Whether one is in any way excited about the latest film in the Twilight franchise or not, the hiring of Alexandre Desplat to compose the orchestral score for the new film is an intriguing and divisive choice indeed.
The gritty, grungy guitar-based droning of Carter Burwell's original score has been entirely replaced with a broiling, Gothic score of significant orchestral romance, and while the change may be the last thing that die-hard Twilight fans are looking for, the beauty, memorability and emotional warmth of Desplat's New Moon is undeniable.
Gorgeous Love Themes in New Moon Score
Beginning with a no-holds-barred rendition of the score's love theme, New Moon clearly establishes the new musical identity of the franchise as a symphonic, classically-based work of deep emotion. "New Moon" presents the ravishing, minor-key love theme in a rippling-then-surging fashion with heavy emphasis on piano and strings, extending the performance to the entire ensemble in a monumental, sweeping performance with notable brass counterpoint and accented by swirling woodwinds, throbbing synthesizers and luminous triangle hits. The effect is truly captivating.
Reprises of this theme are the score's definite highlights, with fleeting but gorgeous performances of it appearing in "Romeo & Juliet," "Edward Leaves," "You're Alive" and "Adrenaline" before being restated with full elegance in "Marry Me, Bella" and "Full Moon."
A fragile and lovely secondary theme, more delicate and less outwardly tragic, is heard often throughout the score as well, explored with great beauty in "Almost a Kiss" and the sublime "Dreamcatcher."The somber beauty of the score's romantic cues are its great strength, with the warmth and depth of the string section's layers providing some of the richest and most emotionally accessible music of Desplat's career.
Gothic Terror and Action in Desplat's Vampire Score
Adding an intriguing and fascinating diversity to this score is Desplat's menacing waltz for the Volturi vampires, heard first on regal trumpet in "Volturi Waltz" and referenced again with terrifying elegance in "Victoria" and the lengthy cues "To Volterra" and "The Volturi." A theme of sinister, twisted grandeur, its inherent dark stateliness is a perfect balance to the rapture of Desplat's love themes.
Passages of outright action and terror are on full display as well, saturated with some of the most Gothic vampire music in current cinema. "Bella Dreams" and "Blood Sample" provide some early indications of the later explosions in "Wolves vs. Vampire," "To Volterra" and "The Volturi." Tolling bells, crystal-clear trumpet calls, growling brass and racing strings are underlined with low piano strikes, unrelenting percussion and more churning synthesizer to create the score's most frighteningly active passages.
Conclusion
Desplat's score is only weakened by occasional lengthy passages of dimished volume, and the significant omission of the solo piano concert rendition of the main theme, titled "The Meadow"; it is a lovely cue which makes for a fine addition to the score, but which was instead included on the film's song album. Nonetheless, the score is one of Desplat's loveliest and most readily enjoyable to date, and film music collectors should not be afraid to acquire this album, despite the amusingly juvenile connotations of the franchise, as well as the hideous cover art.
This is Gothic vampire music in the same intellectual league as Goldenthal's Interview with the Vampire, Kilar's Bram Stoker's Dracula, and John Williams' own Dracula score of 1979. This is how the music of the romantic undead was meant to sound, though most fans of the Twilight saga would hotly contest that statement. Unless one is religiously and irrationally attached to Burwell's ambient and restrained original score, however, there will be little fault, if any, to be found in this album.
David Abraham Dueck - I live in MN and do not surf or collect Hello Kitty paraphernalia. I instead play ice hockey, write articles for my blog, read tons of ...
