A proper release for Trevor Jones' "The Dark Crystal" has been long overdue.  Thankfully, La-La Land Records has provided a 25th Anniversary Edition that score collectors can get in on.  Not only is it an attractive addition to a soundtrack fan's library but the music is itself is stellar.  That's a nice combination.

 

Trevor Jones is a composer who I have enjoyed listening to over the years.  I've always appreciated the melodies he develops for his projects and have found him to be quite a craftsman when it comes to the art of the main theme.  When he did work on "Excalibur," writing original works to supplement classical material, it seems as though that was the time that filmmakers took note of his talent.  When he went on to compose the music for Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal," there was no turning back to anonymity. Part of the composer's unique skill is his ability to write totally original pieces of work that feature a unusual blend of instruments and folk style.  The other part of his talent is his knack for delivering themes that are memorable and fitting.  Both of these elements come to pass in "The Dark Crystal."

 

Every note of this score sounds like it's coming straight from a fantasy world, which in a sense, is accurate.  This was the first movie that was tabbed as a live-action feature without the presence of any human actors on the screen.  Naturally, this offers fertile ground for a composer to create wonderful music for and Jones does so with ambition.  Using a wide range of instruments and electronic resources, the music is grand and fantastic, offering two themes that eventually converge as one.  It's intelligent, thoughtful writing and the depth provides a good indication of how seriously the approach was thought out.

 

In developing a foreign or fantasy world, there are times that the music must be created from scratch or without an existing reference point.  What makes "The Dark Crystal" unique is that Jones does just that, creating a culture of music that sounds ancient yet familiar and comes straight from his imagination.  In a cue like "The Pod Dance," you can hear for yourself how unusual and different the sound is yet it's still delightful to listen to.  To this day, it still sounds as unique as it did back in 1982.

 

During a era in which many blockbusters generated iconic scores, it might be easy to let "The Dark Crystal" slip through the cracks.  Thankfully, with this wonderful release, we'll all be able to remember Trevor Jones' achievement as it should be recalled -- with fondness and appreciation.  It's a unique listening experience that I wholeheartedly feel everyone should have.  I also think this is the type of score that parents could share with their children as an introduction to the world of film music.  Package all that up and you have an effort that is recommendable on many levels.