New CD: Mulan 2 Soundtrack (McNeely)!

[Dr. Know]

Disney has released the soundtrack to its forthcoming direct-to-dvd feature Mulan 2, featuring a very beautiful score by Joel McNeely. Amazingly, 5 of the 11 tracks on the cd are of McNeely's score. The songs, which were composed by McNeely and others, are very appealing. Best of all, the cd has been released at the budget price of about 8 bucks. Highly recommended! If only this much of Broughton's Three Musketeers score had been included on the soundtrack to that dvd feature.

 

[Michael Zielski]

Jim, thanks so much for your continuing updates regarding attraction/film composers! My son and I are fans of Joel McNeely's Disney and non-Disney work; my son particularly loves his score for Shadows of the Empire, the "unfilmed" Star Wars saga, and we have several of his re-recordings of Bernard Herrmann's film scores, all recommended. I should go back and re-visit the Return to Neverland CD, haven't done so in a while(have difficulty getting past the droaning moaning of "I'll Try").

We picked up Mulan II today, but haven't watched it yet. We could not find the CD, between the Disney Store(naturally!), Best Buy, and Borders! We'll keep looking--thanks again!

Mike

P. S. Finally listened to The Three Musketeers CD a few weeks ago--would have done so sooner had there been Bruce Broughton score; why was score on the Mulan II CD and not The Three Musketeers? Why do I continue to look for logical explanations?

 

[xfkirsten]

Glad to see him doing some more stuff! I gotta get this one and see it. I loved Joel McNeely's "Flipper" score.

 

[Dr. Know]

I have my fingers crossed that McNeely's exit music from New Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln will make it onto the Musical History of Disneyland set...

Meanwhile, I just noticed that a single McNeely score track is included on the new cd Best of Pooh and Friends and Heffalumps, Too. You can hear a sample on Barnes and Noble's website (track 8, 'The Promise,' runs 2:25). Better than nothing, I guess...

Jim

 

[Dr. Know]

Something special has just come to my attention -- a "promotional" cd release of McNeely's score for Mulan II, with a bit more music than on the commercial release. The promo does not include the songs that were not composed by McNeely. Here's a tracklist:

01 Main Title (2:16)*
02 Mulan's Getting Married (1:45)**
03 Off to See the Emperor (2:48)**
04 The Journey Begins (3:06)
05 In Love and In Trouble (4:37)
06 The Attack (4:06)
07 Shang Lives! (4:28)
08 They Wed (3:22)**
09 Here Beside Me (vocal) (2:35)
10 Here Beside Me (instrumental) (2:35)

Total running time: 31:38

*contains additional music not on the commercially released cd
**previously unreleased track

 

[Michael Zielski]

Thanks for the continuing score updates, Jim--ebay?

On a somewhat OT note, but still appropriate, due to the musical and Neverland connection, have you listened to Jan A.P. Kaczmarek's score for "Finding Neverland"--beautiful, especially the piano work(or maybe I'm just biased because of the Polish connection I have with the composer--when I saw him at the Academy Awards, I rushed out and got the CD).

Mike

 

[Dr. Know]

Mike,

Thanks for the recommendation -- I have heard this score, and it is certainly pleasant enough, but I was still disappointed that John Williams didn't win for HP3 this year. FINDING NEVERLAND is high on my list of potential dvd rentals, and I look forward to experiencing the score in the context of the film.

Cheers
Jim

 

[Michael Zielski]

The Harry Potter score was nice, too, Jim--I liked the medieval influence; anxious to hear what John has come up with for what is supposed to be the final Star Wars film.

Looks like we'll be rubbing elbows at WDW this month--we're arriving the 15th! Still thinking about a recording schedule--definitely China.......

Mike

 

[diegorivera2]

Jim,

Regarding 'Finding Neverland' and the score within the context of the movie -- I think you'll be pleased.

All the best,
Richard

 

[Dr. Know]

Looks like we'll be rubbing elbows at WDW this month--we're arriving the 15th!

Cool. I'll be wearing the Eeyore t-shirt.

 

[Michael Zielski]

......and I'm the guy with the gray Mountainsmith day-pack, usually with a determined look on his face, blasting to yet another Fast Pass terminal......

Mike