Search - Bear McCreary :: Battlestar Galactica: Season 4

A fitting sendoff to the series

Andrew Liptak | Vermont | 08/05/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Battlestar Galactica has since come and gone from the airwaves, with the occasional exception of the TV movies that they're planning - the upcoming one is entitled The Plan, due out sometime this year - but the ending season's soundtrack has just been released, ending what is a fine tradition of outstanding scoring for the series.



Battlestar Galactica has always had a soundtrack that's stood out, and each of the five soundtracks released for the Miniseries and resulting four seasons have been outstanding, different and beautiful. Composer Bear McCreary has utilized a number of different instruments and influences, from classical to Indian throughout the series, and this season is no exception, and is possibly the best score of the entire series.



Gatea's song from early on in the season is the opening track, and is a beautiful and haunting song, and helps to set the tone for the rest of the score. The sound for the entire season is one that is largely based off of the previous themes, matured and evolved from their starting points. This doesn't mean that the entire soundtrack is a rehash of what we've already heard. There's a greater urgency with some of these songs as the action in the series ramps up, especially evident with the track The Signal, and Roslin Escapes, while new themes, such as from the excellent Resurrection Hub, which is easily one of the best tracks on the score.



Season 4 was one of the seasons where the show began to end the story, wrapping up storylines and building to the conclusion. As a result, much of these two discs feel far less like a television soundtrack and far more like a movie soundtrack. The themes are greater, more sweeping and make their presence felt, which is highly appropriate for the last moments. Case in point would be Farewell Apollo early on in the list, but this really kicks in for the finale moments of the show.



This starts with Diaspora Oratorio, the track that came over when the fleet came across the First Earth for the mid-season finale, which would have worked easily as an end for the show. By far, this is my absolute favorite track for the entire series. It is epic, beautiful and sweeping, and far out of character for the show, which helps to set it apart. From there, the last eigh tracks cover the final moments of the show, and put together a somber, epic and wonderful sendoff to the show. Earth, Goodbye Sam, Heart of the Sun, Starbuck Disappears, So Much Life, An Easterly View and The Passage of Time all allow for a proper sendoff to all the characters, with hints of some of the original themes throughout, but often with a far more etherial sound to them that transends much of what we've heard before.



This soundtrack stands far apart from most other ones that I've heard. It's beautiful, simply elegant, and a proper sendoff to the series. I'll be very sad that this is the last soundtrack, and undoubtably, it will be known as McCreary's finest works. There was a lot of original, creative energy here over the course of the series, and I have no idea when we'll see something like this again."

Simply magnificent.

rodney | 02/10/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I wondered after listening to the second season soundtrack and several magnificent tracks from the third season if Bear could possibly better his previous works. He did. When I saw the Fourth Season of BSG I didn't pick up on all the music. It was much like watching Star Wars in that one doesn't separate the music from the images initially. The music is as much the show as the characters are. That being said Bear McCreary has composed some of the most moving tracks I have ever heard. Most evoke emotions as well as those works from Williams, Horner and Zimmer. His music takes you on an emotional roller coaster of fear, hope, despair, pain, triumph, reflection, etc. Some personal standouts I particulary love:



Please excuse my poor descriptions for I lack a proper knowledge of musical terms.



1. Track 1 Disc 2: "Caprica City, Before The Fall". This one almost pulled tears from me at times. (There is a seven note theme that is the centerpiece of this track played on a duduk)It perfectly evokes hope and foreboding. A fitting harbinger of things to come in the "Daybreak" episodes. It is easily my favorite track of the two discs. It is serious and solemn and underscores the tone of the series final episode. Bear uses leitmotif as well as John Williams through much of his work blending two other themes including the ominous 10 note theme from " All Along The Watchtowers". This piece evoked fear and hope. Fear in that this is the end, but hope that the characters will preservere till the end. A magnificent piece that captivates me like no other!!!



2. Track 20 Disc 1: "Diaspora Oratorio". A triumph.



3. Track 11 Disc 1: "Roslin and Adama Reunited"



4. Track 9 Disc 2: "Goodbye Sam"



5. Track 10 Disc 2: "Heart Of The Sun"



6. Track 13 Disc 2: "An Easterly View"



As incomparable as the series is, it's still hard to believe some of these tracks were written for a television series. Fittingly enough though, they were written for Battlestar Galactica.



Bravo and encore!"