The Dark Crystal (Bootleg)

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Even in the early days of his compositional career, Trevor Jones was exploring the boundaries of fantasy. Fantasies in the tale of Excalibur or the more recent Merlin. Or fantasies like The Dark Crystal and four years after that Labyrinth. And since everything is released apart from The Dark Crystal, there is word about a release coming soon near you in the store. Since I couldn't wait that long, I took the opportunity to get a 40 minute release (what seems to be the original in length publication) and actually find out if many people were screaming for the right cause yes or no. And after several listens I came to the conclusion that many simply were mesmerized due to the control of fantasy and mystery in Jones' score, something coming way later equally well in Merlin for starters. And the year before that he added it in Excalibur, but in a much more dark form of composing. This score is actually flawed in its rather dark mystifying sense, but equally in this right it it the score's strong point as it leads and guides you into the world of Jim Henson without you ever have seen the film for one bit. So, see The Dark Crystal as the cousin to a score like Merlin, it can sound boring but the world it creates with its mysterious sound palette is quite easily put, stunning in its own right.

Of course, every time you start a Trevor Jones score, you watch out for the main theme that will explode with an epic mesmerizing brass avant garde. And then you encounter it, a rather disappointing four note theme. Yet the beauty of it, it isn't over because the first part of it is rather ordinary and nothing of the grand epic Jones theme but then he simply adds a couple of notes in it and it becomes a touch more developed, inspired and darn interesting. And so you start to love its outbursts on brass from the second it appears during the score. And luckily from the first track, 'Overture' has the theme in fabulous form and even after that theme he adds a sub theme to it that equally listens strong. But also from the start, Jones starts weaving the mystery and fantasy around the score and it never lets up, 'The Mystic Master Dies' with its links towards Excalibur and 'The Gelfling Ruins' capturing more wonder through some short end fanfares. 'The Funerals / Jen's Journey' captures in all its sense some qualities of Jones into one, organ solos that receive through it orchestral yet dark color, a mournful flute solo that will become the love theme and a restatement of the main theme for when the journey begins. It is at times quite splendid. The same counts for 'The Great Conjunction' at the end. It has good fanfares and main theme performances giving it a sort of rousing ending at times. The playful serenade giving memories of Excalibur is heard in 'The Pod Dance', the 'Gelfling Song' with its female vocal accompaniment and a short yet adventurous swell (upbeat) of the main theme a la Krull standards in 'The Landstrider Journey' are especially noticed on the side.

Yet there is one theme that hasn't been explained enough and that is 'Love Theme', heard first on flute during track 5 and here also beginning on flute, it is a rather simple but again great theme. It is Jones ability to make the theme rise with an epic grandeur that it becomes way much better then that. In this track especially the sound quality (improved) can do miracles. The last track 'Finale' gives a terrific compilation of all the themes, from the Gelfling one to the main theme ending with the same grandeur as in track 1. The Dark Crystal overall isn't as strong as Merlin or The Mighty, but it has strong qualities with it. A main theme that actually amazes you each time or a sense of mystifying mood that can make a listen even fantasy like on its own. Or just the moments that can make a soundtrack on itself good with a LSO to back up the size. Merlin had its dead moments but just like that score, the sudden grow in color can do a lot of liking the score more. If there is ever a moment that The Dark Crystal will receive that commercial release, with restored sound clarity and 10 to 15 minutes more of material, then I'm the first to tell that it is a score to buy, just for the wonderful magic it creates. So I'm guessing that a well restored sound quality and just the inclusion of the begin, love theme version and end tracks can make a person actually loving the soundtrack release of The Dark Crystal, even as a bootleg.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Overture (3.12) Excellent Track

2. The Power Ceremony (3.53)

3. The Storm (1.04)

4. The Mystic Master Dies (0.52)

5. The Funerals / Jen's Journey (5.25)

6. The Skesis Duel (2.41)

7. The Pod Dance (3.13)

8. Love Theme (3.19)

9. Gelfling Song (2.23)

10. The Gelfling Ruins (2.46)

11. The Landstrider Journey (0.45)

12. The Great Conjunction (4.14)

13. Finale (7.16) Excellent Track

Total Length: 41.13

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

=== Link to Composer Site: Trevor Jones ===