Music composed by Patrick Doyle
Orchestrated by: Patrick Doyle and James Shearman
Conducted by: James Shearman
Score performed by The London Symphony Orchestra
Score Recorded at Air Lyndhurst Studios (London)
Album time: 65 minutes
Available on Walt Disney Records
Pixar for a while used the same group of composers, starting with Randy Newman. Thomas Newman and Michael Giacchino jumped in with several films, and now Patrick Doyle joins the bunch. Patrick Doyle really has impressed me over the last few years with nice scores to last year’s Thor and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. To say the least, I was intrigued by what Doyle was going to offer this animated tale.
As a fan of the Pixar films
(who isn’t?) and their scores, Brave doesn’t quite reach the
levels of those films. The film itself just feels trapped in two worlds,
possibly the outcome of the writer/director dilemma the film had during
production. The score doesn't seem affected by that, as it provides a solid
listening experience.
I won’t reveal plot points,
but track names are used.
Beginning the album are
three new songs used in the film. First we have Touch the Sky.
Music is by Alex Mandel (who has done a few projects with Pixar before) and
performed by Scottish folk singer Julie Fowlis. The song matches our lead
character of the movie, and the arrangement of the song fits with the Scottish
score. Into the Open Air is another song by Mandel
performed by Fowlis. Again, not terribly memorable, but fits the soundtrack
nicely. The last song (which is featured in the end credits) is Learn
Me Right by Mumford & Sons and performed by Birdy. Overall
these songs aren’t too intrusive, so I can’t complain.
Now onto the score
itself. The score features some great Scottish rhythms and instruments
that Doyle did some research on for the project.
Fate and Destiny first introduces the
jig theme, which is often used in the lighthearted/upbeat moments of the
score. These opening tracks feature the most of the Gaelic instruments as
they set the tone and setting. The Games is reminiscent
of a similar scene Doyle scored for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005),
but it works well and features the most bagpipes I’ve heard in a while.
It is a rousing theme that I wished was in the score a bit more.
I Am Merida features more ethnic
instruments, but doesn’t feature a rousing character theme like the track title
implies. The next main theme in the film, the more sentimental family
theme, often used for the mother/daughter relationship first appears in Remember
to Smile. It is a very pretty theme that gets expanded throughout the
score. In Merida Rides Away, the music begins to really drive
but turns spooky as she follows the wisps into the woods. The music is
full of high tremolos and low strings and even a hint of the Dies Irae.
The Witch’s Cottage music turns light, as
the scene has tons of strange humor. It also features some creepy
sections, also including very dramatic music. On the flipside, the Song
of Mor’du is the drinking song featured in the film, sung by cast
members. The song was written by Doyle, so it fits snugly with the jig
theme heard earlier in the film.
I won’t spoil anything
about the film, but Through the Castle is played against some
of the comic scenes. The Song of Mor’du theme comes back in
various forms, and the “sneaky” bassoon/bass clarinet and pizzicato strings are
prominent. The track Legends are Lessons is generally
quiet, featuring the sentimental family theme in a full rendition that works
very well both in film and on the album. This is certainly one of the
best tracks to feature that theme.
Show Us the Way is mainly a cue that
underscores the suspense of Merida in the woods following the wisps, eventually
turning into an action cue. Mum Goes Wild features some
nice underscoring; featuring versions of past motifs until the percussion kick
in.
In Her Heart, shows more of the lyrical
themes Patrick Doyle excelled at for this score. The solo fiddle and
pipes really work nicely for these themes. The lullaby Noble
Maiden Fair (A Mhaighdean Bhan Uasal) (music by Doyle, lyrics by his
son Patrick Neil Doyle) has Emma Thompson singing. This family theme has
been in the score before, this time accompanying with fiddle and harp.
Not Now! is an action cue from
the beginning, with a mix of past themes. Get the Key is
another climatic track, featuring the lullaby theme in an action setting, with
the driving rhythms in the background. The longest track on the album is We’ve
Both Changed. This track basically covers a good chunk of the film,
with the characters and music both wrapping up. The ways the themes build
up slowly really give the scenes some emotional weight. We get a reprise
of the lullaby theme on fiddle, before a full rendition of Noble Maiden
Fair. When the orchestra comes in, it is a really beautiful
moment. If you love the family theme, there is another version of it in Merida’s
Home – this time featuring the whistle. The percussion gets
added in as the album crescendos to the end.
This album follows the
score pretty nicely, although there seem to be a few sections from the film not
on the album. The album itself is a nice progression of themes, which
works great without the film. There really isn’t a theme for Merida, but
that follows most Pixar scores as well. Patrick Doyle’s score fits with
the other films - not as memorable as The Incredibles or Toy
Story, but they fit the characters and their stories.
And yes, avoid the score if
bagpipes and Uilleann pipes sends shivers down your spine (in a bad way).
Featured Performers:
Celtic Fiddle: Christopher Stout
Celtic Percussion: Jim Sutherland, Neil Percy
Uilleann Pipes: Jarlath Henderson
Celtic Whistles: Matheu Watson
Bagpipes: Lorne MacDougall, Craig Munro, Kyle Stuart Howie, Kyle Warren, Willie Armstrong
Celtic Harp: Bryn Lewis
Celtic Fiddle: Christopher Stout
Celtic Percussion: Jim Sutherland, Neil Percy
Uilleann Pipes: Jarlath Henderson
Celtic Whistles: Matheu Watson
Bagpipes: Lorne MacDougall, Craig Munro, Kyle Stuart Howie, Kyle Warren, Willie Armstrong
Celtic Harp: Bryn Lewis
Bagpipers with Patrick Doyle (center) |
1 Comments
Great analysis of the soundtrack! My favourite score by Patrick Doyle is Sense and Sensibility, because of its incredible music fitting perfectly to the atmosphere film. Looking forward to next blog!
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