DOCTOR WHO, SEASON 4, IS THE SCORENOTES.COM SOUNDTRACK OF THE YEAR (2008)
About the Soundtrack: Doctor Who, Series 4, continues the trailblazing efforts of composer Murray Gold and key collaborator, Ben Foster, as they continue to forge new ground in the arena of television music. The latest in the series comes to us via Silva Screen Music (as is the case with the predecessors) and brings home 27 tracks of excellent music to revel in. There is also a nice CD booklet that features an introduction with Murray, and interview with he and Ben, as well as a track by track breakdown of the different cues on the album. It's a stellar package,
What You Need to Know: Wow. In a succession of releases that have gone from entertaining to exceedingly terrific, the music of Season 4 reaches the heights of inspiration with Murray Gold's best work to date. For those of you who have heard his previous efforts, you will know that such praise is really saying something!.
In the latest adventures, Gold delivers a dazzling blend of outrageousness, lyrical beauty and dramatic themes in what is perhaps the best score of the year. In fact, never before had I heard a television score offer such sweep! As I listened to the tunes, I couldn't help but marvel at the quality of each cue and be inspired by the melodies. I had to keep reminding myself that I was listening to a television score and not some radical, fun loving science fiction film.
When it comes to the Gold and the music of "Dr. Who," the quality is the most impressive aspect of the score. While most television sagas are content with developing low impact scores, Gold's music is not afraid to step to the forefront and give itself a brash representation. It's also quite remarkable that such writing can take place on such an abbreviated schedule. I shudder to think what this maestro can do if he stepped away from television and was given a major motion picture's schedule to work with. For sure, the quality of the music here is really impressive and quite worthy of applause.
One of the score's key highlights is the "Voyage of the Damned Suite." Nominated for a BAFTA award in 2008, this excellent suite is inspired by the song, "The Stowaway," which gives the music a classic 40's era tone to it while also keeping symphonic values intact. The suite runs for 10 minutes and surely could have kept on playing as far as I was concerned. Likewise, the music from "The Greatest Story Never Told" is worthy of praise as well, a grand, choral suite that is moving and beautiful with epic tones. Scan the big budget soundtracks from 2008 if you wish, but you won't find many cues or suites as moving as these from Dr. Who. Other highlights include the interesting "Song of Freedom" as well as the return of the theme from Series 1, as heard in Track 11. While these are just a few I've mentioned, I should note that this is a score full of of many standout cues and that there's something to love about nearly all of them.
Final Score: Simply put, you should add this one to your collection without reservation. Whether you're a seasoned Time Lord or a newcomer to the Dr.'s universe, this is the type of score that can be indulged in without pre-requisites. In a dawn where science fiction scores are generally predictable and tame, Murray Gold's music stands out brightly in their midst. Well done, team...keep 'em coming!
