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Title: Kingdom Of Heaven: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Media: Audio-CD
Composer and Conductor: Harry Gregson-Williams
Album Producers: Harry Gregson-Williams and Peter Cobbin
Music Supervisor: Marc Strietenfeld
Distributor: Sony Classical/Sony Music Soundtrax
I am not one to do reviews of audio-CD feature film soundtracks though on occasion I have reviewed soundtracks for feature films like “Gods And Generals” and TV series like or “Gene Roddenberry’s Earth: Final Conflict.” For years I recall reading about a Ridley Scott project called “Crusades” in various entertainment trade magazines, but somehow it always seemed to fizzle out as Scott, like many filmmakers, moved on to other projects. Now I have not followed the progress of “Kingdom Of Heaven” to know if this is indeed the “Crusades” project Scott had been developing, but I was definitely pleasantly surprised and excited when a review copy of the CD showed up at my doorstep. The feature film, which stars Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson and Eva Green details the journey of a young blacksmith (Bloom) inspired by his father (Neeson) to join in the Crusades to the Holy Land to realize the glorious “Kingdom Of Heaven.” This sublime state that takes him into the heart of battle is also the gateway to true harmony between differing religions and cultures when his heart is captured by a beautiful young princess (Green) in Jerusalem.
While “Kingdom Of Heaven” opens nationwide Friday, May 6, 2005 from Twentieth Century Fox, the soundtrack CD is now available at retailers on and offline as of Tuesday, April 26, 2005 courtesy of Sony Classical/Sony Musical Soundtrax. Composed and conducted by Harry Gregson-Williams, who also co-produced the soundtrack CD, “Kingdom Of Heaven” has elements that are reminiscent of the religious epics of the 1950s and 1960s as well as a distinct Middle Eastern sound that contrasts the two cultures depicted in the film and gradually merges them in the soundtrack as I suppose the characters do in various ways in the film. Divided into 19 tracks with a total running time of 62 minutes and 14 seconds, the album opens with a slightly ominous tone in the “Burning The Past” (2:42) track, which has a Celtic feel to it as well as a soothing church feel. The second track “Crusades” (1:39) seems rather playful with a building momentum that I imagine must enhance the film’s rising action in the first act.
“Swordplay” (2:03) has a distinct medieval feel to it with a melodic flute. The Middle Eastern influences begin to emerge in the fifth track “To Jerusalem” (1:37) where Arabic instruments are employed to intensify the cross-cultural dichotomy that one can imagine occurs in the film. I found tracks 6 and 7 entitled “Sibylla” (1:50) and “Ibelin” (2:24) to be a particular good example of this joining and they both seemed like two pieces that belonged together on the album almost as one longer theme. There are elements of the soundtrack that call to mind Gregorian chant as well with certain tracks containing foreboding inflections as well as somber feelings, I think track 15 “Wall Breached” (3:41) is outstanding with a brash movement and loud drum like percussions. Track 18 “Path To Heaven” (1:34) is beautiful and tranquil as is the voice of Natacha Atlas on track 19 “Light Of Life (Ibelin Reprise” (2:14). The score for “Kingdom Of Heaven” was recorded in London’s Abbey Road Studios with 123 voices of The Bach Choir and Turkish musicians from Istanbul. This is a wonderful motion picture soundtrack for a film I hope will live up to the high standards Ridley Scott has set throughout his distinguished film directing career. “Kingdom Of Heaven: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” is available now at retailers on and offline courtesy of Sony Classical/Sony Music Soundtrax.”
© Copyright 2005 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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