| Miracle at St. Anna (Original Soundtrack) | ||||
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| Film score by | ||||
| Released | September 23, 2008 | |||
| Recorded | 2008 | |||
| Genre | Film score | |||
| Length | 75:56 | |||
| Label | Hollywood | |||
| Producer | Terence Blanchard | |||
| Terence Blanchard chronology | ||||
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Miracle at St. Anna (Original Soundtrack) is the film score to the 2008 film Miracle at St. Anna directed by Spike Lee. The film score is composed by Lee's regular collaborator Terence Blanchard and released through September 23, 2008 under the Hollywood Records label.
The film's original score is composed by Terence Blanchard in his twelfth collaboration with Lee. Inspired by the script, Blanchard decided to join the film much earlier than production, as the film reminded of his early days in New Orleans where the Buffalo Soldiers marching in parades did not realize the significant role they played on fighting for the freedom and he wanted to tell a small segment of those soldiers dealt with in their history. [1] : 26–27
Lee had specific direction in guiding Blanchard's score, where he wanted to show the heroism of these soldiers and did not make the action the primary source of inspiration. He sent him few images, which Blanchard complimented it as he waited to start homing in to the musical identity for the film before watching the visuals, as it had sent him to a different direction. He admitted that the process that he and Lee was challenging as the latter would assign melodies to the characters, while he structures them. He attempted to draw a distinction between American and German soldiers, [2] which was first done through percussions, using "a higher-pitched, tighter sound for Germans, and a fuller-field drum sound for Americans," while also using French horns for American forces, and a Wagner tuben for German forces to distinguish them. [1] : 26–27
Blanchard use a 90-piece orchestra which was larger than in any of Lee's films, while further relied on the use of instruments from the 1940s era, including a mandolin, accordion, slide guitar and rope drum. [1] : 26–27
Blanchard considered working on the film being much difficult due to the grandeur, at later interviews. He noted that for the opening battle sequence in the film, Blanchard wrote a "percussive and brass laden" piece, but Lee denied as he wanted to show the heroism of their sacrifice, resulting in a more melodic and operatic approach. [3] [4]
The film's soundtrack, titled Miracle at St. Anna (Original Soundtrack), was released in CD and digital downloading formats by Hollywood Records on September 23, 2008. [5] [6]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Opening Credits" | 1:11 |
| 2. | "Main Theme" | 4:04 |
| 3. | "Tim Boyle Theme" | 4:12 |
| 4. | "The Primavera" | 0:57 |
| 5. | "War Is Hell" | 11:58 |
| 6. | "Theme of an Angel" (Part 1) | 3:00 |
| 7. | "White Commander" | 0:55 |
| 8. | "Renata You're Beautiful Theme" | 1:47 |
| 9. | "Third Reich" | 5:13 |
| 10. | "Great Butterfly" (Part 1) | 1:45 |
| 11. | "Paisans Theme" (Part 1) | 2:31 |
| 12. | "Stamps & Bishop Argue" | 1:36 |
| 13. | "Main Theme at Herbs" | 3:50 |
| 14. | "Theme of an Angel" (Part 2) | 1:17 |
| 15. | "Paisans Theme" (Part 2) | 1:46 |
| 16. | "Main Theme / The Prayer" | 1:11 |
| 17. | "Renata You're Beautiful Theme / Bishop and Renata" | 1:23 |
| 18. | "Paisans / The Massacre" | 1:21 |
| 19. | "Great Butterfly" (Part 2) | 5:31 |
| 20. | "War Is Hell / Final Battle" | 7:14 |
| 21. | "Theme of an Angel" (Part 3) | 2:17 |
| 22. | "War Is Hell / Mourn the Dead" | 2:36 |
| 23. | "Finale Theme" | 3:45 |
| 24. | "End Credits" | 4:36 |
| Total length: | 75:56 | |
Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter wrote "Perhaps feeling insecure in all this melodrama, Lee lets composer Terence Blanchard blanket the film with a wall of sound, telling you how to feel and react at any given moment." [7] Todd McCarthy of Variety wrote "Terence Blanchard's score drones on virtually throughout". [8] A. O. Scott of The New York Times called it a "lush and mournful score". [9] David Edelstein of New York wrote "Terence Blanchard’s nonstop symphonic stirrings color every exchange. On its own terms, the score is gorgeous; Blanchard transforms martial themes into sighing lamentations. But the music elegizes the characters before they can speak. Their doom is in every bar." [10] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone called it "a mournful score by Terence Blanchard, that achieve enormous power". [11] Chris Bumbray of JoBlo.com noted that, "for some reason Lee has his composer Terrence Blanchard, over-score the battle sequences to a ludicrous degree- which makes them seem like something out of the movie-within a movie from Tropic Thunder." [12]
Credits adapted from liner notes: [1] : 10–11
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