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Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... only if you relished the suspenseful and brooding orchestral score in the film itself. Avoid it... if you've enjoyed some of Frederic Talgorn's more melodic and dynamic scores and are looking for more of the same. Filmtracks Editorial Review:
Like his other works, his music for Fortress is harmonic, robust, and capable in utilizing a full ensemble. Distinguishing Fortress, however, is dark ambient rendering that causes the score to rumble in the lower depths of each instrument's ranges for nearly the entire score. Talgorn remains very loyal to his one six-note theme for Fortress, varying its performances throughout the score. Unlike his other scores, however, in which his themes are typically adapted to more romantic and triumphant renditions, the theme is resolutely chained to the genre of suspense here, often obscured by slightly dissonant layers of strings and a nearly constant bed of deep bass. Talgorn accomplishes the intimidation necessary for the film by unleashing a timpani (mixed very heavily on album, almost to the level of drowning out other elements of the ensemble) and a piano, which meanders in its lowest octave in between occasional hard thuds. Even the more sensitive cues for strings ("Forbidden Dream" and "Karen") are bittersweet in their drab performances and fragmented thematic presentations. Talgorn's instrumentation will reference John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith at times, with string and woodwind use in the opening "Prelude" containing heavy shades of Williams and the positive woodwind finale of "Forbidden Dream" taking a page from Goldsmith's more innocent concepts. Outright action material is brassy and frenetic, though not easily accessible until the finale cue. In "Freedom," Talgorn finally provides the noble thematic explosion he is known for, but this 30-second switch to the major key comes too late to really save the album from its tones of misery. Talgorn accomplishes the suspense and horror well, but doesn't provide any distinguishing characteristics by which to readily identify the score. Unlike some of his other efforts, there is no synthetic presence in Fortress. The score was released by Intrada Records' producers in promotional form in 1998, with clear sound quality but only 35 minutes of music.
Music as Heard on Album: ** Overall: ***
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