Emipre of the Sun is certainly one of the lesser known scores by John Williams, but don't let that fool you -- it very much has the high quality his music is known for.
The score starts off with a wonderful choral arrangement of the Welsh folk tune, 'Suo Gan'. This melody is a favortie of mine, this this is probably my favortie version. The other non-Williams music, the patriotic British march 'The British Grenadiers', is another favortie in yet another wonderful arrangement.
Williams's own music is quite a mixed grabbag. 'Jim's New Life' is a happy "bustling town" town type piece, while 'The Streets of Shanghai' is a rousing action piece. There are two more choral tracks as well, 'Liberation: Exsultate Justi', and 'Exsultate Justi'. Both are basically the same, but are extrememly wonderful, and prove that Williams is as much a master of choral writing as he is of fanfares and sweet themes. This theme is easily one of the great ones.
But no review of this soundtrack could exist without mention of 'Toy Planes, Home And Hearth'. This piece is, quite simply, one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard. It's simple and elegent, yet masterful, and worth the price of the album alone.
Overall, I feel this is a must have for all score fans. It's easily on the same level as Williams's other masterworks. Just get it. (by Joshua Kaufman)
Tracklist:
01. Suo Gan (Williams) 2.19
02. Cadillac Of The Skies (Williams) 3.48
03. Jim's New Life (Williams) 2:33
04. Lost In The Crowd (Williams) 5:39
05. Imaginary Air Battle (Williams) 2:35
06. The Return To The City (Williams) 7:45
07. Liberation: Exsultate Justi (Williams) 1:46
08. The British Grenadiers (Traditional) 2:25
09. Toy Planes, Home And Hearth (Chopin Mazurka Opus 17 No. 4) 4:37
10. The Streets Of Shanghai (Williams) 5:11
11. The Pheasant Hunt (Williams) 4:24
12. No Road Home/Seeing The Bomb (Williams) 6:10
13. Exsultate Justi (Williams) 4:59
ARMU 2259
ARMU 2259 (zippyshare)