The severely underrated Badelt proves his mettle once again.
Seth Merlo | Australia | 06/06/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Badelt is something of an enigma in the film scoring world. He cops more critical flak than perhaps even his mentor Hans Zimmer does every time a new score album is released, even though `The Promise' is without a doubt the finest work he has done since his 2002 breakthrough with `The Time Machine', and in spite of the fact that he continues to produce thoughtful, melodic and deeply involving scores time and time again. Fortunately, the tide is turning, and film score reviewers and critics are beginning to acknowledge the amazing diversity and sheer talent that Badelt exudes.
His work here brings to mind other historical/fantasy epics such as `Conan the Barbarian' and `The 13th Warrior' with its mix of robust brass, soaring strings and ethnic instrumentation. That alone should be enough to entice even casual film score fans, but for the aficionados, there are several themes and leitmotifs that are utilized extremely well throughout the album's 70-odd minutes. A kind of showcase of these themes appears in the first seven tracks, which sets up the motifs for each of the film's major characters, as well as the Main Title and Love themes. The `Love Theme' in particular is a moving piece that opens quietly on Asian flutes and plucked strings before the orchestra picks up the theme and sweeps it away (think of the way the strings build up in `Ned Kelly' before the main theme drops in and you have an idea of how Badelt builds up his layers of instrumentation here).
`Kunlun, The Slave' follows on from where `Love Theme' left off, offering a second take on the love theme which culminates in another amazing climax of strings and brass. `Qingcheng, The Princess' is a gentler theme performed with little of the ethnic instruments that are present in the other motifs. The melody is passed between the wind and string sections, making for a very fine, very feminine theme for Cecilia Cheung's character.
The album then launches into `Guangming, The General,' the most vigorous of Badelt's themes and reminisicent of `Capt. Alexi Vostrokiv' from K-19, though not quite as brooding or dark. Keep in mind that Badelt here is writing for what is essential an epic fairytale - the music is bold and adventurous, and never dives too deeply into dark territory. `Wuhuan, The Duke' mirrors Qingcheng's theme, though in more somber tones. It is another gentle theme performed primarily by the strings, though with more presence from the brass.
With these leitmotifs presented early on the album, the listener then has the pleasure of hearing how Badelt interweaves them throughout the rest of the score. `Princess Kite' opens with Asian strings, builds with racey strings and choral effects before introducing the brass and percussion. It ends with a moving violin solo, which is featured again in `The Promise', as does Qingcheng's theme. `Snow Country' is a definite highlight, featuring choir and ethnic solos in a cue both epic and intimate by turns.
`The Robe' is perhaps the standout cue on the album, featuring the fullest statement of the main theme, as well as the Kunlun and Love themes. It is the first true action cue of the score, featuring Asian flutes, strings and percussion battling it out with the orchestra. It's an exciting cue that features several themes in an action setting.
`Guilang, The Assassin' is another motif that is introduced quite late on the album, but also features powerful, rolling Asian drums over ethnic flutes that build to a grand brass statement of quite epic proportions, and which flow nicely into `Saving A Princess,' which continues the bold brass statements and is moved along by marching percussion and choppy strings. `Feather Fight' is another exciting action cue that wouldn't sound out of place in `Conan the Barbarian'. It starts very gently before launching straight into pounding Asian drums and a very invigorating melody performed by the orchestra. `Waterfall' offers another statement of the Love theme before moving into `Stampede', another brass-lead action cue with exciting percussive elements, choppy strings and plenty of cymbal crashes, nicely living up to its name for nearly all of its 5 minutes. `Come Back' restates Kunlun's theme in full, before moving into the Love theme, which is here performed by Asian flutes. `Wuhuan's Plan' is an epic 10 minute piece that sees all the major themes restated with plenty of ethnic flourishes, all wrapped up in the guise of an epic action cue.
`The Promise' is Badelt's most accomplished work to date, and should see him win over many new fans. It's exciting, bold and adventurous, bringing to mind previous efforts such as `The Time Machine', `Ned Kelly' and `K-19: The Widowmaker,' while marking a distinct departure from all of these, as `Kingdom of Heaven' and `The Chronicles of Narnia' did for Harry Gregson-Williams. Pick up a copy of `The Promise', listen to it carefully and critically, and see what most of us already knew - that Klaus Badelt is one of the most creative, musical, dedicated and hard-working film composers in the industry today."
Track Listings (20) - Disc #1