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<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en">  <head><title>Filmtracks: Willow (James Horner)</title> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <meta http-equiv="last-modified" content="Sun, 04 Dec 2022 23:25:54 +0000"> <meta name="description" content="Includes reviews, audio clips, track listings, pictures, and other notes about the Willow soundtrack by James Horner"> <meta name="keywords" content="Willow, willow soundtrack, James Horner, film music, film score, soundtrack, composer"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.filmtracks.com/images/facebook_2024_thumb.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:width" content="400" /> <meta property="og:image:height" content="400" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Filmtracks: Willow (James Horner)" /> <meta property="og:description" content="Includes reviews, audio clips, track listings, pictures, and other notes about the Willow soundtrack by James Horner" /> <meta property="og:type" content="article" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Filmtracks" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.filmtracks.com/titles/willow.html"> <script src="/js/jquery-1.11.0.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="/js/global.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/global.css"> <script type="text/javascript"> $(document).ready(function() { $('[id^=albumtrackstitle]').each(function(index) { $(this).click(function(event) { event.preventDefault(); 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height: 15px;">  </td><td style="width: 918px; height: 15px;">  </td></tr></table>  </td></tr><tr><td> <table id="MainContentTable2" style="width: 1280px; text-align: left;"> <tr><td style="width: 123px; text-align: left; max-width: 1280px;">  </td><td style="width: 1034px; text-align: left; max-width: 1034px;">  <table id="MainContentTable3" style="width: 1034px; background: url(/images/2015/header/reviews.gif) no-repeat; background-position: 17px 0px;"><tr> <td style="width: 286px; maxwidth: 286px;"> <table id="LeftColumnTable" style="width: 286px;"> <tr><td style="width: 286px; height: 39px; background: url(/images/2015/header/reviews.gif) no-repeat top left; background-position: 17px;"> </td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 286px; height: 17px; background: url(/images/2015/interior/swoosh_bottom_column.gif) no-repeat top left; background-position: 17px;"> </td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 286px; background: url(/images/2015/interior/left_column_back_pattern.gif) repeat-y left 0px top 80px;"> <table id="LeftColumnTable2" style="width: 286px;"> <tr><td style="width: 286px; background: url(/images/2015/interior/left_column_top_pattern.gif) no-repeat top left; padding-left: 13px;"> <div style="text-align: right; width: 210px; font-size: 1.1em; margin: 58px 7px 2px 24px; text-shadow: 2px 2px #000, 1px 1px 4px #000, 1px 1px 10px #000;"><b> Willow</b></div> <table id="LeftColumnTable3" style="width: 273px;"> <tr><td style="width: 273px; height: 4px; background: url(/images/2015/interior/left_column_line.gif) no-repeat left;"> </td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 273px; background: url(/images/2015/interior/left_column_fade_pattern.png) repeat-y left top;"> <table class="LeftColumnCover" style="width: 240px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 0px;"> <tr><td style="padding-left: 12px; color: #6f91dd; font-size: 0.7em; text-shadow: 2px 2px #000, 1px 1px 4px #000, 1px 1px 10px #000;"><b> (1988)</b> </td><td rowspan="2" style="width: 115px; text-align: left; padding-top: 10px;"> <div style="width: 100px; height: 100px; background: url(/images/2015/interior/left_column_cover.png) no-repeat;"> <img alt="Album Cover Art" src="/images/covers/willow.jpg" width="90" height="90" style="margin: 5px 0px 0px 5px;"> </div> </td></tr> <tr><td class="covertitle"> 1988 Virgin</td></tr></table> <table class="LeftColumnCover" style="width: 240px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 0px;"> <tr><td class="covertitle"> 2022 Intrada </td><td style="width: 115px; text-align: left;"> <div style="width: 100px; height: 100px; background: url(/images/2015/interior/left_column_cover.png) no-repeat;"> <img alt="Album 2 Cover Art" src="/images/covers/willow22.jpg" width="90" height="90" style="margin: 5px 0px 0px 5px;"> </div> </td></tr></table>  </td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 273px; height: 4px; background: url(/images/2015/interior/left_column_line.gif) no-repeat left;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 20px 35px 24px 16px;"> <div class="columncreditdivider"> Composed, Conducted, and Co-Produced by:</div> <div class="columncreditnames"><a href="/composers/horner.shtml"><b>James Horner</b></a></div><hr class="columnsectiondivider"> <div class="columncreditdivider"> Orchestrated by: </div> <div class="columncreditnames"> Greig McRitchie </div><hr class="columnsectiondivider"> <div class="columncreditdivider"> Co-Produced by: </div> <div class="columncreditnames"> Shawn Murphy </div><hr class="columnsectiondivider"> <div class="columncreditdivider"> Performed by: </div> <div class="columncreditnames"> The London Symphony Orchestra<br><br> The King's College Choir, Wimbledon </div> </td></tr> <tr><td class="columnheaderline"></td></tr> <tr><td class="columnheaderback"> <img alt="Labels Icon" src="/images/2015/interior/review_icon_label.png" width="43" height="26" class="columnheaderimage"> <div class="columnheadertitle"><b><i> LABELS & RELEASE DATES</i></b></div> <tr><td class="columnheaderline"></td></tr> <tr><td style="padding: 20px 35px 30px 16px;"> <div class="columncreditnames"> <a href=http://www.virginrecords.com>Virgin Records America</a><br> <span style="color: #aac2f4">(1988)</span> <br><br><a href=http://www.intrada.com>Intrada Records</a><br><span style="color: #aac2f4">(June 27th, 2022)</span> </div> <a class="anchor" name="availability"></a> </td></tr> <tr><td class="columnheaderline"></td></tr> <tr><td class="columnheaderback"> <img alt="Availability Icon" src="/images/2015/interior/review_icon_avail.png" width="43" height="26" class="columnheaderimage"> <div class="columnheadertitle"><b><i>ALBUM AVAILABILITY</i></b></div> <tr><td class="columnheaderline"></td></tr> <tr><td class="columntextsection" style="padding: 20px 42px 48px 20px;"> <div style="font-size: 0.8em;"> The 1988 Virgin release became extinct in the U.S. soon after it debuted. For years, it sold for prices of up to $100 even though it could be found in some European stores for as little as $8. In 1995, however, the English branch of Virgin re-issued the CD, and by 1997 the price had been lowered to $18. In June, 1998, a German re-issue was made available as well. The 2022 Intrada set is limited to an unknown quantity and available initially for $31 through soundtrack specialty outlets, its significant demand causing shipping delays at the time of its release.</div> <a class="anchor" name="awards"></a> </td></tr> <tr><td class="columnheaderline"></td></tr> <tr><td class="columnheaderback"> <img alt="Awards" src="/images/2015/interior/review_icon_awards.png" width="43" height="26" class="columnheaderimage"> <div class="columnheadertitle"><b><i>AWARDS</i></b></div> <tr><td class="columnheaderline"></td></tr> <tr><td class="columntextsection" style="padding: 20px 42px 48px 20px;"> <div style="font-size: 0.8em;"> None.</div> </td></tr> <tr><td class="columnheaderline"></td></tr> <tr><td class="columnheaderback"> <img alt="Also See Icon" src="/images/2015/interior/review_icon_alsosee.png" width="43" height="26" class="columnheaderimage"> <div class="columnheadertitle"><b><i>ALSO SEE</i></b></div> <tr><td class="columnheaderline"></td></tr> <tr><td class="columntextsection" style="padding: 20px 35px 48px 16px;"> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 0px 6px; font-size: 0.85em;"> <table><tr><td style="width: 10px;"></td><td><a href=https://www.filmtracks.com/titles/glory.html><b>Glory</b></a></td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 10px;"></td><td><a href=https://www.filmtracks.com/titles/land_before.html><b>The Land Before Time</b></a></td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 10px;"></td><td><a href=https://www.filmtracks.com/titles/mask_zorro.html><b>The Mask of Zorro</b></a></td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 10px;"></td><td><a href=https://www.filmtracks.com/titles/deep_impact.html><b>Deep Impact</b></a></td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 10px;"></td><td><a href=https://www.filmtracks.com/titles/titanic.html><b>Titanic</b></a></td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 10px;"></td><td><a href=https://www.filmtracks.com/titles/apollo13.html><b>Apollo 13</b></a></td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 10px;"></td><td><a href=https://www.filmtracks.com/titles/braveheart.html><b>Braveheart</b></a></td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 10px;"></td><td><a href=https://www.filmtracks.com/titles/legends_fall.html><b>Legends of the Fall</b></a></td></tr> </table></div> </td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 273px; height: 4px; background: url(/images/2015/interior/left_column_line.gif) no-repeat left;"> </td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 273px; padding-left: 20px;"> <br><br> <div style="margin-left: 12px;"> <script type="text/javascript"> amzn_assoc_ad_type = "banner"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_placement = "assoc_banner_placement_default"; amzn_assoc_campaigns = "musicandentertainmentrot"; amzn_assoc_banner_type = "rotating"; amzn_assoc_p = "14"; amzn_assoc_width = "160"; amzn_assoc_height = "600"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "filmtracks"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "3cef6351d96a4312c7bffd106000db71"; </script> <script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&Operation=GetScript&ID=OneJS&WS=1"></script> </div>  <br> <br> <div style="margin-left: 12px; height: 600px; width: 160px; background-color: #02011f;"> <script type="text/javascript"> google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6483253369734723"; google_ad_slot = "7889002780"; google_ad_width = 160; google_ad_height = 600; </script>  <script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> </div> <br> </td></tr></table>   </td></tr></table>  <img alt="Decorative Nonsense" src="/images/2015/interior/left_column_bottom_pattern_trans.png" style="display: block;">  </td></tr></table>  <div style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 34px;">  </div> </td><td style="width: 748px; maxwidth: 748px;"> <div style="float: right; width: 182px;">  <div style="text-align: right; font-size: 0.7em; line-height: 130%; vertical-align: middle; padding-right: 30px;"> <a href="/titles/willow.html?page=print" onclick="window.open(this.href, 'newwindow', 'width=700,height=700,scrollbars=yes,toolbar=yes,menubar=yes,resizable=yes'); return false;"> <b><i>PRINTER FRIENDLY VIEW</i></b></a><br> <span style="font-size: 0.95em; color: #6f91dd;"><b>(inverts site colors)</b></span> </div> <div style="float: right; width: 140px; margin: 20px 0px 20px 0px; padding: 6px; height: 130px;"> <script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:120px;height:100px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-6483253369734723" data-ad-slot="2484993070"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> </div> <div style="text-align: center; width: 546px; padding: 20px 0px 0px 30px;"> <br><br><img id="mainlogo" alt="Willow Logo" src="https://www.teletracks.com/images/logos/willow.jpg" width="283" height="162" style="display: none;"><br></div> <table id="toplinksectionline" style="width: 748px; margin-top: 56px;"> <tr><td style="height: 27px; padding: 0px 0px 5px 30px; font-size: 0.85em; vertical-align: bottom; text-transform: uppercase; color: #3d4c8a;"> <b><i>    <a href=#availability>Availability</a> | <a href=#ratings>Viewer Ratings</a> | <a href=/titles/willow.html?page=comments>Comments</a> | <a href=#tracks>Audio & Track Listings</a> | <a href=#notes>Notes</a> </i></b> </td></tr><tr><td style="height: 9px; background: url(/images/2015/interior/line_small.png) no-repeat top right;"> </td></tr></table> <div style="margin: 32px 40px 28px 38px; font-size: 0.95em;"> <i><span style="color: #32ba8a"><b>Buy it...</b></span> if you are any fan of superior fantasy and adventure scores that combine orchestral majesty with exotic beauty, for James Horner's <b>Willow</b> is among the best such works of the digital era.</i><br> <br> <i><span style="color: #ca5259"><b>Avoid it...</b></span> if you have absolutely no curiosity about the initial inspiration for most of Horner's self-references later in his career.</i><br> </div> <div style="width: 720px; height: 50px; margin: 14px 0px 36px 4px;"> <script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:720px;height:50px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-6483253369734723" data-ad-slot="5526089383"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> <table class="sectionheader"> <tr><td style="width: 46px;"> <img alt="Review Icon" src="/images/2015/interior/review_icon_review.png" width="43" height="26" class="sectionheaderimage"> </td><td class="sectionheadertop"> <div style="padding: 4px 0px 0px 7px;"><b><i>EDITORIAL REVIEW</i></b></div> </td><td style="text-align: right; padding-right: 34px; font-size: 0.8em; color: #91b5ff; vertical-align: bottom; padding-bottom: 2px;"> <b><i> FILMTRACKS TRAFFIC RANK: #72 </i></b></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" class="sectionheaderbottom"> </td></tr><tr> <td colspan="3" style="text-align: right; padding-right: 42px; font-size: 0.65em; color: #6f91dd; vertical-align: top;"><b><i> <b><i>WRITTEN 5/23/98, REVISED 8/22/22 </i></b></td></tr></table>  <div style="float: right; width: 150px; background-color: #02011f; border: 1px solid #14125c; margin: 24px 0px 32px 20px; border-radius: 5px; -webkit-border-radius: 5px; -moz-border-radius: 5px; -webkit-box-shadow: 0px 0px 6px 2px #23459b; -moz-box-shadow: 0px 0px 6px 2px #23459b; box-shadow: 0px 0px 6px 2px #23459b; padding: 6px;"> <img alt="Shopping Icon" src="/images/2015/interior/review_icon_cart.png" width="43" height="26" class="columnheaderimage"> <div style="font-size: 0.85em; padding-top: 4px;"><b><i>BUY IT</i></b></div> <hr class="buysectiondivider"> <div style="padding: 4px 0px 0px 6px;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=Willow%20Soundtrack&tag=filmtracks-review&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325"> <img alt="Amazon.com" src="/images/2015/interior/review_amazon.png" width="122" height="24" style="border: none;"></a></div><table style="font-size: 0.75em; color: #91b5ff; margin-top: 10px;"><tr><td style="padding-right: 4px;"></td> <td><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B57WMCNX?tag=filmtracks-review&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1">2022 Album</a></b></td></tr></table> <iframe id="amazonteaseframe" src="https://www.filmtracks.com/templates/desktop-reviews-amazontease20.php?teasecode=B0B57WMCNX" style="width: 146px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding-left: 6px; background-color: #02011f; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" onLoad="autoResize('amazonteaseframe');"></iframe><div style="font-size: 0.75em; margin-top: 10px;"> <table style="color: #91b5ff;"><tr><td style="padding-right: 4px;"></td> <td><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00000762Z?tag=filmtracks-review&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1">1988 Album</a></b></td></tr></table> </div><br><hr class="buysectiondivider"> <div style="padding: 4px 0px 0px 6px;"><a href="https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?LH_CAds=&_ex_kw=&_fpos=&_fspt=1&_mPrRngCbx=1&_nkw=Willow%20Soundtrack&_sacat=&_sadis=&_sop=12&_udhi=&_udlo=&_fosrp=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5337696495&customid=2021reviewsupc&toolid=10001&mkevt=1"> <img alt="eBay" src="/images/2015/interior/review_ebay.png" width="62" height="25" style="border: none;"></a></div><div style="font-size: 0.75em; margin: 10px 0px 18px 0px;"> <table style="color: #91b5ff;"><tr><td style="padding-right: 4px;"></td> <td><b><a href="https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?LH_CAds=&_ex_kw=&_fpos=&_fspt=1&_mPrRngCbx=1&_nkw=720258547606&_sacat=&_sadis=&_sop=12&_udhi=&_udlo=&_fosrp=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5337696495&customid=2021reviewsupc&toolid=10001&mkevt=1">2022 Album</a></b></td></tr></table> <table style="color: #91b5ff;"><tr><td style="padding-right: 4px;"></td> <td><b><a href="https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?LH_CAds=&_ex_kw=&_fpos=&_fspt=1&_mPrRngCbx=1&_nkw=075679093929&_sacat=&_sadis=&_sop=12&_udhi=&_udlo=&_fosrp=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5337696495&customid=2021reviewsupc&toolid=10001&mkevt=1">1988 Album</a></b></td></tr></table> </div> </div> <div style="margin: 20px 40px 26px 14px; font-size: 0.95em;"> <table style="text-align: center; font-size: 0.8em; color: #aac2f4; float: left; margin: 6px 26px 10px 0px;"><tr><td> <img alt="Horner" src="/images/photos/mugs/2021/mug_horner.gif" width="86" height="108" style="border: 1px solid #606eab; -webkit-box-shadow: 0px 0px 6px 2px #23459b; -moz-box-shadow: 0px 0px 6px 2px #23459b; box-shadow: 0px 0px 6px 2px #23459b;"></td></tr><tr><td>Horner</td></tr></table> <b>Willow</b>: (James Horner) As the writer and producer for <b>Willow</b>, George Lucas promised more than he delivered with this fantasy adventure spectacle, though it's hard to blame rising director Ron Howard for the 1988 film's perceived failure at the time. Being as campy as it is, perhaps <b>Willow</b> was destined to be a guilty pleasure or cult classic at best, despite strong production values, a decent concept, and Lucas' ability to inspire the most menacing villain's masks in the history of cinema. An unseasoned Val Kilmer is the stud and lovable Warwick Davis is the underdog, an unlikely pair on the run from and eventually seeking to conquer an evil queen in a land from long ago. A baby, Elora Danan, is foretold to mark the overthrow of that queen, and the heroic group of misfits has to battle their way to the lair of the queen and exercise magic to win the day. The special effects from Industrial Light and Magic were heavily advertised at the time, and because of their efforts, <b>Willow</b> is visually passable decades later. The movie gained in stature twenty years after its release, eventually prompting a sequel in the form of a television series featuring some of the same actors. In terms of its auditory experience, few have ever questioned the effectiveness of James Horner's score in the original film. Marking the second collaboration between Horner and Ron Howard, <b>Willow</b> exceeded all expectations in its music. While Horner had already been recognized by mainstream awards and produced the music for several blockbuster films, he had never tackled a composition of this sheer magnitude. It is often considered the sister score to <b>The Land Before Time</b>, with both works using mostly the same crew, performers, and general quality of mix. These two superior works together in 1988, along with <b>Glory</b> the following year, yielded the kind of undeniable five-star results that had eluded Horner for much of his early career. In relation to the film score collecting community, <b>Willow</b> has always maintained a broad and loyal following from its debut, and it set the foundation for many of Horner's more popular scores to come. In the years that followed, the legacy of the score grew, and its extremely blatant incorporation into the elaborate trailers for 1991's <b>Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves</b> produced a flurry of demand for <b>Willow</b>'s music.<br> <br> The lingering controversy over the composer's habit of borrowing material from himself can usually be linked directly or indirectly back to <b>Willow</b>, a score which Horner admitted was a creative breakthrough in his development of ideas inspired by others. The cynical sorts who write off much of Horner's early career because of his unashamed tendency of pulling inspiration from modern classical music (or, in the case of the Willow theme here, the Bulgarian harvest song, "Mir Stanke Le") can make their own reference points in <b>Willow</b>, though Horner's re-packaging of these ideas is so well executed that few mainstream listeners will care or even notice. There are several reasons for the success of <b>Willow</b>'s score, and one of them relates to the ingredients that Horner assembled. The performances by the London Symphony Orchestra have always been strong in popular film scores, but rarely have they excelled to even these levels of precision. The King's College Choir of Wimbledon provides women's and boys' ensemble voices, and while Horner used light choral accompaniment throughout his career, rarely has it sounded as engrossing in the fantasy mode as it does in <b>Willow</b> and <b>The Land Before Time</b>. A collection of exotic, rarely applied instruments would be discovered by Horner here and used in scores throughout his career, including the controversial shakuhachi flute. Joining it in an oversized woodwind section are the quena, penny whistle, pan pipes, didgeridoo, conch shells, and medieval shawms. The groaning didgeridoo in particular is an intriguing contributor to "Airk's Army" and "Bavmorda's Spell is Cast." The sprawling percussion section includes Chinese opera gong, South American drum, Irish bodhran drum, and even a plastic cup. Keyboard performers ranged from two pianos to two synthesizers, celesta, and harpsichord. The synthesizers standard to Horner for the era were used to accentuate the percussion in providing some ambient sound effects for scenes involving either dread or magic. A variety of folk music is added for the source-like passages, performed by alpine horns, bagpipes, cimbalom, Uilleann pipes, dulcimer, hurdy-gurdy, mandolin, and acoustic guitar. These recordings marked the early days of collaborations between Horner and specialty soloists like Ian Underwood and Tony Hennigan that came to define much of his later music.<br> <br> The complexity of <b>Willow</b> as a composition is astounding, with countless passages in which the composer instructed performers to improvise within harmonic schemes, most notably on piano rumbles and the distinctive puffing and wails of the shakuhachi flute. Violins were at one point instructed to alter pitch in succession, each performer in the section moving upward a moment after the previous player. One of the reasons for the success of <b>Willow</b> is the abundance of tonally accessible statements despite a fair amount of disharmony built into its many chase and suspense sequences. Horner wrote more than a dozen themes for the film and utilizes them often during the score; even at its most chaotic moments, the score typically references at least one of these ideas. The mutilation of these themes is impressive, but more remarkable is the composer's ability to maintain both their tone and recognizable structure even when twisted into alternate purposes. Some of the melodic lines are very long, requiring substantial air time to fully convey them, and they are countered by other ideas that can be expressed in only a measure or two. The mammoth expanse of the score assists in allowing full development of each idea. At the time of its release, <b>Willow</b> was by far the longest score of Horner's career (by half an hour) and, like <b>The Land Before Time</b>, this endeavor featured wall-to-wall music requiring that many cues be at least five minutes in length. Some cues could range to nearly 20 minutes in length, which presented a problem during the recording sessions if one of the unusual composer instructions caused a performer to misfire. The constant thematic reminders cause many of the long cues to become miniature symphonies in and of themselves, much in the same style as "The Great Migration" from <b>The Land Before Time</b>. Horner made comments at the time about the numerous synchronization points demanded per cue, causing the need to hit bold statements of several of the score's themes in the same pass. As such, <b>Willow</b> is a work that irritates some listeners in its lack of concise rearrangement for album, though anyone with decent editing software could achieve this themselves. In that endeavor, all eight tracks on the original album release offered highlights and most would require some cutting; the same advice applies to the longer cues unreleased until an expanded presentation of the score debuted in 2022.<br> <br> There exist five major themes in <b>Willow</b>, with three of them dominating the proceedings. First is Willow's heroic adventure theme itself, teased lightly in "Airk's Army" and "The Enchanted Forest" but introduced fully in "Escape from the Tavern" and anchoring the concert suite and end title arrangements. Its spirited brass fanfare is the catchiest of Horner's ideas for the film, and it produces a significant amount of raucous fun in the score. Detractors, however, mock Horner's claim that this theme was meant to be Eastern European in style, citing similarities between it and Robert Schumann's "Symphony No. 3." Regardless of its origins, Horner's intent was to satisfy the request of Lucas and Howard that he provide a swashbuckling theme for the film's set action pieces, and he succeeds brilliantly. The specialty instruments contributing to these performances were Horner's self-proclaimed attempt to avoid mirroring Erich Wolfgang Korngold's established swashbuckling sounds too closely. The only fallacy of this theme in its application to the film is that it doesn't really represent Davis' Willow character as well as it does the action and playfulness of Kilmer's Madmartigan, though by the time it's heard in the film, the two are a typically together. The second theme in <b>Willow</b> is its easy highlight, representing the inner strength and plain kindness of Willow himself and featured by Horner over the opening title and a gorgeous traveling scene in "Willow's Journey Begins." It's the domain of the shakuhachi flute in lyrical duties, existing in perhaps the most eloquent and beautiful form until Horner's strangely functional use of the instrument in <b>The Mask of Zorro</b> and its even better sequel. Whereas Horner would often use the shakuhachi, as well as the pan pipes, in a supporting role as rhythm setters of accent pieces (akin to the percussion instruments, really), they are given the primary role of conveying the magical spirit of the softer themes in <b>Willow</b> as well. A third related theme consists of falling, four-note phrases and dominates the latter half of "Elora Danan." It is a better match for Elora Danan, the baby, and Willow's concept of family, as well as the provincial simplicity of their village. The downright gorgeous statements of this theme in this cue lead to peppering later on whenever the fate of the baby is in focus. The idea enjoys smart shifting to the minor key at the end of "Tir Asleen" but returns to its lovely self at the outset of the resolution in "Willow the Sorcerer." In the opening and closing cues, the theme's rotation between woodwind instruments (in between string and choral interludes) is an undeniable highlight.<br> <br> <div id="ReviewDivLink" style="margin-left: 60px; cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; color: #77adfd;"><b> <u><a href="#" name="reviewmore">Read More...</a></u> </b></div> <div id="ReviewDivDrop" style="display: none;"> The remaining two primary themes in <b>Willow</b> represent the film's two dominant villains. A menacing series of ascending brass and choral progressions for Queen Bavmorda offer fright in "Elora Danan" and achieve a gloating posture in "Bavmorda's Castle." This idea increases in frequency as the film approaches her battle with Willow at its climax. The majority of synthetic effects in <b>Willow</b> accompany Bavmorda's spells, and they contribute significant dissonance to the last twenty minutes of the score's action pieces. Horner uses this long-lined melody more often than you might think, its presence in bass strings frequently existing below other melodies. Sometimes, this usage ends up usurping the higher melody, as it prevails over the baby's theme at roughly two minutes into "Canyon of Mazes." It shifts to compelling violins at the outset of "Arrival at Snow Camp." The most memorable theme from <b>Willow</b> is ironically its most simplistic, and that is the dreaded four-note motif of evil that Horner would use frequently and to almost the point of comedy throughout the rest of his career. Performed most prominently by harsh tones on pairs of trumpets and horns, this danger motif is pervasive in the score, ranging from subtle applications in the bass to the full collection of brass in unison. It's a convenient motif because Horner can use it to easily establish a new key, heightening its effect by serving as a transitional tool. While the theme occasionally represents glimpses of the frightful General Kael in the film (what sensible child wouldn't get nightmares from looking at that mask?), the most victorious moment for Kael in the film, as he rides by horse with the captured Elora Danan back to the Queen, is absent the motif. (Instead, Horner lets rip at the end of "Tir Asleen" with some of the most resounding orchestral crashes ever to announce a defeat on screen.) Perhaps the most intriguing use of the danger motif comes against Bavmorda's material in the latter half of "Bavmorda's Castle" on bass strings. Outside of these themes, Horner offers secondary ideas for a few concepts and places. His swelling love theme for Madmartigan and the queen's daughter, Sorcha (and between Willow and Elora), debuts in the chaos of "Escape From the Tavern" at 0:47 and teases again at 1:46 into "The Sled Ride" before consolidating beautifully in the third and fourth minutes of "Canyon of Mazes." Other themes are more singular, such as the one for the enchanted forest location on whimsical high choir in the latter half of "The Enchanted Forest" that also closes out the score in "Willow the Sorcerer." Horner's soft, three-note choral motif bookending the work is an extension of this material.<br> <br> On album, none of these themes for <b>Willow</b> holds the court for very long, and their alternation keeps the score fresh. Because the action of the film moves so quickly, abrupt changes in tone and theme occur frequently. As such, the score rarely becomes dull outside of the ethereal music accompanying the middle third. The rowdy action sequences make sure of this, sometimes maintaining their energy for as long as ten minutes within a cue. The opening two minutes of "Escape from the Tavern" and the middle portions of "Tir Asleen" present Horner's action sensibilities at their finest, using the powerful percussion section and specialty instruments to their fullest. Moments of silence in <b>Willow</b> are rare and positioned strategically, and as a listener you always have to be ready for the next jolt of action to arrive quite suddenly. Horner takes <b>Willow</b> past most other adventure scores by balancing these action explosions with elegant fantasy elements. The exotic instruments, including not only the shakuhachi and pan pipes but bagpipes, harps, and woodwinds of all kinds, are a key element in building <b>Willow</b>'s supernatural presence. By employing these instruments in the rhythms of the action pieces in addition to their carrying of the themes at times, he effectively creates the illusion that this story is taking place in a far away, mystical land. The choir opens and closes the film with the aforementioned, simple, three-note motif that would become a Horner trademark in his children's film scores of the early 1990's, also adding sensitivity to the softer moments of this one. This motif is an intriguing major-key variant of the four-note motif of evil with the first note expunged. During the use of this motif to bookend the film, Horner also employs the sound effect of blowing wind; it's difficult to determine whether this was accomplished using metallic percussion or a synthesizer. Horner wrote two source-like cues for the Nelwyn culture from which Willow comes, summarized in the two "The Nelwyns" recordings heard immediately after the opening cue, and these do really break up the listening experience. This festive, non-vocalized material, largely improvised, comes to the forefront at the end of the film, a Lucas carryover of the obnoxious Ewok celebration music in <b>Star Wars: Return of the Jedi</b>. Horner handles the basic rhythm with bagpipes and the exotic woodwinds, creating a grating sound that could remind collectors of Horner's obscure score for <b>Where the River Runs Black</b>. He does, though, mirror John Williams in that he slowly re-introduces the orchestra back into cue before the score returns to the full concert arrangement for the end titles. It's a subtle but neat touch.<br> <br> For listeners seeking a summary of protagonist themes from <b>Willow</b>, the arrangement of the primary two themes for the end credits is identical to that which appears in "Willow's Theme" on album, except for the diverging reprise of the forest theme that represents a lengthy decrease in volume to close the score in the same manner as in <b>The Land Before Time</b>. These slow conclusions, in both these scores and<b>Glory</b>, are rather annoying in that they waste time that could otherwise be used for major thematic statements or at least the kind of rousing conclusion that sends off <b>The Rocketeer</b> and a half dozen other Horner action works with bravado. Overall, <b>Willow</b> is a score that precedes those in Horner's career that aggravated film music collectors tired of his repetitious sound. This score was the inspiration for it all, and it's not surprisingly his best. The elements that combined to make this score so well balanced in theme, instrumental use, and sound quality proved elusive for Horner in the following decades. Taunting fans over that period of time had been the original 1988 album for <b>Willow</b>, which suffered from a limited American pressing by Virgin Records America to coincide with the film's release. Despite the score's availability on European store shelves for regular prices during the 1990's, the <b>Willow</b> album sold in America for prices as high as $100. In the mid-1990's, however, Virgin began re-pressing the CD everywhere and the prices dropped with the new availability. Die-hard collectors were long unsatisfied with the 73 minutes of music available on that CD, however, and there had been much speculation that Horner's fans would support a 2-CD release containing the remaining 30+ minutes of material existing from the score. Such talk continued unabated in light of the interesting fact that no substantial bootleg of this material was ever leaked to the public. With fans opening their wallets and paying $40 for a 2-CD set of a score like Horner's <b>Krull</b>, there was always a solid market for an expanded treatment of <b>Willow</b>. That product finally arrived from Intrada Records in 2022, and the demand for the 2-CD set was so robust that the label had to release a statement responding to the extraordinarily number of orders placed for the product. After buyers reportedly hammered the label's staff with queries about these orders, Intrada finally resorted to simply stating, "Please have mercy!" Certainly, few film scores of the digital age can merit such overwhelming excitement, and, just as the label had accomplished with <b>The Land Before Time</b> not long before, the expanded product for <b>Willow</b> provides a clean presentation of the film score with no alternate takes or other bonus cues.<br> <br> The 2022 Intrada set for <b>Willow</b> provides the cues of the original 1988 album intact but sprinkles in the unreleased selections in chronological order, causing all of the newly revealed material to exist on the first CD since that's where the prior product chose to neglect. The two source tracks, "The Nelwyns" and "The Nelwyns" and "The Nelwyns No. 2," are mostly redundant with the previously released finale music and will be skipped by most. In "Death Dogs," Horner unleashes his pounding, <b>Brainstorm</b>-style piano and percussion rhythms of force with the danger motif and Bavmorda theme in tow, largely an angrier extension of the same material in "Elora Danan." The crashing opening to "Bavmorda's Castle" yields to a softly threatening performance of Bavmorda's theme with the danger motif for Kael joining for strings and bassoons. Showcasing the specialty instruments is "Airk's Army," with a hint of snare for the marching men, though a penny whistle breaks through with Willow's theme. That soloist continues with the Elora Danan theme and a preview of the main adventure theme in an otherwise somewhat dour cue. The first two minutes of "The Enchanted Forest" are arguably the highlight of the expansion, with soft expressions of Willow's theme, secondary material for his village, a giddy rendition of the adventure theme, and more Elora Danan beauty on flute. Comedy material disrupts the cue, but it eventually smooths out to the forest's theme on choir for the remainder. (The fade out in this cue is a disappointment.) The largely atmospheric "The Island" is this score's nod to <b>Vibes</b>, with Elora Danan's theme peeking through otherwise bleak treble tones. The solid action returns in "Willow Captured," Elora Danan's theme pitted against Bavmorda's and the danger motif against the adventure theme. Melodrama for Bavmorda's theme, this time in counterpoint to the adventure theme, occupies "Arrival at Snow Camp," the danger and baby motifs not far behind. The final new cue is "The Sled Ride," which starts slowly during the sneaking around but eventually fleshes out the love theme against the adventure theme nicely, culminating in chase material akin to "Escape From the Tavern." The expanded set is a mammoth treat for enthusiasts of Horner and this score, a clear necessity for any Horner collection. It may not be necessary for casual listeners or as revelatory as the expanded <b>Legends of the Fall</b> equivalent, but it's nearly as satisfying. The sound quality is not significantly improved. Decades later, <b>Willow</b> remains a modern classic, its majestic and exotic power emulated by Horner and others but never truly replicated. It is an indisputable triumph among the best fantasy and adventure scores of the digital era.  <span style="color: #ca5259">*****</span> <b>  <span style="color: #aac2f4;">@Amazon.com: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=Willow&tag=filmtracks-review&index=music&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">CD</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=Willow&tag=filmtracks-review&index=digital-music&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">Download</a></span></b> <br> <br><table class="biascheck"><tr><td style="white-space: nowrap; padding: 3px 3px 0px 12px;"><b>Bias Check:</b></td><td style="padding: 3px 3px 0px 0px;"> For James Horner reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is <span style="color: #fff"><b>3.15</b></span> (in 108 reviews)<br>and the average viewer rating is <span style="color: #fff"><b>3.23</b></span> (in 200,369 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars. </tr></table> </div>  </div> <div style="width: 720px; height: 50px; margin: 32px 0px 6px 4px;"> <script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:720px;height:50px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-6483253369734723" data-ad-slot="5526089383"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> <br> <a class="anchor" name="ratings"></a> <table class="sectionheader"> <tr><td style="width: 46px;"> <img alt="Ratings Icon" src="/images/2015/interior/review_icon_ratings.png" width="43" height="26" class="sectionheaderimage"> </td><td class="sectionheadertop"> <div style="padding: 4px 0px 0px 7px;"><b><i>VIEWER RATINGS</i></b></div> </td><td style="text-align: right; padding-right: 34px; font-size: 0.8em; color: #91b5ff; vertical-align: bottom; padding-bottom: 2px;"> <b><i>5,993 TOTAL VOTES</i></b> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" class="sectionheaderbottom"> </td></tr></table> <div style="margin: 20px 40px 30px 32px;"> <div style="background-color: #02011f; width: 180px; height: 150px; float: right; margin: 8px 12px 0px 0px;"> <script type="text/javascript"> google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6483253369734723"; google_ad_slot = "6412269584"; google_ad_width = 180; google_ad_height = 150; </script>  <script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> </div> <form method="post" class="ratingform" action="https://www.filmtracks.com/ratings/vote09.cgi?vote" style="font-size: 0.9em;"> <table style="width: 400px;"><tr> <td colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #14125c; padding: 5px 10px 0px 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">Average: <td colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #14125c; padding-top: 5px; font-size: 1.05em;"><b>4.19 Stars</b></td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 60px; white-space: nowrap; color: #ca5259; padding-top: 7px;"> *****</td><td style="width: 30px; padding-top: 7px;"><input type="radio" name="rating" value="5"></td> <td style="width: 60px; vertical-align: middle; padding-top: 7px;"><b>3,640</b></td><td style="width: 250px; padding-top: 7px;"> <img alt="5 Stars" src="https://www.filmtracks.com/images/vote/5.gif" height="10" width="230"></td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 60px; white-space: nowrap; color: #ca5259;">****</td> <td style="width: 30px;"><input type="radio" name="rating" value="4"></td> <td style="width: 60px; vertical-align: middle;"><b>999</b></td><td style="width: 250px;"> <img alt="4 Stars" src="https://www.filmtracks.com/images/vote/4.gif" height="10" width="63"></td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 60px; white-space: nowrap; color: #ca5259;">***</td> <td style="width: 30px;"><input type="radio" name="rating" value="3"></td> <td style="width: 60px; vertical-align: middle;"><b>577</b></td><td style="width: 250px;"> <img alt="3 Stars" src="https://www.filmtracks.com/images/vote/3.gif" height="10" width="36"></td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 60px; white-space: nowrap; color: #ca5259;">**</td> <td style="width: 30px;"><input type="radio" name="rating" value="2"></td> <td style="width: 60px; vertical-align: middle;"><b>436</b></td><td style="width: 250px;"> <img alt="2 Stars" src="https://www.filmtracks.com/images/vote/2.gif" height="10" width="27"></td></tr> <tr><td style="width: 60px; white-space: nowrap; color: #ca5259; padding-bottom: 7px;">*</td> <td style="width: 30px; padding-bottom: 7px;"><input type="radio" name="rating" value="1"></td> <td style="width: 60px; vertical-align: middle; padding-bottom: 7px;"><b>341</b></td><td style="width: 250px; padding-bottom: 7px;"> <img alt="1 Stars" src="https://www.filmtracks.com/images/vote/1.gif" height="10" width="21"></td></tr> <tr><td style="border-top: 1px solid #14125c; padding-top: 7px;"> </td> <td colspan="2" style="border-top: 1px solid #14125c; padding-top: 10px;"><input type="submit" value="  Vote!  "></td> <td style="border-top: 1px solid #14125c; padding-top: 10px; font-size: 0.85em;"> (View results for <a href="/ratings/modern/">all titles</a>) </td></tr></table> <input type="hidden" name="data_file" value="willow"></form> </div> <br> <table class="sectionheader"> <tr><td style="width: 46px;"> <img alt="Comments Icon" src="/images/2015/interior/review_icon_comments.png" width="43" height="26" class="sectionheaderimage"> </td><td class="sectionheadertop"> <div style="padding: 4px 0px 0px 7px;"><b><i>COMMENTS</i></b></div> </td><td style="text-align: right; padding-right: 34px; font-size: 0.8em; color: #91b5ff; vertical-align: bottom; padding-bottom: 2px;"> <b><i>17 TOTAL COMMENTS</i></b> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" class="sectionheaderbottom"> </td></tr></table> <table class="commentteasetable"><tr><td> <a href="https://www.filmtracks.com/titles/willow.html?page=comments">Read All</a></td><td> <a href="https://www.filmtracks.com/comments/titles/willow/index.cgi?addnewmesg=0">Start New Thread</a></td><td> <a href="https://www.filmtracks.com/comments/titles/willow/index.cgi?searcharea">Search Comments</a> </td></tr></table> <div style="padding: 20px 16px 8px 16px;"><table style="margin-top: 12px; background-color: #02011f; border: 1px solid #14125c; width: 98%"><tr><td style="padding: 4px;"><a class="anchor" name=18></a><a href="https://www.filmtracks.com/comments/titles/willow/index.cgi?read=18"><span style="font-size: 0.95em;"><b>The score is great, but the album is not</span></b></a>   <span style="font-size: 0.75em;"><a class="anchor" name=18></a><a href="https://www.filmtracks.com/comments/titles/willow/index.cgi?read=18&expand=1">Expand >></a></span><br><span style="font-size: 0.9em;">A Loony Trombonist</span> <span style="font-size: 0.85em; color: #4f7bbd;"> - August 30, 2021, at 10:04 a.m.</span></td><td style="padding: 4px; text-align: right; width: 40%; font-size: 0.95em;"> 2 comments <span style="font-size: 0.7em; color: #cacff3;"> (835 views)</span><br><span style="font-size: 0.85em; color: #4f7bbd;">Newest: December 8, 2022, at 3:37 p.m.</span><span style="font-size: 0.90em; color: #4f7bbd;"> by<br> <span style="color: #aeccf9;">Olivia D.</span></span></td></tr></table> <table style="margin-top: 12px; background-color: #02011f; border: 1px solid #14125c; width: 98%"><tr><td style="padding: 4px;"><a class="anchor" name=17></a><a href="https://www.filmtracks.com/comments/titles/willow/index.cgi?read=17"><span style="font-size: 0.95em;"><b>FVSR Reviews Willow</span></b></a><br><span style="font-size: 0.9em;">Brendan Cochran</span> <span style="font-size: 0.85em; color: #4f7bbd;"> - June 10, 2016, at 10:18 a.m.</span></td><td style="padding: 4px; text-align: right; width: 40%; font-size: 0.95em;"> 1 comment <span style="font-size: 0.7em; color: #cacff3;"> (1391 views)</span></td></tr></table> <table style="margin-top: 12px; background-color: #02011f; border: 1px solid #14125c; width: 98%"><tr><td style="padding: 4px;"><a class="anchor" name=15></a><a href="https://www.filmtracks.com/comments/titles/willow/index.cgi?read=15"><span style="font-size: 0.95em;"><b>pastiche or tribute? [EDITED]</span></b></a>   <span style="font-size: 0.75em;"><a class="anchor" name=15></a><a href="https://www.filmtracks.com/comments/titles/willow/index.cgi?read=15&expand=1">Expand >></a></span><br><span style="font-size: 0.9em;">tomalakis</span> <span style="font-size: 0.85em; color: #4f7bbd;"> - May 5, 2016, at 1:26 a.m.</span></td><td style="padding: 4px; text-align: right; width: 40%; font-size: 0.95em;"> 2 comments <span style="font-size: 0.7em; color: #cacff3;"> (2587 views)</span><br><span style="font-size: 0.85em; color: #4f7bbd;">Newest: May 7, 2016, at 10:26 a.m.</span><span style="font-size: 0.90em; color: #4f7bbd;"> by<br> <span style="color: #aeccf9;">Donald J. Trump</span></span></td></tr></table> <table style="margin-top: 12px; background-color: #02011f; border: 1px solid #14125c; width: 98%"><tr><td style="padding: 4px;"><a class="anchor" name=14></a><a href="https://www.filmtracks.com/comments/titles/willow/index.cgi?read=14"><span style="font-size: 0.95em;"><b>(Comment Deleted by Poster)</span></b></a><br><span style="font-size: 0.9em;">tomalakis</span> <span style="font-size: 0.85em; color: #4f7bbd;"> - May 3, 2016, at 11:08 p.m.</span></td><td style="padding: 4px; text-align: right; width: 40%; font-size: 0.95em;"> 1 comment <span style="font-size: 0.7em; color: #cacff3;"> (1332 views)</span></td></tr></table> <table style="margin-top: 12px; background-color: #02011f; border: 1px solid #14125c; width: 98%"><tr><td style="padding: 4px;"><a class="anchor" name=13></a><a href="https://www.filmtracks.com/comments/titles/willow/index.cgi?read=13"><span style="font-size: 0.95em;"><b>Music with balls!</span></b></a><br><span style="font-size: 0.9em;">Richard Kleiner</span> <span style="font-size: 0.85em; color: #4f7bbd;"> - October 17, 2010, at 12:52 a.m.</span></td><td style="padding: 4px; text-align: right; width: 40%; font-size: 0.95em;"> 1 comment <span style="font-size: 0.7em; color: #cacff3;"> (2864 views)</span></td></tr></table> <table style="margin-top: 12px; background-color: #02011f; border: 1px solid #14125c; width: 98%"><tr><td style="padding: 4px;"><a class="anchor" name=5></a><a href="https://www.filmtracks.com/comments/titles/willow/index.cgi?read=5"><span style="font-size: 0.95em;"><b>Schumann music and folk song in Willow</span></b></a>   <span style="font-size: 0.75em;"><a class="anchor" name=5></a><a href="https://www.filmtracks.com/comments/titles/willow/index.cgi?read=5&expand=1">Expand >></a></span><br><span style="font-size: 0.9em;">roybatty</span> <span style="font-size: 0.85em; color: #4f7bbd;"> - April 14, 2007, at 9:41 a.m.</span></td><td style="padding: 4px; text-align: right; width: 40%; font-size: 0.95em;"> 4 comments <span style="font-size: 0.7em; color: #cacff3;"> (12575 views)</span><br><span style="font-size: 0.85em; color: #4f7bbd;">Newest: October 14, 2007, at 6:25 p.m.</span><span style="font-size: 0.90em; color: #4f7bbd;"> by<br> <span style="color: #aeccf9;">emilia</span></span></td></tr></table> </div><table class="commentteasetable2"><tr><td style="padding: 0px 10px 0px 10px;"> <a href="https://www.filmtracks.com/titles/willow.html?page=comments">More...</a></td></tr></table> <br style="clear: both;">  <br> <a class="anchor" name="tracks"></a> <table class="sectionheader"> <tr><td style="width: 46px;"> <img alt="Track Listings Icon" src="/images/2015/interior/review_icon_tracks.png" width="43" height="26" class="sectionheaderimage"> </td><td class="sectionheadertop"> <div style="padding: 4px 0px 0px 7px;"><b><i>TRACK LISTINGS <span style="font-size: 0.75em;">AND</SPAN> AUDIO</i></b></div> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="sectionheaderbottom"> </td></tr></table> <div style="margin: 24px 36px 30px 26px;"> <table class="audiotable"> <tr><td><div style="font-size: 0.9em; padding: 8px 0px 8px 0px;" id="albumtrackstitle0"><b>Audio Samples <span class="albumtrackstablearrow">  ▼</span></b></div> <div style="display: none;" id="albumtrackssection0"> <table style="font-size: 0.75em; margin-top: 10px;"><tr><td> <b> 1988 Album:</b><br><br><table style="margin-left: 18px;"><tr><td style="padding-right: 16px;"> 1. Elora Danan (0:22)</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;"> <a href="http://www.teletracks.com/audiomp3/willow1.mp3">MP3</a> <span style="color: #4265b2;">(178K)</span>     <a href="http://www.teletracks.com/audiowma/willow1.wma">WMA</a> <span style="color: #4265b2;">(148K)</span>     <a href="http://www.teletracks.com/audio/willow1.ra">Real Audio</a> <span style="color: #4265b2;">(110K)</span> </td></tr><tr><td style="padding-right: 16px;">3. Willow's Journey Begins (0:25)</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;"> <a href="http://www.teletracks.com/audiomp3/willow3.mp3">MP3</a> <span style="color: #4265b2;">(201K)</span>     <a href="http://www.teletracks.com/audiowma/willow3.wma">WMA</a> <span style="color: #4265b2;">(166K)</span>     <a href="http://www.teletracks.com/audio/willow3.ra">Real Audio</a> <span style="color: #4265b2;">(125K)</span> </td></tr><tr><td style="padding-right: 16px;">5. Tir Asleen (0:20)</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;"> <a href="http://www.teletracks.com/audiomp3/willow5.mp3">MP3</a> <span style="color: #4265b2;">(165K)</span>     <a href="http://www.teletracks.com/audiowma/willow5.wma">WMA</a> <span style="color: #4265b2;">(136K)</span>     <a href="http://www.teletracks.com/audio/willow5.ra">Real Audio</a> <span style="color: #4265b2;">(102K)</span> </td></tr><tr><td style="padding-right: 16px;">7. Bavmorda's Spell is Cast (0:30)</td><td style="white-space: nowrap;"> <a href="http://www.teletracks.com/audiomp3/willow7.mp3">MP3</a> <span style="color: #4265b2;">(243K)</span>     <a href="http://www.teletracks.com/audiowma/willow7.wma">WMA</a> <span style="color: #4265b2;">(195K)</span>     <a href="http://www.teletracks.com/audio/willow7.ra">Real Audio</a> <span style="color: #4265b2;">(151K)</span> </td></tr></table></td><tr><td> </td></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table> <table class="albumtrackstable"> <tr><td><div style="font-size: 0.9em;" id="albumtrackstitle1"><table class="albumtrackssubtable"><tr><td><b>1988 Virgin Album Tracks <span class="albumtrackstablearrow">  ▼</span></b></td><td class="albumtotaltime">Total Time: 73:16</td></tr></table></div> <div id="albumtrackssection1"> <table style="font-size: 0.75em; margin-top: 10px;"> <tr><td style="padding-right: 30px;">  1. Elora Danan (9:45)<br>  2. Escape from the Tavern (5:04)<br>  3. Willow's Journey Begins (5:26)<br>  4. Canyon of Mazes (7:52)<br>  5. Tir Asleen (10:47)<br>  6. Willow's Theme (3:54)<br>  7. Bavmorda's Spell is Cast (18:11)<br>  8. Willow the Sorcerer (11:55)<br> </td><td></td></tr></table> </div></td></tr></table> <table class="albumtrackstable"> <tr><td><div style="font-size: 0.9em;" id="albumtrackstitle2"><table class="albumtrackssubtable"><tr><td><b>2022 Intrada Album Tracks <span class="albumtrackstablearrow">  ▼</span></b></td><td class="albumtotaltime">Total Time: 108:02</td></tr></table></div> <div style="display: none;" id="albumtrackssection2"> <table style="font-size: 0.75em; margin-top: 10px;"> <tr><td style="padding-right: 30px;"> <b>CD 1</b>: (55:08)<br>  1. Elora Danan (9:51)<br>  2. The Nelwyns (2:41)<br>  3. The Nelwyns No. 2 (2:37)<br>  4. Death Dogs (2:29)<br>  5. Willow's Journey Begins (5:30)<br>  6. Bavmorda's Castle (1:24)<br>  7. Airk's Army (3:27)<br>  8. The Enchanted Forest (5:34)<br>  9. Escape From the Tavern (5:08)<br>  10. The Island (5:11)<br>  11. Willow Captured (2:04)<br>  12. Arrival at Snow Camp (1:19)<br>  13. The Sled Ride (8:00)<br> </td><td> <b>CD 2</b>: (52:54)<br>  1. Willow's Theme (3:58)<br>  2. Canyon of Mazes (7:55)<br>  3. Tir Asleen (10:50)<br>  4. Bavmorda's Spell is Cast (18:14)<br>  5. Willow the Sorcerer (11:59)<br></td></tr></table> </div></td></tr></table> </div> <br> <a class="anchor" name="notes"></a> <table class="sectionheader"> <tr><td style="width: 46px;"> <img alt="Notes Icon" src="/images/2015/interior/review_icon_notes.png" width="43" height="26" class="sectionheaderimage"> </td><td class="sectionheadertop"> <div style="padding: 4px 0px 0px 7px;"><b><i>NOTES AND QUOTES</i></b></div> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="sectionheaderbottom"> </td></tr></table> <div style="margin: 26px 36px 90px 36px; font-size: 0.95em;"> <div style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 20px; text-align: middle; width: 243px;"> <img alt="Horner and Howard" src="/images/photos/horner_howard.gif" width="223" height="210"> </div> The packaging of the 1988 Virgin album is minimal and includes no extra information about the score or film. That of the 2022 Intrada set contains extensive details about both. The following is a note from director Ron Howard about the score:<br> <br> <div style="padding-left: 20px;"><i> "One of the greatest challenges in making Willow was to transport the audience to a time when extraordinary acts of magic and sorcery were a part of everyday life, while keeping us in touch with the timeless human issues we all relate to. If Willow meets this challenge it will be in no small part because of the brilliant musical score contributed by James Horner. <br> <br> James' score represents the best of what film music can be. It fills us with excitement as Madmartigan leads the charge into Nockmaar Castle. It makes us laugh when a Brownie, small enough for anyone to step on, blusters and hurls insults at Madmartigan, the warrior. It makes us cry when a brave little man ventures off to a hostile world, against forces seemingly far greater than himself. <br> <br> The music is interesting, rich and emotional. The hauntingly beautiful theme for Elora Danan has a majesty and dignity that is almost spiritual. And the theme for Willow himself, while capturing all the innocence and compassion of his character, is also very mystical--it helps us understand his place in this world of wizards and soceresses. <br> <br> I hope that you enjoy this music as much as I do."<br> </i></div> <br> <hr style="background-color: #25336f; color: #25336f; height: 1px; border: none; margin: 20px 0px 20px 0px;"> Featured <b>Willow</b> Soloists:<br> <br> <div style="padding-left: 20px;">  Ian Underwood (Fairlight)<br>  Kazu Matsui (Shakuhachi)<br>  Mike Tailro and Tony Hennigan of <i>Incantation</i> (Pan Pipes & Kena)<br>  Robin Williamson (Celtic Harp and Bagpipes)<br> </div><br> <hr style="background-color: #25336f; color: #25336f; height: 1px; border: none; margin: 20px 0px 20px 0px;"> Comments from James Horner about the score:<br> <br> <div style="padding-left: 20px;"><i>"Ron Howard and George Lucas wanted me to do something that was no-holds barred about its swashbuckling nature," Horner comments. "But in a certain sense, the best swashbuckling scores have already been written by those composers. It's hard to write something current that doesn't sound like something from the past."<br> </i></div> <br> The following liner notes by Daniel Schweiger for the compilation <b>Passions & Achievements: A 20-Year Retrospective of the Films of Ron Howard</b> include the following:<br> <br> <div style="padding-left: 20px;"><i>"Yet James Horner made <b>Willow</b>'s music distinct by employing such exotic instruments as Celtic drums, pipes, and Japanese wind instruments, along with more traditional symphonic orchestration and choral voices. "I used ethnic instruments to diffuse the Korngold effect", Horner says. "Instead of having a normal concert flute, oboe or trumpet, I thought I could use a different type of instrumental gesture. Also, the main theme of <b>Willow</b> is more Eastern European in nature. It's the kind of approach that a Western European composer might not take for this genre."<br> </i></div> <br> <hr style="background-color: #25336f; color: #25336f; height: 1px; border: none; margin: 20px 0px 20px 0px;"> The following is an excerpt from "Wall-To-Wall in WILLOW," an interview with Horner by David Leytze for the July, 1988, issue of <i>Keyboard</i> magazine.<br> <br> <div style="padding-left: 20px;"><i> <font color=#9393d5>How was <b>Willow</b> different from any of the other projects that you had done in the past?</font> <p><ul> I used women's and boy's choirs, plus more electronic stuff and more ethnic instruments than I've used before.<br> </ul><p><br> <font color=#9393d5>Was the use of the electronics different from any of the previous things that you've done?</font><br> <p><ul> I wasn't using any radical new pieces of machinery; I don't often change machines. It takes me too long to learn how to use and program one machine, let alone switch around. As far as the actual sounds went, there were a lot of different sounds that I've never ever used before -- atmospheric choral sounds and other sounds that blended well with the ethnic instrumentation.<br> </ul><p><br> <font color=#9393d5>How did you use the ethnic instruments?</font><br> <p><ul> They were mostly flutes and shakuhachis, which are Japanese flutes, and South American flutes of various sizes, shapes and sounds. I was using the group <i>Incantation</i> to play on the sessions; they specialize in ethnic styles. The sounds that I was after were a mesh of all of these elements.<br> <p></ul><br> <font color=#9393d5>Were there any particular ideas that you had in the actual scoring of the music with these instruments, any particular things that you went after that you felt were new and different?</font><br> <p><ul> I had never used all of those elements together before. In terms of any unique approach, I believe that there are very few unique appraoches to be tried anymore with live performers. I sat the players down in front of their parts and told them what I wanted, and that was that. The fact that it comes out sounding the way it does is because of the sound of the instrument or the unique coloring that the player puts on it. I didn't have them doing acrobatics while playing to get specific weird sounds or anything like that.<br> <p></ul><br> <font color=#9393d5>Are there any particular scenes or particular parts in the movie that you had trouble with, that you really enjoyed, or that were really difficult to get together?</font><br> <p><ul> There are roughly 117 minutes of music in the score. 95% of the cues in <b>Willow</b> are over five minutes long. I would even say 90% of those cues are seven or eight minutes long. So each cue was a little symphony movement in itself. And in the course of any one cue, I might have had 50 synchronization points that I was trying to hit. Some subtle, some not so subtle -- trumpet fanfares, or weird orchestral textures, or stuff I was doing with the shakuhachi.<br> <p></ul><br> <font color=#9393d5>Can you give an example from the movie?</font><br> <p><ul> I'm not allowed to talk specifically about the film. Just about every sequence in the film had some special effect or something going on which required a unique approach, or it required me hitting something on the screen. It was a major job getting through almost every sequence, because they were so long. And primitive instruments don't always play in tune. If you're playing a melody six minutes into a cue, and the panpipe comes in and the fellow's note cracks or the instrument doesn't speak properly, the whole six mintues is shot. You either have to do the whole cue again or do an innercut. There were a lot of complicated things going on just because of the length of the cues. <br> <p></ul><br> <font color=#9393d5>Do you ever feel limited as a composer and musician in the movie domain, that you can't really stretch out? Was <b>Willow</b> a breath of fresh air, musically?</font><br> <p><ul> Yes, it was. Reel one, for instance, is literally music from the very beginning of the main credits all the way through to the end of the reel. And reel one goes into reel two, where music starts at the head and goes straight through to the end. And that goes to reel three and reel four and reel five and up to reel 12 like that. In the movie, there was a total of about eight mintues that wasn't scored. I've done long cues on other films, but I've never done so many for one movie. Every cue in <b>Willow</b> is a long cue. I think my longest score before this was about 92 mintues or 88 minutes, somewhere in there. This is sort of a world record for me.<br> <p></ul><br> <font color=#9393d5>Do you enjoy that freedom to stretch out?</font><br> <p><ul> Oh, yes, very much. But it's a complicated thing. Not only do you have to keep your thoughts straight in the course of eight minutes and be able to make a beautiful piece of music, but you have to keep your thoughts straight in the whole piece, in the whole movie, so that you have recurring ideas or new twists on old ideas. It's a huge canvas that you have to keep very tight control of. You really have to keep you wits about you. Especially when you're doing the reels out of sequence, as I was. I would write something in reel three and then I'd have to jump to reel nine, because reels four, five, six, seven, and eight weren't ready yet. So I'd jump to reel nine, then to reel six, then to reels one and two. You have to keep all your ideas in your head all the time so that you know what you've done and what you're going to do. You have to keep all the balls in the air at the same time. <br> <p></ul><br> <font color=#9393d5>When you're scoring a particular cue, you're trying to describe the action through music. Do you score according to the whole eight-minute segment, or do you look at it sort of action by action?</font><br> <p><ul> I watch the whole sequence I'm going to score and sort of get the sweep of it.<br> <p></ul><br> <font color=#9393d5>So it's an overall feeling, then?</font><br> <p><ul> Yes, an overall feeling and mood. I find out where I have to twist an idea or change a mood. In special effects films you'll be going along and then all of a sudden you'll cut to a different sequence or a different scene, and then you'll cut back to the original scene, and so forth. You have to go with the cuts; you can't score right across then. You have to acknowledge different people, different characters, different time. Also you have the taste of the filmmakers to contend with, and they want certain things accentuated or not accentuated. So it's a real challenge to get through an eight-minute cue. To answer your question, you do have a sense of the overall feel, but within that feel you have to acknowledge very specific actions and very specific changes.<br> </ul></i></div></div> </td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="width: 1034px;"> <div style="margin: 0px 34px 10px 34px;">  </div> </td></tr></table>  </td><td style="width: 123px; text-align: right;">  </td></tr></table>  </td></tr></table>  </div>  </td></tr> <tr><td style="text-align: center; background: url(/images/2015/common/footer_back.jpg) no-repeat 50% bottom; vertical-align: bottom;">  <div style="background: url(/images/2015/common/footer_swoosh.png) no-repeat top; margin-left: 50px; min-height: 75px;"> <div id="reviewfooter" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 960px; padding: 38px 54px 15px 0px; font-size: 0.7em; color: #3e4fa6;"> Copyright © 1998-2025, Filmtracks Publications. All rights reserved.<br> The reviews and other textual content contained on the filmtracks.com site may not be published, broadcast, rewritten<br> or redistributed without the prior written authority of Christian Clemmensen at Filmtracks Publications. All artwork and sound clips from <b>Willow</b> are Copyright © 1988, 2022, <a href=http://www.virginrecords.com>Virgin Records America</a>, <a href=http://www.intrada.com>Intrada Records</a> and cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. 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