Heaven's Gate [Enhanced, Original recording remastered, Soundtrack]

David Mansfield | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 8, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Original recording remastered, Soundtrack
• Label: Rykodisc
• ASIN: B00000J7YQ
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,035 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #83 in Music > Indie Music > Soundtracks > Movie Soundtracks

Track Listings

1. Slow Water

2. Song Of '70

3. Heaven's Gate Waltz

4. Snowfall

5. Blue Danube

6. Battle Hymn

7. Ella's Waltz

8. Sweet Breeze

9. Mamou Two Step

10. Moonlight

11. Morning Star

12. Village Dance

13. The Long Road

14. Overture

15. Immigrant Road

16. Meeting Billy

17. Baby's Song

18. Slow Water Reprised

19. Intermission

20. Playing In The Barn

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Heaven's Gate has entered Hollywood terminology as a definition for an unbelievably huge disaster--critically and financially. Many movies have lost more money than this 1980 film, but it has the unprecedented repercussion of sinking an entire studio (United Artists). Although some elements of Michael Cimino's laborious 219- minute saga do resonate, there are only two aspects that are consistently impressive: the look of the film and the soundtrack. In his early 20s, David Mansfield won a role in the band that played in the movie (he's the fiddler). A musical prodigy--he has played with Bob Dylan and Bruce Hornsby & the Range-- Mansfield scored the movie when more famous composers did not sign. Now available for the first time on CD--and expanded to nearly an hour --Mansfield's evocative music is better than ever. Much like the score for Ken Burns's The Civil War, strings are prevalent; the mandolin and violin receive most the exposure. The "Heaven Gate's Waltz" is a catchy tune that immediately makes your feet want to swing into action. Mansfield also does some impressive adaptation, turning the "Blue Danube" and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" into folk tunes that put you right back to the time when dirt roads and crowded dance halls dotted the open West. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT album, June 8, 1999

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Heaven's Gate (Audio CD)

Whatever is thought of this mis-guided movie, nothing but praise should be heaped on David Mansfield's score. It fuses solo western guitar with zydeco and Irish music that chronicles a brief sad time in our nation's history. Reminds me of the soundtrack to Ken Burns' documentary "The Civil War." THANK GOODNESS it's finally been issued on CD. Lots of new stuff, too.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredibly Beautiful!, June 26, 2004

By 

Sam Bethune (Lincoln, Nebraska USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heaven's Gate (Audio CD)

The soundtrack of Heaven's Gate, by David Mansfield, is an underappreciated gem. Sadly, because this soundtrack is so closely related with one of the biggest box office flops of all time, it will go largely ignored. That's too bad, because it ranks right up there with Avalon as one of the best film scores of the 1980s.

The exquisite blend of Eastern European folk melodies and Western music that permeates this soundtrack make it a joy to listen to. Particularly noteworthy are the accoustic guitar version of Strauss's Blue Danube Waltz as well as Doug Kershaw's Mamou Two Step, a piece that Kershaw fortunately chose to make available on some of his CDs. If you can't locate this soundtrack at least listen to that piece. I'm pretty sure you'll be sold on the artistic merits of this CD if you do.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Americana, June 22, 2000

By 

R. W. Rasband (Heber City, UT) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heaven's Gate (Audio CD)

Whether or not you liked the flop movie this music is from, after listening to the album you will have to agree it is one of the great soundtracks of the '80's. Mansfield manages to convey a wonderful sense of Americana--a gorgeous orchestral version of great native folk and western music. I could listen to this all day, and it's nice to have it back in print after all these years.