Published on Aug 26, 2004
I might not be a history buff, but I do know that King Arthur
was British. So, deep in my heart, I know that having the score to
King Arthur (featuring the ever so luscious Keira Knightley)
feature an almost Irish lilt to it is just plain wrong.
So why do I like this disc so much?
Maybe it’s the fact that, being part Irish in my heritage,
there’s something about Hans Zimmer’s score which resonates in my
subconscious. Maybe it’s the recurring theme first laid out by the
haunting vocals of Moya Brennan on “Tell Me Now (What You See).”
Maybe Zimmer has just created a spectacular series of songs with a
hint of humor in them (more on that in just a minute).
Whatever the case, this is one of the best soundtracks I’ve
heard this year.
Zimmer does create the music around a theme – something which
could have been dangerous had the score not been particularly
well-written. In this particular case, though, Zimmer is able to
create a body of music which stands out on its own, away from the
action on the big screen, and keeps the listener interested. All
the while, Zimmer keeps things tied together with the musical theme
created in “Tell Me Now (What You See).” He keeps your hope alive
with its use (“Woad To Ruin”), and he suggests deep sadness in its
mournful tone (“All Of Them!”)… and makes each appearance
sound fresh. There’s a reason why Zimmer is on a par with John
Williams in terms of movie soundtracks, and King Arthur is just
further proof of this.
Yet Zimmer doesn’t let the moment slide without a touch of
humor. Granted, the subject of the movie is quite serious, but you
can’t help love slight plays on words in song titles like “Do You
Think I’m Saxon?” (thank you, Rod Stewart), “Another Brick In
Hadrian’s Wall” and “Hold The Ice”. I don’t claim to know if
there’s any theme to the titles in terms of their relationship to
the movie — even with Knightley in this one, the film just doesn’t
have enough appeal to my tastes to send me into the theatres. But,
in the end, the titles don’t matter — indeed, they just serve as
icing on a well-baked cake of music.
The fact is, you don’t have to have seen
King Arthur in the theatres to enjoy this disc — you don’t
even have to have a degree in European history. You just have to
enjoy well-written, well-executed symphonic music — and, in this
regard, Zimmer delivers.