Alexander

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

People are nuts for several composers, Thomas Newman, Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, Vangelis, I mean those guys who have got huge fanbases (most of the time from one particular score) and they are also people that at times go so in against the stream of the expected that disappointment or utter stardom awaits their next project. Concerning the last, Vangelis has been away for far too long, and yet he is adored by many because of the music he wrote for Chariots of Fire, Blade Runner, 1942, I mean those classics that are classics because of the fans. And when Alexander was appointed as the next (orchestral) score in years, people simply cheered the outcome of this score, even to the Oscars for some. Of course, what would have been a perhaps obvious choice if the film was considered to be simply better then what stands now, who knows where Alexander would have ended? Now, various sources of course love the one more then the other, but considering some people praising this score right along LOTR (in quotation at least) made me of course more then curious for the end affair, and you hear me coming but my god where do people got the common sense of bringing this score right along LOTR, or even a good Goldsmith or Powell affair? I mean, you can love Vangelis and his ability for the more easier is better to like approach, but even if Alexander would (have) been easy, then it still lacks all the highlights scores as Shore's massive trilogy captured minute by minute. This keeps Alexander not only from a rating most people perhaps wanted, but also the fact people are all different. Alexander is not your classic affair, at times downright boring to hear, and just in moments does Vangelis unleash his more important qualities, that of the big choral / orchestral / synthesized affair all in one, but this too few to really make it conquer Middle Earth.

The score opens with some good tracks though, 'Young Alexander' lets the theme grow with choir and strings into something epic, 'Titans' is the best track because it brings what I expected and wanted of Vangelis all along, a repeated main theme with choir and large strokes of that choir making an epic feel seem fitting for the movie. The rest doesn't really follow that line. 'The Drums of Gaugamela' is a darker affair with constant drums, the theme of track 3 repeated but now much darker and the synthetic angle of Vangelis adding his signature, its loud but not exactly rip roaring. I expect and love softer music as much as the next one, but too much isn't good enough, and just like Children of Dune, too much can be lethal, 'One Morning at Pella' has harp, 'Roxane's Dance', ethnic flute and percussion rhythm, 'Gardens of Delight' could come out of a Hercules or Xena album with its soft but constant repetition of solo instruments and percussion (though it comes closest with Settlers IV). Vocals ala Enya open 'Roxane's Veil', solo violin ala The Village, and a rather new age like feeling at times with the beat, its kinda mesmerizing in its effect for some time, but 'Baoga's Dance' is simply weird, and just some clanging. Luckily 'The Charge' is back to formula with track 3's theme, choir almost in Omen like chanting form and basically, more to louder music. 'Preparations' is like 1492 or Mythodea in its tone, 'Across the Mountains' and a track 3 variation theme constantly shows its Vangelis true voice in this better track. Sadly 'Immortality' is boring with its choral soft performance, but 'Eternal Alexander' is a nice finish with its choir growing over a triumphant returning theme. This doesn't make Alexander yet the next best thing, because for that it misses not the complexity one doesn't expect with Vangelis, but simply the punch or the thrill or the epic quest. I didn't expect Gladiator or something in this vein, but once people rate it like that, then you got problems. Alexander of Vangelis works after a couple of times, but in the middle too much soft music makes for a part of dragging tones, and begin and end can't live up to their epic grandeur, despite sounding simply good by nature.

\ตตต/

Tracks

Single Disc

1. Introduction (1.31)

2. Young Alexander (1.35)

3. Titans (3.58)

4. The Drums Of Gaugamela (5.19)

5. One Morning At Pella (2.11)

6. Roxane's Dance (3.24)

7. Eastern Path (2.58)

8. Gardens Of Delight (5.23)

9. Roxane's Veil (4.40)

10. Baoga's Dance (2.28)

11. The Charge (1.40)

12. Preparations (1.41)

13. Across The Mountains (4.12)

14. Chant (1.38)

15. Immortality (3.18)

16. Dream Of Babylon (2.40)

17. Eternal Alexander (4.37)

18. Tender Memories (2.58)

Total Length: 56.20

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

=== Link to Composer Site: Vangelis ===