This is a very interesting piece of work from our Zimmer/classical protege.
The first seven tracks give an impression that this could be a horror masterpiece of ye olden times. There are two main themes, both melodic and sad, done with both vocalistes and choirs. There are echoes of Zimmer's Ring theme in the deep dark sound.
But this is much more 'European' with humming children and harp crescendoes and real large orchestra. Some of the JNH village sound seems to be present as well as Zimmer's Hannibal.
Feuerwalschen is a fantastic piece of bombast, with nods to Shostakovich' Waltz 2, occasionally marred by a slightly Zimmeresqeu use of thick walls of brass and celli - they take away from the composition.
I have kept repeating the word Zimmer - it seems he has adopted Wallfisch as his new classical guy and this is exactly what this work delivers. It is a bigger, much more refined version of what Hans has done with his genre work to date.
I was prepared to appreciate this much more but unfortunately, the rest of the CD does not deliver. We may have a version of the Brian Tyler symptom here where the composer assembles the best music for the first tracks and leaves the rest.
After track nine the score unfortunately descends into cliches with occasional great moments.
Still, a surprisingly melodic score that seems to reflect the dark times in which we live.
Magic score! I agree that it does take a shift after the first 10 tracks but from what I read, this reflects the tone shift in the film. Apart from that the score is worth getting even just for the track 'Feuerwalzer' which sounds like the orchestra doing some mad waltz whilst at the same time trying to bring Frankenstein's Monster to life!! Sheer Brilliance! Of the modern composers its Benjamin Wallfisch and Dario Marianelli's scores that I most look forward to these days.
