The Mighty Macs

The Mighty Macs

Movies about sport have often inspired composers to create great musical moments. The majority of these have not only enhanced the films they were written for but in have sometimes had a life of their own away from any images on screen. In most cases the scores within this category, whether based on fictional or true events, are upbeat, anthem-like and full of energy and vitality. But many have yielded a wealth of more intimate and emotional thematic material. One only has to listen to past triumphs where the subject matter of sport in a film has been given a crescendo-filled score, as in Goldsmith’s high octane but at the same time poignant and hopeful sounding HOOSIERS (aka BEST SHOT) and Randy Newman’s highly acclaimed, stunning soundtrack for THE NATURAL and Bill Conti’s uplifting and infectious music for the ROCKY films, which have become film music classics.

For Greater Glory

For Greater Glory

For a long time now I have always had the opinion that James Horner had reached his peak in composing and creating original sounding themes and melodies. In fact I have gone as far as to give some of his scores negative reviews in the past saying that they were repetitive and sounded like many other soundtracks that he has produced. FOR THE GREATER GLORY, is for me a breath of fresh air, or maybe it is simply a return to the James Horner I knew and loved from a few years ago. This score has a richness, an inventiveness and an emotion which I have not heard in Horner’s work since the days of KRULL, LEGENDS OF THE FALL, or WILLOW and although it contains many of the usual Horner musical trademarks i.e. growling brass, strident and fully emotive strings underlined by various percussive elements; on this occasion the composer does not wear them out or over use them. He instead utilizes them and interweaves them with romantic and patriotic themes