A Clockwork Orange / Music from the Soundtrack
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This is the soundtrack (and score) to the movie A Clockwork Orange. It was released in 1972. I must have gotten it on CD sometime in the late 90s, I expect. I'm reviewing it in 2025. Some of the tracks were composed and/or arranged/performed by Wendy Carlos (known at the time by a different first name). The CD's back cover includes a warning about the album having been recorded on analog equipment, before modern noise reduction techniques.

1. "Title Music from A Clockwork Orange" (adapted from Henry Purcell's "Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary"): It seems appropriately dark, for funeral music. But this arrangement by Carlos is very synth-y. I guess I like it.

2. "The Thieving Magpie (Abridged)", composed by Gioachino Rossini: I've always quite liked this piece, and it's the second-longest track on the album, at nearly 6 minutes. I find it very upbeat and thrilling, on its own, though it takes on a much darker meaning in the film.

3. "Theme from A Clockwork Orange (Beethoviana)" (adapted from Purcell): this is much lighter than the earlier Purcell piece, and I think I like it a bit more, but it's still got Carlos's synth going on.

4. "Ninth Symphony, Second Movement (Abridged)", by Ludwig van Beethoven: I've always liked Beethoven's Ninth, though I'm not familiar with all the movements. This one is pretty nice. It feels sort of playful, to me, for the most part, though it does get more intense, in some places.

5. "March from A Clockwork Orange (Ninth Symphony, Fourth Movement, Abridged)", by Beethoven: Otherwise known as "Ode to Joy", but this arrangement by Carlos is super synth-y, and while I have nothing against synth music, I prefer this work of Beethoven's in a more traditional orchestral style. I still like it, but my enjoyment of it is slightly hampered by my wishing I could be listening to it done properly. I kind of get over that as it goes on (it's 7 minutes long), and I grow accustomed to it. I do think the weirdness of the synth-y sound fits in neatly with the movie's weird vibes, in general.

6. "William Tell Overture (Abridged)", by Rossini: This is mostly sped way up, to go along with the sped-up scene in the movie. I can't help but identify it with "The Lone Ranger", and it sounds here like his horse is galloping pretty darn fast.

7. "Pomp and Circumstance March No. I", by Edward Elgar: And this, of course, I associate with graduation ceremonies. But there's a part in the middle that I'm not really familiar with, which is faster and more exciting than the main part. I really like the whole thing, though. Very dramatic, and inspiring.

8. "Pomp and Circumstance March No. IV (Abridged)", by Elgar: This is about a minute and a half, less than half the length of the previous march. It's somewhat less familiar to me, but it has the same triumphant vibe.

9. "Timesteps (Excerpt)", by Carlos: This is the only track on the album that is, I'm fairly sure, totally original to Carlos. It's very synth-heavy, of course. Very eerie and outer space-y and just plain weird. Kind of a cacophony, but I don't dislike it.

10. "Overture to the Sun", by Terry Tucker: It's, uh, fine. I'm not sure what else to say.

11. "I Want to Marry a Lighthouse Keeper", sung by Erika Eigen: This is the shortest track, at only 1 minute. I think it's really cute and fun, even if it is meant to demonstrate a "lack of taste" of the movie protagonist's parents. I don't care. I can like all kinds of music, whether serious or just playful or anything else.

12. "William Tell Overture (Abridged)", by Rossini: Unlike the earlier part of this overture (track 6), this is slower, but it's not a part that I'm familiar with. It's nice enough.

13. "Suicide Scherzo (Ninth Symphony, Second Movement, Abridged)", by Beethoven: Unlike track 4, this arrangement by Carlos is, of course, very synth-y. It's also sets a pretty disturbing mood, which is appropriate for the film.

14. "Ninth Symphony, Fourth Movement (Abridged)", by Beethoven: Unlike track 5, this isn't synth-y, but it's a different part of the movement, not my favorite part. It has a chorus singing, which is nice.

15. "Singin' in the Rain", sung by Gene Kelly: He's not the first one to sing this song, but his is the only version I know, mainly because of the movie of the same name. I've always loved it. It may be used in a disturbing way in "A Clockwork Orange", but it still stands on its own. And it's a good way to close out the album.

So, the soundtrack is altogether pretty cool, I think. It all works quite well in the movie, but I think it works better on its own, so you can just feel whatever the music moves you to feel, instead of just what the movie scenes move you to feel.