1492 - CONQUEST OF PARADISE (OST)

Rather than making just a movie soundtrack, the album version has been enhanced by the atttempt to make a concept album. The way the "Opening" fades into "Conquest Of Paradise" that's the main theme of the soundtrack is an example. This is the big difference between this album and previous soundtracks like Chariots of Fire and Antarctica. We have a concept album and not just a theme repeated for 40 minutes like in Antarctica.

On 1492 the main theme "Conquest Of Paradise" is based on the end of the middle-age. The choir sings in a false latin language. Unlike other OST made by Vangelis, we won't see too much repetitions of it.

"Monastery Of La Rabida" is a totally different track. Slow, melodic, evocative, with a "monk" choir still in false latin.

"City Of Isabel" starts on the same chord of the previous, but evolves into a more "spanish" theme that mantains a medieval mood.

"Light And Shadow" is one of the highlights. A great arrangement for the choir highly dramatic and very "classical".

"Deliverance" is a sort of instrumental follow-up to the previous track. This time driven by classical guitar and keyboard's violins and harp. Very dark.

"West Across The Ocean Sea" has a celtic touch, similar to "Irlande" on "L'Opera Sauvage". A sunset over the ocean. I haven't seen the movie. When I mention images they are those the music evocates to my mind.

"Eternity" with its wooden flutes and the ethnic flavour should represent the first contact between Columbus and the Aborigens. Less than one minute and we have the dawn on the new world. A touching melodic track.

"Hispaniola" is the first partial reprise of the main theme. The rhythmic base is the same, but instead of the choir there is initially a female voice who sings like in a flamenco. When the choir starts it's very dark and dramatic. The melody is totally different and very "Spanish inspired". A medieval flamenco.

"Moxica And The Horse" is hard to describe. The sounds have some of indian in the sense of sitar and tablas, not native americans. The classical guitar and the male vocals are based on flamenco instead. It's an ethnic fusion that John McLaughlin shouldn't disapprove. A great track.

"Twenty-Eight Parallel" is very different in the choice of the instruments: harp and grand piano. The athmosphere is similar to that of "West Across The Ocean Sea" to fade into the first and only real reprise of the main theme. This time played by the piano instead of the choir. Very functional to the soundtrack and absolutely not bad. The coda returns to the Irish side of the track. piano, harp and violins who open the final track: "Into The eternity".

Vangelis at his best on this long track that reminds to the closer of his previous album "The City". 13 minutes to enjoy.

We can forget that this is a sountrack. It's probably better ignoring it at all and let the music evocate images without being influenced by the movie. Haven't seen the movie makes it easier for me. However, there must be a sinergy between Vangelis and Ridley Scott as the two best soundtracks made by Vangelis have been written for him.

4.5 stars.