thepremier's Full Review: Alexander by Original Soundtrack
Alexander: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Music Composed by Vangelis
2004
Vangelis’ emotional score to Oliver Stone’s epic sword and sandal epic Alexander is a passionate and flowing creation. Fans of the composer will no doubt recognize the signatures, subtleties and flairs in his compositions from his previous works such as 1492: Conquest of Paradise, Blade Runner, and of course, Chariots of Fire.
An electronic soundtrack may not be what first pops into mind for a movie that takes place over two millennia ago – but in the hands of a masterful composer like Vangelis, who treated this project as a sort of labor of love to his native Greek heritage, it works wonders. Probably riding on the coat tails of the immensely successful soundtrack to the best picture Gladiator the sword and sandal epic is being revived and instead of soundtracks akin to Bernstein, North, and Horner, a far more eclectic mix – utilizing classical, new age electronic elements, and voice/choir work is being used to write the music of this new generation of epics. Vangelis also imbues many of his pieces with a repeating and subtle underlying rhythm that propels many of his harmonies in his compositions. The best way to describe that is something like the “clip-clop” of a horse walking a slow and even pace. It’s always there, in the background.
The music is unabashedly emotional, ethereal, otherworldly, and probably rightly so – as the world of Alexander was vastly different from our own. It’s a combination of rousing percussion, zealous strings, powerful voice work, Middle-Eastern mysticism, and bittersweet angst. The music when heard devoid of its images from the movie succeeds brilliantly in taking us to the exotic locales of the film with the skill that Williams’ Star Wars themes do, as Vangelis’ Persian and Eastern influences are fluid and beautiful to listen to. The tracks also seem to begin instantaneously as the previous one ends making for some interesting transitions of juxtaposing pieces.
Technical
Alexander contains 18 tracks with a total run time of 56:23 – not bad for a first release of a soundtrack. The CD booklet comes filled with lots of pictures and very few words.
Tracks (* indicates my favorites)
1. Introduction 1:32
2. Young Alexander 1:36
3. Titans 3:36 *
4. The Drums of Gaugamela 5:20 *
5. One Morning at Pella 2:11
6. Roxane’s Dance 3:25
7. Eastern Path 2:58 *
8. Gardens of Delight 5:24 *
9. Roxane’s Veil 4:40
10. Bagoas’ Dance 2:29 *
11. The Charge 1:41
12. Preparation 1:42
13. Across the Mountains 4:12 *
14. Chant 1:38
15. Immortality 3:18
16. Dream of Babylon 2:41
17. Eternal Alexander 4:37 *
18. Tender Moments 2:59
Music Highlights
The CD begins with two similar sounding pieces – both use rolling drums and strings to create a bittersweet but hopeful and moving beginning the soundtrack, illustrating the wonder, the hope, and the youthful pride and beauty of the young Alexander and the endless possibilities of his future.
Titans stops short of becoming the main theme for the movie, as it will probably be the piece of music most used when referring to the film and track in the future. It is completely arrogant, grandiose, and magnificent, making no apologies and asserting Alexander’s epithet as “The Great”. It makes full extent the full use of the electronic, the classical, and the voice. This is followed immediately by the heart pounding Drums of Gaugamela and as its title suggests the piece is very percussion driven, beginning with ominous horns and a menacing drum beat, and builds with a repeating and lingering rhythm in the background under a choir, followed by more menacing horns, tense string sequences, and finally crescendos into heroic brass and fanfare. This is the most intense piece of the soundtrack as it represents Alexander's first major engagement, one in which he almost looses his life.
Some of the tracks more quite tracks include One Morning in Pella. It features a very sweet and very moving melody on a harp as well as soft synth work underneath. Eastern Path represents that “Middle-Eastern mysticism” with an almost haunting and reflective melody played on a native instrument, the duduk. There’s a sense of melancholia in the melody. Gardens of Delight is more Persian mysticism, but “prettier”, with vocals, dream-like electronic melodies, and in general is very ethereal. There’s also a repeating percussion melody (picture a dessert caravan of camels in the sunset).
Roxane’s Dance begins a sequence of decidedly Persian and Middle Eastern sounding pieces. I told you the transitions were interesting, didn’t I? Roxane’s Dance is sultry and seductive with dancing flutes, a tambourine, a harp, and a lively soft percussion.
Roxane’s Veil is extremely electric and is the most contemporary sounding piece of music in the film, complete with vocals and violin and serves as a sort of love theme.
Bagoas’ Dance after beginning with strange animal sounds, is entirely drum and percussion and very rhythmic and intoxicating. The Charge and Preparation are both battle pieces, the first beginning with thematic material from Drums of Gaugamela, and builds with a men’s choir, and a loud crescendo. The latter features simple rhythms and drums creating a sense of urgency and danger.
If there’s one piece of music here that you are most likely to here in the background of a montage or film in the next year where the theme is overcoming obstacles, Across the Mountains would be that piece of music. The music with the underlying rhythm and the choir creates a tremendously hopeful and moving piece of music. Whether it’s reaching the boundaries of the known world and crossing them like Alexander – to the problems and challenges in all of our lives – this piece will make you believe that you could, you can, you will, and ultimately towards the victorious big finish at the end, you did.
Immortality begins softly and almost angelically with strings and choir. However towards the end it becomes ominous and threatening. No one is immortal – we know what happens to Alexander in Babylon…
Only a larger than life piece of music can be used to give a larger than life figure like Alexander the proper symphonic eulogy – and Eternal Alexander accomplishes that in old-fashioned grand fashion. A piece of music like this can only be used as an entire nation grieves over their fallen leader and to represent the mammoth vain-glory of said leader, it gives the soundtrack a fitting punctuation mark to a tale of one of history’s most incredible personages.
Bittersweet Memories is like an afterthought. It is a very, very soft and almost teary-eyed composition on the keyboard that waxes nostalgic and serves to cleanse the ear of the over-the-top grandeur of what we’ve just heard and brings everything together in a calm and serene way.
Thoughts
This was the first soundtrack that I have ever purchased before I’ve actually seen the movie. As the music filled my head, I had images and emotions of what I will eventually see on the big screen. Vangelis has composed pieces that do not simply serve as dime-a-dozen background music for an action/hero movie, but captures the emotion of the movie and of each scene by creating bold, dynamic, and unique musical environments painted with the many tools at his disposal. My only complaint I have is that some of the pieces are just too brief – they leave you wanting more and then the music abruptly changes to the next piece.
Compared with the other big budget, epic, ancient Greek movie of the year - Alexander is simply on a different playing field. Where as the original composer and music for Troy were scrapped by Warner Brothers because the music was TOO bold and original and they had to recruit James Horner to improvise their music in a month, fortunately Warner Brothers and Oliver Stone had the insight to go and stay with Vangelis. I think Alexander will definitely take its place as one of Vangelis’ best. It seamlessly captures the epic scale and the human drama left in the wake of Alexander's quest for both global unity and personal glory.
The Premier
Epinions - 2004
"I've always admired Oliver's films and, of course, Alexander the Great is a story that's a natural part of my heritage. So, to be composing for this film, with Oliver Stone directing, makes it an especially exciting experience for me." - Vangelis Saitis as quoted in Alexander's official website.
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