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When I saw the movie previews for "Rise of the Guardians" and noticed that Alexandre Desplat was going to be scoring the film I knew there would be potential there for a strong score. I've enjoyed Desplat's scoring in past original film scoring projects of his but had not found a work of his creation that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish - usually, with his scores there would be some stand-out tracks that were thrilling or stirring to listen to, but then there seemed to be a lot of music around them that didn't really seem to reach out and grab me emotionally. Don't get me wrong, Mr. Desplat's film music has always been well written, yet it hasn't had the spark I've felt in other of the great film composers, and then "Rise of the Guardians" happened here at the end of 2012...
I listened to the short samples of the score available online prior to its release - the 30-second-ish clips just to whet the musical appetite, and I thought, again, that I might be on the edge of something really special and, upon purchasing the album and listening, I have not been disappointed; to my ears this is Desplat's finest work yet for any film.
"Rise of the Guardians" is big, orchestral music and has a variety of excellent musical themes throughout - it is strongly thematically driven in its presentation, which makes it very listenable. I've found the energetic theme that first appears in the track "Calling the Guardians" is quite hummable, and it is not the only theme you're likely to find on your mind even after listening through the score.
There is so much variety here in the musical selections: from single instrument solos that flow gently all the way up to full, pounding orchestral intensity. Due to the diverse nature of the character elements in the film itself this is a score that has a huge degree of styles and moods, and that variety makes it one enjoyable ride. The album is recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra and their work here is beautiful in all respects; the L.S.O. is a film-scoring legend (whose sound I came to love through some of the film score work of the great John Williams), and the fact that they are the recording orchestra here elevates the quality of the album that much more. The one vocal track on the album "Still Dream" is stirringly sung by the fantastic soprano Renée Fleming; the majority of this wonderful song is gentle, though it does rise to great heights just before the end, before receding back into its sweet characteristic stillness. "Still Dream" is laden with beautiful harmonies and a melody that is featured and developed later throughout the main body of the score; this is one of my favorite vocal tracks released in conjunction with a movie in quite a while.
I'm not going to go into a full track-by-track review, I'll leave that to your more-than-capable ears. There are certainly exceptional tracks that are truly stunning, but some of those that resonate with me will not strike others in the same way; besides, there are so many moments of surpassing beauty, power, excitement, and aural majesty throughout the score it would be foolish on my part to try isolating the best from among them - just pick up a copy and listen so you can start humming along too...
If there are any of you still wondering whether to add this score to your collection ask yourself these questions:
1. Do I enjoy music full of creative sounds, textures, and outstanding thematic material?
2. Do I want to own one of the best animated film scores to come out in years?
If you answered yes to either or both of the above questions then do yourself a favor and buy this soundtrack - I am amazed I am the first to review it, considering the surpassing quality found all the way through this album, though I have the feeling that many more similar reviews will be appearing on this fine soundtrack soon enough...
In parts "Rise of the Guardians" is very reminiscent of the sheer energy of John Powell's masterful "How to Train Your Dragon" from 2010, though this score has more tender and lyrical moments, more emotional depth, than the in-your-face intensity of Powell's aforementioned work (the two films are obviously different in their overall tone as reflected by their different, yet outstanding, soundtracks); this gentler side in "Rise of the Guardians" does not diminish the overall power of Desplat's writing - it adds to the eclecticism present here, which is but one of many highly enjoyable elements of this score; this is already my favorite score to an animated film - from start to finish - since John Powell's "How to Train Your Dragon" - it really is that good.
Thanks for reading to the end of the review, now get up to the top of the page and buy the album, and share it with your friends - music this good deserves to be heard!
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