Earthsea

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Jeff Rona has been one of these composers, greatly appreciated by directors for his versatility and admiring skills, forgotten as composer by fans who assumed he would venture into bigger things after White Squall and Chicago Hope. Earthsea had all the qualifications of making it happen once more. But after so many years, it will for the moment not happen yet. Traffic, his recent other noticed Television series score was better appreciated then the real movie score and Earthsea was promised to be a loved tale for those who adore fantasy scores. We have come to expect the exaggeration with Varèse for selling their efforts as the next best thing, but one thing said this might be true. Alas. What basically goes wrong with this effort or score has to be seen completely, the series on Television failed for many viewers and it seemed it couldn't capture the books' vision nor the fantasy minds of fans, and the score will work its effect one way or another in the series, but on disc this fails because of its length and its limited appeal to soundtrack listeners who heard so many scores already in the past. Actually, its soft and its occasionally packed with a lovely theme or moment, but the fact is that Earthsea promised bigger things for those not knowing the books or having seen the series, and there is where the fault lies with Varèse. Secondly, the fault is also the length here, nearly 70 minutes is too much considering 15 minutes of good music is found here and 15 so so music could have made it acceptable, now the constant moody and soft pieces are beginning to annoy more and more, especially considering you would have to listen to it all over again for the good moments on score. There lies equally the fault with Varèse as the producers since they have to bring diversity but more importantly the best moments in the most accessible listen. Actually, thinking great things of Earthsea, not only its length will stumble you but equally its lack of any powerful moments. Thinking of track titles as 'The Dragon's Tale' and 'The Kargide Attack', you get nothing of powerful music, rhythmic suspense nor loud fanfares, it all stays soft and because of that is forgettable after its 70 minutes. The main theme is nice, a Celtic like Mighty Joe Young affair with vocals but its at least loud and melodic enough to remember some of it after its conclusion, for instance the versions in 'Main Title' and 'Light over Earthsea'.

This score uses the orchestra as background tool, since most tracks are brought forward with flute, guitar, Uillian pipes, drums and strings. 'Ged and his Teacher' is nice with its solo vocal and flute, and main theme but it continues to use intimate instruments. 'Follow your Path' uses solo vocal, ethnic instruments in 'The King's Plot' on a darker level, experimental guitar in 'Walk Along the Way', ethnic tones in 'Atuan' and 'Mists of a New Land' which is totally forgettable, moody as hell! Several differences aside, like 'The King's Plans' with its more dangerous rhythm, the totally absent strength in 'The Kargide Attack' which has throat singing and darker sounding brass but nothing erupts, growing dissonance in 'The Book of Spells' and some light suspension building with brief fanfares in 'At Dawn', but nothing breaks the spell of the moody soft music. Bells making you fall asleep in 'Halls of Wisdom', solo flutes setting no string of emotion in 26, 27 and 28, a promising title as 'The Dragon's Tale' bringing after 4 boring minutes some color with a nice solo horn while the main theme with vocals and Uillian pipes finally show its vintage light fantasy beauty in the best tracks as 'Light over Earthsea', 'Sparrowhawk' and 'Sailing'. Especially the last track shows the complete difference when going from a boring mood to an orchestral light flourish, it makes all the difference and especially considering we were expecting fantasy music, this comes as a disappointment. There is also a secondary theme, and this light but pleasant melody is played more then the actual main theme, softly in 'Follow your Path' and with Uillian pipes and harp lovely in 'Time to Go', with further examples near the end. But altogether, Earthsea doesn't promise what's been promised, shows no stopping since the length doesn't spare the mood and that basically, it all sounds lighter then expected. Forget that its long and moody, at least a pair of more orchestral rocking tracks could have taken us away from our fantasy sleep. Again, its a sign of over expectations, presented in a listen that should have been half its size and coming from a composer who had good ideas but couldn't or wouldn't bring it further in powerful doses. We weren't expecting LOTR, but give the fantasy explanation, Varèse seemed it was gonna be just that. Children of Dune was equally too long and moody, but it at least had the moments where the orchestra took every moody preconception away.

\µµ1/2/

Tracks

Single Disc

1. Main Title (1.50)

2. If Not Us (3.21)

3. Ged And His Teacher (1.44)

4. Follow Your Path (1.09)

5. Isle Of Roke (1.39)

6. The King's Plans (0.52)

7. The King's Plot (1.14)

8. Time To Go (1.55)

9. The Kargide Attack (1.32)

10. Walk Along The Way (1.02)

11. Sailing (1.33)

12. Atuan (1.02)

13. The Book Of Spells (2.04)

14. Sparrowhawk (1.45)

15. Fireside (1.28)

16. When We Meet (5.18)

17. At Dawn (1.09)

18. Halls Of Wisdom (2.26)

19. Wonderful Friend (0.45)

20. A Discovery (2.54)

21. My True Name (1.20)

22. Mists Of New Land (4.21)

23. A Lesson Learned (1.52)

24. The Chambers (1.01)

25. My Strength (1.56)

26. Visions (1.07)

27. The Nameless Ones (1.56)

28. Catacombs Of Atuan (2.02)

29. The Dragon's Tale (5.25)

30. My Successor (2.06)

31. The Last Song (1.07)

32. Into The Catacombs (1.46)

33. Light Over Earthsea (3.47)

Total Length: 67.16

The use of artwork or photos is posted for non profitable reasons

=== Link to Composer Site: Jeff Rona ===