Legend

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

There's quite a story behind Legend, well actually more of a fairytale because it remains one of Jerry Goldsmith's most wanted scores. This score was replaced by Tangerine Dreams' effort and this resulted almost in World War III. The Universal executive Sheinberg decided to replace Goldsmith's effort with a more pop and rock result, simply to attract more teenage interest and a bigger audience. This resulted however in a less then overwhelming success, also because Ridley Scott's final edit was changed at certain places, so that it didn't succeeded in the magical background both created by Scott and Goldsmith. This is scandalous because the music tells the story so vividly and accurate, that it remains simply a perfect match for the movie. The expansive liner notes also offer a wider imagination so that one can even fantasize the story on his own. The movie starts inside your head and Goldsmith brings every detail to life so that each scene becomes a reality and a fiction of your imagination.

The score listens as a typical underscore for a fantasy tale such as this one. The score backs up each character with its own theme. Goldsmith has also backed up the emotions and doings of the most important scenes, and this results in a very complex score on its own, but a mastery when the end result is seen and heard in its overall effect. Goldsmith's use of synthesizers couldn't be better used then for the Goblins, a nasty rhythm and a very appropriate theme that's been used frequently in the beginning of the score. Lili's theme, often backed up by her supporting singing is another part of Goldsmith's giant book of good themes. The best themes are nonetheless for the two unicorns that gets a spectacular performance during 'The Unicorns' and the heroic theme for Jack (the hero of the story played by Tom Cruise) that is used too less and is heard in 'The Armour'. This is only the basic music and its use is cleverly adapted in other variations, the rest is underscore for the main scenes and some better stuff, this includes especially the choral but short part in 'Living River / Bumps and Hollows / The Freeze'.

It is however extremely difficult to summarize highlights, because the entire score consists of a complex result and the highlights are interwoven inside the main music. Still Goldsmith's complete result is stunning in its own right, but not so extremely musically speaking, because of the many changes in tone, pace, mood and feeling. The track 'Darkness Fails' is extremely powerful in its mood but consists of too many different pieces of music. The last two tracks offer some good music and the last is actually the best of the entire score, offering the main themes of Legend. This all combined is fairly interesting but sometimes I missed and failed to capture that magic that the score presents with each listen. It is a score that supports the mood and the magic, and the offering is a fairytale of Goldsmith himself, musically bringing some amazing themes and developments. It listens a bit on the same way as The Secret of NIMH, but consisting of more melodic moments and better fantasy music. I would widely advice those that fancy attractive Goldsmith music to pick up the score for a respectable price if you see it somewhere. Legend isn't surely the best, but after repeated listens it becomes a rather interesting and dreamlike tale approach, that offers some Goldsmith themes that deserve more then just the legendary myth they have acquired today.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Main Title * / The Goblins (5.47)

2. My True Love's Eyes + / The Cottage (5.04)

3. The Unicorns (7.54)

4. Living River *+ / Bumps & Hollow + / The Freeze (7.21) Excellent Track

5. The Faeries * / The Riddle (4.52)

6. Sing The Wee + (1.08)

7. Forgive Me (5.13)

8. Faerie Dance * (1.51)

9. The Armour * (2.17)

10. Oona * / The Jewels * (6.41)

11. The Dress Waltz (2.46)

12. Darkness Fails * (7.27)

13. The Ring (6.29)

14. Re-United + (5.19) Excellent Track

* Previously Unreleased

+ Lyrics by John Bettis

Total Length: 70.54

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

=== Link to Composer Site: Jerry Goldsmith ===