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Star Trek Insurrection (1998)
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As 'BA'KU VILLAGE' (Track 1) starts with a soft version of the Trak fanfare, we are then being given one of the most beautiful themes Goldsmith ever composed. The music is flowing freely in the air, carrying light-hearted and romantic cues to transcendence; creating an atmosphere of peace and harmony; a seemingly natural and simple melody. As ever, Jerry Goldsmith proves to be one of the most original composers of all time. He doesn't - like others too often do, like e.g. James Horner - produce musical clones all over again. The peace of the entry theme is soon being disturbed by a kind of frightening atmosphere; the scheme being in a way similar to the opening of 'Medicine Man', but much different. These new cues are even sounding harsher than that of 'First Contact', being reduced to the main idea. Also, he uses some kind of distorted Trek fanfare to characterize the conflict in the story. What started that peacefully, now is behaving erratically, the flow of harmony destroyed, the surface mainly being restored with fading into the Trek fanfare again.
Track 2, IN CUSTODY, opens with the second theme of the previous track, with the erratic motif characterizing the darker elements. It flows over into Track 3, CHILDREN'S STORY, a somewhat melancholic version of the Ba'ku theme, using woods and underlying strings, also harps; as with the first theme. It has a strange pace, some kind of marching rhythm in it, leading the story further.
With the next piece, NOT FUNCTIONING (Track 4), the dark second theme returns, with the distorted fanfare and strange synthesizer effects in the background (which could also be heard in tracks one and two). This time the second theme is really established; what sounded like precursors now moves into full symphonic dimensions. So demanding for audience is this music, so elegantly flowing into the next part; this is almost an organic carpet of sounds.
Track 5, NEW SIGHT, continues the line of track 3, referring to the Ba'ku theme with its use of woods and harp; leading forth the somehow sadder version, including reminiscences of 'Star Trek V'. Strangely for a Star Trek soundtrack, also soli appear, making this album more emotional, more diverse also. The carpet of peace which is being built here, although somehow with a sad touch, is then again being disturbed by a slow introduction of the second theme.
THE DRONES ATTACK (6) opens forcefully, with all the erratic elements combined with the darker mood carpet having been developed by the previous tracks so far. Again another distorted fanfare, which seems to be the leitmotif of the soundtrack. A small reminder to 'Star Trek V' again (by the way, I did like that movie), and the Klingon theme for Worf. Theme two combines with elements of the sad Ba'ku version, building slowly up to a climax, then decrescendo.
THE RIKER MANEUVER (Track 7) gives a suspense-building background metrum, including those synthesizer sounds. Together with the leitmotif and erratic outbursts of theme two elements, this is a partly reminder of 'First Contact', but with the inclusion of the sad version of theme one, this sounds different. In here, there is more diversity, more dilemma. The themes intermix and intertwine, there is no more such a stark and easy contrast to be found. The Ba'ku theme already almost forgotten, the sad version of it only being around, there is an air of despair, of determination also.
With deep-voiced clarinet sounds, and the sad theme again, track 8 (THE SAME RACE) is introduced, the theme reduced to motif fractions. It is later accompanied by flute, until the synthesizer background and erratic strikes occur, going back to the second part of track one. This is really spooky, really dark, really strange for a 'Star Trek' soundtrack.
Track 9 (NO THREAT) opens with the end of track 8, continuing that idea and leading it further, leading deeper and deeper, then, after an interruption of the leitmotif, moving into an action piece like tracks 4 and 6. Erratic again, with an underlying cascading and climaxing sound carpet, accompanied by the synthesizer cues, leading surprisingly into the sad version, again with reminders of 'Star Trek V'. The motions are gone, the moods stay. The motifs are flowing in the air.
Track 10 starts with that strings metrum (see track 7), with versions of the leitmotif in it. Now something new, a new theme or motif derived from the leitmotif; basically the climax of it, the result of all preparational efforts done by theme two and the leitmotif. Fade into erratics again, flowing in nothingness, returning to the new leitmotif-based theme three. With the spooky synthesizer in the background, theme three leads up to the top, unleashing another wave of despair, reminding of the sad Ba'ku theme. Again a break, leading to the sad version directly and giving it now full space to develop. Flute with strings carpet again, and then, almost forgotten, theme one. Per aspera ad astra, but finally we get to hear it again. Solution has come, with it musical salvation - again the sad version, paired with the leitmotif, leading into a brighter tune - leading to the Star Trek fanfare introducing track 11 (END CREDITS).
END CREDITS then gives the listener what for so long was yearned for - the fanfare and the Goldsmith Star Trek theme in its full length, with the middle part formed by both sad and light version of the Ba'ku theme. This little theme possesses an elegent majesty as it flows freely in the air, there is no explanation needed. This theme means peace and harmony, a music that's sweeping away all worries and pain. It is concluding the score, leading back to the beginning. Not surprisingly, the Goldsmith Star Trek theme again appears and tells us that what we just heard was Star Trek.
With this score, Jerry Goldsmith has truly created a masterpiece; evolving out of various elements contained in previous scores of his. This time, he did it somehow in a more organic way; the divisions between the tracks seem much more artificial than ever, also the themes being less fixed, yea, even talking about themes would be problematic. Apart from the Ba'ku theme and his Star Trek theme, all other elements I have called themes are basically collections of motifs. Also, Goldsmith makes extensive use of sound carpets, and he is really working with the motifs he has unleashed. This is no loose chain of themes, this is a symphonic work reminding somehow of Mahler and Prokofieff, standing not below them but able to stand proudly beside them. Who said classical music was dead, should be proven wrong again.
see also: Movie Review
December 25th, 1998
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