CRIMES OF PASSION (OST)

The music on this album is good - in fact it is one of Rick's better releases. However, I have a real problem with it, which is that practically all the music on the album is derived from a famous classical symphony - Dvorák's New World to be precise.

Now I have no problem with modern artists borrowing tunes from the classics, as long as they acknowledge where the source material has come from - and in this case there is absolutely no mention of Dvorák or his music anywhere on the album. This is perilously close to plagiarism in my book. Rick Wakeman has very cleverly arranged the tunes to suit his own ends, but they are NOT his tunes, and he should have made a note of this to inform the purchaser of the album. OK, Dvorák died in 1904 and his music is long out of copyright, but that doesn't alter the fact that he composed the music on which this whole album is based. - not Rick Wakeman.

If you like this album, I suggest you get hold of a copy of Dvorák's New World Symphony (no.9) in E minor op.95 (written in 1893), and see for yourself.

If this music was totally original I would give it 3 or possibly even 4 stars. As it is I can only give it 1. Oh all right, I'll be generous - 2.