I was in two minds over whether to buy this score. Many Horner fans had sighted it as one of their favourites, I would now have to add my name to their ranks. This is a really great score with some excellent action music and a good main theme. I am now fortunate enough to own the Expanded Edition which is a better buy as it contains much more of the score. However, this version contatins most of the best tracks (although not all, by any means). It gets off to a stupendous start with Riding the Fire Mares which introduces the main theme, it has pulsing beat that holds the racing tempo and once in a while gets the better of the London Symphony Orchestra. The playing is a particular mention for this soundtrack as it is in fact rather poor in places The brass occasionly suffer from a fluffed note, but it does sound difficult and also the score was somewhat rushed so I have been lead to believe. Despite this, the performance is confident and boistrous and doesn't detract too much from the overall effect. The best action sequences occur in Slayer's Attack, Battle on the Parapets and Destruction of the Black Fortress. It gets fairly frenzied at times, but usually remains the right side of not being too bombastic. The Love Theme is fairly typical stuff for a film of this sort and it gets a couple of uses other than the concert arrangement. The Epilogue beginning was used so effectively in Star Trek III, that I find it difficult to imagine it anywhere else, but with Horner's knack for recycling material, I'm not that surprised. The End Credits start with a short variant on Riding the Fire Mares and ends with The Love Theme. All in all, an excellent early Horner score from which he used many of the better parts again in later scores and I'm pleased to say avoids Horner's later overuse of Sakuhatchi and pan pipes.
Rating ~ 