2nd February 2004

The principal role of a music score is to enhance the ambience of the scene it accompanies, making its presence felt not in isolation but by blending invisibly with the background. Hollywood composers strive to achieve this objective in contrasting styles - John Williams seldom deviates from the Classical mould, Hans Zimmer's often revisits his roots in Rock music, Ry Cooder's Blues influences are apparent and so is John Carpenter's preference for Synth sounds.

Soundtracks of Oriental films have evoked considerable interest in the West; The Last Emperor (Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne and Cong Su) and Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon (Tan Dun) garnered Academy Awards and Kundun (Philip Glass) settled for a nomination. While The Last Emperor more or less stuck to traditional Chinese music, Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon score is predominantly symphonic in its ethos and Philip Glass's Kundun predictably meditative.

A.R.Rahman's segue to international acclaim was the inclusion of his Bombay Theme in Talvin Singh's highly successful compilation Anokha - Soundz of the Asian Underground. Fire, his first complete score to be marketed, was a heady melange of minimalist electronics, sensual female voices and hypnotic flute riffs that quickly ended up becoming a collector's item - thanks to Deepa Mehta's quirky decision to release it on the relatively obscure Colosseum label in Germany. The soundtrack of Warriors of Heaven and Earth, China's official entry for the 2004 Academy Awards was quietly released in parts of Asia including India devoid of the typical fanfare that accompanies a Rahman release.

For Warriors of Heaven and Earth Rahman conjures up an enchanting collage of sounds, an alluring symbiosis between the West and the East after successfully distancing himself from his traditional Bollywood/Southern roots. The soundtrack owes its success in no small means to Rahman's ability to visualize beyond his trademark hues and paint a larger oriental soundscape in the backdrop of a western classical orchestra. The usage of Armenian Duduk (wind instrument), Japanese Taiko Drums, Chinese Erhu (Fiddle) and Dizi (Flute) lends the album a true 'World Music' feel.

As is his wont, Rahman balances the album in the middle ground, making it more listener friendly by liberally using the brass and percussion sections of the grand orchestra (Czech Film Orchestra) and eschewing the standard strings-heavy style that the purists more easily approve of. It's a strategy laden with a counterintuitive risk - of falling in No Man's zone; a risk that Rahman had embraced before in Zubeidaa.

However the soundtrack itself sticks closely to the traditional Hollywood format of a basic theme motif being played out by several instruments in varying tempi and scales. In the opening track The Golden Era, the simple yet captivating theme gets unfolded by the flute and the strings and is reiterated by the choir and the brass. A poignant melody evoking nostalgia, the theme forms the emotional crux and is sprinkled over the rest of the soundtrack.

Taking a leaf out of the Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon, the theme resurfaces as a vocal cut (Warriors in peace) albeit in a Poppish avtar. The song is a fusion of genres mirroring the sound structure of Sarah Brightman's Harem. The programming and the bass loop give it a distinctive Techno touch while the orchestra accentuates a Classic Rock feel. The Indian release comes with the Hindi (Sadhna Sargam) and English versions (Sunitha Sarathy) but it's the Chinese version that stands out. Jolin Tsai, the Taiwanese Pop star with a mesmerizing voice, hits the highs with languid grace and reaches a crescendo just before the horns kick in. The subtle crackle and the Tanpura in the beginning and end are cheekily Rahmanesque.

Lord An's Empire and Dacoit Duel belong to Sivamani, Rahman's favorite percussionist. In the former, Rahman weaves an amazing tapestry of asynchronous male voices and high intense Taiko drums. Rahman pulls of a difficult stunt, riveting your attention with just the rhythm. In stark contrast the ensuing track Water makes a similar impact without any percussion whatsoever. It's the Duduk the wind instrument with a tragic aura around it that creates this magic. (As a side bar, the results of Rahman's recent experimentation in rhythm programming in Enakku 20 Unakku 18 and Tehzeeb were less than spectacular. Rahman had always been a pioneer in developing new sounds; hope this rendezvous with 'Boy Band' sound is brief.)

Lai Chi is perhaps the only number with an Indian flavor remotely sounding like a snake charmer on his Been (Snake flute). Blue Light, a New Age cut, is another favorite despite its anachronistic pace and rhythm. The Monk and the Miracle takes you through several emotions ranging from contentment to anger. The mesmeric Chinese flute intro leads into a laid back rendition of the theme. The brief rhythm in the middle is distinctly Indian before the strings turn suddenly violent. Desert Storm, the longest track at over five minutes, begins with a sax and guitar interplay reminiscent of the Revival track from Vandemataram and is followed by soothing strings and heavy brass. Interestingly, it is the cellos that furnish the rhythm. The title track appears in the end and is expectedly cinematic in structure.

Warriors of Heaven and Earth would hopefully silence critics who continue to question Rahman's competence in delivering quality acoustic music. But more importantly, Rahman succeeds in delivering a pristine product despite wandering in an alien territory.

The sound as a whole defies easy classification but after the mandatory hump that a Rahman album typically warrants, is a pleasure to listen to. Warriors of Heaven and Earth is unlikely to make a huge impact in terms of sales unless consecrated by an academy award nomination. But then would you let earthly benchmarks like sales and awards interfere in your enjoyment of a heavenly score?

Stithaprajna
[email protected]