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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Score

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When one thinks about BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, there are certain names which spring immediately to mind: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Joss Whedon, Nicky Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Tony Head, et al. One name I don't necessarily think of is Christophe Beck, the man who arranged and performed the musical scores for the entire series. This is a stupid oversight on my part, because while Beck had only one single cameo appearance in the seven years BUFFY was on the air, he was as much a part of the show's success as any of its actors, writers, producers or directors.

To say that Beck is a musical genius is merely to recite the obvious, but it becomes even more apparent when one can listen to his works by themselves as stand-alone tracks, rather than as background accompaniment. THE SCORE is not, by any means, a comprehensive anthology of all Beck's output for BtVS: in fact it's only a selection of his better known compositions from Seasons 2 - 5. The diversity of the material, however, is really astonishing. Like BUFFY the show, Beck's music runs the range from comedic to tragic, from slow and tender ballad instrumentals to crashbang fight scores, with everything imaginable in between. The show defied easy categorization, and so does the music, with the exception that most of it is damn good.

THE SCORE has twenty-nine tracks taken from sixteen episodes of BUFFY, most of which are (not surprisingly) fan faves. Among the very best, in my opinion, are:

"Angel Waits" (from "Passion"). If Angelus had a song stuck in his head, this is probably what it would sound like: creepy, sinister, like the soundtrack to a bad dream.

"Remembering Jenny" ("Passion"). This is probably my favorite of the tracks, played when Giles and Buffy are at Jenny Calendar's graveside. As beautiful as Robia LaMorte and as tragic as the death of her character.

"Tai Chi" ("Band Candy"). Just as Sarah Gellar and David Boreanaz were able to communicate a great deal as actors without speaking, Beck had an almost eerie ability to sum up the unspoken feelings between Buffy and Angel in his music.

"Loneliness of Six" ("Lover's Walk"). This was one of the best episodes of an excellent season, and Beck's use of single, melancholy guitar to describe the mood following Spike's relationship-annihilating visit to Sunnydale is masterful.

"Magic Snow" ("Amends"). A two-kleenex score which manages to be ridiculously sweet without every crossing the line into sickly.

"Slayer's Elegy" ("The Wish"). This is a very sad, haunting, powerful piece of music which makes excellent use of a chorus, chronicling the death of Buffy at the hands of the Master.

"Spellbound" ("Who Are You?"). More minimalism, this time with a piano, evokes a half-melancholy, half-creepy mood that is pure Buffy.

"A Really Big Sandbox" ("Restless"). The job of background music is to enhance the mood already created by the story, and Beck's use here of eerie, vaguely Moroccan choral sounds to accompany Buffy's walk into the desert is spot on.

There is of course plenty more here, including comedic razzle-dazzle ("Twice the Fool") ("Sugar High"), slambang fight music ("Faith's End") ("Xander's Nightmare"), more creepy, Resident Evil style mood music ("Kralik's House") and of course many emotionally stirring tracks pertaining to B & A ("Drink Me", "Moment of Happiness"), but the point is there is something here for every emotional state. I myself was surprised how certain tracks had my mind replaying whole scenes from various episodes, as if they were on a flatscreen in front of me. My only real beef with the album is one Beck had no control over, i.e. that most of the songs are very short (two minutes) and need a lot of replaying to be enjoyed fully. But that's pretty hefty, Comic Book Guy nerd-nitpicking on my part, idn't it?

Anyway: Christophe Beck may not be a household word, even to Buffy fans, but he should be, and this album proves it. And that's the score on THE SCORE.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Score is both what fans of BtVS have waited for for years and also a compilation that any instrumental music lover could enjoy. Christophe Beck (the composer for seasons 2-4) has compiled a master list of some of the most moving and exciting incidental music in the history of the cult classic TV series.

True, the Buffy soundtracks (i.e., The Album, Radio Sunnydale) were excellent mixes that brought back memories of the show, but there is nothing like a score to truly bring back memories, and Whedon and Beck have chosen the most evocative of the tracks. The exciting opener, "Massacre" truly makes one FEEL as if they too are battling Angelus with Buffy as she races to save her friends (incidentally, the entire score for the episode "Becoming (Parts I & II)" won Beck an Emmy award).

The other joy of the Buffy Score is that while the first fourteen tracks were previously available if you could find Beck's promotional soundtracks for seasons two and three, everything from track fifteen to track twenty-nine have never before been heard by anyone save for during the show itself. AN IMPORTANT NOTE: I've read other reviews online since posting this, and felt I should make these notes.

FIRSTLY: Track twenty-nine, the alternate version of "Sacrifice" is just what it says: an alternate version. It is not the short clip of the "Sacrifice" theme heard during season six's "Bargaining;" it is a possible version of what "Sacrifice" could have been before going through the editing process.

Secondly, THERE ARE NO REPEATS ON THIS CD. For those who need their memory refreshed, Christophe Beck has had these songs published before: "Close Your Eyes" on the Album, "Dead Guys With Bombs" on the British/Australian version of Radio Sunnydale, and "Suite from "Restless"", "Suite from "Hush"", and "Sacrifice" on Once More, With Feeling. All the music from "Hush" and "Restless" featured on The Score are not included in the Suites, and everything from seasons four and five HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED.

If you are already a fan of Buffy, this score will bring back memories as if you were not only watching the show itself but experiencing it as well. If you are not a fan of Buffy but of instrumental music, the Buffy Score is a worthy addition to your music library - from sweepingly emotional tracks such as "Remembering Jenny," "Slayer's Elegy," and "Sacrifice" to heartpounding themes like "Massacre," "Faith's End," and "Apocalypse;" from teasing tracks like "Twice the Fool" and "Fyarl in the Morning," and also just plain wonderful songs as well, you will listen to the Buffy score more than once.

This score was worth every penny, and whether you are a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, instrumental music, or Christophe Beck (or all three), there is something in the twenty-nine tracks for you. The fact that it has been published five years after the end of BtVS gives fans hope that there may be another volume for the other worthy composers of this amazing show.

Also recommended:

Angel: Live Fast, Die Never [This album is mostly comprised of score music from Angel composed by Robert J. Kral, and also features a song by Christophe Beck; Buffy: The Album; Buffy: Radio Sunnydale

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Score is an excellent way for fans to relive the classic and memorable moments of their favorite series. It ranges from epic battles to grieving moments. There is scarcely a mood unexpressed by Christophe Beck's phenomenal compositions.

I'm not a hardcore fan of Buffy, but I do have my favorite episodes. I'm also a TV/movie score addict, occasionally finding myself haunted by a particular theme or track I hear, often at unexpected times. With Buffy, I came to expect that higher standard of gripping music, and Christophe Beck always delivered! This CD is by no means a comprehensive collection, but it's an excellent way to start.

My personal standouts:

"Magic Snow Music" is exactly that. It's a track you could easily add to a Christmas playlist and a faerie/fantasy playlist at the same time. When I listen to it, I am instantly transported to a skating pond in the middle of a forest carpeted with thick, fresh snow and a gentle cascade of snowflakes coming down around me. If the title hadn't subliminally caused me to be thinking about snow, I might have found myself in the middle of Fern Gully. It's such a romantic, lovely track that you'll instantly fall in love with it.

"Sacrifice Alternate Version" really sounds like the version played in the episode "Bargaining Part 1," even if it isn't. If you like that music, or that scene, this track will be a must-have for you. It's a little more melancholy than the original, as well as less dramatic. If you're looking for the original version of "Sacrifice" from "The Gift," you'll want to get Once More, With Feeling, if you don't already have it. The climax of the original is much more heroic, where this one leaves me feeling like it didn't quite reach a certain height, but I do recommend both versions.

"Remembering Jenny" sounds as though Beck might have taken every other note out of the Buffy/Angel theme, added a vocal and a couple of twists to come up with a totally different track that still fits in very easily with the rest of the score. This is a slow, sentimental piece that is sad and peaceful all at once.

"Angel Waits" is creepy, oh so icky-- and I love it! The percussion makes me think of footsteps echoing in an empty cavern or sewer. Lock your doors, board up the windows and string up the garlic, folks!

"A Really Big Sandbox" is short, but powerful, with a Middle Eastern overtone that will take you to a desert in Egypt at sunrise with sand swirling around you. It could very easily be the lament of a vampire . If you like the vocals by Mamak Khadem here, be sure to check out the Dracula 2000 score by Marco Beltrami--- IF you can find it.

Being Buffy, this score contains many great action tracks as well. I don't think you have to be a fan of Buffy to appreciate this score, but if you are, get this NOW. If you're not a fan, get this NOW. In fact, if you've never seen Buffy or Angel, but you love scores and good music in general, I think you'll like it even more. Without having heard the tracks in their original context, you'll be able to make your own pictures in your mind, and you'll like them that much more. Definitely take advantage of the MP3 previews here on Amazon and listen to what we're talking about. Buy it, listen to it, love it.

Some great musical composition. While anyone can enjoy what's on offer here, it really is only for Buffy fans who can connect the music to the narrative and characters of the series.

For all the fans that still miss this show, this is a must have! I listen to my Buffy CD at least every couple of days. It is so great to be able to be put back into those memories and feelings these songs for gave us. This is some the best musical writing to accompany a show, I have ever heard. Even if you didn't watch the show, it could make you feel some deep emotions. Buffy will for ever be a legend and so will this score!

If you are a BtVS fan, then consider this a must-have CD. Christophe Beck is sheer genius when it comes to conveying the mood and action of the show.

I have loved so many of the short scores in this show forever and never thought that they would make a CD for it! It couldn't have been better and included so many tracks that are already played more than their fair share of times on my itunes.

Anyone with an artistic taste agrees with me when I say: This music can really talk.
I mean if you have seen the episodes you can feel the heat of the moment through the music, Beck is a great composer (and I still wonder why he left buffy after season 4!)
Some examples are:
- Remembering Jenny: Sad and really makes you remember jenny and feel bad for Giles.
- Moments of Happiness: A love score with all it holds and it was meant for Buffy and Angel.
- Magic Snow Music: Who of us doesn't remember the time Angel decided to die and god said no, genius score.
- Demon got you tongue: Hush was a genius episode and I think even non-Buffy fans agree.
- Sacrifice: The one return for Chris Beck for season 5 gave us this great score for a great ending of a season.

I think we all agree that this series changed the way TV is now and how scoring TV is. I wish I could get my hands on the complete score of Buffy.

The whole album is fantastic. As you listen you can see the scenes playing out in your head.