The Soundtrack

[Glorfindel of Gondolin]

So what does everyone think about the soundtrack (not the "music inspired by" cd) to LWW? Any favorite songs / themes, comparisons to other music, etc.? I can't wait until I go see the film again so I will be able to pay more attention to the music. What I did pay attention to in the music I liked. I thought it was well done. I love the haunting cello piece that was played when the children were walking through the woods.


Sorry if this thread already exists. I couldn't find one like it, but I may have just been very unobservant.

[hand_carved]

I wasn't crazy about the soundtrack. I saw it twice on opening day. The first time, I noted that the music seemed to be weak. The second time, I didn't think it was quite as weak as I did before, but I still found it to be lacking.

The "One Day" song was particularly obstructive, I thought. It didn't seem to mesh with the scenes they were playing it against, and it really brought me out of the moment and made me realize I was watching a movie. Music shouldn't do that. It should bolster and support the scene, not run parallel, if that makes sense. I would have liked to see more use of themes in the music: a theme that identifies with Aslan, a theme with the witch, a theme for the children, or something like that. I know it's a very "John Williams" thing to do, but it really works. I love Howard Shore's theme for the Hobbits that is akin to "This Is My Father's World." It is neat to have themes like that that echoing in your head after the movie is over, bringing you back inside of the movie for a moment. I would love to take little trips like that back to Narnia.

[keavenson]

My own reaction to seeing the movie and listening to my CD: I enjoyed the music. It was 'lighter' than a Williams or Shore score but that didn't bother me much; the movie was based on a children's fantasy novel. Kinda seems to me that music that was too 'big' or (dare I say it?) bombastic would have been somewhat misplaced. It might even have distracted people into listening to the music rather than watching the film, know what I mean?

Now when it comes to the songs: on a first hearing, I was not impressed by any of them on the Soundtrack. I much prefer some of the songs on the 'Inspired By..." recording. Steven Curtis Chapman's "Remembering You" or Nichole Nordeman's "I Will Believe", for instance. There's a few others I like at least as well but probably wouldn't make it to the Oscar/Golden Globe-nominee category (which Morrisette's has done, I understand.)

[Mornamoice]

I just got the soundtrack today. I really like it, especially the Narnian Lullaby. As for the songs, I much prefer them to the songs on the "Inspired By" cd, as those are mostly not my style of music (though I like the lyrics).

The one thing that really bothers me on the soundtrack is from Morissette's song "Wunderkind." Having a background in German, I automatically pronounce "Wunderkind" according to German pronunciation rules; I have never heard it pronounced differently. But Morissette mangles it. Is "wonder kind" (with a long i sound) the acceptable pronunciation after all and I'm just a loner following German rules when I say "Voonderkind" (with a short i sound)? Everything else about that song is beautiful, but that pronunciation just makes me cringe.

[Edisonbaggins]

I totally dug the music and I'm gonna see the film like ten times just to support it and make more sure that all seven books will get made into films!!! I can't wait for HaHB!!! I wonder how that will hit this rabid-P.C. culture???

[kaleidoscopeyes]

I thought the score was perfect--Dramatic, but not cheesy or bombastic. I liked the inclusion of the period song to place us firmly in the WWII era, but I didn't like "Wonderkind"...Too contemporary for a period film like this. I attended one of the scoring sessions before I had even made up my mind to see the film or not, and it was the score that convinced me that I needed to see it.

[Edisonbaggins]

When do they play Wonderkind, anyway? Is it played during the credits? I thought everything during the film was fine.

[Mornamoice]

I believe Wunderkind is played during the credits.

[nomad]

I just downloaded the soundtrack. Guess what? It's the #1 soundtrack on iTunes! Sweet.

I like it. I also really like the Narnian Lullabye. And, though it's not on the cd, I thoroughly enjoyed the period music they played in the film when the kids were playing hide 'n seek. I also liked the use of silence in the film. Like in the charge to battle. LOTR did something similar only they had a bit of 'shining light' music playing if I recall correctly; in LWW it was perfect silence. There was another place, but I can't remember just now where it was.

I'm enjoying the soundtrack immensely so far. I haven't got to the songs yet - but from the sampling I listened to I agree that Morrisette's doesn't seem right. And as I don't speak German, it's not because of her pronunciation.

[Glorfindel of Gondolin]

Wonder kind, lol. I taket German, so I find the pronounciation a little annoying as well, Mornamoine. If anyone cares, it means "Wonder-kid" (I'm pretty sure...).

[Mornamoice]

Wunderkind would generally be translated prodigy in English, though "wonder kid" works too. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was, as a child, referred to as a Wunderkind.

[Glorfindel of Gondolin]

Ah, I see. Part of the German build-a-word program as our teacher calls it :).

[robsia]

Although it's a word I rarely use, I would also always pronounce it with the German pronunciation.

Like "schadenfreude"!

[nomad]

I've listened to the soundtrack several times through, and I absolutely love it. Parts of it remind me of LOTR music, but overall it's more...I don't know... hopeful?

That said, I still don't care for Wunderkind or the Winter Light song. But Can't Take it in by Imogen Heap is lovely and the last one, Where is alright too.

[Lirenel]

I just loved the soundtrack, but when i listen I always skip the four non-score songs at the end. I'm afraid I'm much more of a classical score person who prefers any vocals to be in a different language (I think I liked it better when I didn't know the words to "One Breath").

My favorite songs would have to be "Evacuating London", "Narnian Lullaby", "Father Christmas", "To Aslan's Camp", and especially "the Battle".

BTW, does anyone know where exactly in the movie the piece of "the Battle" that runs from about 3:00 to 3:50 plays? For some reason i want to say it plays when the White Witch is battling Peter, but I think it's actually when the Narnian army is charging the White Witch's army.