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Jones wastes almost no time introducing the beautiful main theme in the first track "Age of Magic." A soothing brass chorus lurches forward and delivers a rich sounding product with the help of a slightly mournful strings section. It truly catches the listener off guard with its genuine grandiosity. I am thankful that Mr. Jones chose to exercise this central theme in many different vital places in the score. I must also add here that this theme is a very versatile one indeed. As one might recall from viewing the movie, there are a number of exciting action scenes. Even during the times of some of the most intense action cues I've ever heard, Jones includes a beefed-up version of MERLIN's central theme. Several places in the score of are a notable nature.
One of these noteworthy portions envelop the entire second track titled "The Dragon's Lair." Impressive amounts of percussion thunders in the background to deliver the heart-pumping music for the vibrant conflicts in the film. The broad, epic sound of the London Symphony Orchestra is allowed to come out and really show its stuff in these sequences. An appropriate and unintrusive use of a light synth beat helps set the tone even better. Another place to find a similar cue is towards the middle of "The Walls are Whispering." The sheer energy and power that these action pieces elicit, dare I say, rival some of the best moments in James Horner's WILLOW. That is truly a grand achievement on composer Trevor Jones' part.
Amid these sporadically placed action tracks lives a more subdued, lyrical side of the score. These quiter scenes come as Merlin is discovering his place in the world and the ups and downs of a tragic romance. Also in this score, Jones has ample time to remind the listener of the magical presence of the main hero. Many different authentic ethnic instruments help outline the medieval time period. These moments are filled with a sense of wonder and an almost pondering quality. Aside from the main theme, there arises a darker, more abrupt theme in the score. It is primarily used to represent the evil forces at work, Mab and other assorted menaces, in the film. The aggressive crescendoed structure appears during many key instances in the score. Though not as structured and drawn out as its primary companion, it is quite amazing and effective nonetheless.
MERLIN marks quite a brilliant milestone in Trevor Jones' scoring career. His score aurally matches the depth and mystical emotions that the film created visually. His efforts on this score eclipse nearly everything he's done in the past; even the terrific music he composed for the film THE LAST of the MOHICANS. Another large part in the success of this music is the fact that there is a lot of it. Varese Sarabande once again rises above its customary 30 minute releases and places over 73 minutes of score on this disc. The last time they did this was for the equally thrilling score for the film MOBY DICK. At any rate, this score is an absolute classic in every sense of the word. With its soaring sensitivity, charging action, and magical darkness, MERLIN offers everything a listener could want in a score and much more.
