Of all the classic John Williams scores that people would sell off members of their own family to get, Superman is pretty much at the top of the heap. Lucas' re-issue of Star Wars and sequels ensured those being released, ET has appeared to mixed response (it's too long apparently) and Close Encounters was improved almost immeasurably on the hideous original release. As I've said in reviews of the other available versions of Superman I can't honestly say that it thrills me in quite the same way as say The Empire Strikes Back or Williams' other huge blockbusting symphonic epics. However, I am now wondering whether this is a result of the poor original release the score received. The single original disc released had, at best, muddy sound and at worst truly appauling sound - most notably during some of the more thrilling brass passages. Nothing like a bad sounding Williams brass passage to totally ruin the score. The Varese re-recording had excellent sound and a very good performance that was different to the original, but captured the overall spirit of the music. Now we have the entire score assembled as closely as possible to the film version.
Evidently there were several releases of the film, including one which runs to three hours or something that was cut together and shown on television. Therefore, sequencing the entire score was going to be tricky at best, but Michael Matessino & Nick Redman have done a great job and have even given us a few alternates, notably of the opening titles sequence. Most people will be familiar with the concert version that features on almost any Williams compilation, but the actual opening title features a brief prologue before bursting into the actual main title. The concert version is included for the sake of completeness as are the used film version and a couple of slightly different versions, featuring different arrangements of essentially the same material. What is interesting to note is that the prelude was written in sections and edited together in the original and this has been repeated here, not that you'd know it was edited together since it all plays through perfectly.
The film and score are more clearly composed of two halves. The first half giving Superman's back story, the thundering Krypton music that has always been a highlight for me. This is followed by the more gentle Smallville music with some gorgeous moments such as Death of Jonathan Kent and the sprightly Growing Up; two of the most oft requested cues. The Fortress of Solitude is often considered a favourite cue, but it's not one that I immediately fell in love with, but enjoy it more and more each time I hear it. The ethereal synth and choir murmerings being quite different to most of the rest of the score, even thought it finally gives way to a short burst of the main theme.
The second half (well, a little more than half) is romance, action and heroics that are perhaps more akin to what might be expected in a score for a super hero. The Big Rescue is another much reqested cue featuring Superman's first appearance and his rescue of Lois Lane from a helicopter accident. The action cues such as Super Rescues and Super Feats, both of which were featured on the original, but contain previously unreleased benefit from the additions as well as the hugely improved sound quality. While there is perhaps a little more than ideal hiss once in a while, the clarity of the sound improved on the original album although it's still not perfect. It seems the masters weren't kept as carefully as they should have been. Having said that, the brass here are much sharper and crisper; with more of the inner woodwind and string detail can be heard.
Although it doesn't blossom fully until the second film, the bizarre two person, three way love triangle thing inspired a suitably gorgeous love theme from Williams; possibly ranking as one of my favourites - even my Mother thought it was lovely. Indeed it forms the basis for possibly my favourite cue of the entire score. While I love brassy action and could listen to it all day, this is one instance where the lithe grace of Williams writing works to its best advantage. The Flying Sequence is composed of two halves, the first being a balletic take on the love theme which swirls and well, flies around perfectly, it was then followed by a more straight forward, gently romantic take which most people felt was utterly ruined by Margot Kidder's dialogue. She was good as Lois Lane in the film, but hearing her inner thoughts in this way just doesn't work, especially since it was surely intented to be sung. However, both versions are present, the dialogue free version within the main body of the album.
A more pop and synth based arrangement of the flying sequence was apparently uncovered during the reconstruction and frankly it's cheesy as hell as not terribly enjoyable, but is interesting from an archival point of view. It doesn't exactly get in the way of the rest of the music, being as it as at the end of the album. One piece of sourse music is also included, Luthor's Luau which is cheesy Hawaiian music, again interesting for completeness and not a lot else. There were apparently quite a few other songs and bits of source music that Williams wrote although I think almost all of them went unused and they couldn't be found for inclusion. Still, the entire score was present and in pretty decent condition so I think we've done pretty well!
Any John Williams fan will want to own this as it is more or less complete, has sound that really is a huge improvement on the original and contains detailed and informative liner notes about the score, the film and the Superman myth in general. Isn't really much else to add beyond recommending it in every way.
Rating ~ 
Disc One:
Total Time ~ 75:21
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Disc Two:
Total Time ~ 73:38
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*Previously Unreleased
**Contains Previously Unreleased Music