The Mists of Avalon

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Praised as one of 2001's finest, I approached Lee Holdridge's The Mists of Avalon with great expectations as with a sense of carefulness, since it was still my first of the composer's career. As I have been all my life, the lowest score can still set my soul on fire and the biggest can not, as it is sometimes not the form of melodic mastery but the pure listening experience that controls my judgment. And to completely respect these wishes, the melodic mastery of The Mists of Avalon is outstanding to say the least but the experience is missing a vital point to give it a quotation that many probably expected of me. The television branch has often received a stirring effort of a great film composer and pieces such as Trevor Jones' Merlin comes to mind immediately. I'm not the one to criticize on Lee Holdridge's status because often these are the ones that carry the greatest gift of all. Michael Giacchino is considered by many to be an outstanding composer yet he scores not one big film. Lee Holdridge is a composer I haven't got the pleasure meeting before and honestly, if any score receives further acclaim from him in the future, I will not be hesitant to check that one out. But something is missing that controls the impression of the score The Mists of Avalon, and mostly it is a mix of "little to do about the score, the most about what surrounds it".

People can often see this as a bad start for a score that is so much appreciated. And mostly the blame lies not with the others but with me, as I have a different opinion about many scores. And even if overall, I couldn't give The Mists of Avalon more in grade, it does pack musical magic and moments that tingle the spine more then enough. It all starts with a moment of score that promises much, a mix of score and song opens the tale of Arthur and Excalibur. 'The Mystic's Dream' reminds me of many song / vocal interpolated pieces including Gladiator, The Affair of the Necklace but mostly Green Card. The choir that supports it is nonetheless strong and the Irish influence was expected already from the start. Perhaps one of the negative aspects of the score is its main theme. I find it a theme that holds magical qualities but it barely received this magical form of either orchestral or choral power, something that could have made the score so much better. Its first appearance is during 'Morgaine's Journey' and crops up several times, but almost none like in the version I wished of it. The track covers both the soft orchestral version and a short choral version, filled further with intense drum appearances and a fanfare at the end. One of the first highlights that graces the score and my heart is 'Igraine Meets Uther / Arthur is Born', a pure magical experience of tones when first a happily lively flute theme is heard and later the orchestral version backing it up. It is perhaps a little light on the power but full of the brilliance. It is one of those moments I wished there would be more off.

The score also distinguishes itself differently with vocal performances during many moments of the score. Like Aeone's singing during several tracks including 4, 5 but also during knockout tracks like 14. A short Scottish form full of power and drive starts 'Running up the Hill / Guinevere' which reminds me still a bit of Trevor Jones' amazing moment of Loch Ness and further we have a varying mix of everything during 'The Cave Ceremony', which I find not that interesting. A track that blows me away but is so frustratingly short is 'Finding Excalibur', magical and powerful but simply a brink of 2 minutes long. Of course we have serenades along with the occasional somber tone but still two of the best moments are 'Merlin's Wisdom / Merlin's Death' with its emotionally and tragically inspiring choral work and 'Vivienne's Death' with its strongest choral aid and the one and only performance (choral) of the main theme, these are the moments that I expected from the begin and are absolute spine tingling vistas of pure talent. The brief action music is good to a degree but nothing more and the 'Finale' is equally missing a strong climatic end, even with its choral moments on occasion and main theme performances. The song at the end reminds me of Enya and Clannad's entry of The Last of the Mohicans and is enjoyable. Overall, it is more the indifference in tracks sometimes that keeps the score a little long at times, the miss of several strong main theme moments and the fact that the score has these outstanding moments, but unfortunately scattered around in tracks that keeps me a bit off guard of The Mists of Avalon. The score is perhaps in my book 15 minutes too long, but it does cover original non rip off flashes of music with great inspired mixes of everything. As music for Television series it is the best that is at offer and still a combination of spine tingling excellence on occasion.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. The Mystic's Dream: Loreena McKennitt (7.40)

2. Morgaine's Journey (6.25)

3. Igraine Meets Uther / Arthur Is Born (4.55) Excellent Track

4. The Children Leave / Vivienne's World (3.26)

5. Morgaine Grows Up (4.23)

6. Running Up The Hill / Guinevere (3.38)

7. The Cave Ceremony (4.02)

8. Finding Excalibur (1.45)

9. Night Courtyard (2.36)

10. A Night Of Love (4.15)

11. No Baby / Castle Dance (2.54)

12. Merlin's Wisdom / Merlin's Death (4.31) Excellent Track

13. Morgaine's Despair (3.07)

14. Vivienne's Death (2.46) Excellent Track

15. Lancelot And Guinevere Say Farewell (2.33)

16. Mordred Confronts Arthur / The Battle Begins (4.44)

17. Finale (5.17)

18. I Will Remember You Still: Aeone (4.02)

Total Length: 73.34

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=== Link to Composer Site: Lee Holdridge ===