Farewell to the King
Basil Poledouris
" Farewell my king, may you rest in peace! "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the expanded release
No better words to summarize this review of Farewell to the King now than those written above. Because who would have thought that months after the release of one of the ultimate epics of his career, Basil Poledouris would pass on this world and move towards more sacred ground! Indeed, Farewell to the King or the Dances with Wolves of Poledouris's career is resurrected with better audio quality, with material expanding the normal release of Varèse, but above with the fact that it's available once again. And after all this time, one word keeps coming to my mind: it remains BRILLIANT!
The impact is undeniable when you hear for the very first time Farewell to the King's main theme, but you realize it especially at the end of the score, when you've just witnessed Poledouris magic from the first to the last minute. This is as said Basil Poledouris' own Dances with Wolves, and it is brimming with emotional fireworks.
It starts after a moody opening with "Farewell to the King (South China Sea)" and the main theme by then has already delivered us its epic quality. This is definitely one of Poledouris' most epic themes, and you'll be humming it for a long time once you've heard it for the last time in the final track of the album. After that we have some new tracks, including the wonderful "Flare of Youth" (presenting both the main theme and the wonderful rising love theme).
The tracks might seem new to you but several are just differently named, like "Learoyd Slays Lion the Magnificent" with its first usage of the suspenseful material, or the new brief "Honeymoon". The comical yet catchy "Zed Force (The Training March)" is still so cool to hear, even though it somewhat delivers a total different sound in the process. With "Learoyd Saves the Child" we're back on that sound when we witness that utterly beautiful love theme for the first time in full effect. The more somber and darker "Learoyd saves Nigel" uses the main theme only partly, due to the fact a rising string movement ala Horner pops up, bringing forward goddamn utter spine tingling feelings.
With "Nigel's Trip" we're back on the Barry wagon with the love theme in full force, and even that second part is so utterly lovely when we witness the relaxing flutes previously heard in "Learoyd Slays Lion the Magnificent". But of course that isn't the half of it. Just when you think Basil's finished with surprising you, he delivers you another joyous occasion with "Battle Montage", using an alternate version of the main theme. "Village Attack" by then brings the more dramatic action music that Poledouris could create so easily.
The soft flute in "This day Forth", the romantic feeling in "War is Over", a change of scenery in "Imperialist Waltz" and dazzling theme statements in the conclusive "Learoyd Sacrifice" and "Farewell to My King" show us the staggering finale of the score. The last track especially is a testament that honors Basil Poledouris' genius well enough. The alternate tracks are always cute, however not very necessary. The "Radio Source Cue" is perhaps the funny alternate one.
People will have realized it already long before that Basil Poledouris was indeed one of Hollywood's finest composers. The sad problem was that recognition from higher grounds was strangely nowhere to be seen. With achievements like Farewell to the King, Robocop, Les Misérables, Amerika, Starship Troopers and Conan the Barbarian it is obvious the man has written some of the most powerful and beautiful soundtracks ever composed. This particular soundtrack alone is a milestone, covering 20 minutes more of music that makes it an absolute must to have. Luckily it is this kind of music that makes a filmmusic year memorable once again. Basically, Farewell to the King is Dances with Wolves, only by Poledouris this time, and it is the testament of Basil Poledouris' composing skills.
Tracklisting
1. Prologue and The Trek (1.40)
2. Farewell to the King (South China Sea) (1.38) Excellent track
3. Flare of Youth * (1.55)
4. Trek * (1.27)
5. Mitaura * (0.55)
6. The Woman Saved Me (1.26)
7. Learoyd Slays Lion the Magnificent (1.23)
8. Honeymoon * (0.40)
9. Zed Force (The Training March) (2.46)
10. Learoyd Saves The Child (3.24) Excellent track
11. Learoyd Saves Nigel (2.45) Excellent track
12. Nigel's Trip (4.16) Excellent track
13. Battle Montage (2.39) Excellent track
14. Realization (1.38)
15. The Wait * (1.47)
16. Night of the Living (1.17)
17. Day of the Dead (1.07)
18. Village Attack (2.59) Excellent track
19. This Day Forth (2.43)
20. War is Over (3.22) Excellent track
21. Imperialist Waltz (1.49)
22. Learoyd Surrenders (4.25) Excellent track
23. Farewell to My King (2.25) Excellent track
24. Farewell to the King (South China Sea) Flute Version * (1.39)
25. Battle Montage (Alternate Mix) * (2.40)
26. Sorrow * (0.51)
27. Grief * (0.55)
28. The Jungle * (1.44)
29. Japanese Radio Source Cue * (2.20)
30. Rising of the Moon * (1.16)
31. Farewell to the King (South China Sea) Alternate Mix * (1.37)
* Never before released
Total Length: 62.38
The impact is undeniable when you hear for the very first time Farewell to the King's main theme, but you realize it especially at the end of the score, when you've just witnessed Poledouris magic from the first to the last minute. This is as said Basil Poledouris' own Dances with Wolves, and it is brimming with emotional fireworks.
It starts after a moody opening with "Farewell to the King (South China Sea)" and the main theme by then has already delivered us its epic quality. This is definitely one of Poledouris' most epic themes, and you'll be humming it for a long time once you've heard it for the last time in the final track of the album. After that we have some new tracks, including the wonderful "Flare of Youth" (presenting both the main theme and the wonderful rising love theme).
The tracks might seem new to you but several are just differently named, like "Learoyd Slays Lion the Magnificent" with its first usage of the suspenseful material, or the new brief "Honeymoon". The comical yet catchy "Zed Force (The Training March)" is still so cool to hear, even though it somewhat delivers a total different sound in the process. With "Learoyd Saves the Child" we're back on that sound when we witness that utterly beautiful love theme for the first time in full effect. The more somber and darker "Learoyd saves Nigel" uses the main theme only partly, due to the fact a rising string movement ala Horner pops up, bringing forward goddamn utter spine tingling feelings.
With "Nigel's Trip" we're back on the Barry wagon with the love theme in full force, and even that second part is so utterly lovely when we witness the relaxing flutes previously heard in "Learoyd Slays Lion the Magnificent". But of course that isn't the half of it. Just when you think Basil's finished with surprising you, he delivers you another joyous occasion with "Battle Montage", using an alternate version of the main theme. "Village Attack" by then brings the more dramatic action music that Poledouris could create so easily.
The soft flute in "This day Forth", the romantic feeling in "War is Over", a change of scenery in "Imperialist Waltz" and dazzling theme statements in the conclusive "Learoyd Sacrifice" and "Farewell to My King" show us the staggering finale of the score. The last track especially is a testament that honors Basil Poledouris' genius well enough. The alternate tracks are always cute, however not very necessary. The "Radio Source Cue" is perhaps the funny alternate one.
People will have realized it already long before that Basil Poledouris was indeed one of Hollywood's finest composers. The sad problem was that recognition from higher grounds was strangely nowhere to be seen. With achievements like Farewell to the King, Robocop, Les Misérables, Amerika, Starship Troopers and Conan the Barbarian it is obvious the man has written some of the most powerful and beautiful soundtracks ever composed. This particular soundtrack alone is a milestone, covering 20 minutes more of music that makes it an absolute must to have. Luckily it is this kind of music that makes a filmmusic year memorable once again. Basically, Farewell to the King is Dances with Wolves, only by Poledouris this time, and it is the testament of Basil Poledouris' composing skills.
Tracklisting
1. Prologue and The Trek (1.40)
2. Farewell to the King (South China Sea) (1.38) Excellent track
3. Flare of Youth * (1.55)
4. Trek * (1.27)
5. Mitaura * (0.55)
6. The Woman Saved Me (1.26)
7. Learoyd Slays Lion the Magnificent (1.23)
8. Honeymoon * (0.40)
9. Zed Force (The Training March) (2.46)
10. Learoyd Saves The Child (3.24) Excellent track
11. Learoyd Saves Nigel (2.45) Excellent track
12. Nigel's Trip (4.16) Excellent track
13. Battle Montage (2.39) Excellent track
14. Realization (1.38)
15. The Wait * (1.47)
16. Night of the Living (1.17)
17. Day of the Dead (1.07)
18. Village Attack (2.59) Excellent track
19. This Day Forth (2.43)
20. War is Over (3.22) Excellent track
21. Imperialist Waltz (1.49)
22. Learoyd Surrenders (4.25) Excellent track
23. Farewell to My King (2.25) Excellent track
24. Farewell to the King (South China Sea) Flute Version * (1.39)
25. Battle Montage (Alternate Mix) * (2.40)
26. Sorrow * (0.51)
27. Grief * (0.55)
28. The Jungle * (1.44)
29. Japanese Radio Source Cue * (2.20)
30. Rising of the Moon * (1.16)
31. Farewell to the King (South China Sea) Alternate Mix * (1.37)
* Never before released
Total Length: 62.38