The Promise [Soundtrack]

Klaus Badelt (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 16, 2006)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Superb Records
• ASIN: B000FC2F74
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #51,392 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Freedom Of The Wa

2. Wuji – Main Theme

3. Love Theme

4. Kunlun, The Slave

5. Qingcheng, The Princess

6. Guangming, The General

7. Wuhuan, The Duke

8. Princess Kite

9. The Promise

10. Snow Country

11. The Robe

12. Save The King

13. Guilang, The Assassin

14. Saving A Princess

15. Feather Fight

16. Waterfall

17. Stampede

18. Come Back

19. Birdcage

20. Wuhuan’s Plan

Editorial Reviews

From the Artist

"Once you have accepted your destiny, nothing can alter it unless rivers flow uphill, time runs backwards and the dead come back to life." --The Sorceress, Wuji-The Promise As human beings, are we free to live out our lives according to our own desires, in accordance with our will, or are we merely powerless pawns in the hand of destiny? These are potent questions that in some way or another confront us all, sometimes in the most unexpected of ways. In a sense, I do believe that our fate is pre-determined. Yet paradoxically, I do not believe that this absolves us of our responsibility to try to alter it for the greater good, nor do I believe that fate has the final word. We might even say we are co-authors with fate of our destiny. Of course, long before we began pre-production, I had conceptualized what the story would be: a beautiful Princess, a courageous Slave, an ambitious, charismatic Mighty General, an evil and cunning Duke, each propelled forward and entwined by vehement passions: greed, ambition, loyalty, revenge, the unremitting search for true love. Their dance with destiny would be choreographed not only by these powerful drives and desires, but also by promises and contracts made years before - each setting his or her own course for themselves earlier in life. Furthermore, I would set the story "3,000 years ago in the future, somewhere in Asia." That was the essence of the film, the premise from which I started. Yet a series of synchronicitous events unfolded that shaped the film in distinct ways that I had not previously envisaged. The film you "plan" to make is not the one which you shoot - the film will unfold as it will. Perhaps fate whispers stories to us in our dreams, in our subconscious, and we are compelled to tell them. And yet we do have an opportunity to shape them, to embellish them, to make them our own.

--Chen Kaige

Product Description

Known as the most expensive Chinese movie made to-date THE PROMISE features an epic score by Klaus Badelt (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, POSEIDON). Directed by Chen Kaige, winner of the Golden Globe™ for Best Foreign Film for FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE, THE PROMISE was also nominated for a Golden Globe™ for Best Foreign Language Film. Cinematography and production design are by Academy Award™ winners for CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The severely underrated Badelt proves his mettle once again., June 6, 2006

By 

Seth Merlo (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Promise (Audio CD)

Badelt is something of an enigma in the film scoring world. He cops more critical flak than perhaps even his mentor Hans Zimmer does every time a new score album is released, even though `The Promise' is without a doubt the finest work he has done since his 2002 breakthrough with `The Time Machine', and in spite of the fact that he continues to produce thoughtful, melodic and deeply involving scores time and time again. Fortunately, the tide is turning, and film score reviewers and critics are beginning to acknowledge the amazing diversity and sheer talent that Badelt exudes.

His work here brings to mind other historical/fantasy epics such as `Conan the Barbarian' and `The 13th Warrior' with its mix of robust brass, soaring strings and ethnic instrumentation. That alone should be enough to entice even casual film score fans, but for the aficionados, there are several themes and leitmotifs that are utilized extremely well throughout the album's 70-odd minutes. A kind of showcase of these themes appears in the first seven tracks, which sets up the motifs for each of the film's major characters, as well as the Main Title and Love themes. The `Love Theme' in particular is a moving piece that opens quietly on Asian flutes and plucked strings before the orchestra picks up the theme and sweeps it away (think of the way the strings build up in `Ned Kelly' before the main theme drops in and you have an idea of how Badelt builds up his layers of instrumentation here).

`Kunlun, The Slave' follows on from where `Love Theme' left off, offering a second take on the love theme which culminates in another amazing climax of strings and brass. `Qingcheng, The Princess' is a gentler theme performed with little of the ethnic instruments that are present in the other motifs. The melody is passed between the wind and string sections, making for a very fine, very feminine theme for Cecilia Cheung's character.

The album then launches into `Guangming, The General,' the most vigorous of Badelt's themes and reminisicent of `Capt. Alexi Vostrokiv' from K-19, though not quite as brooding or dark. Keep in mind that Badelt here is writing for what is essential an epic fairytale - the music is bold and adventurous, and never dives too deeply into dark territory. `Wuhuan, The Duke' mirrors Qingcheng's theme, though in more somber tones. It is another gentle theme performed primarily by the strings, though with more presence from the brass.

With these leitmotifs presented early on the album, the listener then has the pleasure of hearing how Badelt interweaves them throughout the rest of the score. `Princess Kite' opens with Asian strings, builds with racey strings and choral effects before introducing the brass and percussion. It ends with a moving violin solo, which is featured again in `The Promise', as does Qingcheng's theme. `Snow Country' is a definite highlight, featuring choir and ethnic solos in a cue both epic and intimate by turns.

`The Robe' is perhaps the standout cue on the album, featuring the fullest statement of the main theme, as well as the Kunlun and Love themes. It is the first true action cue of the score, featuring Asian flutes, strings and percussion battling it out with the orchestra. It's an exciting cue that features several themes in an action setting.

`Guilang, The Assassin' is another motif that is introduced quite late on the album, but also features powerful, rolling Asian drums over ethnic flutes that build to a grand brass statement of quite epic proportions, and which flow nicely into `Saving A Princess,' which continues the bold brass statements and is moved along by marching percussion and choppy strings. `Feather Fight' is another exciting action cue that wouldn't sound out of place in `Conan the Barbarian'. It starts very gently before launching straight into pounding Asian drums and a very invigorating melody performed by the orchestra. `Waterfall' offers another statement of the Love theme before moving into `Stampede', another brass-lead action cue with exciting percussive elements, choppy strings and plenty of cymbal crashes, nicely living up to its name for nearly all of its 5 minutes. `Come Back' restates Kunlun's theme in full, before moving into the Love theme, which is here performed by Asian flutes. `Wuhuan's Plan' is an epic 10 minute piece that sees all the major themes restated with plenty of ethnic flourishes, all wrapped up in the guise of an epic action cue.


`The Promise' is Badelt's most accomplished work to date, and should see him win over many new fans. It's exciting, bold and adventurous, bringing to mind previous efforts such as `The Time Machine', `Ned Kelly' and `K-19: The Widowmaker,' while marking a distinct departure from all of these, as `Kingdom of Heaven' and `The Chronicles of Narnia' did for Harry Gregson-Williams. Pick up a copy of `The Promise', listen to it carefully and critically, and see what most of us already knew - that Klaus Badelt is one of the most creative, musical, dedicated and hard-working film composers in the industry today.

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Done Klaus Badelt!, October 4, 2011

By 

Winchester - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Promise (Audio CD)

This score is a big surprise for Klaus Badelt fans accustomed to his scores for Poseidon and Pirates of the Carribean which feature live orchestra players but also feature electronics and synthetic sounds. This score is purely orchestral and features beautiful solo passages for violin and other numerous Chinese instruments. Badelt also writes some action music, utilizing every instrument in the live orchestra to his full advantage. If you've yearned for Badelt to expand with his orchestral sound he's exercised in other scores including K19: The Widowmaker, The Time Machine, and Rescue Dawn, then this score is a must buy! If you're looking for a score to start your Badelt collection with, look no further. It's the best he has composed!

5.0 out of 5 stars The best movie soundtrack I've bought so far, January 29, 2008

By 

Khanh Bui (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Promise (Audio CD)

Some of my top movie sountracks are: The Lion King, The Rock, Beyond Rangoon, and Mulan. Now, The Promise has just been added to the list. Right from the beginning to the end, this soundtrack captivates you, and once you start listening it's hard to stop. I listen to it on my way to work. This is the first CD I've ever bought that I find every track equally important (regarding its place in the CD) and extremely well done. Normally I would skip songs around when listen to any CD for the first time, not this one. It got me at "Freedom Of The Wa." Just perfect.