April 3, 2015

  • BSX Does Game of Thrones

     

    BSX Records producer/arranger Dominik Hauser has pulled together a variety of memorable thematic moments from HBO’s popular Game of Thrones.  The highlight of this release is undoubtedly the warmly-performed cello solos by Peggy Baldwin.  Her work is on great display here from the opening season 3 “Main Title” and throughout the collection.  Whenever it comes to the forefront of the score it lifts the music up to a new level (“You Are No Son of Mine” is particularly powerful).  Hauser explores different musical presentations of the different “houses” of the fantasy series.  “The Kings Arrival” creates a forbidding and somber atmosphere to introduce the Baratheon theme.  This will recur later in “The Throne is Mine”.  The music tends to follow the warm cello lines with the addition of some drumming to lend it the “medieval” fantasy music that Djawadi explores in the series.  The choral writing in “Mhysa” provides some nice contrast as well to the preceding material.  Sometimes one can certainly hear nods to Zimmer’s influence in these pieces; perhaps most so in the rather exciting “Let’s Kill Some Crows” where interesting brass glissandi add to the powerful music.  The first season title music helps close out the primary score material and is followed by a goofy 8-bit setting of the main title as a “bonus”—so now everyone can hear just how far electronic manipulation and sounds have come.  Brian Williams also provides a somewhat gravelly bass to “The Rains of Castamere” providing an interesting narrative singing style.  He returns for the closing song, the ribald “The Bear and the Maiden Fair” in a more rock-like setting.

    Using a variety of samples, ironically the very thing Djawadi actually did not do, coupled with excellent integration of real acoustic performances (cello, brass, drumming) actually makes this collection work very well.  The sound is excellent and the music does have just the proper balance to be continuously engaging.  Fans likely have tracked down the original soundtracks, but this BSX release allows for a great overview of some of the primary themes making this a great little package.