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| The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian | 
 enlarge | Creator: Harry Gregson-williams
Label: Walt Disney Records
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $8.53
You Save: $10.45 (55%)
New (43) Used (21) from $7.85
Avg. Customer Rating:  36 reviews
Sales Rank: 2110
Format: Enhanced, Soundtrack
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 000074212
UPC: 050087108502
EAN: 0050087108502
ASIN: B0015HZAP2
Release Date: May 13, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Prince Caspian Flees - Score | | • | The Kings and Queens of Old - Score | | • | Journey to the How - Score | | • | Arrival at Aslan's How - Score | | • | Raid on the Castle - Score | | • | Miraz Crowned - Score | | • | Sorcery and Sudden Vengeance - Score | | • | The Duel - Score | | • | The Armies Assemble - Score | | • | Battle at Aslan's How - Score | | • | Return of the Lion - Score | | • | The Door in the Air - Score | | • | The Call - Performed by Regina Spektor | | • | A Dance 'Round the Memory Tree - Performed by Oren Lavie | | • | This Is Home - Performed by Switchfoot | | • | Lucy* - Performed by Hanne Hukkelberg* Not Featured in Film |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Album Description
The ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK to the highly-anticipated second film from the worldwide blockbuster NARNIA! THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA:PRINCE CASPIAN features an unforgettable and heart-pounding score by GRAMMY AWARD -winning and GOLDEN GLOBE nominated composer Harry Gregson-Williams plus the brand new SWITCHFOOT single and video "This Is Home"
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| Customer Reviews: Read 31 more reviews...
 You Might Find Harry's Score Darker Than You Remember (UPDATED) May 13, 2008
21 out of 24 found this review helpful
THE SOUNDTRACK ALBUM:
Harry wastes no time setting the dark mood for the second journey through the World of Narnia. PRINCE CASPIAN feels more of a sequel to KINGDOM OF HEAVEN with Narnia themes since it contains healthy doses of choir throughout much of the tracks giving the score a richer, grandeur, more epic feel that the 1st Narnia somewhat lacked.
The best part of this release from Disney is that we get a near full hour of score before the pop/rock songs! And if that isn't enough, the enhanced CD contains a photo gallery and the official movie trailer. Besides the bonus features and lengthy score, there's a small booklet (10 pages long) containing plenty of movie stills and liner notes by director Andrew Adamson.
AS HEARD ON FILM:
As I suspected, the score album serves as highlights of the cues heard on film (typical). Much of the new themes for the film were left out of the score album as if only the action cues counted. The quirky mouse theme was left out. Other great underscore was left out as well such as the opening scene build up to "Prince Caspian Flees," and the prelude to "Raid on the Castle".
The score was nearly wall-to-wall in a 2 hour and 20 minute film. Sadly, the album release gives the impression that this Narnia score is just a "rehash" - which in part it is since it's a SEQUEL! - as many other reviewers have expressed. (I sure doubt both Narnia scores will be given the "complete recordings release" treatment.)
OVERALL:
Truly, the score it much better heard on the film, but the album still merits my 5 stars. The score is dark, tense, suspenseful, epic and grand! It's my favorite score of the year thus far - that is until the new INDIANA JONES score is released a week after this writing =D
 Glorified rehash! May 13, 2008
20 out of 36 found this review helpful
In case you have read my review for The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, you know that I enjoyed the first score by Harry Gregson Williams very much, and there was no good reason to not expect a similarily enjoyable score for the sequel.
Well, consider me greatly dissapointed. "Prince Caspian" showcases neither thematic innovations, nor a fresh sound, and doesn't even offer a good listening experience.
By now, I'm used to the Media Ventures method of taking a theme and repeating it verbatim ad nauseam, and I was surprised, not to say shocked, that Gregson Williams took exactly this road with Prince Caspian. Where did the composer go that successfully detached himself from aforementioned Media Ventures and ventured (bad pun, sorry) into the waters of highly acclaimed epic scores a la Kingdom Of Heaven?
In every climatic moment on this album, the music is a clone of the first score.
Now, thematic continuity is fine and much desired for a series of classic fantasy epics, and a composer should incorporate established themes, here it comes, if the story allows it!
But Gregson Williams not only took character themes from part one out of context, he also re- and abused its normal underscore.
And he didn't even write a prominent new theme as far as I can see. There's a glorious choral piece at the beginning of "Return Of The Lion", before it segues back into more rehashed material, but I would hardly call that thematic.
Prince Caspian is a new Superman II, the only difference is that Narnia 1 and 2 are by the same composer, which makes it even more astounding.
Between reheated music and nonexistent new themes is atmospheric filler music, peppered with senseless orchestral atonalities, unmotivated choral outbursts and electronic ambient music that is completely and utterly unlistenable. It's even more annoying than similar work in Batman Begins - at least in Batman Begins you can ignore it if you want to.
I don't know which devilish planetary constellation drove Harry Gregson Williams to sleepwalk through this production, but I sincerely hope it passes quickly!
Because there's absolutely no reason to buy this score if you own the first one.
Finally! May 13, 2008
8 out of 11 found this review helpful
I've been waiting for this soundtrack ever since the first Narnia movie was released in 2005. The soundtrack for The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe introduced a whole new world to the listener; so magical that whenever I listened to it, I was transported into CS Lewis's epic story. The music is a masterpiece that goes above and beyond what some people might expect out of a "children's" movie. This is definitely not just a children's movie.
This second soundtrack continues the magic and wonder. Like the first soundtrack, it sends chills down my spine at some amazing moments in the score. Some parts could make me cry out of joy or sadness. It's unbelievable how Harry Gregson-Williams could once again take me to this amazing land. This music is so different and this composer continually opens my eyes to new instruments, emotions, and memories with every score he composes. This is a masterpiece!
A worthy follow-up to the first soundtrack. May 19, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I loved the original soundtrack to "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" and I have become a fan of Harry Gregson-Williams from his work there and in "The Kingdom of Heaven." I have been highly anticipating the release of "Prince Caspian" and this soundtrack definitely lives up to my expectations.
"Prince Caspian" brings back some of the main themes from LW&W so this score is a fitting follow-up and continues where the first film leaves off. You will recognize themes from "The Wardrobe" and "The Battle" from the first score. This one is definitely darker and has some wonderful soaring vocals reminiscent of the vocals from battle scenes in "Kingdom of Heaven" and the first Narnia film.
Among the highlights are: "Prince Caspian Flees," "Raid on the Castle," "The Duel," "The Armies Assemble" and "Battle at Aslan's How." I also love the songs, particularly "The Call" (featuring Regina Spektor's ethereal voice) and "This is Home" (another winner by the band Switchfoot).
The entire soundtrack is strong and Harry Gregson-Williams once again delivers. I am very pleased to have him back, and hope to have him score "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" as well. If you are a fan of the first Narnia score, then I highly recommend the original soundtrack to "Prince Caspian."
Yes, not entirely original, but still excellent! May 14, 2008
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I tend to agree with the reviewer who gave this two stars, but I still feel this work is a vast improvement over the first score. While the above mentioned reviewer could not seem to discover the soundtrack's theme, I have figured it out, although it is quite unmemorable and unnoticeable beneath everything that's going on in the work. I would have to honestly say that about 70 - 75 % of this score is simply reused material from the first. The changes in these sections from the Narnia 1 soundtrack could be as small as a different orchestration, or a couple new underlying percussion parts, but overall, a lot of the reused material seems as if Gregson-Williams copied and pasted the music from the first soundtrack. But here's where my personal opinion really comes into play; I feel, although the score is somewhat lacking, it is very, very well-done, nevertheless, and all the reused parts will likely fit very well, and will keep the listener/viewer in tune with the fact that this is still Narnia, even though the landscape and characters have changed a bit. I think this soundtrack does indeed have some great potential, but alas, we shall have to wait for the movie to truly see! I really wanted to give this five stars. But, without enough new ear candy, I really can't do that. If I remember correctly, I gave (or will give?) the first Narnia soundtrack a five star review; but, in my book, this soundtrack is much, much better than the first one! It's just for lack of any real new thematic material that I give this four stars. However, if you have not bought any of the Narnia soundtracks as of yet, go for this one! It is the best of the two!
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