Thomas Newman - The Shawshank Redemption: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Wonderful soundtrack

Loved the movie and the music! Just listening to the music reminds of the film and is so touching. Great compositions. April 20, 2008

An affecting CD that captures the movie's darkness and inspiration

Don't listen to "The Shawshank Redemption Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" if you're in the car with the windows down; you might not be able to hear it. Most of the CD is soft-sounding and faint, but don't let those qualities deter you -- this is an excellent album. The dark overtones of the movie The Shawshank Redemption (Single Disc Edition) were furthered by the foreboding, often remote, music, and listening to this CD may take you back to what you felt while watching the riveting drama play out onscreen.

Not all of this soundtrack is tinkling piano or a stirring string section. "May," the short lead-off fiddle track, and later renamed "Workfield" deeper into the CD, contains a rustic Civil War-era aura that belies the polished classical sound heard on most of this album. The stirring "Shawshank Prison (Stoic Theme)" properly begins this opus, a deep oboe and sublime string section indicating a plethora of beautiful classical sounds to come. Similarly, the ultra-soft, harrowing piano notes heard on "New Fish" are played again and again throughout the CD, in various forms, but never get old. Interestingly, many of these songs last under two minutes, but their effect resonates much longer; they feel far from transient. After hearing them, you may recognize added depth to the movie that wasn't as noticeable before. Some listeners may even entirely separate "Shawshank's" music from the movie altogether, due to its transcendent nature.

Though much of this CD's music may conjure reflectiveness and despair, some of it contains old-time levity to capture the time period of the movie. The Inkspots' simple song "If I Didn't Care" may be a bit morose itself, but it pops up at a time on the album when the musical score by Thomas Newman becomes almost crushing in its singularity and sadness. Similarly, Hank Williams' "Lovesick Blues," though a bit clumsy and country amid Newman's classical compositions, adds needed soul and a bit of fellowship.

The melancholy piano heard on "Brooks Was Here," "Zihuatanejo" and "Compass and Guns," though simple and excruciatingly quiet, is astoundingly effective. Often backing the singular piano sounds is a similarly divine string section that will severely tug at heartstrings. Through all this beautiful darkness comes the inspirational "So Was Red" and then "End Title," two songs that, like they did in the movie, call forth feelings of hope and redemption. I'm probably being a little sappy, but as this music ends the CD, it's hard not to sentimentally envision both Andy (Tim Robbins' character) and Red (played by Morgan Freeman) reuniting on a sandy beach as the blue waves crash into their rejuvenated existence.
January 13, 2008

Shawshank Sountrack

I always loved the movie, and the soundtrack is no dissapointment, quality wise the soundtrack is quite good. If you liked the music to the movie then this is a good purchase. October 12, 2007

Salvation lies within Newman's Music!

A good film score supports and propels the plot by establishing the mood for the viewer. Newman's stoic and at times bleak music brilliantly preserves the film's main theme of hope. There is a sentimentality and hope that underpins the journey of Andrew Dufrane as he is wrongly convicted and incarcerated in a maximum security prison. The music is profound and moving as it captures the cold dampness of the granite walls of Shawshank State Prison. We watch the prisoners grow older before our eyes as the story travels through 19 years of life-sapping imprisonment. When Zeus sent Pandora with her little box of horrors to Prometheus and his unwitting brother Epimetheus, he also sent hope. Without hope, the ruler of heaven knew, man would despair and lose faith in life and in the gods. Newman's musical themes inspire and underpin the mood of the movie, which is hope. We watch Dufrane fight back against the corruption of the warden and the brutality of the guards with whatever is at hand. As with Pandora, Newman's music preserves our hope. We hope Andrew Dufrane will find absolution. We hope Red will come to find some purpose for his life beyond prison. We hope he will not end his life like Brooks did. We hope Andy Dufrane will secure his freedom. We hope Red can successfully join him in Mexico. We hope. Newman's music provides the scaffolding for our hope and inspiration as we journey through this brilliant film.

This soundtrack is a must for the serious collector and for others, battered by a grey world of indifference, who need to recharge their world-weary batteries. The tracks gently massage the soul and restore life. Outstanding tracks include "If I didn't Care" by the Inkspots, "The Marriage of Figaro" by Mozart, "Shawshank Prison," "Suds on the Roof," and the "Shawshank Redemption."

This is money well spent. Newman is at his absolute best. A brilliant film by Frank Darabont, lifted toward the heavens by Newman's inspired music. October 9, 2007

Decent

If your a fan of Newman I am sure you will enjoy this. Personally none of the themes really stand out for me. Of this work I found little of it to be remarkable. October 7, 2007

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