Cleopatra Soundtrack CD
Cleopatra (Special Edition)
1963, 20th Century Fox.
Alex North.
Verese Sarabande, CD, 2001, 302 066 224 2.
Rating: 
Never before released on CD, Alex North’s beautiful, majestic score to Joseph L. Mankiewicz’ over-long but visually arresting, ‘Cleopatra‘, is like the film itself, a gargantuan event. This two cd set is packed full of memorable cues charting Cleopatra’s doomed quest for power, love and security: first from Caesar (Rex Harrison) and then Marc Antony (Richard Burton). Though fans of North’s work will recognise elements from his score for ‘Spartacus’ in cues ‘By Divine Right’, ‘Hail Antony’ and ‘Sea Battle’ among others, these sit quite comfortably alongside the wonderful and complex ‘Moon Gate’ and the melodic ‘Cleopatra’s Barge’ with its sweeping, seductive rhythm and drive, reflecting Cleopatra’s ambition to seduce Marc Antony on her arrival in Rome. From the grand and elaborate ‘Main Title’ to the most intimate of cues (’Antony and Cleopatra‘s Love‘), North is primarily concerned with the love triangle between the main protagonists and their various ambitions and desires; his use of exotic instrumentation (mandolin and harp) brings the luxurious to life, and a powerful percussive element conveys the sheer enormity of the events unfolding. While the film itself experienced many problems, including an inflated budget, multiple script re-writes and even a temporary change of Producer, North’s score is as perfect as the film should have been; a triumph from start to finish.
Cleopatra Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing;
Disc One:
1. Overture.
2. Main Title.
3. Pharsalia.
4. Caesar to Egypt.
5. Caesar To Egypt.
6. Pompey’s Ring.
7. A Gift For Caesar.
8. Only Yesterday.
9. Epilepsy.
10. Great Library.
11. Moon Gate.
12. Taste Of Death.
13. Sympathy.
14. Coronation.
15. Fertility.
16. Alexander’s Tomb.
17. Calpurnia.
18. The Fire Burns/Son Of Caesar.
19. Caesar’s Departure.
20. Cleopatra Enters Rome.
21. By Divine Right.
22. Death In The Garden.
23. Caesar’s Assassination.
24. Requiem.
25. Farewell.
26. Entr’acte (Caesar and Cleopatra).
27. Hail Antony.
28. Isis.
29. Love Theme (Reprise).
Disc Two.
1. Cleopatra’s Barge.
2. Most Becoming.
3. Food.
4. Antony And Cleopatra In Texas.
5. Bacchus.
6. Antony And Cleopatra’s Love.
7. One Breath Closer.
8. Love And Hate.
9. Athens.
10. Cleopatra’s Ambition.
11. War.
12. Interlude/Sea Battle.
13. My Love Is My Master.
14. Two Heads.
15. Better Late Than Never.
16. Cleopatra’s Son/Antony’s Camp.
17. Never Fear.
18. Grant Me An Honorable way To Die.
19. Anthony’s Retreat/Transitions.
20. Dying Is Less Than Love.
21. Octavian The Victor.
22. Antony…Wait.
23. Epilogue.
24. Exit Music (Antony And Cleopatra).
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