Brave

Patrick Doyle has always been a composer of class. Always adding a sense of musical lyricism to his compositions that I have very rarely heard from another film composer. So to my delight he was chosen to write the score for Pixar's Brave and delivered what may be another masterpiece. Its important that the two dominant themes for the movies are for the drinking song whose theme infests the first half of the album. The Scottish jig is infectious and though it does feel a little played out by the games is never the less a joy. To those who aren't fans of the bagpipes be warned that they are given the forefront to the mix in Remember to Smile. The song of Mor'du the demon bear is a fun little song that never really overstays its welcome both in movie and on album. The second major theme is one for the bond of the family, more specifically the mother and daughter. while appearing later in the album, the theme actually makes its presence known right at the beginning of the movie. The theme is gentle at the beginning, and works its way up to it's ultimate and most tender conclusion in the cue We've Both Changed. Though its does get an only vocal performance in A Noble Maiden Fair which is a very lovely performance of the theme.Another great theme though it is only a minor theme, is one of the witch and her curse. It gets its first playful rendition in The Witches Cottage. which has a playful sort of rhythm that as great as it is only plays briefly. The second half of her theme is that of the curse which is played on a solo howling woodwind. This ultimately clashes with an action variation of the mother, daughter theme as time runs out to reverse the curse in the cue Get the Key. A problem exists in the arrangement cues as they never really run in the order of appearance, at least in the middle of the score. The songs in the album are also a treat, even though most everybody says its a disappointment that the Julie Fowlis song in the trailer doesn't make it to the album. Still though Julie does supply two original songs for the movie: Touch The Sky and Into The Open Air and both supply the needed pop style but remains Celtic enough to not disrupt the narrative with their presence. The final song Learn Me Right sung by Birdy and Mumford and Sons is a nice way to close the movie but the editing of the vocals remain distant over the instrumentation. In the end though this is the first score of the year to get a full score from me, and it is considered a Patrick Doyle masterpiece.