Lincoln
John Williams
" John Williams: I could write lesser scores but when I get started I'm too lazy to stop. "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Steven Spielberg has made a lot of movies in his career, but there are several that stand out amongst the many many fine films he directed. And those several are born when he unleashes a more emotional, true story based integrity instead of delightful adventure or dark meaningful science fiction. The examples of this are of course known. Schindler's List, Amistad, Saving Private Ryan, Munich, you name them, they have been utterly successful (especially critical). Now we can add Lincoln to that list, a deep meaningful and very sober presentation of president Abraham Lincoln's final months of his life, focusing on the President's efforts to have the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution passed by the United States House of Representatives. Naturally, the effort received tons of acclaim and nominations, mostly for its main lead Daniel Day Lewis, who once again showed us he is probably one of the biggest and best method actors of Hollywood.
Sadly, the music of John Williams was ignored once again during the Awards. We all know it would be unfair to award every single John Williams score whenever he releases one, but on the other hand why would we pass up the sole honest to god truth that there is probably only one composer out there who keeps delivering what none other can? Namely quality music that loses nothing of its appeal, distinction and class the moment it's put on paper and then brought to life by an orchestra. Lincoln shows us once again that John keeps knocking them out of the ballpark, and the soundtrack more then ever delivers us one of those astonishing experiences that doesn't need big bombastic music to win us over.
Perhaps the most surprising fact is the running time of the score. Usually these John Williams scores keep going until there's hardly any room left on the CD, but now things have been shortened to an acceptable 60 minutes. Probably due to the fact most of the movie is left unscored as well. Anyway, it's of course no surprise that the main theme turns out to be one of the absolute winners of the evening. The nobility and esteem of its tone will remind a lot of people of Saving Private Ryan, but the absolute class of it is how it unleashes its strength when it develops from a humble idea to a powerful message, a powerful human statement. "The People's House" and "The Peterson House and Finale" were all destined to become great when John started to put them on paper, and their performances are easily some of best moments of the score, if not of the year for most film score fans. Of course we already knew what it could do inside the trailer, but now we also know what it can do inside the context and life of one of the great founders of American society.
A second theme doesn't dwell far behind. "The purpose of the Amendment" is president Lincoln's theme, a warm and very faint emotional melody that has the same warm nobility of the main theme, but frailer and less powerful. Showing the president's faint psychical condition. It's slightly sturdier in "The American Process" and "Equality Under the Law", underlining more president Lincoln's never ending fight for equality that wins it every time of his slightly deteriorating health (watch out for the especially amazing trumpet solo around 3.10 in the first track that shows us John Williams hasn't lost his magic whatsoever).
And perhaps the most surprising aspect of the listening experience (besides the length of the album) is the occasional livelier piece amongst the many soft tracks. A moment for some livelier amusement are the catchy jigs in "Getting out the Vote" and "Father and Son", while a typical war tune enlightens the spirits in "Call to Muster and Battle Cry of Freedom". And in total contrast come the heavier emotional burdensome pieces "The Southern Delegation and the Dream" and "Elegy", delivering the stuff that Born on the Fourth of July was founded on, namely heavy strings and emotional gut wrenching heaviness.
During these we also receive the third theme of the film, the melody that is by far the most beautiful of the 3 themes. "With Malice Toward None" and "With Malice Toward None (Piano Solo)" we receive heart wrenching and beautiful filmmusic, with especially the orchestral version being the absolute standout. And "Freedom's Call" just happens to deliver more of those amazing president themes in the most spine tingling sense. In all honesty, where does John Williams keep finding those emotional notes? The same for the eerie choir that's used to heighten "Appomattox - April 9, 1865" briefly but stunningly nonetheless.
The climax comes during "The Peterson House and Finale", an 11 minute track that follows the moment where history gets changed, a track where brave people dare to stand for something instead for someone. And in all the chaos, it's Williams' proud and noble theme that keeps silencing the disbelievers with more of those powerful statements. And in the midst stands a single man near a window, alone but hopeful that he might have made the world a slightly better place, highlighted by the With Malice towards None theme and a returning piano melody that stands for probably the biggest person of all, the man who wanted nothing more than history being written, Mr. Thaddeus Stevens.
In general, no matter what Mr. Williams keeps pouring it, expect it to reach down further and deeper than you might have expected. Lincoln is once again a crowning achievement and a score that (for me) should have gotten the Oscar for best original score.
Favorite Moment - With Malice Toward None (0.01 - 1.50)
Absolutely astonishingly beautiful
Track Listing
1. The People's House (3.41) Excellent track
2. The Purpose of the Amendment (3.06)
3. Getting out the Vote (2.48)
4. The American Process (3.56)
5. The Blue and Grey (2.59)
6. "With Malice Toward None" (1.50) Excellent track
7. Call to Muster and Battle Cry of Freedom (2.17)
8. The Southern Delegation and the Dream (4.43)
9. Father and Son (1.42)
10. The Race to the House (2.41)
11. Equality Under the Law (3.11)
12. Freedom's Call (6.06) Excellent track
13. Elegy (2.34)
14. Remembering Willie (1.51)
15. Appomattox - April 9, 1865 (2.36)
16. The Peterson House and Finale (11.01) Excellent track
17. "With Malice Toward None" (Piano Solo) (1.31)
Total Length: 58.33
Sadly, the music of John Williams was ignored once again during the Awards. We all know it would be unfair to award every single John Williams score whenever he releases one, but on the other hand why would we pass up the sole honest to god truth that there is probably only one composer out there who keeps delivering what none other can? Namely quality music that loses nothing of its appeal, distinction and class the moment it's put on paper and then brought to life by an orchestra. Lincoln shows us once again that John keeps knocking them out of the ballpark, and the soundtrack more then ever delivers us one of those astonishing experiences that doesn't need big bombastic music to win us over.
Perhaps the most surprising fact is the running time of the score. Usually these John Williams scores keep going until there's hardly any room left on the CD, but now things have been shortened to an acceptable 60 minutes. Probably due to the fact most of the movie is left unscored as well. Anyway, it's of course no surprise that the main theme turns out to be one of the absolute winners of the evening. The nobility and esteem of its tone will remind a lot of people of Saving Private Ryan, but the absolute class of it is how it unleashes its strength when it develops from a humble idea to a powerful message, a powerful human statement. "The People's House" and "The Peterson House and Finale" were all destined to become great when John started to put them on paper, and their performances are easily some of best moments of the score, if not of the year for most film score fans. Of course we already knew what it could do inside the trailer, but now we also know what it can do inside the context and life of one of the great founders of American society.
A second theme doesn't dwell far behind. "The purpose of the Amendment" is president Lincoln's theme, a warm and very faint emotional melody that has the same warm nobility of the main theme, but frailer and less powerful. Showing the president's faint psychical condition. It's slightly sturdier in "The American Process" and "Equality Under the Law", underlining more president Lincoln's never ending fight for equality that wins it every time of his slightly deteriorating health (watch out for the especially amazing trumpet solo around 3.10 in the first track that shows us John Williams hasn't lost his magic whatsoever).
And perhaps the most surprising aspect of the listening experience (besides the length of the album) is the occasional livelier piece amongst the many soft tracks. A moment for some livelier amusement are the catchy jigs in "Getting out the Vote" and "Father and Son", while a typical war tune enlightens the spirits in "Call to Muster and Battle Cry of Freedom". And in total contrast come the heavier emotional burdensome pieces "The Southern Delegation and the Dream" and "Elegy", delivering the stuff that Born on the Fourth of July was founded on, namely heavy strings and emotional gut wrenching heaviness.
During these we also receive the third theme of the film, the melody that is by far the most beautiful of the 3 themes. "With Malice Toward None" and "With Malice Toward None (Piano Solo)" we receive heart wrenching and beautiful filmmusic, with especially the orchestral version being the absolute standout. And "Freedom's Call" just happens to deliver more of those amazing president themes in the most spine tingling sense. In all honesty, where does John Williams keep finding those emotional notes? The same for the eerie choir that's used to heighten "Appomattox - April 9, 1865" briefly but stunningly nonetheless.
The climax comes during "The Peterson House and Finale", an 11 minute track that follows the moment where history gets changed, a track where brave people dare to stand for something instead for someone. And in all the chaos, it's Williams' proud and noble theme that keeps silencing the disbelievers with more of those powerful statements. And in the midst stands a single man near a window, alone but hopeful that he might have made the world a slightly better place, highlighted by the With Malice towards None theme and a returning piano melody that stands for probably the biggest person of all, the man who wanted nothing more than history being written, Mr. Thaddeus Stevens.
In general, no matter what Mr. Williams keeps pouring it, expect it to reach down further and deeper than you might have expected. Lincoln is once again a crowning achievement and a score that (for me) should have gotten the Oscar for best original score.
Favorite Moment - With Malice Toward None (0.01 - 1.50)
Absolutely astonishingly beautiful
Track Listing
1. The People's House (3.41) Excellent track
2. The Purpose of the Amendment (3.06)
3. Getting out the Vote (2.48)
4. The American Process (3.56)
5. The Blue and Grey (2.59)
6. "With Malice Toward None" (1.50) Excellent track
7. Call to Muster and Battle Cry of Freedom (2.17)
8. The Southern Delegation and the Dream (4.43)
9. Father and Son (1.42)
10. The Race to the House (2.41)
11. Equality Under the Law (3.11)
12. Freedom's Call (6.06) Excellent track
13. Elegy (2.34)
14. Remembering Willie (1.51)
15. Appomattox - April 9, 1865 (2.36)
16. The Peterson House and Finale (11.01) Excellent track
17. "With Malice Toward None" (Piano Solo) (1.31)
Total Length: 58.33