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Napoleon Total War Original Soundtrack :: Review by Chris
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Album Title: | Napoleon Total War Original Soundtrack |
| Record Label: | Sega | |
| Catalog No.: | iTunes | |
| Release Date: | April 11, 2011 | |
| Purchase: | Download at iTunes |
Overview
In 2010, The Creative Assembly took gamers back to the seas with the strategy warfare game Napoleon: Total War. Following his IVOR-nominated work on Empire: Total War, composer Richard Beddow returned to record a full orchestral score for the game. After considerable delay, the soundtrack was finally released through Sega's digital label in April 2011.
Body
Beddow immediately reflects the polished production values of Napoleon: Total War with the central theme "Napoleon Boneparte". Beddow blends influences from the great nationalists with modern cinematic conventions to achieve a fitting, dramatic, if not entirely authentic sound. Slowly building from its humble beginnings into an awe-inspiring choral climax, the track certainly captures the ambition and might of the titular character. There are numerous other cues to reflect the rise and fall of Napoleon on this highly cinematic release. Highlights include "Napoleon Heads to the East", which elegantly connects psychological exploration with military movement, and "Threat of Naval Conflict", which takes listeners towards the climax of the score with its tense buildups. In all cases, Slovak National Symphony Orchestra bring a lot of the weight to the elegantly crafted orchestrations. However, many of the shorter cues may lack the substance to be accessible or worthwhile on a circumstance, much like those in Empire: Total War previously.
The most marvellous moments on the soundtrack are those that portray the heat of a naval battle. Ian Livingstone soon plunges listeners into action with "The Battle At Arcole", which incorporates various staples of military action scoring in a direct but compelling manner. Richard Birdsall's "Naval Battle at St. Vincent" brings some unique colourings to the score, with its pounding bass drums and formidable brass fanfares, while "The Battle of the Pyramids" captures the global scope of the Napoleonic Wars with its more dissonant if derivative texturings. Despite all the prior buildup, the portrayal of "Waterloo" is surprisingly anticlimactic, though perhaps intended given the game is told from the perspective of the defeated. More satisfying is the portrayal of the Battle of Trafalgar on "HMS Victory", which captures the gigantic feel of the in-game battle , while reflecting all the drama and uncertainty underlying it. The emotional rollercoaster from the 1:09 mark is an especially remarkable display of the might of Bratislava's musicians.
The historical feel of the soundtrack is enhanced by several recordings with specialist ensembles in Bratislava. There are nine string quartets on the release, all of which capture the period mood with their formal writing and restrained performances. Though their resonant timbres of beautiful, most of these tracks are too transient to be satisfying, with the exception of the much richer "The Art of War". Some a capella choral music also works beautifully in the game's sequences, thanks to a combination of mature composition and exquisite performance, but again the compositions are too short and generic to be of stand-alone interest on this already inconsistent soundtrack. More impressively, the chorus returns with a more funereal mood on the final tracks on the soundtrack, reflecting Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo and the fall of his empire. Beddow's choral writing is particularly exquisite on "The End", channeling influences from Fauré.
Summary
Those who have followed Richard Beddow's work for The Creative Assembly should know approximately what to expect on the soundtrack for Napoleon: Total War. The soundtrack works excellently in the game, given it fits the historic setting and enhances the drama of the scenario. It also provides a compelling depiction of Napoleon's rise and downfall, from its glorious opening to its tragic closer. All that said, the soundtrack does not work as well outside the game given the stylings tend to be derivative and there are many short tracks that clutter up the soundtrack. These features are almost inevitable, given the restrictions imposed by the game itself, and there remain some full orchestral monuments that are well worth listening to.
