This is what David Arnold wrote about AMAZING GRACE in response to a query on his message board back in May 2006.
I am writing at the moment and we record in London early June.The demos are sent to Michael Apted for approval and we are getting them absolutely right before Nicholas Dodd comes in for orchestration.I know they have tested the movie with some of the demos that I had finished in,but as Im still writing , theyre not all done yet. It will be orchestral with an african choir,I have already done some recording in Senegal with Youssou Ndour who is in the film also.Perhaps I will try and get some photos done so you can see what it looks like.The film doesnt release until December though, although I believe if everything works out, we will have the end title song and possibly score album out before that although no deals have been made as yet..So Casino Royale will come out before Amazing Grace even though I will have finished amazing grace first. David Arnold
This IS really good. Very much like his lovely LITTLE BRITAIN work. Plus, it's conducted/orchestrated by Nic Dodd.
WHY can't Arnold approach his Bonds like this? The cue POLITICAL CONFLICT is exactly how the construction site chase music should have sounded in CASINO. Same with SOMETHING'S UP.
Maybe it's more to do with application than ability?
As a stand alone album I have no worthwhile opinion about it, since I have no tastes towards prog-rock. (save the occasional Genesis song). It might be a very good prog rock album, or a very bad one, I am unable to make the disctinction.
As a film score, it is an unmitigated disaster, A malignent cancerous growth that seriously scars what it otherwise a very good film (Though Broderick's Woody Allen inpersonation doesn't help much)
It could have been a timeless (semi)classic. Now it's just a 80's fantasy film.
Yes, but I am always right and Ross is always wrong.
Ummmm... if you say so! *Cough*
FWIW the samples on this site sound pretty good. Not entirely like typical Arnold which is, of course, very welcome! Evidently Nicholas Dodd has been restraining himself lately, what with this and the rather marvellous Nativity Story.
And I have to agree with Thor, Ladyhawke is a pretty decent attempt at genre-busting.
As a film score, it is an unmitigated disaster, A malignent cancerous growth that seriously scars what it otherwise a very good film (Though Broderick's Woody Allen inpersonation doesn't help much)
01. Main Titles (3:46) 02. First Nightmare (0:34) 03. Hayden Source 1 (0:51) * 04. Hayden Source 2 (1:19) * 05. Torture (0:48) 06. Mountains (edited) (0:19) 07. Mountains (uncut) (0:25) 08. Fetch (1:15) 09. God and Nature (1:09) 10. Politics and Religion (1:34) 11. Beggar and Speech (1:43) 12. Ghost (1:49) 13. Second Nightmare (1:43) 14. The Garden (1:47) 15. The Slave Ship (2:22) 16. Running in the Garden (1:47) 17. Mozart on Boat (1:13) * 18. Optimism Montage (1:49) 19. Courting (1:03) 20. Parliament (1:57) 21. Club Meeting (0:49) 22. All for Nothing (0:27) 23. Political Conflict (2:43) 24. Bill Rejection (1:36) 25. Pack to London (0:39) 26. Organ Source 1 (0:40) * 27. Organ Source 2 (0:55) * 28. Organ Source 3 (1:00) * 29. Organ Source 4 (0:47) * 30. Waking the Demons (1:35) 31. Off the Ship (0:57) 32. Cheat the Law (0:48) 33. Devious Plan (1:13) 34. Something's Up (2:28) 35. No More Laudenum (1:41) 36. Dying (3:39) 37. Triumph and Speech (3:09) 38. Bagpipes (1:44) * 39. End Title Song (3:31)
* source music
Total Time: 59:34 Total Source Music: 7:04 Total Score Time: 52:30
Parts of it remind me of The Young Americans. The David Arnold score only I seem to have ever heard.
Really? I always thought this score was quite popular, espescially with the Play Dead track sung by Bjork that still gets plenty of airplay on radio stations.
