That the music of composer Wojciech Kilar seems to exist mostly in the periphery of most film music fans' spheres of interests is really a big shame. I'm afraid I have to admit that I at least used to be one of those film music loving people never really giving this Polish composer a fair chance. I know his score for Portrait of a Lady is supposed to be very beautiful and lush and his music for Dracula very effective and good, but The Ninth Gate is actually my first actual encounter with his music. What a pity. Not that our paths finally would meet, but that they for some reason did not meet sooner.
Because The Ninth Gate is one of the better dark, dramatic scores of 1999, with a lyrical, rather sad main theme, at its best when performed by soprano Sumi Jo, in the opening and closing cues, similiar to Ennio Morricone's way of using the beautiful sound of the wordless female voice. This theme is not used that much in the actual score, however (even if Jo's voice is used frequently). Instead, the most used theme is a piercing trumpet ditty. It's actual more of a motif, than a fullblown theme, and pieces of it show up in different parts of the score, in many different shapes, like in "Plane to Spain (Bolero)", which features the theme, or motif, played by slow strings and trumpet, supported by a subtle bolero rythm. Or as in "Corso", where the theme, performed by muted trumpet, is placed over a staccato rythm (by pizzicato strings and harpsichord) reminding me of the classic "Puttin' on the Ritz"... These parts of the score are all very minimalistic, simple and also rather quiet. Serving as a contrast is some more dramatic music, like the energetic "Boo!/The Chase", offering some great, exciting suspense music, with uneasy strings, brass chords and piano. Still, the ever present motif is there, almost all the time, either in full in the foreground or as just a shadow in the background.
Also "Balkan's Death" is full of suspense and drama, complete with dark choir. Very demonic, powerful and simply great, especially when combined with Sumi Jo's voice, low strings and percussion - one of the best cues on the soundtrack. The choir returns in "Corso and the Girl", offering some exceptional dark and dramatic music, while the last cue, one last time, gives us a stunning rendition of the main theme, with Jo's gorgeous voice in unison with the strings, closing the album as it opened.