StreamingSoundtracks.com - Glory

#	Track Listing	Length	Played
01	A Call To Arms James Horner	3:06	101
02	After Antietam James Horner	2:37	27
03	Lonely Christmas James Horner	1:52	25
04	Forming The Regiment James Horner	5:24	33
05	The Whipping James Horner	2:08	17
06	Burning The Town Of Darien James Horner	2:28	19
07	Brave Words, Braver Deeds James Horner	3:07	24
08	The Year Of Jubilee James Horner	2:23	21
09	Preparations For Battle James Horner	7:30	156
10	Charging Fort Wagner James Horner	2:49	153
11	An Epitaph To War James Horner	2:30	39
12	Closing Credits James Horner	6:47	178

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Reviewers Rating

1 review done for this album.

Horner’s Civil War Triumph…

By:	Luther_III
Date:	16 Oct 2006
Rating:

James Horner has to be one of Hollywood’s busiest composers. He has composed so many film scores, that at times it seems (and sounds) as if he cranks out scores in his sleep. But with his triumphant Glory, Horner put together the right blend of innovation and inspiration that resulted in no less than a classic. This score ranks among Horner’s finest scores, competing even with his beloved Braveheart and Titanic. While those scores may contain larger quantities of his finest work, the core of Glory for me represents his absolute best material.

Horner’s triumph in Glory is found both in the scoring and the instrumentation. He made a brilliant move in scoring for boys’ choir, and performances by the amazing Harlem Boys’ Choir were impressive to say the least. Their voices are ethereal and with a certain raw quality that distinguishes them from a traditional symphonic choir. It should not be overlooked that the participation of the Harlem Boys contributed to the spirit as well as the sound of the film, as the film is about the first all-black regiment in the American Civil War, and the Harlem Boys’ Choir is comprised mostly of black students. This fact seemed to give the score an additional, intangible layer of aptness for its support of the film.

From the very first bars heard on the album, it is clear that the listener is in for something special. Low strings and brass lay the foundation for the haunting yet hopeful choir and militaristic percussion which perfectly introduce this story set in America’s darkest days. “A Call to Arms” is just that: setting the stage for what the audience knows will be a horrific and poignant journey. The Harlem voices manage to be melancholy and foreboding and hopeful all at the same time as they give us one of Horner’s most awe-inspiring themes. As the theme builds to a climax, the chaos of the battlefield is brought to the fore. The angelic voices are swallowed up in snare drums, trumpet calls, and Horner’s signature glissando tubular bells as the Battle of Antietam begins. The voices, far-away percussion, and distant trumpets of “After Antietam” perfectly depict the aftermath of the battle. Even without ever seeing the film, one could easily picture the lifting smoke revealing a body-strewn battlefield and hear the distant artillery fire.

While many of the following tracks contain incidental, light restatements of the main themes, the album for the most part avoids unnecessary repetition. “Forming the Regiment” and “The Year of Jubilee” briefly treat the ears to some catchy and appropriate fife-and-drum folk riffs. “Burning the Town of Darien” is an easily overlooked track that features lush strings bowing out heart-wrenching harmonies.

“Preparations for Battle” is the emotional centerpiece of the album, and though slightly underwhelming apart from the context of the film, its themes lift us to a satisfying climax before dropping us again into the chaos of battle accompanied by a battery of percussion and more of those tubular bells. “Charging Fort Wagner” is obviously inspired by Carl Orff’s “O Fortuna” chorus; in fact the final bars are nearly identical. Even so, it is a satisfying listen and absolutely breathtaking in tandem with the cinematography. Its opening requiem/battle cry is guaranteed to give the listener chills. The “Closing Credits” start off promising, with a rhythmic and hopeful march version of the main themes, but the track languishes a bit in places, giving the impression that Horner was merely filling time.

This final flaw is representative of the major downside of the album: it could have used just a bit more thematic material to prevent the need for scoring filler. But this in the end is a minor flaw. Overall the score is richly melodic, orchestrated darkly and smoothly with abundant use of brass and strings, while high woodwinds and mallets are used sparingly. For this reviewer, this score ranks among the best of Horner’s efforts because of this style of orchestration (and of course the Harlem voices) as well as the beautifully-scored themes. A triumphant classic!

Track-by-track rating:

Track: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
Stars: 5* 4* 2* 3* 3* 3* 2* 3* 5* 5* 4* 4*

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