Review Summary: The rare case of a musical piece outclassing the motion picture
Every man dies, not every man really lives.
I am not a professional music analyst. My colleague studies did not include the art of music; therefore, I do not have any degrees on the subject. I am not a music journalist. Occasionally, I write reviews but I’m not an expert writer nor do I possess extensive knowledge of the English language. If you ask me to write a course on classical music and orchestras, I will shrug my shoulders. Reviewing Rock ‘n’ Roll and its myriad sub-genres is not an issue. Jazz I can manage. But Classic music is on a whole different level. It’s an art form that rises above all levels of critique. The beauty of all those stacked instruments, the harmonies the musicians conjure, the atmosphere. It’s not the kind of music rating systems were invented for. The level of artistry goes beyond that of my limited understanding and knowledge of music theory. My understanding on this kind of music comes only through the provoked emotions. Fate, love, sacrifice, loss, salvation, freedom, courage, joy, all those motifs, and themes I can instantly invoke by hearing only a few notes.
Braveheart is an iconic film. Its status has been somewhat tarnished in the most recent years mostly due to its many historical inaccuracies and the controversy surrounding Mel Gibson’s personal life. The film was later nominated as one of the weakest to have won the academy award for best picture. All that negative reaction just goes to show the impact the film industry is having on our opinions. It affects us all on a more personal level. For me, this film is a prime example of why you shouldn’t take movies seriously and just enjoy them for what they are: entertainment. And this movie is very entertaining. Remember to watch it not for its historical accuracy but for the values and ideas embodied by the protagonist.
The music that follows the hero’s journey is infinitely better.
The film is an epic, emotional ride first and foremost. Such is its nature that composer James Horner followed suit and tried to underscore a piece that would equalize the dramatic visual aspect of the story. Therefore, he focuses his efforts on the emotional core rather than aiming for musical authenticity. For this reason, he wrote the themes on Irish pipes and quenas (the traditional flute associated with Andean music) rather than Scottish pipes and Celtic flutes. The entire score is based on two, maybe three central themes, and from there on, Horner, with the precious help of Eric Rigler, builds up an entire score of almost two hours. Rigler (renowned as the most recorded piper in history) is the man responsible for recording all the magnificent soloing pipe arrangements, as well as the famous main theme of the movie.
The first main theme is an appropriately melodic and noble phrase. There’s a folky kind-of feel to it maybe to underline the rise of Wallace from a humble kid to that of a legendary warrior/liberator. What elevates this piece to sonic heavens though, is its marriage with images. And the photographer of this movie has done a delightful work! I can’t recall another film where the image and score are so perfectly matched. The moment you see the breathtaking beauty of the Highlands, the Scottish hills filling your screen and the score comes as the perfect addition to dress the image. And that perfect match goes on for the entire film. Every scene has an ideal musical companion. Another memorable moment (and a personal favorite) comes around when Argyle gives his sword to the young Wallace. The boy picks up the sword and the pipes swift their tone to address the birth of a hero. That single moment alone is just too perfect. A single raise in the tonality, a sword lifted up in the air and you just know that the boy’s fate has been sealed forever.
First, learn to use this. Then I’ll teach you to use THIS
Such a poignant moment in the whole film, makes me shiver every single time.
The Legend Spreads is another prime example of that coupling done right. In a scene, Wallace is shown climbing a mountain and looking down the beautiful scenery of his country. In the background, an uplifting, playful pipe solo is being played and the redemptive power of freedom fills every frame and corner of your soul. All those scenes wouldn’t have the same impact without the right notes. It sounds obvious, but rarely has image and sound been married with such expertise on any motion picture.
The second main theme is the
Freedom Theme which retains a melodramatic air, is heavily used thought-out all of the film and portraits the soul of the titular freedom fighter. This theme is been used multiple times and counteracts with different themes to gain momentum and create antithesis. What’s interesting is the way it is utilized in two key scenes: During the Sterling Speech, it is used emphatically and with a bombastic effect to create excitement and anticipation for the upcoming battle.
In the Freedom scene, the melody becomes fragile and smooth to aggravate your pain.
Along with the main theme, these are the two centerpieces around which almost all of the score is expanded upon.
The love themes are some of the most enduring pieces from the entire score. The pieces rely mostly on strings and woodwinds and they’re genuinely sensational. It’s some of the best scores I’ve heard in modern cinema. There’s a minor problem though; you hear two separate melodies, one for each woman our hero encounters. It would have worked if the studio had left both melodies intact and use for each relationship different themes. But they decided to combine and mix the two for both relationships, which gives odd results when transferred to the screen. It feels wrong and works against the score on a more intellectual level.
Admittedly, I don’t listen to this score very often because it’s simply a hard thing to do. It bears a tremendous amount of emotional weight and most of the time I end up with misty eyes. Just take my word for it. When you listen to this album, just close your eyes and get exposed to the wide range of emotions you will feel. Among them, you will experience terror, exhilaration, love, and loss. You’ll get to feel the innocence in
A Gift of a Thistle, the motivation in
Sons of Scotland, the heavy hearts and tears in
Betrayal and Desolation. The music on the “Freedom” scene is captivating and intense. It’s one of the most important scenes I’ve ever seen in my life. No other scene has made me understand the meaning of sacrificing one’s life for a greater cause. I don’t care which way it really happened.
Braveheart is a visual and musical masterpiece and revolutionized the use of Celtic music in mainstream cinema. Needless to say, it owes much of its success to James Horner. In a nutshell, that was the magic of his music – he could take the listener on a journey far and away from the film and fill him with the most vivid and moving sounds imaginable.
May he rest in peace.
