Lincoln

Everyone knows (and should know) John Williams. Because of his partnerships with George Lucas, Chris Columbus, and the great Steven Spielberg, we are used to hearing extravagant orchestral scores that can't possibly be imagined without the silver screen behind them. However, on Spielberg's new film Lincoln, both the director (Spielberg) and the composer (Mr. Williams) take a new approach. Lincoln's score is subtle, "felt, not heard" in a sense. Williams demonstrates supreme taste and maturity by tactfully introducing the music at key moments in the film, and adding to its subtle grandeur. Just like in his other scores, the musical themes are synonymous with particular characters or emotions. With that said, the music is absolutely beautiful. You will hear a blend of sweeping Americana in the style of Copland, but also a delicate folk side. It is important to note that Mr. Williams hired music historians that specialized in the Civil War era to help him accomplish an accurate and idiomatic sound. Another highlight is the fact that the Chicago Symphony Orchestra recorded the music. The orchestra lives and breathes like one big soloist. The blend and phrasing is phenomenal. You'll never hear a better brass section than CSO's. Williams uses all the cohorts of the ensemble: militaristic percussion, warm brass choirs, and the light sounds of the woodwind choir. The strings aren't ignored either, and they provide the main emotional framework of the score. The reason Williams hired CSO is because Lincoln was actually from Illinois, and he wanted to pay tribute to this great American figure by using the closest major orchestra. Lincoln's soundtrack is not nearly as extravagant as E.T., Star Wars, Indiana Jones, or Harry Potter, but it contains a beauty that is so subtle that it is to be commended. The more I listen to the soundtrack, the more I appreciate what Mr. Williams has done. 5 stars, hands down.

It saddens me to see there are reviews that try to compare John Williams recent output to that of his past. As a serious orchestral composer, I have watched and listened to him grow artistically in a manner reminiscent to our masters of the past 300 years of music history. He's not going to write music like he did 30 years ago. His orchestration style has become more dense and focused, his melodic lines longer and more complex, his harmonic palette ridiculously advanced. This is master craftsman and our nation's greatest living composer at work. And in LIncoln, those talents are openly displayed. The music is simply breathtaking, beautifully orchestrated and as dense as ever. Yet the clarity of line as of late never ceases to astound the ear. At times I feel Williams channeling Mozart or Ravel. What I mean is that there is a richness and complexity to the music yet every line is crystaline and seems that it inevitably had to sound like this. The Chicago Symphony plays with precision and sweeping dynamics, reaffirming their status as One of the Five. Easily one the year's best scores. I was particularly stunned with Malice Towards None and it's passionate string lines. Highly recommend this one. Like Waxman, Goldsmith, and Korngold, John Williams' music functions as a strong support or emotional center to the image its written for as well as standing up as serious concert music. A remarkable feat.

Once again the happy collaboration (40th,they say) between director Steven Spielberg and composer John Williams has resulted in something quite memorable. Spielberg's "Lincoln" is simply one of his best efforts (can we ever again think of Abe Lincoln as Raymond Massey or Henry Fonda after Daniel Day-Lewis) and one of the great motion pictures of the year; and Williams' score is a perfect fit for the last full measure of Lincoln's life. The score is somber, solemn, loving and introspective without being maudlin (and let's avoid use of the word "melancholy") and pure Americana without bombast or cliché, and echoes now and again of Aaron Copland's "Lincoln Portrait" (probably by intent). There are also moments that playfully recall frontier roots and the amiable nature of quite honestly the greatest President in the history of the republic. It is also a nice touch that Williams conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. This is one of the finest film scores of the year, on the screen and on this album, for an equally fine film. Solid production values and nice packaging by Sony.

I don't have any of the musical sophistication of some of the expert reviewers here. I don't have clear defined standards nor the ability to compare one soundtrack from another and draw conclusions about whether an artist has made some fundamental statement or whatever. I just like what I can feel. This is one of the finest soundtracks I've ever heard and what the music conveys to me is a sense of the melancholy and the inner strength that was so much a part of Mr. Lincoln. I also enjoyed the added dimension of "Getting Out the Vote" and the inspiration of "Call the Muster and the Battle Cry of Freedom". All in all this is some of the very best music I have in my collection. Sonically, the recording does this soundtrack justice with a clear and well-defined soundstage that, at least with my equipment, puts me about in the 3 or 4th row of a concert hall. The sound isn't harsh or immersive. The volume of this recording is just about right for this kind of music. As the 5 stars I gave this recording indicate, I highly recommend this soundtrack. Frankly, I think John Williams is a national treasure.

A lovely score with plenty of hints of Aaron Copeland, Civil war tunes, and Williams' own music for The Patriot.

John Williams has certainly given us a lot of tunes to hum during our lives. He has scored some of the greatest movies ever...and his scores have no doubt contributed to their greatness. I haven't heard anything from him lately and I really thought he retired...but this score really brings him back. The music compliments the vision of this film and the iconic Lincoln so well. John Williams has always been a master at creating memorable themes with his music and he succeeds so well with this creation. If your a fan of his music...this will no doubt be pleasing to your ears.

I have to admit that I bought this soundtrack without having seen the movie first. I figured: important movie + John Williams = a magnificent musical experience. On this one, I was wrong. Yes, the music is pleasant and definitely period influenced and authentic but the score as a whole never reaches the soaring heights of a Star Wars or E.T. or Jaws or Witches of Eastwick. I guess I would have to say it was a bit dull and definitely boring. Perhaps seeing the movie for me would help in enjoying some of the historical pieces more.

I absolutely love Daniel Day Lewis so when I heard he was playing my favorite President I was beside myself. To learn that my favorite composer wrote the score, was a double bonus. The music for Lincoln is perhaps not as complex in its form as say Memoirs of a Geisha, but its simplicity makes it very enjoyable to put on and listen to in a relaxed atmosphere. My favorite track is "Getting the Vote". It is lively and fun just as the scene it describes in the film. If you are a American Civil War junkie unfortunately you will not find much period music here. Other than a track or two, there is nothing that would sound like 19th century authentic to the core, the rendition of Battlecry of Freedom sounds very studio. I doubt anyone looking for this track will have that misconception however. This is yet another lovely soundtrack from one of the best in the business.

Una delle ultime fatiche di Williams, una musica magnifica per un film un po' lento e noioso, musica molto americana che guarda a compositori come Copland

スティーブン・スピルバーグ監督の最新作『リンカーン』とくれば、その音楽はもちろんこの人！ 今年で80歳を迎えた映画音楽界の巨匠、ジョン・ウィリアムズです！ 去年公開されたスピルバーグ監督の『戦火の馬』は、僕にとって数々のジョン・ウィリアムズ作品の中でも ベストスコアの一つと言えるくらいの音楽でしたので、今作もかなり楽しみにしていました。 そして、その期待にジョンさんはやっぱり応えてくれました！ この音楽を聴いて率直に思ったのは、ジョン・ウィリアムズの人間ドラマの音楽における集大成のような 作品だなと思いました。壮大な音楽が有名なジョン・ウィリアムズですが、繊細な音楽作りにおいても本当に天才的です。 ストリングスの音色は過去の『ＪＦＫ』の美しいスコア(アーリントンという曲です)を思い出しました。 特に印象的だったのは1曲目の『The People's House』で、ジョン・ウィリアムズらしいメロディとオーケストラの 感動的な盛り上がりが素晴らしいです。全体的なタッチは『戦火の馬』に比べると暗めで地味な印象でしたが『With marice Towad none』 という曲が個人的に一番のお気に入り曲で、2分程の短めな曲なのですが、他の曲でも様々なアレンジで演奏され、そのメロディの 美しさとアレンジがどれも素晴らしく、改めてジョン・ウィリアムズの音楽作りのセンスと構成の見事さに惚れ直しました。 僕はジョン・ウィリアムズの音楽の最大の魅力は、ドラマチックな音楽表現の秀逸さだと思っています。緩急の付け方や 音の強弱の上手さと相まって、音楽そのものが一つの生命体のように生き生きとしている躍動感が堪らないのです。そして、解りやすい。 映像と一緒に見なくてもジョンウィリアムズの映画音楽が物凄く伝わってくるのは、そういう事なんだなと今作を聴いて変にまた自分で 納得してしまいました！ 色々なジャンルの音楽が大好きですが、音楽の持つカッコ良さや美しさ、また楽しさや優しさなどの魅力の多くを、僕はジョン・ウィリアムズから教わりました。本当にジョンさんありがとう！ あと今作は、近年のジョン・ウィリアムズの作品の中でも最もピアノの旋律が多く聴ける作品にもなっていますので、ピアノの音色が好きという 方にもおすすめです！

Con más de 80 años, John Williams nos ofrece una banda sonora contenida y emocinante en la línea de "Salvar al soldado Ryan", pero con más variedad temática.

Encore du grand John Williams pour un grand film. On retrouve à l'écoute toute la force du film et l’implication de ces hommes qui ont fait l'histoire. Un souffle touchant et intimiste qui retranscrit parfaitement les émotions du film. John Williams au service de Steven Spielberg (comme à déjà de nombreuses reprises) sait parfaitement habiller un récit et ajouter de la force et de l’ampleur aux images, une très belle bande originale de film.

John Williams ist der wohl begabteste Filmmusikkomponist aller Zeiten. Selbst die Liste seiner berühmtesten Werke würde hier zu viel Platz erfordern, die kann sich jeder bei Wikipedia ansehen. Zum Produkt: Hier ist dem Grande Maestro wieder ein weiteres Meisterwerk gelungen. Der Soundtrack lässt sich sehr gut anhören, ohne den Film dazu zu kennen (dieser kommt ja sowieso erst nächste Woche in die deutschen Kinos). Eine Stunde kann man sich hier hauptsächlich von warmen Holzbläser- und Streicherklängen verwöhnen lassen, die Williams in gewohnter Manier perfekt arrangiert hat. Besonders erwähnenswert sind jedoch auch die "Country"-Stücke, die einen nur zu gut ins Amerika der 1860er Jahre entführen. Ich könnte hier noch zahllose Zeilen weiterschwärmen, nichts desto trotz ist das schließende Resumé kurz und knackig auszudrücken: UNBEDINGT ANHÖREN!