Saving Private Ryan

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

In the time of writing, the horrific terrorist actions of the Taliban against the United States one month passed, I feel there is no better score to listen to then John Williams' Saving Private Ryan to really think what has happened on that horrible 11th September 2001. During the first track alone the pictures of rescue workers, civilians and people around the globe flash before your eyes and in retrospect everything that John Williams captures of emotion truly mesmerizes the soul, and you simply connect your conscience to what has happened that particular day. I don't know if its because of those terrorists acts or because it has taken me awhile to listen to Saving Private Ryan but I simply listened, accepted and no matter how different it is from Schindler's List, it struck the exact same emotions in my heart. Saving Private Ryan is different but equally stunning in intelligence and Williams again surpassed our thoughts with this subdued but stunning masterpiece.

Of course its just how you look at the subdued nature of this score, some people expected more rambunctious war and action tracks, others might have expected this but no doubt the effect has been reached inside the movie, and surely on disc. It proves that Williams did do the right thing. This score isn't the gun ho action type, the movie didn't call for that and Williams did feel, as the liner notes explain that there wasn't a need for an extra set of emotion if it already existed in a raw form. This score, how different it may sound on disc is perfect for its cinematic partner. And any way you look at it, it is the style that Williams used in other efforts including The Patriot, Williams has evolved into a more mature and less bombastic way. Of course nothing matters when you encounter a piece of brilliance like 'Hymn to the Fallen', starting and ending the score it has to be one of the biggest emotional signs of Williams' career. This is truly stunning how Williams with the orchestra and with a choral accompaniment can truly bring a testament of sound for those who died in WW2, for those that didn't make it on that 11th September, Williams struck everything right and it truly makes this album a different experience.

The next two tracks bring more memorial hymns, 'Revisiting Normandy' and 'Omaha Beach' are indeed subdued pieces but explode of pride, memories and thoughts, making that this score doesn't need to rumble to make the point, it works just fine the way it sounds. 'Defense Preparations' is a bit more threatening and features more aggressive trumpet performances but nonetheless begins truly mesmerizing when a trumpet solo remind us quickly of JFK. I can't say I like it as pure mind blowing music but it surely does the trick inside our minds and inside the movie. 'Wade's Death' begins with a more vengeful sound, there is much hate in the music before turning more dramatic, but not emotionally beautiful. 'High School Teacher' brings again the emotional high charged music from tracks 2 and 3 and while 11 minutes long it isn't too much if you're in the right mood. And then we arrive at the last two tracks, people expecting full out action music with 'The Last Battle' will be deceived with more JFK sounding memorial hymn fanfares but no doubt the last will put you back into musical heaven with the reprise of 'Hymn to the Fallen'.

As of today people still wonder why Saving Private Ryan sounds so subdued, so not Williams' like. At that point it truly sounded Williams' like but people didn't know this, the style matured, the sound changed, the end result nonetheless fits the movie and today it still stands as the perfect match. Steven Spielberg's movie wasn't a simple action production but a horrifying ode to the soldiers that gave their lives for a country that wasn't even theirs. And Saving Private Ryan is that ode, that Williams' representation of the brutal yet patriotic war. So some people didn't like what they heard and turned their backs on it, it seems as though it sounded even non action like they got more out of The Thin Red Line, apart from 'Journey to the Line' being equally subdued in structure, but being perhaps the more emotional score. I did not say I applauded this score for its musical extravaganza but no doubt accepted and understood why Saving Private Ryan became the less action oriented one and more the total hymn sounding masterpiece, bringing honor to those that died for trying to put peace back at the world. Williams above all understood that and reacted with a supportive and total memorial like score, bringing us back to the dark reality of the present day.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Hymn To The Fallen (6.10) Excellent Track

2. Revisiting Normandy (4.05)

3. Omaha Beach (9.15)

4. Finding Private Ryan (4.37)

5. Approaching The Enemy (4.30)

6. Defense Preparations (5.54)

7. Wade's Death (4.30)

8. High School Teacher (11.02)

9. The Last Battle (7.56)

10. Hymn To The Fallen (Reprise) (6.10) Excellent Track

Total Length: 64.15

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=== Link to Composer Site: John Williams ===