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"Kingdom of Heaven"
Score Composed by Harry Gregson-Williams
Audio Clips : Crusaders| The Battle of Kerak
Harry Gregson-Williams is at last given an opportunity to score a serious, epic film, and he delivers with interesting results.
"Kingdom of Heaven" is a score that is very restrained compared to some other notable works for such a genre (need I mention "Gladiator"?) and will offer double the rewards for how it will be used in the film. As a stand alone experience, however, it won't evoke the greatness of Pouledouris' "Conan" or even the best of the Shore's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Instead, it grants the listener with a very attuned, ethnic and mature blend of music that is sure to to meet it's mark in the film.
I've been keeping tabs on Gregson-Williams' career for a while now, and was really stoked to find out he had the scoring assignment for this film. Perhaps, that might be part of the problem here, since many times, expectations far exceed what is actually delivered upon. That was the case with the first time I listened to this score...
When I gave the music more of my attention for a second pass, only then did I realize the superb subtlety that HGW put to work here. It could have been real easy for him to take shortcuts and provide a score that is bombastic, pulse pounding and offering a generic blend of choral passages. Instead, he broke away from the norm, and gave us an attentive brand of film music that truly fits the film at hand. On that level, the score is a complete success, and fans of HGW can be proud of this accomplishment.
To the score itself...there is a nice mixture of Middle Eastern music in tune with choral elements of the Christian church. This unique crossing never overlaps awkwardly within the score; the elements are blended from one track to another within a very natural flow.
Perhaps one of the most exciting revelations to me is how the main theme of the score appears throughout the album. It's one of the rare times when a main theme does not need to be fully realized to achieve its impact. In fact, to me, it is at its most effective when it remains understated.
Throughout this album, you'll hear a range choral work, unique instrumentations (even a troupe of Turkish musicians are used at times!) and moments of spiritual reflection that come to be haunting and heartbreaking all at once. You'll not find an epic, battle hardened brand of music, but that is not a negative mark at all. This score hits the scope and target of the film and shows that HGW is versatile enough to handle a movie of any genre.
I applaud the effort here. There's a great texture to this score, and I suspect that this is a soundtrack that will only get better with subesquent listens.
Final Score: A satisfying, and at times, outstanding level of music that features enough depth for any serious film music fan to find enjoyment. Recommended!
Composition Comparisons: None. Purely original, without any hint of Gregson-Williams' past material resurfacing.
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