TITANIC (2CD Anniversary Edition) - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2012)




The year was 1997 – this reviewer remembers how every single dollar mattered, given his meager pocket money. Yet, it didn’t deter him from making a trip all the way to the music store to buy not one, but two soundtrack CDs bearing Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s faces on the cover. One was for his own keepsake, the other one was meant as a gift for his crush.

Yes, the movie about that certain sunken ship was quite the phenomenon 15 years ago, and so was its soundtrack album. How else would you explain Celine Dion’s song that dominated music charts around the world? The theme song written by James Horner (music) and Will Jennings (lyrics) not only won an Oscar, it also became one of the best selling singles of all time.

The song that went on, and on, and on will go down history as one of the most successful tunes ever written for a movie. And it’s almost a sin not to own “My Heart Will Go On” on a CD.

So here we have it - to coincide with the 3D release of the movie, this anniversary edition album features the remastered original soundtrack and a previously unreleased CD of period music featured in the film performed by I Salonisti, a chamber music ensemble which acted in James Cameron blockbuster movie.

If you are already a proud owner of the 1997 version of the soundtrack, you’ll not be unfamiliar with Horner’s Oscar winning score. From the haunting opening track “Never an Absolution” and the spirited “Southampton” to the romantic “Rose” and the bittersweet “Hard to Starboard”, the tunes will affect you nostalgically like a charm. And how can one not be shaken by the hard hitting “The Sinking” and “Death of Titanic”? We aren’t forgetting the extremely moving “An Ocean of Memories” too, a cue which never fails to make the heart weep.

The second disc of this edition features recognizable tunes like “Blue Danube”, “Titsy Bitsy Girl” and “Nearer My God To Thee” (pay notice to the last words recorded on this track), which may or may not be your cup of tea, depending on your liking for classical music.

So is this anniversary edition soundtrack worth owning? Let’s just say some purchases are made for nostalgia’s sake, and this is definitely one of them.  

ALBUM RATING:



Recommended Track: DISC 1 (13) An Ocean of Memories

Review by John Li

Back

TRACK LISTING
1
Never An Absolution
2
Distant Memories
3
Southampton
4
Rose
5
Leaving Port
6
"Take Her To Sea, Mr. Murdoch"
7
"Hard To Starboard"
8
Unable To Stay, Unwilling To Leave
9
The Sinking
10
Death Of Titanic
11
A Promise Kept
12 A Life So Changed
13 An Ocean Of Memories
14 My Heart Will Go On (Love Theme From "Titanic")
15 Hymn To The Sea

 

DISC TWO
1
Valse Septembre 
2
Marguerite Waltz
3
Wedding Dance
4
Poet and Peasant
5
Blue Danube
6
Song Without Words
7
Estudiantina 
8
Vision of Salome
9
Titsy Bitsy Girl
10
Alexander's Ragtime Band
11
Sphinx
12 Barcarole
13 Orpheus
14 Song of Autumn
15 Nearer My God to Thee

 

 ABOUT THE SOUNDTRACK

Composer: James Horner
Label: Sony Masterworks
Release Date: March 26, 2012