August Rush
Mark Mancina
" all you have to do is listen "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
There was a time Mark Mancina wasn't getting enough attention. That period is gone apparently considering Shooter and August Rush are but a few of the recent projects he tackled. From a musical point of view, August Rush was by far the most interesting one. After all the drama is all about music. And you know what music is? God's little reminder that there's something else besides us in this universe. A harmonic connection between all living beings, every where, even the stars.
Listen. Can you hear it? The music. I can hear it everywhere. In the wind... in the air... in the light. It's all around us. All you have to do is open yourself up. All you have to do... is listen.
Now listen carefully to me. August Rush is a musical enchanting journey. There is no other score I know that shows its ideas so early, and yet shows ultimately at the end for what they were meant for. And here I'm reviewing the expanded score that was released (MP3) long after the original soundtrack in 2007.
If you think about it, several motifs on their own make for musical themes and nice ones at that. But when brought together they create a musical symphony that speaks louder than notes. For instance "Wine Glass Suite" has an ethereal theme with the main theme as backbone while "Arpeggio Theme" returns with the ethereal theme and gives it emotion through warm cello.
The great quality about August Rush and especially the expanded score is that all musical motifs and themes are stated separately in the tracks. In "Guitar Lullaby" or with piano in "Hospital". It even states the theme on a children's carousel. So lovely. By then "Photo" adds the ethereal theme with a lovely emotional connection, strings.
There are exceptions when music doesn't flow but music needs to attack. "Against the Gate" is such an example where it does it with electric guitar and harmonica, on a more aggressive beat. This represents Wizard in the movie. The same for the darker "Searching / Wind Up".
There are other examples when these motifs grow to emotional magnificence such as in "Washington Square" or in "Julliard Pt. 2" where an orchestral tour de force takes all motifs to live. The Wizard's cry by the way is all tucked away at the ending. And in "Basketball" organ takes the theme to another level.
And then we reach what must be described. "Main Title from Theme Suite One" brings forth an utterly magical rise of strings that will shut you up in the movie. And of course we still have the reason why we keep on listening. "August Rhapsody's in C Major" takes every little motif and theme you heard and puts it in a full orchestral movement with additional mesmerizing vocals. On the soundtrack it is the pinnacle of all the preparations, in the movie it is the binding element of the story's charm.
Take it from me, begin with track 14 and end with 1, and keep everything in between exactly the way it is. August Rush is like the movie best when you experience it the way it is meant to be experienced. Mark Mancina may have had help from Hans Zimmer in coming up with the main theme, but the score is still his, wonderfully original and fetching. I dare you to hear the progression and to feel the emotion. Because the music is all around you, all you have to do is listen!
And then 5 notes ...
Tracklisting
1. August Rhapsody's in C Major (7.36) Excellent track
2. Wine Glass Suite (3.10)
3. Arpeggio Theme (2.47)
4. Guitar Lullaby (2.21)
5. Against the Gate (1.40)
6. Washington Square (2.12) Excellent track
7. Hospital (2.06)
8. Photo (2.41)
9. Piano Lullaby (2.07)
10. Playground (1.17)
11. Julliard Pt. 2 (1.33) Excellent track
12. Searching / Wind Up (1.38)
13. Basketball (1.35) Excellent track
14. Main Title from Theme Suite One (4.45) Excellent track
15. Bari Improves (Original Demo) (1.53)
16. AR Pipe Organ (Original Demo) (1.38)
17. August Rush Rhapsody (Original Demo) (9.05)
Total Length: 50.11
Listen. Can you hear it? The music. I can hear it everywhere. In the wind... in the air... in the light. It's all around us. All you have to do is open yourself up. All you have to do... is listen.
Now listen carefully to me. August Rush is a musical enchanting journey. There is no other score I know that shows its ideas so early, and yet shows ultimately at the end for what they were meant for. And here I'm reviewing the expanded score that was released (MP3) long after the original soundtrack in 2007.
If you think about it, several motifs on their own make for musical themes and nice ones at that. But when brought together they create a musical symphony that speaks louder than notes. For instance "Wine Glass Suite" has an ethereal theme with the main theme as backbone while "Arpeggio Theme" returns with the ethereal theme and gives it emotion through warm cello.
The great quality about August Rush and especially the expanded score is that all musical motifs and themes are stated separately in the tracks. In "Guitar Lullaby" or with piano in "Hospital". It even states the theme on a children's carousel. So lovely. By then "Photo" adds the ethereal theme with a lovely emotional connection, strings.
There are exceptions when music doesn't flow but music needs to attack. "Against the Gate" is such an example where it does it with electric guitar and harmonica, on a more aggressive beat. This represents Wizard in the movie. The same for the darker "Searching / Wind Up".
There are other examples when these motifs grow to emotional magnificence such as in "Washington Square" or in "Julliard Pt. 2" where an orchestral tour de force takes all motifs to live. The Wizard's cry by the way is all tucked away at the ending. And in "Basketball" organ takes the theme to another level.
And then we reach what must be described. "Main Title from Theme Suite One" brings forth an utterly magical rise of strings that will shut you up in the movie. And of course we still have the reason why we keep on listening. "August Rhapsody's in C Major" takes every little motif and theme you heard and puts it in a full orchestral movement with additional mesmerizing vocals. On the soundtrack it is the pinnacle of all the preparations, in the movie it is the binding element of the story's charm.
Take it from me, begin with track 14 and end with 1, and keep everything in between exactly the way it is. August Rush is like the movie best when you experience it the way it is meant to be experienced. Mark Mancina may have had help from Hans Zimmer in coming up with the main theme, but the score is still his, wonderfully original and fetching. I dare you to hear the progression and to feel the emotion. Because the music is all around you, all you have to do is listen!
And then 5 notes ...
Tracklisting
1. August Rhapsody's in C Major (7.36) Excellent track
2. Wine Glass Suite (3.10)
3. Arpeggio Theme (2.47)
4. Guitar Lullaby (2.21)
5. Against the Gate (1.40)
6. Washington Square (2.12) Excellent track
7. Hospital (2.06)
8. Photo (2.41)
9. Piano Lullaby (2.07)
10. Playground (1.17)
11. Julliard Pt. 2 (1.33) Excellent track
12. Searching / Wind Up (1.38)
13. Basketball (1.35) Excellent track
14. Main Title from Theme Suite One (4.45) Excellent track
15. Bari Improves (Original Demo) (1.53)
16. AR Pipe Organ (Original Demo) (1.38)
17. August Rush Rhapsody (Original Demo) (9.05)
Total Length: 50.11