Hero [Soundtrack]

Tan Dun (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 24, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0002S945W
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,253 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Tan Dun straddles the very different worlds of concert music and film scores, winning admirers in both. He's perhaps best known for his score to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which shares with Hero a visual poetry that transcends the sword-filled action film genre. In Crouching Tiger, Tan Dun's music was often striking. In Hero he often lapses into repetition and cliché, a failing compensated for by several appealing cues. The Overture, for example, begins with the mournful wail of ancient Chinese instruments set against pounding drums, a promising start that evokes ancient China and the struggles to come. There's a mournful soprano vocalise in "Gone With the Leaves," and the "Warriors" cue recalls Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky. The plucking of the ancient Chinese lute in "In the Chess Court" evokes a timeless, peaceful mood, contrasting with the thrilling kodo drummers showcased in "Swift Sword." Itzhak Perlman gets cover billing for violin solos any competent studio fiddler could have handled. Tan Dun's admirers will want this, and audiophiles will love those kodo drummers. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful as companion to the visual wonders of the movie, September 17, 2004

By	JCS (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

While "Hero" has ghostly tendrils of familiarity to Tan Dun's prior work, I believe this soundtrack is unique, stunning and a wonderful auditory companion to the striking visual imagery left in the minds of the cinematic eye.

Prior to becoming an owner of this particular soundtrack, I did my research on the internet, as the international import soundtrack had been released in Asia 2 years prior. One of the largest complaints from most reviewers was the startling similarity to the renowned score of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". What most people fail to notice with most soundtrack composers is that with each composer, there is a signature "je ne sais crois" in each separate film score that is composed. To the well-listened ear, the works of Hans Zimmer and John Williams (to name a few) can easily be picked up by their unique melodic estuaries or powerfully moving symphonic tidal movements.

One must also remember that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, is Asia's most prominent international export, and one of the first to be globally recognized. Tan Dun's "Hero" already suffers a bias in that to most, the different nuances in cultural music is overshadowed by it's lone representation of the asian soundtrack music genre. The instrumental work of Itzhak Perlman is, as always, a world class musician's touch to an exotic canvas. The use of traditional drumming and oriental instrumentation in combination with symphonic vocals is absolutely breath taking.

While these opinions are mine alone, I urge you to approach this soundtrack with open senses and soak up the sounds of silk flowing in the wind, or sword play dancing in the rain.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Cultural Senstation to the Ears- Best overall soundtrack, January 21, 2006

By	Niall McCarten "My Humble Opinion" (Davis, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This soundtrack stands alone as a music CD. You don't need to see the movie which is a work of art itself to appreciate the music. Having seen the movies several times the CD brings back the imaging instantly partiucularly pieces like track 4 "Gone with the leaves" which is the the Golden Forest scene in the movie.
If you liked Tan Dun's soundtrack for Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon I would be surprised if you don't like this equally if not more. The sensations you get from Itzhak Perlman's violin surprise me everytime I listen and amazingly they are even more inspiring than Yo-Yo Ma's cello in CTHD. The two soundtracks share common musical themes but after a few listens to each the differences are great and appreciable.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tan Dun - what more can you say..., September 5, 2004

By	pb109 "ser5" (USA) - See all my reviews

Tan Dun is wonderful !
If you love Crouching Tiger soundtrack you will love this - in fact one song on this CD has the exact drum beat as one from CTHD. It is a little on the short side but a fitting score to an aewsome movie.