Slightly known or scarcely divulged, the history of the disappearance or Hawaii United Kingdom as an independent nation, and its transformation as an State member of the United States of America, went through the armed overthrow of the legitimate hawaiian government in 1893 and its unilateral annexation in 1898. After all this it stays the figure of the last ruling of Hawaii, Queen Lili'uokalani, a pacific and resignated sovereign who prefer to avoid a useless bloodshed during the invasion of northamerican troops, finishing her days as a monarch unjustly incarcerated in Honolulu. Upon this historic basis works the surprising Lili'uokalani Symphony of argentinian Lalo Schifrin, author of a great number of splendid film scores -among them the famous Bullitt (1968) and Dirty Harry (1971)- and well-known TV themes -with Mission: Impossible (1966) ahead-, but also a recognized and reputable jazz musician. His third facet, the contemporary author fully informed of the last musical tendencies, is less popular but not less interesting; enough to mention that among his teachers and mentors is Olivier Messiaen, to be easy to ubicate him. Using all his huge range of musical resources, with a sober and balanced orchestration as a foundation, Schifrin structures his symphony in four movements more or less programmatic, as well commented on the complete libretto which comes with the CD, in a very classical and used four-part structure. Curiously, the removed Queen was also a song composer, and one of them serve as basis for the last movement, with the participation of two autoctonous choral groups. The only sham to be able to enjoy this excellent work is the limited distribution of the present recording, in a mexican edition of terrific presentation and great sound.

Lili'uokalani Symphony (1995)
Wiener Symphoniker - Conductor: Lalo Schifrin
URTEXT JBCC006 / 57'

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