QBVII
 
 

QBVII was the first TV mini series and paved the way for the likes of Roots and of course Masada. QBVII (Queen's Bench No 7) was based on actual events and told the story of two men; one a respected doctor suing the other, a Pulitzer Prize winning author in the titular court room, who claimed the doctor was not an inmate at a Nazi Concentration Camp, but one of the doctors who collaborated with the Nazis and experimented on the Jewish inmates. The doctor actually wins the case (even though his guilt is clear) but is awarded damages of just one penny.

QBVII opens at the Royal Courts in London and Goldsmith presents a loud and proud fanfare intro before tailing off with percussion and introducing the two key character themes - Kelno and Cady. The recording has a somewhat pinched quality to it, more to do with its age and perhaps recording venue, which makes the Italian ensemble appear quite small. But all credit to Goldsmith as he makes full use of the resources with his eventual score dubbed loudly throughout the series.

With the story shifting between author Cady and doctor Kelno the album cues cover their key moments. Journey Into The Desert has Goldsmith providing ominous overtones and an elaborate Arabian theme for Kelno's time in Kuwait improving medical conditions for the Arabs. Earlier Kelno evades the allies with Goldsmith providing a short action sequence of violent brass and percussion during an Escape across the German/Polish border. For Cady there is a touching lullaby of warm strings and clarinet for his love affair with British wartime nurse and future wife; Samantha (I Cannot See My Love). For latter scenes, as the case begins proper, a tender variation returns (Free To Love) juxtaposed with chilling camp music (A New Life). The profoundly moving A Sorrow Of Two Fathers provides a heartbreaking reading of the theme introducing a solemn funeral like march.

The Wailing Wall has Cady accepting his father's love and religion during his funeral and promises to learn of the suffering of his people during the war. Here Goldsmith introduces a haunting chorus before leading into an upbeat variation of his main theme for a Taxi ride across Tel Aviv. The music for The Holocaust further develops this theme as Cady tours Israel's Holocaust memorial before it is properly realised in Jadwiga Relived as later Cady visits the infamous camp, now also a memorial. Goldsmith uses chilling dissonant voices speaking the Jewish Mourners Prayer with throbbing percussion and electronic effects creating a truly unsettling listen. Interestingly this key track is longer here than it was on the original LP. For the finale cue Goldsmith's grief permeates but never overwhelms the music as this time the Kaddish signals hope as the words are now sung, set to a triumphant and moving orchestral coda (A Kaddish For The Six Million).

Goldsmith's lengthy Emmy winning score is for the most part made up of short incidental cues, with the original LP preserving the major sequences. Completists might like a 2 hour recording but in truth this selection is more than adequate, now re-mastered and preserved on CD, this makes for a superior revaluation of a classic Goldsmith work.