Horner's use of pan pipes in the 1980's often led to
compelling recordings, and the instrument's quiet, contemplative
meandering in
Where the River Runs Black yields the score's
highlights. When there are times of more active rhythmic intensity to
accompany these performances, never does Horner whip them into a frenzy
as he would in
Vibes. Nor is the memorable lyricism as evident
here, either. The melodies of
Where the River Runs Black are very
subtle, often strained over lengthy periods in their full constructs.
The pipes are joined by electronic choral tones that are synthetic
enough to openly suggest a fantasy atmosphere. Deeply resonating
keyboarding sometimes offers a much-needed bass layer to the music; too
much of
Where the River Runs Black floats about in the treble
region for it to be anything more than an atmospheric work. Cues like
"Underwater Ballet" and "Magic Kitchen" provide a much needed respite
from the contemplation, breathing life with Horner's folksy percussive
and acoustic rhythms that eventually produce an opening to "End Title"
that will be reminiscent for some listeners of the celebratory finale
music in
Willow. Such optimism is rare in
Where the River Runs
Black, however; the majority of the score is so reserved and
minimally rendered that it could be, with the exception of about 10
minutes, a really disheartening experience. The minimal outright
suspense and horror moments, such as "Sierra Pelada," explore tones as
challenging in pulsating low keyboarding as anything in
Vibes,
with some dissonant chime effects carrying over from
Gorky Park.
The biggest difficulty that
Where the River Runs Black presents
in sum is its general lack of direction or maturity of ideas. Horner
basically handles familial and alienation scenes in consistent fashion
from start to end, leaving listeners grasping at the tone of the music
rather than any particular construct. There is no theme by which to
recall this listening experience. Instead, the score will give you
barely an impression, likely one of pleasantly understated ambience.
Only "The Orphanage" leaves an echo of beauty in your mind. With so many
promising ingredients, it's surprising that Horner was unable to collect
these ideas into a more cohesive whole. The original album release for
Where the River Runs Black was a rare Varèse Sarabande
product that demanded prices completely unjust for the quality of the
music, and the label re-issued the same contents as a Club CD in 2015.
It may be more interesting, per se, that
The Name of the Rose,
but the identical components form a more memorable whole in
Vibes. If you like zoning out to your film scores, then this will
be a three-star album.
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