For Immediate Release

MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE - MASTER AND COMMANDER

Featuring Original Music By The Australian Trio Of Iva Davies, Christopher Gordon & Richard Tognetti Also Featuring Acclaimed Cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Released On November 11, 2003 From Decca/UMG Soundtracks

(NY, NY - November 10, 2003) Oscar Winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind) continues his string of unforgettable character transformations as Captain Lucky Jack Aubry in the highly anticipated Master And Commander- The Far Side of the World. Three-time Academy Award-nominee director Peter Weir (Witness, The Truman Show) joins Crowe and Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind) in the epic based on the tenth book in Patrick O'Brian's legendary series of novels about the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The soundtrack will be in-stores on November 11th on Decca/UMG Soundtracks.

Patrick O'Brian's novel Master & Commander was declared by The New York Times to be "the best historical novels ever written." In the film, Aubrey's ship, the Surprise, is attacked by enemy forces. Aubry- the Navy's greatest fighting captain- takes his ship and crew on the chase of a lifetime to the far edges of the world to strike and capture their foe. Torn between returning an injured crew to safety and completing his patriotic duty, the stakes are high in a mission that will decide the fate of a nation.

Just as the film's visual enormity takes the viewer on a journey to the swashbuckling days of war on the high seas, so does Iva Davies, Christopher Gordon and Richard Tognetti's score seamlessly ride the waves of the Surprise's race to the edge of the world. The soundtrack interweaves "Old World" and "New World" music combining a heavy percussive undertone, traditional orchestral arrangements and modern electric hues through the use of synthesizers. Comments composer Iva Davies; "Drums signal the forward movement of the ship.that it's on a mission..we wanted the score to be not what everyone expected. Peter (Weir) wanted some scenes to have what I call a kind of 'futuristic' sense - conveying the idea that these 19th century sailors were cutting-edge explorers."

Furthering Davies, Gordon and Tongnetti's musical tie-ins with Weir's narrative is the inclusion of Crowe and Bettany's characters playing the violin and cello (respectively) in key scenes. Composer Richard Tognetti prepared Crowe for his role by giving him violin lessons. Says Daily Variety: "The Aubrey-Maturin bond also provides the cue to the film's singular musical approach.the two play violin-cello duets of Mozart and Bach. There the score inventively incorporates the work of more recent composers with the modern Australian composer team.which introduces significant percussive and synthesizer effects. This combination of diverse elements coalesces and bridges the gap between authentic period sounds and contemporary excitement." In addition to original tracks, the soundtrack rounds out with historical source music including J.S. Bach's Prelude From the Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major performed by Yo-Yo Ma, among others.

A Twentieth Century Fox release, Master and Commander opens November 14th in theatres everywhere. As Fox's biggest Oscar contender of the year, the film is sure to be a staple this holiday season.

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