Twenty years after the release of the once highest grossing film, La-La Land Records releases a long-awaited expanded release of James Horner's Titanic score. This four-disc set features the score on the first two discs, with several alternate cues, pieces from the original albums, and other additional music on the third disc (including the previously-unreleased trailer music). The fourth disc contains source music (including Come Josephine in My Flying Machine, and an expanded Nearer My God to Thee). Altogether, this release contains over three hours of score and over an hour of source music. (Note that the end credits song My Heart Will Go On, performed by Celine Dion, is not included.)
This released is produced by Mike Matessino and Neil S. Bulk, with new liner notes from Jeff Bond. It will be limited to 5000 units, available to order on Tuesday, November 28, 2017.
Track list:
DISC 1
SCORE PRESENTATION
SCORE PRESENTATION
1. Logo / Main Title 2:28
2. 2 1/2 Miles Down 10:33
3. To the Keldysh / Rose Revealed 1:43
4. Distant Memories 2:24
5. My Drawing / Relics & Treasures 1:52
6. Southampton 4:00
7. Leaving Port 3:27
8. Take Her to Sea, Mr. Murdoch 4:31
9. First Sighting / Rose’s Suicide Attempt 3:05
10. Jack Saves Rose 1:42
11. The Promenade / Butterfly Comb 2:40
12. Rose 2:54
13. The Portrait 1:58
14. Lovejoy Chases Jack and Rose 2:24
15. Lovemaking 2:26
16. Hard to Starboard (Extended Version) 7:42
17. Rose Frees Jack 2:41
2. 2 1/2 Miles Down 10:33
3. To the Keldysh / Rose Revealed 1:43
4. Distant Memories 2:24
5. My Drawing / Relics & Treasures 1:52
6. Southampton 4:00
7. Leaving Port 3:27
8. Take Her to Sea, Mr. Murdoch 4:31
9. First Sighting / Rose’s Suicide Attempt 3:05
10. Jack Saves Rose 1:42
11. The Promenade / Butterfly Comb 2:40
12. Rose 2:54
13. The Portrait 1:58
14. Lovejoy Chases Jack and Rose 2:24
15. Lovemaking 2:26
16. Hard to Starboard (Extended Version) 7:42
17. Rose Frees Jack 2:41
DISC 1 TOTAL TIME 58:29
DISC 2
SCORE PRESENTATION (CONTINUED)
SCORE PRESENTATION (CONTINUED)
1. A Building Panic (Film Version) 7:25
2. Unable to Stay, Unwilling to Leave 3:56
3. Trapped on “D” Deck 8:46
4. Murdoch’s Suicide 0:37
5. The Sinking 5:06
6. Death of Titanic 8:25
7. A Promise Kept 6:03
8. A Life so Changed 2:14
9. A Woman’s Heart Is a Deep Ocean of Secrets 1:43
10. An Ocean of Memories 8:00
11. Post 2:44
2. Unable to Stay, Unwilling to Leave 3:56
3. Trapped on “D” Deck 8:46
4. Murdoch’s Suicide 0:37
5. The Sinking 5:06
6. Death of Titanic 8:25
7. A Promise Kept 6:03
8. A Life so Changed 2:14
9. A Woman’s Heart Is a Deep Ocean of Secrets 1:43
10. An Ocean of Memories 8:00
11. Post 2:44
DISC 2 TOTAL TIME 54:59
DISC 3
ADDITIONAL MUSIC AND ALTERNATES
ADDITIONAL MUSIC AND ALTERNATES
1. Never an Absolution 3:06
2. Trailer 4:12
3. The Portrait [Album Version] 4:43
4. Logo (Alternate Extended Version) 2:10
5. 2 1/2 Miles Down (Alternate) 1:36
6. Southampton (Alternate) 3:05
7. Leaving Port (with Alternate Ending) 3:00
8. Leaving Port (Alternate) 2:15
9. Take Her to Sea, Mr. Murdoch (Alternate) 4:29
10. Rose (Alternate) 2:58
11. Piano Theme—The Portrait 5:00
12. Lovejoy Chases Jack (Alternate) 1:55
13. Hard to Starboard (Alternate) 6:50
14. A Building Panic [Album Suite] 8:05
15. Death of Titanic (Alternate) 8:29
16. A Promise Kept (Alternate) 4:32
17. Hymn to the Sea 6:26
2. Trailer 4:12
3. The Portrait [Album Version] 4:43
4. Logo (Alternate Extended Version) 2:10
5. 2 1/2 Miles Down (Alternate) 1:36
6. Southampton (Alternate) 3:05
7. Leaving Port (with Alternate Ending) 3:00
8. Leaving Port (Alternate) 2:15
9. Take Her to Sea, Mr. Murdoch (Alternate) 4:29
10. Rose (Alternate) 2:58
11. Piano Theme—The Portrait 5:00
12. Lovejoy Chases Jack (Alternate) 1:55
13. Hard to Starboard (Alternate) 6:50
14. A Building Panic [Album Suite] 8:05
15. Death of Titanic (Alternate) 8:29
16. A Promise Kept (Alternate) 4:32
17. Hymn to the Sea 6:26
DISC 3 TOTAL TIME 72:52
DISC 4
SOURCE MUSIC
SOURCE MUSIC
1. Valse Septembre* 3:43
2. Marguerite Waltz* 2:34
3. Wedding Dance* 2:30
4. Poet and Peasant* 6:48
5. Blue Danube* 6:55
6. Song Without Words* 2:37
7. Estudiantina* 3:11
8. Oh, You Beautiful Doll† 2:12
9. Blarney Pilgrims§ 2:11
10. John Ryan’s Polka§ 2:53
11. Kesh Jig§ 1:59
12. Drowsy Maggie Dance§ 1:22
13. Come Josephine in My Flying Machine† 1:46
14. The Merry Widow† 1:30
15. Méditation de Thaïs* 4:25
16. Vision of Salome* 2:42
17. Titsy Bitsy Girl* 1:35
18. Alexander’s Ragtime Band* 2:28
19. Sphinx* 3:48
20. Barcarole* 3:31
21. Orpheus* 8:40
22. Song of Autumn* 3:53
23. Nearer My God to Thee* (Extended Version) 3:14
DISC 4 TOTAL TIME 76:30
2. Marguerite Waltz* 2:34
3. Wedding Dance* 2:30
4. Poet and Peasant* 6:48
5. Blue Danube* 6:55
6. Song Without Words* 2:37
7. Estudiantina* 3:11
8. Oh, You Beautiful Doll† 2:12
9. Blarney Pilgrims§ 2:11
10. John Ryan’s Polka§ 2:53
11. Kesh Jig§ 1:59
12. Drowsy Maggie Dance§ 1:22
13. Come Josephine in My Flying Machine† 1:46
14. The Merry Widow† 1:30
15. Méditation de Thaïs* 4:25
16. Vision of Salome* 2:42
17. Titsy Bitsy Girl* 1:35
18. Alexander’s Ragtime Band* 2:28
19. Sphinx* 3:48
20. Barcarole* 3:31
21. Orpheus* 8:40
22. Song of Autumn* 3:53
23. Nearer My God to Thee* (Extended Version) 3:14
DISC 4 TOTAL TIME 76:30
* performed by I Salonisti
§ performed by Gaelic Storm
† conducted by William Ross
§ performed by Gaelic Storm
† conducted by William Ross
TOTAL ALBUM TIME: 4:22:50
Many thanks John for bringing us the welcome news of this highly significant expanded version of James Horner’s ‘Titanic’. It has taken a long time for someone to break open the secret vaults and finally put into the public domain cues that did not make it onto the original Sony soundtrack cd in 1998 and the ‘Back to Titanic’ set that followed it. Massive gratitude to La La Land Records for having the fortitude to make it happen.
There is much for Titanic die-hards to enjoy on this four-cd bonanza, specially timed to coincide with the twentieth anniversary of the film’s release in December 1997. The original ‘Titanic’ cd, which sold in iceberg-breaking amounts in 1998, was never the definitive soundtrack to the movie, and although ‘Back to Titanic’ went some way towards supplying the demand for more music from the film, no single release has ever done justice to James Horner’s ground-breaking and record-breaking score. It certainly looks like the La La Land people have succeeded in bringing together everything that Horner created and recorded for the scoring of James Cameron’s masterpiece.
Having said that, it strikes me that our understanding of what constitutes the ‘definitive’ soundtrack of ‘Titanic’ has moved on somewhat in recent years. The advent of the ‘Titanic Live’ spectacle (the performance of the film’s score by orchestra and choir synchronised with a screening of the movie), first unveiled at the Royal Albert Hall in April 2015 a mere eight weeks before the composer’s untimely death, is a game changer.
The ‘Titanic Live’ show, which looks destined to tour the world for many years to come, brings with it a two-act arrangement of the ‘Titanic’ score, comprising no less than 44 pieces of music. Act I (29 cues) begins with ‘2½ miles down’ and ends with ‘A mathematical certainty’; Act II (15 cues) continues with ‘2,200 souls’ and concludes with ‘End credits’.
The whole thing is amazing, and there is no doubt in my mind, having attended the April 2015 performance, that the ‘Titanic Live’ arrangement is the definitive soundtrack we have been waiting for. My initial feeling after the show was that the entire work must be recorded and released as a priority. This hasn’t happened yet, but I am certain it is bound to be captured on a cd set one day.
But in the meantime, we have this exciting La La Land release to keep us going. It is a very different animal from ‘Titanic Live’, which sees this magnificent score assume its rightful place as a major work regularly performed by the world’s greatest orchestras. The twentieth anniversary edition of the soundtrack comprises original recordings conducted by Horner himself, and it is important that the full scope of his work for this film is made readily available.
Sadly, Horner himself is no longer with us, but the story of his great score for ‘Titanic’ does not end with his tragic loss. The baton has passed along to other hands, and the music most definitely, as the song puts it, ‘goes on’. I may have to wait a while longer to add the definitive ‘Titanic’ soundtrack to my cd collection, but right now there is a copy of the ‘Titanic’ 20th anniversary soundtrack on La La Land Records with my name on it!
Hi Ken,
Just to reply to your previous comment – the film mix for Titanic (like other Cameron/Horner collaborations) was *very* heavily edited, and Titanic Live used the film edits to create the various “cues” performed by the orchestra (and listed in the handbook). “A Mathematical Certainty” and “2,200 Souls” were added specifically as intro/outro music for the live concert, and are not cues from the film in the proper sense (they were invented by the orchestrators to lead in and out of intermission). Some cues like “2 1/2 Miles Down” in the film contain up to 3 cues overlaid on top of each other (Simon Franglen called the Titanic mix a “layer cake”), so this presentation will present the original score as written, which was then chopped up and mixed around in the film. I think this album is the definitive presentation of the score, short of listening to the raw sessions themselves.
I was at the April 2015 presentation as well, and while it was faithful to the film mix, this album release contains the score as it was originally written. (2 1/2 Miles Down, for example, is an extremely long cue that is given only ~2-3 minutes of screen time in the film, mostly because it is just low drones that supplements other music/themes.) What will be surprising to most is that there aren’t really as many cues as you would think, and what you may hear in the film may not necessarily what will be reflected in the album, but for those who want the complete “Titanic” music, this is most certainly a grail score.
Thanks for the additional information and insights, much obliged. I am simply exploring the notion that there are two ‘Titanic’ soundtracks—the one you hear when you watch a DVD of the movie, and the one you are treated to if you are lucky enough to catch a ‘Titanic Live’ performance. Obviously the original recording is very much a product of the studio, with all the editing and splicing typical of the film scoring process, since a soundtrack has to be cut to fit the film, not the other way around. And of course, as you point out, what Horner originally had in his head would be somewhat different from the end product, which was subject to the unavoidable ‘chopping and mixing’ demands necessary to synchronise the music to the action on screen. Since the La-La Land package promises the complete score in terms of, as you point out, what was originally written for the movie, then this is a release of huge significance. And I have no intention of knocking a grail when it comes along, particularly when it is brimming with previously unreleased James Horner cues!
Having said that, the soundtrack edit of Titanic that is now performed by orchestra with choir and ethnic instrumentation at a ‘Titanic Live’ event effectively takes James Horner’s music off the silver screen and puts it into the concert hall, something foreshadowed at the premiere of ‘Titanic 3D’ at the Royal Albert Hall in March 2012, where Horner conducted a performance of ‘Titanic Suite’ before the film was screened. Logically, the next step is for the score to be uncoupled from the film entirely and presented in full as a concert work in its own right, a development that has to happen at some time, and which I am sure would have greatly pleased the composer. With no film in the background to maintain strict timing with, a conductor working with the score would have the option of staying with the existing ‘Titanic Live’ arrangement or refining the work still further based on what is contained on the La-La Land cds. An exciting prospect, and no mistake. So I think it is fair to say that while the original Titanic (the ship) had a journey that ended unexpectedly, nothing can stop the progress of James Horner’s Titanic!
The new web page backgound is so wonderful. I like it. TITANIC. 20the anniversary. Amazing!