Frizzell's music starts with a grandiose treatment of the main theme for full orchestra and large chorus. It is more complex than Edelman's tune for Gettysburg, but it's still very bombastic and also rather unmemorable. It's one of those big, noble themes that sounds to me like Elgar-lite and not, as might be expected, steeped in American music tradition. Only the occasional folksy fiddle - much like Williams' score to The Patriot - gives a feeling for location and period. The more subdued presentations of the theme are more affecting, but too often there is a distinct bombast; strings and ripe horn chords rise majestically on a frequent basis. The results are stirring, but invariably leave the listener feeling a little beaten about the head. Even the James Horner styled Irish pipes of These Brave Irishmen turns from slightly wistful into a full on orchestral track, which just doesn't seem necessary. Horner hasn't been producing many scores of note recently, but was often left missing his more gentle and dramatic touch, especially when the theme swells with full chorus, yet again.
The final few tracks are perhaps the finest, the gorgeous chorale, Let Us Cross Over the River and intimate finale, The Soldier's Return, both being beautiful and filled with a genuine emotion the score so often lacks. However, the album concludes with Bob Dylan's bloated and atrociously performed, Cross the Green Mountain. As a frequent defender of Randy Newman's rough voice, I'm staggered that nobody ever criticises someone like Dylan (or Van Morrison, for that matter), at least Newman's more or less in tune, Dylan sounds almost entirely tuneless much of the time. Gods and Generals isn't quite the great score it wants to be, but as with an increasing number of scores these days, is enjoyable enough and has few dull moments. However, its main theme sums up the entire work, indistinct. Edelman's original might not have been subtle, but it was memorable and had Edelman's musical personality. Gods and Generals ultimately sags under its own earnestness to be dramatic, serious and heroic, but because the core material isn't quite strong enough, doesn't pull it off and the results are often somewhat hollow. The score's closest antecedent is probably Williams' The Patriot and this is less of the same.
Rating ~ 
Total Time ~ 61:58