Taro Iwashiro, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra - Red Cliff [Original Soundtrack Recording]
![Red Cliff [Original Soundtrack Recording]](/images/Red-Cliff-Original-Soundtrack-Recording-B002Q508A4-L.jpg)
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Artist: Taro Iwashiro, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony OrchestraEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: Soundtrack
CD Release Date: 2009-11-10
Music Label: Silva America
Soundtracks:
- The Battle of Red Cliff
- On the Battlefield
- Light of the Evanescence
- Shadow of the Evanescence
- Shooooot!
- Decision for Justice
- Secret Stratagem
- Closing in upon the Enemy
- Unseen Locus
- Precious One
- Sound of the Heartstrings
- In Loneliness
- Beyond the River
- Red Cliff (End Roll Version) / Theme Song of Part 1 (Asia Version)
- Outroduction of Legend
- Red Cliff "River of No Return" (End Roll Version) / Theme Song
Free Music Notes for Red Cliff [Original Soundtrack Recording]
Free Music Review: Never a Boring Moment
Hit: 5 Stars
Viewing 'Red Cliff' for the first time, I was dubious about how I would react to the movie after hearing the first couple of bars of the main title. The clang and typical tonality and rhythm seemed to imply the movie would be a painful repetition of a dozen Eastern thrillers I had seen before. I was pleasantly surprised with the movies, as they were gorgeously shot with thrilling action and imagery, and both were well paced films. I was also delighted with the musical score - one with exhilarating and complex rhythm and luscious and expressive melodies topped with a sweeping orchestra and traditional instruments which pulls the listener in.
Taro Iwashiro's score is crammed with motifs that present themselves, then re-emerge while developing and evolving within other tracks. There are about three noticeable, major themes which are the core of the music, each of them stirring and moving. 'The Battle of Red Cliff' is the main theme, and while it doesn't seem to embody the spirit of one of the most epic battles of ancient history, it's an optimistic, catchy and perhaps a little cheeky theme which establishes itself as a driving force through its sweeping orchestration, mixing Asian and Egyptian tones with the symphonic orchestra. The 'Light of the Evanescence' theme evokes a lamenting mood, with its subtle use of dynamics through the stringed instruments to produce a soft and quiet moment in the soundtrack, whereas its counterpart 'Shadow of the Evanescence' is a beautiful and stirring piece which sounds both poignant and authoritative through its marching drums and sublime amalgamation of strings with the brass section.
There are plenty of beautiful moments in the soundtrack. The introduction of 'Precious One' is a beautiful reprise of the Battle of Red Cliff theme, painted gently by the Bamboo flute leading the orchestra before developing a soft, sweet section which is used in the tranquil moments of the film. The 'Outroduction of Legend' is a piece which continuously adds gorgeous layers to it, shining with the evolution of the Shadow of Evanescence theme before changing to a final, glorious reprise of the main theme accompanied by the delicate and ornamented bamboo flute. Other moments in the soundtrack ('In Loneliness', 'Decision for Justice') possess the same calibre of composition, both beautiful moments which never falter the flow of the score.
There's also a ton of upbeat and exhilarating material for adrenaline buffs, depicting the battlefield action and the various moments of brilliant stratagem. There are a couple of tracks that are present to keep up the tension and to provide a backing to the imagery ('On the Battlefield', 'Shooooot!', 'Sound of Heartstrings'), but it never becomes unbearable. The most coruscating piece of the score is 'Secret Stratagem', a quick and quirky piece executed by the articulated strings and percussion to portray a certain charm of cunning brilliance. 'Unseen Locus' is another piece that portrays a similar mood, a soaring mix of the brass with the strings developing an exciting melody for moments on the battlefield. The highlight of the score is 'Beyond the River', a triumphant and rousing Imperial anthem utilising the glorious 'Shadow of Evanescence' theme next to the now heroic return of the principal theme carried by the symphony, which is incredibly moving.
It's also worth a mention that Chinese pop singer 'alan' makes an appearance twice here, taking some of the principal melodies and reworking them to a pop standard. Unlike other instances in soundtracks where this is a typical embarrassment, alan reworks the melodies to incorporate the original orchestration and performs her songs very well, making them worthy additions to the soundtrack.
The soundtrack for Red Cliff is moving and distinguished. As a whole it flows with great congruency and confluence, with beautifully penned melodies that provide a variety of moods. With a spectacular orchestra and fine performs, you wouldn't need to view the movie to enjoy this score - it's an absolute gem that can't be faulted, a timeless and glorious reflection of the ancient Chinese period which shouldn't be passed up.
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