March of the Penguins


2016 Download
Milan Records 2016 Download
Milan Records 07/12/2005 CD (0731383613128)
Milan Records 07/12/2005 CD (0732050350643)
Documentary Film release: 2005
 

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# Track   Duration
1.The Harshest Place on Earth3:56
2.Walk Not Alone0:41
3.The March5:22
4.Found Love3:59
5.The Egg Arrives2:27
6.The Mothers' Second Journey2:01
7.Arrival at the Sea3:12
8.Walk Through Darkness6:19
9.First Steps3:19
10.The Dangers Remain3:15
11.Reunited2:17
12.Going Home for the First Time4:43
 41:31
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March of the Penguins - 08/10 - Review of MM , submitted at
Alex Wurman was given the underwhelming task of scoring March of the Penguins, the surprise hit of the summer which will go on to gross more than $50m at box office in the US alone. I say underwhelming in its most positive sense, as a way of summarizing a score that is simply subtle and gentle the whole way through. This is Wurman’s way of representing the innocence and beauty of the world’s most loved creatures – Penguins (and Morgan Freeman).

What Wurman tells us with this score is that if something’s beautiful or innocent you have to resort to using flutes and the piccolo. How original. Although, however unoriginal Wurman is in instrumental selection he makes up for with simplistic but superb melody.

Flutes and piccolos are accompanied by ever so slight piano works, cello, percussion and synthesisers. Yes I did say synthesisers. Think Mark Isham, think “Crash”. In fact a pattern arising in 2005 is the rise of a range of solid synthesised film compositions and this is one of them. However, the synthesised works are not Wurman’s strong point, in-fact if they stand by themselves they sound simply like copies of Isham or even Cliff Martinez’s “Solaris” (2002) score. It’s only when Wurman allows the innocence of the piano, flute and piccolo to sway in and out of cues as easy and as unobtrusively as the wind, that we truly can immerse ourselves in a beauty of music that is more than a match for the spectacular visuals. As a stand alone album of music, this is the kind you put on to lay down and simply drift away.

Focusing on the last four tracks: “First Steps” is the first time synthesis is laid almost totally aside to allow flute and piccolo, the oboe and not forgetting the good old glockenspiel to represent a new-born penguin. And you can visualize that. The sign of a good film soundtrack is when you correctly visualize what is going on, on-screen, without having to see the film. “The Dangers Remain” is also the first time bass seems to kick in, representing the “deep voice”, the anger. “Reunited” is almost simply a piano piece. The final piece “Going home for the first time” recalls the subtle theme of the film, re-introducing most of the instruments used earlier in the soundtrack and rounding off with a still subtle, but larger orchestra sound before bringing it back down to the pivotal instrument of the soundtrack, the flute which gets its own solo, as we leave the penguins and Morgan Freeman’s phenomenal voice in its most beautiful. Throughout the whole soundtrack you get a feeling that Wurman has a real command for music and in how it relates to the screen.

What’s more fascinating for the listener who purchases this soundtrack… isn’t there something very jazzy about the score? I could be wrong, but I think at the most subtle level of a majority of tracks there is a very soft cymbal that helps create the rhythm of each track. This is something you typically only hear in jazz.

Wurman’s power is not with his synthesised works, as many composers in the past have relied on and failed, but in the way he merges that with what would seem so totally unoriginal choices of instruments. This in eventuality helps creates something a little bit different and just a little bit original, which makes a change. A change that would be a good accompaniment to anyone’s soundtrack collection. It’s beautiful.
March of the Penguins - 08/10 - Review of Tom Daish, submitted at
Apparently the second highest grossing documentary to date (after Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11), March of the Penguins follows Emperor Penguins as they trek across the Antarctic ice to breed. Reviews have been favourable, but as many been pointed out, television documentaries of similar quality (and greater factual content) can be found on any number of satellite channels - many of them repeating the myriad of fine BBC documentaries that have been made down the years. I'm sure I've seen David Attenborough squatting on the ice floes watching penguins numerous times. Still, being a feature film does allow for a slightly higher budget for the score (although anyone who saw Walking with Dinosaurs or The Blue Planet - and Deep Blue - will surely know that quality music isn't restricted to big screen documentaries).

The original French production had music by Emilie Simon, but Alex Wurman was brought in to provide a new score for the American release. Given that most European composers produce music of high quality, this seems something of a slight, but Wurman's music is certainly a fine accompaniment. This is not epic, George Fenton style stuff, but rather more intimate in approach. Wurman takes the march of the title to heart and propels the score along with a pleasing rhythmic drive; nothing too ferocious, just enough for it to bounce along. Several bring to mind Jeff Beal's terrific score to Pollock (although only in approach, nothing specific), notably the titular third track which turns out to be surprisingly stirring. Wurman uses the cue's time span to build on the gentle beginning into something a little more grandiose, but not overwhelmingly so.

Unlike Deep Bluet, this is not an album of inspiring set pieces, but more through composed with a consistent base of flute, piano and light percussion. Much is of chamber proportions, with the string orchestra making just the occasional incursion, but the lightness of touch is entirely appropriate and quite lovely. Wurman carefully balances the iciness of the environment with the occasionally comic behaviour of the penguins amidst the considerable perils and obstacles they face. For a composer from the Media Ventures stable, Wurman has entirely shrugged off the style of his earlier efforts (mainly as one of Hans' little helpers) and produced quite wonderful, a genuine surprise and a delightful score that grows on you with every listen. Highly recommended.

Other releases of La marche de l'empereur (2005):

Marche de l'Empereur, La (2005)
Marche de l'Empereur, La (2005)
March of the Empress (2007)


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