragonheart 3 is a great score, full of all the things we have come to expect from Mark McKenzie: moving themes, intellectually sound dramatic development, clever and creative orchestrations, and plenty of heart and passion.”
Thanks also to R. Larson who writes:  …brimming with sonic dimension and orchestral prowess…don’t let the fact that it’s a synth-and-samples performance dissuade you from experiencing an honestly thrilling and authentically-sounding fantasy-action score. The focus in this score is on motif-infused battle action, but McKenzie does find opportunities for eloquent reflection, as in the introspective “One Rejected Knight,” the renewing “Desires Can Spoil A Dream And A Heart,” and the tender “Goodbye My Friend.” There is also more emphasis on Celtic influences on this score from both pipes and chorus, which contrasts nicely with the traditional symphonic base of the music.  “Shadow Hopping” adopts the flavor of a Celtic dance. Mark McKenzie has been rightfully noted for his intimate, melodic drama scores like THE LOST CHILD, THE ULTIMATE GIFT, and THE ULTIMATE LIFE, but hopefully hisDRAGONHEART 3 score may remind filmmakers to bring him on board more action films as well.”

Below are some of the liner notes:

There’s nothing I know of more timeless or powerful than the live symphony orchestra with chorus and I believe that will always be true. That said, when asked to compose an electronic score, I found it full of opportunity, a fun challenge, and ultimately satisfying because electronic music grows in quality every day, and is a far cry from what it was just a few years ago. One nice perk; if I wanted 8 trombones, I just added them with no fuss. I dreamed of making the music as sonorous, powerful, symphonic, rhythmic, fun, colorful, thrilling and bold as possible for this fantastic Universal Studios action-adventure Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer’s Curse …beautifully written I might add by Matthew Feitshans, and brilliantly directed by Colin Teague.

It is rewarding to freely use alternating complex and compound meters and rhythms with no concern about the time and expense it adds to live orchestral and choral recording. 17/8 is a first and composing the final 21-minute action sequence, (the final 3 tracks of this soundtrack) punctuated with choir chants, percussion and brass gave me a grander sense of scope than I’d experienced before. The action sequence Colin created in the final reel is thrilling to me as a composer. You’ll notice that the end credits include live orchestral music from Dragonheart: A New Beginning and you will undoubtedly enjoy Randy Edelman’s iconic “Dragonheart” theme sprinkled throughout.

Producer Raffaella de Laurentiis, director Colin Teague, production executives Hester Hargett-Aupetit, Jan Kikumoto, Patti Jackson, George Engel and Angela Leus allowed me great latitude, support and encouragement throughout the composing process. For those and others like Maria Frisen, Emily Chu, Stefan Henrix, and Jonathan Wales I am grateful. To learn more and hear more of my music, I invite you to join me at www.markmckenzie.org and on facebook at Mark McKenzie Music.

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