Customer Reviews

Titanic (1997)

5 star:		(306)
4 star:		(40)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(44)

 

 

This Titanic (Anniversary Edition) comes in two versions: a 2 CD set consisting of Titanic OST (disc 1 of the 4 CD set), plus I Salonisti Sessions (disc 3 of the 4 CD set). The second is a 4 CD Collector's Anniversary Edition with disc 1 (Titanic OST), disc 2 (Back To Titanic), disc 3 (I Salonisti Sessions) and disc 4 (Popular Music from Titanic Era), with expanded booklet with new liner notes and previously unseen photos, with 4 vintage Titanic luggage stickers.

I am sure most of you would have purchased the Titanic OST and Back To Titanic OST already. The decision is whether it is worthwhile to double dip into either the 2 CD or 4 CD set. Undecided?...please read on:

Disc 1: Titanic OST:

I would expect that with the 2012 technology, the music would have been completely remastered to the highest level. But alas, when I compared with the original CD that I bought in 1997, there is no difference in the sound. Remastering is only fair, using today's standards. However, the contents are of course excellent. Since this disc has sold over 26 million worldwide, most of you would have a copy already.

Disc 2: Back To Titanic:

When I compared to the disc that I bought in 1998, I found again that there is no significant improvement in the sound. Of course from this set, the most remarkable and haunting track is My Heart Will Go On with dialogue from the film cleverly chosen and blended into the soundtrack. This is the track that I would play for my friends because the mixing of dialogue and music really added tremendous emotional attachment to the film...really one of a kind. Since this disc only sold 3 million copies, you may or may not have a copy.

Disc 3: Music by I Salonisti, consisting of Thomas Furi, violin, Lorenz Hasler, violin, Ferenc Szedlak, cello, Bela Szedlak, double bass and Werner Giger, piano.

The I Salonisti Sessions were produced by John Altman. The accompanied booklet is priceless...John Altman gave a detailed account of how Jon Landau and James Cameron left 9 messages on his machine, wanting his opinion whether the words to Nearer My God To Thee would fit the music, and asked John to sing over the phone as demonstration...John Altman later mentioned that he did not hear anyone singing along with Nearer My God To Thee in what proved one of the most moving moments of the movie. He hope that it wasn't his eccentric performance that Saturday morning that made Jon Landau and James Cameron drop that idea...hilarious.

The sound is very well recorded. All the songs are well chosen. In my humble opinion, this set is easily the "Star" of this 4 CD set.

The song listing is as follows:
01 Valse Septembre
02 Marguerite Waltz
03 Wedding Dance
04 Poet and PeasantBlue Danube
05 Blue Danube
06 Song Without Words
07 Estudiantina
08 Vision of Salome
09 Titsy Bitsy Girl
10 Alexander's Ragtime Band
11 Sphinx
12 Barcarole
13 Orpheus
14 Song of Autumn
15 Nearer My God to Thee

Disc 4: Popular Music From The Titanic Era

The song listing is as follows (with chart position if available):

01 It's A Long Way To Tipperary - John McCormack (1(8)/1915)
02 Let Me Call You Sweetheart - Halfway House Dance Orchestra
03 Vilia - Guy Lombardo & His Orchestra
04 My Gal Sal - Chick Bullock & His Levee Loungers
05 Oh! You Beautiful Doll - Chuck Foster & His Orchestra
06 Martha - Adrian Rollini Trio
07 In The Shade Of The Old Apple Tree - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra (13/1933)
08 Waiting At The Church - Beatrice Kay
09 Frasquita Serenade - John Kirby & His Orchestra
10 Shine On Harvest Moon - Hal Kemp & His Orchestra
11 From The Land Of The Sky Blue Water - Mildred Bailey & Her Orchestra
12 Loch Lomond - Maxine Sullivan & Her Orchestra (9/1937)
13 A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight - Miff Mole's Molers
14 Nearer My God To Thee - Nelson Eddy

The above selections were supposedly from the era of 1912. The positive points are at least 3 charted hits were chosen, but not necessary from that era. In The Shade Of The Apple Tree was initially made popular by Henry Burr and it hit #1 in 1905. The other charted hit Loch Lomond was indeed from that era. Evan Wiliams took that song to #10 in 1912, but Maxine Sullivan's version from 1937 was chosen instead.

I wish the producer of this disc would have taken more care in choosing the most popular artist to match the song. For example, I would have appreciated if Peerless Quartet's version of Let Me Call You Sweetheart was chosen, when it hit #1 in 1911. The same applies to the song My Gal Sal. Byron G. Harlan took it to #1 in 1907. Shine On Harvest Moon was another glaring poor choice. The preferable selections should be that by Harry Macdonough & Elise Stevenson, or Ada Jones & Billy Murray (both hit #1 in 1909). Hal Kemp, John Kirby and Guy Lombardo were all artists from the 1920s and 1930s.

SOUND: Although the most popular versions were not chosen, the remastered sound was actually very good, considering the age of the recordings. Since I collect songs from the 1910s to 1940s, this disc is a welcome addition. The whole disc was very enjoyable. Only disappointment is that the original artists that made those songs popular were not chosen.

FINAL THOUGHT:

Being a completist, buying the 4 CD Collector's Anniversary Edition is an easy decision. If you do not want to spend the higher price, or you do not like or not familiar with the songs from the 1910s to 1940s, buying the 2 CD set is probably the best choice. I personally also look forward to the blu ray release of Titanic, tentatively scheduled for September 14 2012. Overall, I am very pleased with this 4 CD set. The accompanied booklet with many well written line notes and rare pictures is simply priceless. Reading the booklet while one listens to the music from this set is definitely a very enjoyable and educational experience. Since the songs in discs 3 and 4 are not listed on Amazon.ca or the back cover of the case, my detailed song listing may help you decide whether to purchase the set or not. Of course, the above set is highly recommended.

Finally, I notice that Amazon.ca has put many reviews of the original soundtrack from 1997 into this column. Please read the date of the review so that you don't waste time reading outdated materials not directly related to this new set. I hope the above review is helpful to you.

One must be content with what life and Sony has to offer heh?

Anyway, nice packaging and the stickers are an added bonus. I am a huge fan of anything to do with the movie so I don't mind all the period music, but if you're only looking for new material from Horner, then no, don't buy it.

Beautiful compositions, incredible performances, Simply magnificent in every respect.

This film was and remains a juggernaut, and James Horner's score is up to the task. His mixture of various musical styles is very appropriate for the film, and works well musically also. Clearly Horner did his "homework" about Titanic history; perhaps his work on the Glory and Braveheart soundtracks also helped him in telling this story. Horner's uncanny ability to combine the human voice with various musics while staying true to the story is amazing.

This album contains the best of the various Celine Dion "My Heart Will Go On" versions. I don't really have the words to describe what Celine has done here; she has painted a masterpiece, a Mona Lisa, a singular work of art that will go on for all time. The various parodies of her performance (on Saturday Night Live, for instance) are only a testament to the magnitude of her accomplishment. She doesn't sing about love on this song....she becomes love. I mean she must have been out of her mind and body when she was in the studio singing this. All I know is that I would have been crying for at least a half hour watching and listening to her sing this in the studio as it was being recorded. If this was done in only one take, as another reviewer notes, it was all that was necessary. It is a religious experience listening to her sing that song.

First of all, James Horner is talented; VERY talented, that is.
But Titanic is so horribly overrated that it makes you cringe. Yes, the title song is something special; wait, it WAS something special before it was played to death in the media. James Horner uses My Heart Will Go On as the main theme of the score and that's about the only theme there is. Listen, James, when a score is this long, one theme is just not enough. At some points, the score lacks musical tension, like in An Ocean Of Memories.
Also, what bothers me like hell, is the overuse of sythesized sounds. A movie that big (or at least made big) screams for a deep orchestral sound. I am a defender of the opinion that a sythesized choir always sounds terrible, no matter how good it was mixed; and Horner uses it quite often in this score.

So, whatever thousands of thirteen year old girls tell you, this score isn't worth all the fuss. And definitely not worth the Academy Award.

James Horner, one of our best film composers alive today, did a very able job with this sountrack. The haunting vocal melodies are especially memorable to me. I only wish that on the soundtrack the vocals were real, not synthesized. They definately sound better when it's real voice. The music here is at times light and romantic, at other times intense and suspenseful, but always soulful and emotional. The dominating melodic theme of Titanic is like something from an Irish shanty, and it literally smells of the sea. "Rose" and "Hymn to the Sea" are my favorite parts. A beautiful piece of work.

David Rehak
author of "Love and Madness"

I remember watching Titanic when I was eight years old. The music was breathtaking. Mind you, before Titanic I didn't care much for a movie score. Nothing was as spellbinding as this. I fell in love with the music. For an eight year old to fall in love with it...well it really does say something. The music enhances the emotional impact of the tradegy and heart-breaking love story. Sometimes I thought that the movie was nothing without the score but then... the music wouldn't be as emotional without the scenes and the movie as a whole. The music brings you back to Titanic and has images of the scenes pop into your head. It makes it all the more meaningful. It is subtle and beautifully written. It is in no way boring. It uses the same themes with a little bit of change. The reason, I believe, Mr.Horner didn't make a mess full of themes for different parts of the movie was because, for instance, the track of rose fit in perfectly with the two scenes it was played with. Both of the scenes brought out a side of that specific piece of music. The Take her to sea, Mr.Murdoch track is powerful and stately just like the ship itself was. All the grandeur is interpreted into powerful thematic music in that track. Southampton and Leaving Port are also riveting. An ocean of memories, A promise to keep and Distant memories are beautiful and sad. It's heart-wrenching. Unable to stay, Unwilling to leave is one of my favorite tracks besides Rose and the rest I've mentioned. It reminds me of the beautiful reunion scene. The dramatic sinking ship tracks are well done. I love this cd. It's a great therapy, at least for me when I'm down or need to experience magic that can be felt by the senses. That my two cents for ya.

As if Sissel's haunting voice during the soundtrack isn't superb enough, we hear Celine's "My Heart Will Go On" as the ending credits are scrolled. These two women possess two of the best voices on the planet. BTW, Celine recorded "My Heart Will Go On" in ONE take.

It sounds exaggerated to say that this is the most unique piece of music you'll ever hear, but it's true. Buy it and you'll know why...you will forever love it. It has the greatest love theme in my opinion. Even after, what, five or six years, I listen to the music every now and then. Once you listen to this masterpiece, you'll love orchestral music. You might even be inclined to hearing Classical music like I have. Every one else who has written a review has conveyed the impact it's had on them... and we all, basically, feel the same, so I'll end it here to keep this from being too wordy.

The very first soundtrack composed by James Horner that i listened to was Braveheart. It captured emotions perfectly and was also a great inpirational and background album. 1 year later i watched the movie 'Titanic' and apart from the the extremely emotionally impacting story, the music just amazed me the first time. 1 week later i bough the soundtrack and it is nothing short of amazing. The emotions that the music brings up in these pieces is immense and i would even say i prefer it over Braveheart. My four favourits are numbers 4,7,11 and 13.They capture the action and the emotion all the way through and remind you greatly of the movie and the tragedy that the disaster caused. This is a must have even if you dont like classical music. James Horners orchestral version of "My Hear Will Go On" is the best version of the song ive heard. Go and get the album today - you wont regret it!

James Horner is a wonderful composer and has always been, but with Titanic he made himself known! A great movie needs a great score and James Horner definately did that! It is simply amazing! Although I am sick of hearing "My Heart Will Go On" the other pieces are definately worth it! You cry, you smile, you cry again, and you dream away. You do it all with this soundtrack so pick it up right away. You'll love it!