I think there is a certain stigma attached to doing a film about the life of Christ. The risk of offending people is very high and so any implications about Jesus' life have to be etched very carefully. Of course any drama involving religion is bound to upset somebody, but upsetting the least number of people is clearly the goal. As it is with the production, so the music for any dramatisation of the life of Jesus is usually approached with a certain solemnity and weighty gravitas. I have never worked out whether this is a good or a bad thing, but it this is anything to go by, it is probably not entirely for the best.
Apparently Patrick Williams (no relation to John as far as know) is an Oscar nominated composer, but one who remains very much in obscurity. According the notes for this album he has written for the concert hall and won several awards, but I'm afraid despite these testiments to the quality of his composing, Jesus is not a score that impressed me greatly. The Main Title introduces the noble main theme which is good, if not exactly indelible. While the notes claim that the producers wanted to avoid the Miklos Rozsa, pseudo liturgical approach, the music is no less hymnal than Rozsas, but is a great deal less memorable. The ensuing cues are heavy on strings and melancholy, with the apperance of the choir in Temple, the Early Days to bring something extra to the orchestral pallette. The score finally starts to perk up a little in the somewhat more dynamic Zealots, although it does sound like Jesus was attempting to escape from The Rock than tell Zealots where to get off.
One of the most notable moments occurs in Walking On Water which at least springs some life into the score; featuring more inspirational brass and choir, that particular monumental event does at least show a flicker of spectacle. The inclusion of Pie Jesu, from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem isn't a disastrous move, but it doesn't exactly blend into the rest of the score brilliantly; the fact that it has a very memorable theme being a major reason for this. Sarah Brightman's singing is good, if a bit over zealous, the original, more gentle reading by a boy soprano would certainly be my preference. The final few tracks show some more life and bring things to a fairly imposing climax, although it doesn't quite make up for the disappointing first half.
I think I must be alone in finding this score having little to offer, but I can honestly say that I was quite disappointed. Although the attempt to avoid the Miklos Rozsa approach is laudible, the score does not really offer anything striking enough to re-invent the genre, nor does it stand as hugely significant on its own terms. The music is generally pleasant enough, but one melancholic and slow moving string elegy after another does become somewhat tiresome after a while. While it is probably correct to approach such occasions with gravitas, the score makes Jesus out to be really something of a misery whose life was endless doom and gloom. At least Rozsa and chums had the good sense to put in a few more moments of awe and wonder into their scores; Jesus' life was supposed to be inspiring, not depressing.
Rating ~ 
Total Time ~ 50:17