The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Harry Gregson-Williams
" The lack of creative composing has never been any bigger than now. "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
While the star of Mr. Harry Gregson-Williams has shined brighter, the man's long list of projects has never been any bigger. Considering the mammoth work load and the continuing demand for the composer's creative need, it is understandable that the creative process is lacking spunk in some areas. But I never expected it to turn up so loudly in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The movie sees our beloved children returning to Narnia, to discover that time has changed a lot in their beloved paradise. Alongside Prince Caspian, they try to set things right again. While Harry Gregson-Williams brings in his familiar Narnia voice, the lack of creative composing has never been any bigger than now.
With "Prince Caspian Flees" we open the score, learning immediately that there is no prelude in this soundtrack's order, but there's immediately an action track pumping up. Don't expect it to be more thundering than the action music heard in the previous. It's the same in both pace and tone. There's a theme for Caspian but it doesn't state itself loud enough to appear as THE theme for the King. While the action music is trying to express itself with the choir, it doesn't fully acquire the demanded result. In "The Kings and Queens of Old" more mysterious music is noticed (with the string theme for Narnia) and in "Journey to the How" the mysterious and the light pumping suspense music is never showing any sign more than constructive building.
The first real Narnia main theme is noticed through nice gentle choral singing in "Arrival at Aslan's How" and how lovely this truly is, we're beginning to hear music that we already heard before. Examples as "Raid on the Castle" only confirm this evermore. The building action music is nice once again, there's a variation on the Narnia theme, more pumping action music with busy strings, but it moves in exactly the same rhythm as the battle music of the first score, alas not as stirring or elegiac as in the previous. With all due respect, this doesn't bring anything remotely new. Not in terms of themes, pace, or tone.
A choral rise is spotted over suspenseful strings in "Miraz Crowned". "Sorcery and Sudden Vengeance" is only noticed because it holds the exact same action music from "The Battle" of the first score. "The Duel" begins to pump up after a couple of dreary minutes with stating the Narnia theme in action guises, and with a brief statement (barely noticed) of Caspian's theme we end this cue. "The Armies Assemble is a total unmelodic attack on the senses (which is probably the most original thing on this album). The more you hear, the more the music begins to churn up suspenseful action music and a lot of uninteresting and uninventive music.
Of course more suspenseful action music turns up in "Battle at Aslan's How", with Caspian's theme finally appearing a little more prominent now. But after more minutes the big problem turns up again, more actual reprises of the action music of "The Battle" of that specific first score. It may be a sequel but why do we have to re-listen so exactly the same music which we can so easily listen to in the first score? That same problem was corrupting Shrek 3 as well, making it not a good score either. In "Return of the Lion" there's finally some variation on the Narnia theme (with more staggering play of the strings and trumpet), and yes we receive some stirring moments. The relaxing "The Door in the Air" has the first sign of that electric violin which shows how action oriented the film must be.
The songs itself bring the same feeling like the ones in the first film. Not bad but not memorable as well.
For me it is harder to express what I really like and dislike about The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. While totally listenable and even downright fun at times, there's a total lack of new music. Where's a stirring theme for Caspian himself? Considering time has aged, are there no new tunes or motifs for new characters? Why must the action music turn up in that same rhythmic pace and listen so alike? And for the love of god, why must specific scenes scores exactly the same? The fun about sequels is that you can use all the good things of the previous and correct the faults with more new and daring ideas. POTC, Star Wars, LOTR, Back to the Future, Rambo, Star Trek, so many have done it before. Why couldn't The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian churn up something new? Don't change a winning formula they say, but a formula is weak when it's known what to expect. For me this is a disappointing score, because there's no reason to invest in something you already own.
Tracklisting
1. Prince Caspian Flees (4.34)
2. The Kings and Queens of Old (3.33)
3. Journey to the How (4.45)
4. Arrival at Aslan's How (2.57)
5. Raid on the Castle (7.06)
6. Miraz Crowned (4.47)
7. Sorcery and Sudden Vengeance (6.16)
8. The Duel (5.56)
9. The Armies Assemble (2.22)
10. Battle at Aslan's How (5.17)
11. Return of the Lion (4.16)
12. The Door in the Air (7.52)
13. The Call: Regina Spektor (3.08)
14. A Dance 'Round the Memory Tree: Oren Lavie (3.42)
15. This is Home: Switchfoot (4.01)
16. Lucy: Hanne Hukkelberg * (4.31)
* Not featured in the film
Total Length: 74.04
With "Prince Caspian Flees" we open the score, learning immediately that there is no prelude in this soundtrack's order, but there's immediately an action track pumping up. Don't expect it to be more thundering than the action music heard in the previous. It's the same in both pace and tone. There's a theme for Caspian but it doesn't state itself loud enough to appear as THE theme for the King. While the action music is trying to express itself with the choir, it doesn't fully acquire the demanded result. In "The Kings and Queens of Old" more mysterious music is noticed (with the string theme for Narnia) and in "Journey to the How" the mysterious and the light pumping suspense music is never showing any sign more than constructive building.
The first real Narnia main theme is noticed through nice gentle choral singing in "Arrival at Aslan's How" and how lovely this truly is, we're beginning to hear music that we already heard before. Examples as "Raid on the Castle" only confirm this evermore. The building action music is nice once again, there's a variation on the Narnia theme, more pumping action music with busy strings, but it moves in exactly the same rhythm as the battle music of the first score, alas not as stirring or elegiac as in the previous. With all due respect, this doesn't bring anything remotely new. Not in terms of themes, pace, or tone.
A choral rise is spotted over suspenseful strings in "Miraz Crowned". "Sorcery and Sudden Vengeance" is only noticed because it holds the exact same action music from "The Battle" of the first score. "The Duel" begins to pump up after a couple of dreary minutes with stating the Narnia theme in action guises, and with a brief statement (barely noticed) of Caspian's theme we end this cue. "The Armies Assemble is a total unmelodic attack on the senses (which is probably the most original thing on this album). The more you hear, the more the music begins to churn up suspenseful action music and a lot of uninteresting and uninventive music.
Of course more suspenseful action music turns up in "Battle at Aslan's How", with Caspian's theme finally appearing a little more prominent now. But after more minutes the big problem turns up again, more actual reprises of the action music of "The Battle" of that specific first score. It may be a sequel but why do we have to re-listen so exactly the same music which we can so easily listen to in the first score? That same problem was corrupting Shrek 3 as well, making it not a good score either. In "Return of the Lion" there's finally some variation on the Narnia theme (with more staggering play of the strings and trumpet), and yes we receive some stirring moments. The relaxing "The Door in the Air" has the first sign of that electric violin which shows how action oriented the film must be.
The songs itself bring the same feeling like the ones in the first film. Not bad but not memorable as well.
For me it is harder to express what I really like and dislike about The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. While totally listenable and even downright fun at times, there's a total lack of new music. Where's a stirring theme for Caspian himself? Considering time has aged, are there no new tunes or motifs for new characters? Why must the action music turn up in that same rhythmic pace and listen so alike? And for the love of god, why must specific scenes scores exactly the same? The fun about sequels is that you can use all the good things of the previous and correct the faults with more new and daring ideas. POTC, Star Wars, LOTR, Back to the Future, Rambo, Star Trek, so many have done it before. Why couldn't The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian churn up something new? Don't change a winning formula they say, but a formula is weak when it's known what to expect. For me this is a disappointing score, because there's no reason to invest in something you already own.
Tracklisting
1. Prince Caspian Flees (4.34)
2. The Kings and Queens of Old (3.33)
3. Journey to the How (4.45)
4. Arrival at Aslan's How (2.57)
5. Raid on the Castle (7.06)
6. Miraz Crowned (4.47)
7. Sorcery and Sudden Vengeance (6.16)
8. The Duel (5.56)
9. The Armies Assemble (2.22)
10. Battle at Aslan's How (5.17)
11. Return of the Lion (4.16)
12. The Door in the Air (7.52)
13. The Call: Regina Spektor (3.08)
14. A Dance 'Round the Memory Tree: Oren Lavie (3.42)
15. This is Home: Switchfoot (4.01)
16. Lucy: Hanne Hukkelberg * (4.31)
* Not featured in the film
Total Length: 74.04