The Promise

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

For years I was wondering this, where has Klaus Badelt gone? After his almost spiritual rising from the depths of the dark age of film music he arose with the magical The Time Machine, only to descent into nothingness with The Recruit, Basic, Catwoman and the ever despised yet sheer adrenaline rush Pirates of the Caribbean. And this year Constantine wasn't a signal he would return to form. But as ever, there is a twist, a transformation, a chance to get back on track. Ultraviolet (after his interesting Equilibrium) is a thumbs up and The Promise is, well I have to say it sheer movie magic. We have praised Hans Zimmer for his touching The Last Samurai, we have to praise Klaus Badelt for the ultimate mix of beauty and power, strength and subtlety, Eastern and Western amazement. The Promise is as perhaps people know it the biggest and most expensive Asian movie ever made (for now) and the sheer lush photography, choreography and costume design are but part of a million things that made the movie so graceful, at least visually speaking. I'll have to find out later how easily it transforms into the mind as well. But one thing that can help the mind to understand what to like is the musical accompaniment and Badelt doesn't disappoint one bit with this effort. Multiple themes, stunning development of soft tunes to bombastic action movements, The Promise truly delivers on all parts. And what's most astounding about it all, Badelt truly shines as a composer here, not a MV composer even if his themes are soaked just a bit into the stamp of Media Ventures tunes, and this will never go away I think. But Badelt makes of a simple MV theme a winning theme due to the orchestral rising performance after each note. Starting early with 'Freedom of the Wa', stating a nice rising vocal led piece with strings. And the fact of the matter is, he continuously uses a rising performance of his themes to make sure the effect is reached.

In 'Wuji Main Theme' he does it to the main theme which crops op most of the times and while it reminds me as said to the MV compositions, the instruments and orchestra give it a richer more refined feel, and again it grows to its maximum in this track or in the amazing 'Princess Kite', a track that goes for the throat. However, Badelt keeps throwing themes to you and while most will not return in the version you heard them first, he continuously varies them to death, you simply can't follow and distinguish them after a while. You remember them because they flow effortlessly into another, but take it from me, just know they are there is more then plentiful to enjoy every second of it. The love theme is growing to the graceful stature of its composition in 'Love Theme', another subtheme grows in 'Kunlun, the Slave' and from its rising Chinese violin to its full blooded orchestral performance is enough to bring me to life. Quiet and softly 'Qingcheng, the Princess' flows into another theme, this time the heroic but brief marching 'Guangming, the General', extremely satisfying. As said, 'Princess Kite' delivers you the first heart pounding moments, followed by many others. 'The Promise' for starters with the main theme, ever soft strings, the soft princess theme and the marching general statement flowing into one. What's cool about the score is that in the middle Badelt still has surprises waiting for you, the wondrous choral supported fanfare in 'Snow Country', the simply breathless 'The Robe' rising with sheer brass to its climax and beyond, using god what theme to its fullest potential. That's not over yet, pounding clear percussion and string / brass pumps up the action department in the second part of this track. And leaving to unravel the rising princess theme in 'Save the King' (as heard in the trailer).

But Badelt isn't over yet, in fact he was just warming up. The pumping up of the brass and percussion in 'Guilang, the Assassin' is just wonderful in its dark sense before it explodes in brief Chinese power using parts of the general theme. The main theme in 'Saving a Princess' just warms up the heroism to come, the utter massive heroism. 'Feather Fight', 'Waterfall' and the simply brilliant 'Stampede' are just more signs where Badelt keeps throwing his themes into an orchestral suite of wonder, soft and powerful. 'Stampede' especially he throws in these brilliant fanfares that are simply breathless, along with the love theme in full wonder. Alas, the rest is needed in 'Come Back' where the Chinese violin performs the love theme, growing to its trailer version. However, its when Badelt goes all out for the final that The Promise truly shows how much it has going for it. 'Wuhuan's Plan' simply throws all the themes together in 10 minutes, from the general theme that opens it, to illustrious heroic big moments and soft and big theme statements, he even has new material after 60 minutes waiting for you. And when the 73 minutes are over and done for, you come to the conclusion you've just listened to Badelt's best and most mature listen of all. His numerous themes, in the big sense over conquering all he's written before, in the soft sense gracing his talents ever more, The Promise is basically what you've been expecting all along from him the moment you heard The Time Machine. It was his unique voice that made The Time Machine so refreshing, despite its Edge theme, here despite its half and half MV theme, it truly delivers multiple sub themes in return in the biggest sense possible. For that wonder and sheer explosive brilliance, The Promise is heralded with the only mark a true great score deserves, and that is with red stars. Luckily for most people, it has received its more commercial release now, so no more expensive dollars must be paid to witness an effort as grand as its illustrious cinema counterpart.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Freedom Of The Wa (2.40)

2. Wuji Main Theme (3.44) Excellent Track

3. Love Theme (2.13)

4. Kunlun, The Slave (1.48) Excellent Track

5. Qingcheng, The Princess (1.22)

6. Guangming, The General (1.06) Excellent Track

7. Wuhuan, The Duke (1.53)

8. Princess Kite (5.02) Excellent Track

9. The Promise (5.22) Excellent Track

10. Snow Country (4.31)

11. The Robe (8.04) Excellent Track

12. Save The King (4.00) Excellent Track

13. Guilang, The Assassin (2.24)

14. Saving A Princess (3.17) Excellent Track

15. Feather Fight (2.02)

16. Waterfall (2.45)

17. Stampede (4.46) Excellent Track

18. Come Back (4.27) Excellent Track

19. Birdcage (1.53)

20. Wuhuan's Plan (10.20) Excellent Track

Total Length: 73.49

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

=== Link to Composer Site: Klaus Badelt ===