The downside of The Edge, conversely, is that the action and suspense material in the score is not up to Goldsmith's usual high standards, leaving several non-thematic cues as filler music that will do little more than remind you in a general sense of other Goldsmith efforts. An ominous, prickly rhythm for plucked elements, anchored by the repetition of a three-note phrase, is frequently employed as a generic backdrop for the scenes of movement through the forest. The most cohesive and lengthy expression of this idea, aided by its usual descending woodwind lines in counterpoint, can be heard in "Bitter Coffee." Despite this mundane stance in regards to the element of suspense, it should be noted, however, that this is one Goldsmith score that works brilliantly in its film. Most of that credit, however, needs to go to the primary horn theme. Molded from Trevor Jones' sparsely grand Last of the Mohicans brass title identity (once again a Tamahori request), Goldsmith's main theme for the horns is a noble and spectacular accompaniment for the aerial shots of the wilderness. More interesting is Goldsmith's extreme loyalty to that theme throughout the score; it can be heard in full in no less than half the cues in the score, and its presence in the film is unmistakable. Part of that credit goes to the very simple and thus memorable movements of the abnormally long, fluid theme (a carryover from the Jones theme, to some degree), and part goes to the bold statements of that idea without much interference from counterpoint or other orchestral activity. Even in its more subtle statements, as in "The Discovery" and the latter half of "The River," the theme's full brass harmony is exceptional. The string bridge sequence in the theme is employed much like the equivalent interlude in The Shadow, utilized as a victorious and romantic standalone idea, most notably with bravado at about the one minute mark into "Rescued." The only other thematic identity in The Edge represents the grizzly bear, with a brute brass slur (falling one note) appearing in "The Ravine" and "Stalking." It's not as creative as the faintly related use in The Shadow, nor is it as effective in its sense of foreboding as in equivalent purposes in The Ghost in the Darkness, but it gets the job done. The rather bland underscore in associated chase sequences sounds like leftovers from Goldsmith's (and his son's) suspense cues in Star Trek: First Contact, with occasional references back to the tumultuous string movements of Poltergeist and a few foreshadowings of woodwind usage that you would later hear in The Haunting. A singular similarity to Star Trek: First Contact also exists in the mutation of the title theme at 3:45 into "Rescued."

The most delicious area of study in The Edge, interestingly, relates to the lack of synthesizers. Ironically, in the electronics' requested absence, Goldsmith orchestrates several key cues in ways that imitate his normal bed of synthetic ostinatos. For avid collectors of the composer's works who are accustomed to his standard, tingling accompaniment for themes in practically any genre at the time, you can easily tell where Goldsmith had his usual synthetic rhythm-setters originally in mind. In a strikingly effective, though almost awkward move, he uses a piano, trumpet, and high woodwinds to attempt to recreate them organically, following the same descending, minor-key ostinato format as you would normally encounter. Accompanying the plane ride in "Lost in the Wild," Goldsmith forces the dexterous piano and trumpets into these precise, quick emulations, eventually emphasizing the woodwinds a bit more in the mix in "Mighty Hunter." It's a curious, but delightful enforcement of Goldsmith's personal style into a handicapped situation, and the trumpets and piano would play a very small role in the rest of the score. It also makes you appreciate, in retrospect, just how important an element the synthesizers were to Goldsmith, and one wishes that he had mixed them into one of these cues as an alternate piece for hardcore enthusiasts. The other notable aspect of The Edge is the forcing of the title theme into the realm of jazz for the final return to civilization in the story. The performance of this theme by piano, bass, and percussion resulted when the three musicians stuck around to perform spontaneously at the end of the recording sessions. The effect of having this cue attached to the project is as odd as the similarly sudden jazz appeal at the end of Goldsmith's The Vanishing a few years earlier, and, quite frankly, even the biggest fans of the style from The Russia House will find this cue a little tough to chew on after a completely unrelated score. Overall, The Edge is a solid score because of it's thematic integrity, though don't expect Goldsmith to impress you with extended, vibrant action sequences. The vast simplicity of the title theme's construct, as well as its straight forward performances, could leave you wanting more development. The original 1997 BMG/RCA album's mix is strangely heavy on the treble regions, with noticeable hiss in the trio's jazz performance at the end. That mix does, though, aid the cause of those intriguing attempts by Goldsmith to recreate the synthesizers with orchestral players. After that product went badly out of print, La-La Land Records issued a limited pressing of the complete score in 2010, adding even more unified title theme performances and a few alternate takes, as well as a correction of the mix. Ultimately, the unashamed, bold harmony for the horns makes this score an easy recommendation on any album.  ****   @Amazon.com: CD or Download