James Horner - Willow (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) '2022/2023

Tracks list

At last! Magnum opus fantasy score by James Horner receives expanded 2-CD set! A
LucasFilm Production, Ron Howard directs, scripted by Bob Dolman, story by
George Lucas who also executive produces with Val Kilmer, Warwick Davis sharing
majority of the screen time with Joanne Whalley, Billy Barty, Jean Marsh all
nearby. Evil sorceress Bavmorda imprisons all pregnant women in her domain to
prevent birth of a baby prophesied to bring about the end of her reign. Said
baby is born and cast adrift, with Bavmorda, her vicious Nockmaar Hounds and her
army in pursuit. Enter Willow Ufgood and the Nelwyns, who find the infant. A
perilous adventure ensues that involves the Brownies, a fairy queen, an aging
enchantress... and flamboyant rogue and expert swordsman Madmartigan. James
Horner took inspiration from rousing action and swordplay as well as fantastic
special effects made by ILM, including landmark early use of digital morphing
technology, a CGI breakthrough. Film unfolds with generous amount of dazzle
dazzle and derring-do but also offers darker side to fantastic tale, especially
in latter battle and climactic duel sequence. Horner showcases his energetic
youthful big-orchestra vernacular on one hand while balancing with his
newly-maturing severe, intense musical vocabulary, resulting in incredibly
wide-ranging score. Richly drawn main theme anchors, makes key appearances,
shares time with exhilarating theme for Madmartigan, takes back seat to
ferocious sequences, then ultimately brings score home. Besides colorful array
of material, score is also notable for several lengthy cues, amongst the longest
of the composer's career. Massive pieces often play as movements of a symphony,
developing ideas with cohesion, complexity, generating considerable tension,
then relief - no easy feat: "Canyon Of Mazes" (7 minutes), "Tir Asleen" (10
minutes), "Bavmorda's Spell Is Cast" (18 minutes), "Willow The Sorcerer" (12
minutes) are massive, masterful works for large symphony orchestra. Generous
original 1988 album featured over 70 minutes of music but film's wall-to-wall
scoring included over 100 minutes of music! Finally, on this Intrada 2-CD
presentation, some 107 minutes of music by Horner appears, with a wealth of
previously unavailable cues, including aggressive, fierce "Death Dogs", colorful
and fantastic "Enchanted Forest", and riveting and florid "Sled Ride", all
courtesy LucasFilm and Disney, mastered from original digital stereo mixes made
by Shawn Murphy at the scoring sessions and beautifully preserved by engineer
Simon Rhodes. Front cover art by John Alvin, package design by Kay Marshall,
booklet notes by Frank DeWald. Score recorded in January & February 1988 at
Abbey Road Studios. Greig McRitchie orchestrates, James Horner composes,
conducts. Intrada Special Collection 2-CD available while quantities and
interest remain!

Tracklist:
1.01 - James Horner - Elora Danan (From "Willow"/Score) (9:51)
1.02 - James Horner - The Nelwyns (From "Willow"/Score) (2:41)
1.03 - James Horner - The Nelwyns No. 2 (From "Willow"/Score) (2:37)
1.04 - James Horner - Death Dogs (From "Willow"/Score) (2:29)
1.05 - James Horner - Willow's Journey Begins (From "Willow"/Score) (5:30)
1.06 - James Horner - Bavmorda's Castle (From "Willow"/Score) (1:24)
1.07 - James Horner - Airk's Army (From "Willow"/Score) (3:27)
1.08 - James Horner - The Enchanted Forest (From "Willow"/Score) (5:34)
1.09 - James Horner - Escape From The Tavern (From "Willow"/Score) (5:08)
1.10 - James Horner - The Island (From "Willow"/Score) (5:11)
1.11 - James Horner - Willow Captured (From "Willow"/Score) (2:04)
1.12 - James Horner - Arrival At Snow Camp (From "Willow"/Score) (1:19)
1.13 - James Horner - The Sled Ride (From "Willow"/Score) (8:00)
1.14 - James Horner - Willow's Theme (From "Willow"/Score) (3:58)
1.15 - James Horner - Canyon Of Mazes (From "Willow"/Score) (7:55)
1.16 - James Horner - Tir Asleen (From "Willow"/Score) (10:50)
1.17 - James Horner - Bavmorda's Spell Is Cast (From "Willow"/Score) (18:14)
1.18 - James Horner - Willow the Sorcerer (From "Willow"/Score) (11:59)

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