Filmtracks: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (David Arnold)

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Written 12/10/10

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Buy it... if you've wondered for over a decade about what happened to the glorious symphonic and choral fantasy sound of David Arnold's popular 1990's favorites in the genre; your wait is over.

Avoid it... if you do not have the patience to appreciate the intelligence that Arnold applies to all facets of this score, including the softer cues on a very long album that will leave some listeners scurrying for its dynamic opening and closing portions.

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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader: (David Arnold) Oh, the woes of a franchise of religiously allegorical fantasy shunned by its original parents for not raking in enough dough. Much has been made about Disney's decision to abandon the series of adaptations of C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia," fearful that the third film couldn't turn a profit on a budget over $100 million. After many delays and creative differences, however, Disney finally relinquished rights to the continuation of the franchise to 20th Century Fox, an original possible suitor for the films, and production of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader commenced for a debut a year and a half behind schedule. The story on screen is faithful to the plot of the book. The protagonists, now-teenage children of the English Pevensie family, are once again transported into the whimsical world of Narnia through an object in their house. This time, a nasty younger cousin is along for the ride and they unite with now King Caspian from the previous story to set off on an adventure aboard the titular ship. Narnia is threatened by an evil island and the monsters unleashed from its realm of darkness, and Caspian fashions the first of the kingdom's ships so that he can collect seven swords for Aslan, the god-like lion that remains king of kings in the land. The production is expectedly cute, with the children effortlessly charming their way through their trials and the convenient talking mouse in a sidekick role. Reviews have been mixed because special effects are clearly the order of the day; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is meant as an escapist spectacle for the senses that can win crowds of families (and, of course, the Christians that made the first film a box office success) away from Disney's concurrent sequel to Tron. With the switch in studios came a new director and crew to accompany returning actors, and because Michael Apted took the job of helming The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, composer David Arnold followed. With success, Harry Gregson-Williams had provided scores to the previous two films in the franchise, both entertainingly melodic and exuding a broad sense of fantasy but both also less than ideal given the composer's choice to beef up the ambience of his symphonic music with electronics (did Aslan really need a power anthem?). When offered the assignment of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Arnold reportedly suggested that Gregson-Williams' be asked to return and reprise his own themes with likely similar results. Apted's confidence in Arnold, however, led to the British Bond-franchise anchor adapting portions of Gregson-Williams' material into a sweeping sequel score very much rendered in Arnold's own, distinctive blockbuster style.

Arnold has, ever since his sudden emergence in the mid-1990's with epic scores in his collaboration with Roland Emmerich, remained one of the darlings of the film music community. His tenure in the Bond franchise has only solidified that impression, his voice for the famous spy evolving and rebooting with impressive intelligence, especially in his merging of synthetic and organic tones. With that franchise once again mired by legal turmoil and thus paused, Arnold's fans have been without many major new feature film scores from the composer for several years. Aside from the Bond music and a handful of comedies and less notable ventures, you have to reach back to September 11th, 2001 as the ironic release date of The Musketeer, Arnold's previous large scale action work. Arnold has, in fact, been busy with other projects in recent years, among them producing a collaboration with Dame Shirley Bassey that yielded what many fans consider a frustratingly magnificent alternate title song for Quantum of Solace (a recording that truly cannot be missed for enthusiasts of that score). Understandably, expectations for Arnold's The Voyage of the Dawn Treader were sky high and, not surprisingly, some initial reactions (even in reviews) diminished his achievement for the franchise. On the contrary, while this score may not top the very best of 2010, it is certainly a powerhouse to contend with, a more complicated and richly orchestrated fantasy/adventure score than many give it credit for being. A long score-only album release for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (the Carrie Underwood song is only available separately, as are tons of different songs for the international offerings) has been criticized for failing to maintain interest in its less exciting middle passages. Comparisons to Gregson-Williams' music have also been inevitable. What listeners need here is a dose of perspective. How often do you get to hear Arnold flourish in mid-90's form? Or, for that matter, at all these days? While the album for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader could have used some better equalization of volume levels from track to track, it is still a marvelous 70+ minute presentation of a familiar, likeable orchestral sound that we simply don't hear anymore. Rearrange the cues if you must, but those who find no value in the less bombastic choral-cooing portions of the score simply haven't spent enough time appreciating the score's intricacies. What may sound like meandering filler material in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader actually contains a wealth of development of secondary thematic identities that do, in most cases, accomplish various tasks in the narrative. So for those of you complaining about too much of a good thing, despite the fact that the album really could have been boiled down to 45 minutes for the best casual perusal, ponder for a moment the alternative.

The most obvious difference between the Gregson-Williams and Arnold sounds in the franchise is the latter's abandonment of the electronic enhancements. Indeed, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a gloriously symphonic achievement, reaching swashbuckling heights and cranking up the adrenaline without requiring drum pads, bass boosts, and deep thumping. This development is something of a surprise given Arnold's affinity for applying a variety of such synthetic layers to his Bond music (appropriately, of course), but a welcome one. Along with 87 enthusiastic orchestral players are 40 singers applied in two different styles of performance: softly cooing and angrily chanting. A definite holdover from the Bond scores is the application of live percussion, with medium-range drums and mad cymbal-tapping often punctuating the action cues in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. On the whole, however, while there are a few snazzy trumpet lines (9:13 into "Into Battle") that will remind of the jazz in the Bond franchise, the score has much, much more in common with the sound of Independence Day and other Arnold scores of that generation. The usual Nicholas Dodd touch is present; the orchestrations he has used through the years to help define the Arnold fantasy sound are all intact here. During some of the grandiose combinations of full adult choir and orchestral majesty, you could be tricked into thinking you're hearing Independence Day instead. The issue of continuity with Gregson-Williams is handled primarily through the continuation of the existing theme for Aslan. There are times when the music for the children is reminiscent of the previous scores, especially in "Ship to Shore," but on the whole, the two clear references to the Aslan theme is the sum of what carries over. Even the instrumentation of those performances ("High King and Queen of Narnia" and "Aslan Appears") is significantly different, Arnold translating the idea out of its sometime over-wrought dramatic stance when heard with Gregson-Williams' instrumentation and affording it more regal orchestral tones in slow tempi. Aside from these references, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a fresh new musical direction for the franchise. Arnold did not skimp on the introduction of new themes, either. He has not been known to be the type of composer to write a dozen themes in a score and constantly mingle and manipulate them; instead, he tends to write a couple of really good overarching ideas and sprinkle them with solitary secondary ones. You get both in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, starting with two great, frequently referenced themes and a host of others for supporting concepts that form the kind of intriguing musical tapestry not typical to Arnold's career.

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It's a shame that Arnold did not have the opportunity to record a concert suite arrangement parading the five main identities of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in glorious succession; such a suite of these themes could have been fantastic and likely would have helped those trying to identify them in the cases of the less obvious ones. Fortunately, the two major themes from Arnold are presented in easily digestible fashion right off the bat in "Opening Title." Most of the notoriety will come for the primary Dawn Treader theme heard in the latter half of that cue. It's a vintage Arnold fantasy theme of the best variety, evoking the same sense of unrestrained escapism that made him famous in his early years. The first three descending notes are the score's most obvious musical tool, switching from major to minor when necessary and, because of the phrase's brevity, applied as counterpoint in a variety of situations all throughout the score. It's unique enough to sound fresh but simple enough to use in a fragmented form as at the start of "The Painting." The only detraction to this theme is the fact that Arnold suffered the same fate as Christophe Beck in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief; as such, it also ends with a phrase seemingly inspired by John Powell's Phoenix theme from X-Men: The Last Stand (in fairness to all, it's a pretty common series of notes in film music and you could point to its use in a dozen major scores). After a whimsical string performance with delightfully plucked basses, light snare tapping, and all of the dainty percussive techniques you'd expect to suggest a sense of "magic," the theme is unleashed when the youngsters set their eyes on the ship in "The Painting," a moment of pure Arnold majesty. The theme is treated to several lighter variations in the mid-section of the score, including softer performances on woodwinds with lofty, comedic heart in "Eustace on Deck" and flowing, dreamy fantasy in "Blue Star." As the heroes say goodbye to the ship and Narnia in "Time to Go Home," Arnold unleashes wholesome chimes to one final massive string performance of the theme complete with magnificent brass counterpoint. The idea closes out the album in more melancholy tones. Aside from this very clear identity, the other major theme that Arnold introduces in "Opening Title" is the one for the children. It's a joyous, highly lyrical identity often accompanied by singing that emulates James Horner's application of children's choir rather than Gregson-Williams' more muscularly robust adult sound for his theme for the same characters. The first 40 seconds of "Opening Titles" conveys this idea with its usual whirling fantasy elements in tow and establishes the same sense of building anticipation in the genre heard in Ilan Eshkeri's Stardust (which conversely under-delivered thereafter).

A more buoyant performance of the major theme for the children in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is heard at the start of "Land Ahoy," though is versatility is proven when it is reduced to solo harp in "Lord Bern." When aided by choir, as at 1:00 into "Lucy and the Invisible Mansion" and at the conclusion of "Aslan's Table," this theme yields the score's most innocuously lovely moments. Arnold also tortures the melody with dissonance when necessary, as in the temptation cues. Mixed in between the two major identities from Arnold are three secondary themes of particular interest, all of them developed well throughout the score. The one heard first is the score's only really controversial aspect. Many years ago, Arnold stated that his theme for the American military in his 1998 score for Godzilla was his favorite from that work; indeed, it completely overshadowed the rest of the score and contained an extremely elegant interlude (listen to the "Evacuation" track in that score for reference). That interlude has now resurfaced for the character of the talking mouse in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Despite the fact that the instrumentation and demeanor of the theme has been completely changed, toned back to the fluffiest of performance elements, the progression is so obviously copied in its entirety that it will give a chuckle to any avid Arnold collector (note to Arnold: okay, it's a great, obscure melody and re-using it once gets an enthusiastic endorsement. Do it a few more times in the future, however, and you'll be forever linked to James Horner!). This theme is only rarely heard on the album, gracing "Reepicheep" in full and the ends of "Under the Stars" and "Ship to Shore." A little more elusive for some listeners will be the remaining two themes, the first a noble identity presumably for the swords in the story. First heard at 0:10 into "1st Sword," this theme occupies that cue with restrained horn stature worthy of lost kings. Its slight performances in "The Golden Cavern" and "The Calm Before the Storm" eventually produce full development of beauty late in "Sweet Water." Finally, no score of this sort would be complete without a snorting brass theme of evil, and Arnold delivers with his identity for the villains and their island. With dexterity, the brass players forcefully maneuver around notes on key to deliver a resounding message of dread, first announcing itself late in "The Green Mist." A short but unadulterated performance at 2:30 into "Coriakin and the Map" is likely the easiest place to discover the theme on its own for the first time. The idea's less obvious statements are just as effective; solo brass give it an ominous tone in second half of "The Golden Cavern," a solo flute allusion in "Blue Star" is creepy, and it is reduced to battle on woodwinds with the children's theme in "Temptation of Edmund."

All together, these themes are constantly heard in development and each enjoys a satisfying performance or two on its own. The villains' theme is perhaps underutilized, referenced in fragments in the action cues but not as obviously as one would hope, especially at the climax. The action material in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader contains its own set of motifs that will thrill Arnold collectors. While most of these resemble his previous scores, touches like the angry choral chanting in "The Green Mist" and "Into Battle" are a nod to Jerry Goldsmith's The Final Conflict. The latter, eleven-minute cue is simply phenomenal, ranging from Bond-like propulsion to ID4-like bravado and even approaching the territory of John Williams' "Duel of the Fates" from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace at about 5:30 into that cue. Handling of the various brass musicians in "Into Battle," including Arnold's trademark triplets on trumpet, is superb. Some may be surprised by how little straight action music there is, but you will be rewarded by the twenty or so minutes that can be heard. The specialty instrumentation in the score is not particularly overwhelming, the ram's horn unfortunately only used in "Market Forces." The Irish jig in "Duel" contains most of the cited specialty items. In terms of the score's mixing, the strings, brass, and choir are all provided some reverb to give the score a good fantasy vibe. The woodwinds and percussion are sometimes too dry up front; the latter is especially distracting, but having the dry layer of drums seemingly dominate the rest of the ensemble is an unfortunate tendency in Arnold's recordings. The tapped cymbals in "Dragon Attack," for instance, are so obvious that some listeners may make undue associations with the Bond scores simply because of them (and distract from the awesome Stargate-like, final half minute of that cue). Overall, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a score that on the surface may not seem any more impressive than Gregson-Williams' strong and entertaining, but not lasting predecessors. The change in direction in terms of instrumental tone and themes may bother some franchise enthusiasts. A very long album will still be an issue for some. The borrowing of a theme from Godzilla is obvious. All of these points are valid criticisms, but they dissipate with time. Ultimately, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is much like Tomorrow Never Dies, a score that grows on you with repeated attention. It luckily has enough fantastic highlights to hook you, but searching between the opening three and closing four tracks will yield rewarding intelligence in this superior fantasy genre effort. At the very least, it's great to hear Arnold in full symphonic glory another time, and he so well captures the sense of magical whimsy and swashbuckling adventure that it's a shame a Harry Potter assignment was never the destiny for this immensely talented Brit. ***** @Amazon.com: CD or Download

Bias Check:

For David Arnold reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.53 (in 15 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.28 (in 44,978 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.

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