Search - James Horner :: The New World [Music from the Motion Picture]

Jennie J. from AUBURN, MA
Reviewed on 2/11/2009...

I have never seen "The New World," but I purchased the soundtrack after I heard that my favorite singer, Hayley Westenra, worked with James Horner on it. I remembered the haunting score Horner created for "Titanic," and coupled with Hayley's heavenly voice, I knew that this one couldn't go wrong. I was not disappointed! This is a magnificent album. Common complaints I have heard regarding this CD are as follows: #1 - it sounds too much like "Titanic," #2 - the music by Wagner & Mozart that was in the movie is omitted here, and #3 - the inclusion of nature sounds is distracting. I disagree with the first. Sure, it does have a distinctive James Horner sound, but the theme is based on Hayley's the "Listen to the Wind" song instead of Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On." They are both gorgeous, but different. As for the second complaint, this CD is comprised of the entire original score, but much of it was substituted in the movie by Mozart's Piano Concerto #23 and other classical music. Nothing against those lovely pieces, but the original score deserves to be heard. As to the third, the occasional bird songs are soothing and contribute to the lush, natural sound that this album invokes. I am so grateful for this CD which brings together the talents of a wonderful composer and a gifted singer.

Best Music from the Film is Missing in Action

tacks31 | San Francisco, CA | 01/30/2006

(1 out of 5 stars)

"The use of Wagner's Vorspiel from the opera Das Rheingold, along Mozart's famous Piano Concerto #23, are stunning and essential elements to this remarkable film. So why then are we left with a CD having a truncated soundtrack, consisting only of a James Horner score that borrows heavily from Titanic? My recommendation is to save your pennies for the DVD. The opening film sequence with Wagner's Prelude to his Der Ring des Nibelungen opera cycle is pure cinematic brilliance, as are the emotional scenes accompanied by one of Mozart's most haunting Piano Concertos. Unfortunately this CD includes none of that. It brings one to wonder about the marketing department at New Line Records. What "genius" there concocted this blunder?"

Fascinating curiosity

James Luckard | Los Angeles, CA | 06/05/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Lots of people have justly complained that the Wagner and Mozart pieces that dominate the film aren't on this CD. They're the most memorable music in the film, and I can only imagine how annoyed people must have been if they didn't know these were existing classical pieces. Still, the album is filled with 80 mins of Horner's original score, so it's not like the producers left blank space on the CD.



What is odd, however, is that much of what's here is material that was rejected by Malick. Track titles refer to scenes that have no music or classical music in the film. Out of 80 minutes, I'd say less than a third of it is in the finished film, if that. I wouldn't be shocked to learn less than 10 minutes made it into the movie.



What's even more infuriating is that there's a gorgeous piano theme for Rolfe and Pocahontas as they fall in love, spare and lovely, that recalls the Rose piano theme in Titanic. It plays most prominently over the marriage of Rolfe and Pocahontas. That gorgeous cue is not here, indeed the theme is not on the album at all, with the exception of about thirty seconds on track 9.



That music was all I wanted on an album, and instead we get over an hour of rehashed Braveheart-meets-Titanic. It's all pleasant, but highly conventional and it's not hard to understand whay Malick dropped it.



It's just a shame that even the tiny amount of Horner's music that remains in the film is not all available on this strange CD that seems destined to please nobody."