Kingdom of Heaven (soundtrack)

Infobox Album |
Name = Kingdom of Heaven
Type = Soundtrack
Artist = Various Artists
Producer = Harry Gregson-Williams


Released = April 26, 2005 (U.S.)
Genre = Classical, Rock/Pop, Soundtrack
Reviews = * Soundtrack.net Rating|5|5 [http://www.soundtrack.net/soundtracks/database/?id=3943 link]
* Cinemusic Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.cinemusic.net/reviews/2005/kingdom_of_heaven.html link]
Length = 62:03
Label = Sony Classical

"Kingdom of Heaven" is the soundtrack to 2005 Ridley Scott motion picture of the same name. The soundtrack was composed by Harry Gregson-Williams, conducted by Gregson-Williams and Robert King, performed in large part by Gavyn Wright and the London Session Orchestra, and released by Sony Classical on April 26, 2005. It is a medley of choral hymns featuring Catherine Bott and Iestyn Davies, instrumentals and percussions, and full orchestral performances.

Track listing

#Burning the Past (2:48)
#Crusaders (1:41)
#Swordplay (2:01)
#A New World (4:21)
#To Jerusalem (1:38)
#Sibylla (featuring Lisbeth Scott) (1:49)
#Ibelin (2:05)
#Rise a Knight (2:43)
#The King (5:45)
#The Battle of Kerak(5:36)
#Terms (4:39)
#Better Man (3:29)
#Coronation (3:03)
#An Understanding (4:13)
#Wall Breached (3:43)
#The Pilgrim Road (4:07)
#Saladin (4:44)
#Path to Heaven (1:38)
#Light of Life - Ibelin Reprise (featuring Natacha Atlas) (2:10)

Additional music and lyrics

The movie also includes several other notable contemporary and historical listings not included on the released soundtrack:

*Vide Cor Meum - the operatic aria during King Baldwin IV's funeral, originally composed for the soundtrack of the film "Hannibal".
* [http://cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Ave_Regina_caelorum Ave Regina cælorum] - the first stanza of this twelfth-century antiphon is used on the soundtrack in the track "Burning the Past".
*Raimon de Miraval, [http://www.trobar.org/troubadours/raimon_de_miravalh/rm8.php "Chansoneta farai Vencut"] - Occitan troubadour lyric of the early thirteenth century, used in the closing scene, and in the Director's Cut, in the flashback with Balian and his wife.
*Guiot de Dijon, [http://perso.orange.fr/doublepictures/TEXTES/Guiot.htm "Chanterai por mon corage"] - French trouvère lyric from the time of the Third Crusade, used in the Director's Cut for Godfrey's flashback as he remembers Balian's mother.
*Valhalla/Viking Victory, - music used during the "knighting" scene before the siege, originally composed for the soundtrack of the film "The 13th Warrior" by Jerry Goldsmith
*Passion Chorale, - music played during Raynald's death
*Epitafio, a Nasheed-style song in Arabic by Luis Delgado, is played in the scene in which Saladin enters the city.

Reception

The commercial soundtrack met with generally great reviews and considered one of the best film scores of 2005 and a top seller on Amazon.com; one critic claimed the soundtrack "transcends the film and works as a cohesive album that develops both thematically and musically throughout". [Mike Brennan, http://www.soundtrack.net/soundtracks/database/?id=3943, SoundtrackNet: Kingdom of Heaven Soundtrack Review] Although another reviewer thought the film score "surprisingly forgettable... it should fail to connect with film music listeners and moviegoers alike", [Ryan Keaveney, http://www.cinemusic.net/reviews/2005/kingdom_of_heaven.html, Kingdom of Heaven Soundtrack review] Jerry McCulley thought the soundtrack "rises admirably to the occasion with a sweeping orchestral score that masterfully trades on a wealth of disparate historical and stylistic influences". [Jerry McCulley, Amazon.com editorial review]

ee also

* "Kingdom of Heaven"

Notes