Customer Reviews

Hidalgo (Music Composed by James Newton Howard

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

James Newton Howard has risen over the past five years to become one of finest composers of movie music. With scores such as "Wyatt Earp," "Unbreakable," "Signs," and "Peter Pan," he's shown a very creative approach to film music that is superior to most of the young composers today who rely on boring rhythms and electronic laziness to the point that they are all starting to sound alike. In addition to his creativity, Howard also has a lyrical gift that sounds similar to the master of the lyrical soundtrack, John Barry.

"Hidalgo" is one of Howard's best scores yet. The film offers a challenge for any composer: combine American Western-themed music with Middle Eastern influences, and a dash of Native American rhythms. That's a tough assignment for any composer, but Howard dazzles with his brilliant weave of different cultures. Jerry Goldsmith faced a similar challenge on his knock-out score to "The Wind and the Lion" in 1975, and if James Newton Howard doesn't quite attain the heights of that classic score, he nonetheless gives us an excellent work that sweeps the listener away into the romance of the Arabian deserts, the thrill of horses pounding through the sand, and the wide-open sounds of the American west. This CD captures the music in a wonderful package that will thrill fans of film music and anyone who enjoyed the film.

Native American tinged melodies open the score in "Main Title," and then the Hidalgo theme is introduced, a piece of pure Americana that owes quite a bit to legendary composer Aaron Copeland. The sprightly music of the next track, "Don't Waste Our Money" is also a pure slice of the Old West. With the tracks "Arriving in the Desert" and "Morning of the Race," Howard introduces the Middle Eastern theme. This is some of the most beautiful music in the score: using ethnic percussion and instruments like the duduk, oud, saz, and bouzouki, Howard conjures up an ancient world of bazaars, palms, veils, camels, and oases. As "The Race Begins," robust cowboy music propels horse rideer Frank T. Hopkins and his beloved horse on. Thrilling, percussive action music appears in the tracks "The Sandstorm" and "The Trap," while the Arabian theme makes a beautiful entrance with ethnic percussion in "Frank Pushes On." One of the most effective tracks is "Katib," a quiet and reflective piece of Middle Eastern mood music. There is some wonderful Middle Eastern vocal work on the seven-minute track "Montage," which combines various shorter cues from throughout the film. For "The Final Three," as the race approaches its finale, the composer unleashes a pounding action cue with heavy brass that builds toward to huge climax. The last track, "Let 'Er Buck," brings us full circle to the Hidalgo theme and its feel for the wide-open American prairie.

At 45 minutes long, the album is a nice length for a score recorded in Los Angeles (union re-use fees often restrict albums that use Los Angeles film musicians to around thirty minutes in length -- this happens to Jerry Goldsmith's CDs a lot). Some major music pieces are missing, such as a lengthy action cue for the rescue of Jazira. But this is still a wonderful listening experience away from the film: it carries you off into the romance of two worlds, the same way the movie does. This film score confirms my belief that James Newton Howard, along with Canadian composer Howard Shore (responsible for "The Lord of the Rings" and "Panic Room"), shows the real promise for the next wave of film composers.

I really feel that this sountrack is quite enjoyable. There are a few composers out there that consistantly can put out scores that not only suit the movie it is written for, but then can have it stand on it's own merits. I think this gentleman can join them. This soundtrack was refreshing, yet at the same time, reminiscient of great movie music from a past era.

I was greatly suprised to read several of the other reviews. Actually, kind of flabbergasted. Many of my favorite composers have been repeating themselves in their scores, of late. I have been having no reason to pay attention to the soundtracks while watching a movie they have written for, since, I have heard it all before. This is a new voice, yet of the same wonderful quality! I didn't have to be reminded of a totally different movie while a passage played, as it had been used before, in some other movie. While watching Hidalgo, my ears perked up and I began looking forward to purchasing the soundtrack afterwards so that I might listen to it in more depth. I haven't been dissappointed. In this soundtrack at least. The other reviews, related, are another story.

If you loved the movie,you will love the soundtrack,the music takes you to most scenes in the movie and you can remember all that is happening,gives you the adventure all over again.

This soundtrack, while not James Newton Howard's best soundtrack, has a charm about it that not many other soundtracks posses. It starts slow, but in forty five seconds or so, bang! You are introduced into Howard's Cowboy style composition that personaly enthralls me.

Very good, buy if you love J.N.H's music.

James Newton Howard, to me, breaks down into three categories: Action, Children, and M. Night Shyamalan. Pretty much anything he does originates purely from one of these categories, or is a mixture of some or all.

I personally enjoy his more imaginative work for the M. Night films, they have a deeper, darker, more psychological feel. Hidalgo didn't get close. He did however succeed in creating a reasonably decent action score for what was a reasonably decent action movie.

Few tracks stand out from the CD's thematic ambiguity, but the two most notable themes are "The Race Begins" and "The Final Three". "Montage" is also a likable piece.

For the diehard fans of Howard, I suppose this is a must-have. I buy scores before I see the film itself, so I felt somewhat duped, but after a while it grew on me. It might for someone else too...

I really enjoyed the music in the Hidalgo trailer and website, so I preordered this cd and receieved it a day before that I saw Hidalgo on opening night. I listened to it four times in a row before I saw the movie, which really helped me get into the mood. At first, I didn't like it that much and there didn't appear to be a central theme that seems to be a staple of so many of the great soundtracks of our time. Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson always knew that Howard Shore had the score done correctly when PJ found himself humming bits of it. After a few listens, it turned out that the cd is indeed hummable! It hasn't left my cd player since I received it four days ago.

It's rare that one can find the sweep of Western adventure music side by side with melodious exotic tunes. The music really transports you to a different time and place. Even if you haven't seen the movie, the music can paint the action in your mind. If you have already watched it, then it helps to perfectly recreate the actions and feeling of Frank and his horse Hidalgo as they traverse the sands together. The score starts out in the Wild West and seemlessly flows into the 3,000 mile race across the Arabian desert and finally comes full circle again by the end of the cd. My only complaint is that it may take a few listens in order to truly get into it.

Kudos to James Howard for a job well done!

Saw the movie and liked it, bought the soundtrack and like it just as well. Simple as that, nothing too hard to figure out there. I do agree with other reviewers that the score is not extremely memorable in the sense that it doesn't get stuck in your head easily, but yet I can tell you that it has a special place. There are times when I have come to crave the supple, heroic, meditative, and engaging sounds of this soundtrack. Flows magically well with a creative mind at work, very reflective, but still very activating, daring and dashing.

There isn't a single track that I hugely disapprove of. I enjoy Arriving In The Dessert, track number three for it's steady progressive movements that create an explorative sense of new wonder. That sums up the entire soundtrack to a degree. I also particularly enjoy Montage, track number ten for it's haunty emotion presented in a mix of Arabian vocal, traditional instruments and strings. The following track, number eleven, The Trap comes alive with playful excitement, then we come back again to the reflective tension in number twelve: The Last Push. For the individual cultural differences the songs are arranged extremely well. I love how the soundtrack returns to the opening theme in the final track. It puts a grand, finishing touch on the musical journey, making it come out ahead of the crowd.

In my opinion it is a masterful combination of strings, woods, brass & percussion, timeless and exotic, a classic adventure piece slightly reminiscent of Indiana Jones. No matter how close you evaluate it, the Hidalgo film score is still distinguishably different. It is a note worthy soundtrack that can rate up there with the best, even though it's bound to easily get overlooked and pushed aside regardless. If you've enjoyed the film and do enjoy collection film scores, than this CD is one to have.

James Newton Howard's score is a dramatic music accompaniment to a good film that critics and the general public didn't take to, for the most part. The music is a mixture of the old American Indian themes of the '50s with the exotic sounds of Arabia that bring together images of the forests and plains of Montana and Wyoming merging with the dunes and deserts of the Sahara. The plot is a cross country horse race and the obstacles the hero faces in his attempt to win the race. Howard's cues underscore the themes of love, treachery, sinister plots and ambushes that abound in the film. This soundtrack can stand on its own as a beautiful symphony that brings out the drama and beauty of two different yet similar noble cultures that valued horsemanship as much as honor in battle.

James Newton Howard, composer of the scores to films like Treasure Planet, Peter Pan, Atlantis, Dinosaur and of course The Fugitive wins again with the score to Hidalgo. In a movie full of diverse situations and peoples, Howard manages to create an interesting and beautiful score that encompasses all aspects of the films. He is not a grand scope composer like Williams, but Howard is able to capture perfectly the feel of a film and like his score for Peter Pan, write some great music. I highly recommend it.

I quite enjoy this soundtrack and do believe that it is one of the best fitting scores that ties to its movie. From the opening, the sense of the movie is captured. As you listen to the soundtrack it is as if you are able to recall each scene of the movie.
The mesh of sounds on "Montage" is possibly the strongest point on the score, but I find all of the tracks highly enjoyable and easy to listen to.