Conan the Barbarian (soundtrack)

The score for John Milius ' 1982 film Conan the Barbarian was composed by Basil Poledouris . Large parts of the film manage without dialogue, which means that it has an important narrative function.

Music in the film

Poledouris used different musical styles for the film, which he adapted to the basic mood of the respective scenes. Because there are only a few dialogues in the film, the music carries a large part of the plot with an absolute music share of 91 percent. The piece Anvil of Crom , a warlike-sounding melody made up of archaic percussion and brass instruments , is already used in the blacksmith's scene in the opening credits , which describes the main theme of the film's plot.

For the scenes of the attack on Conan's clan, the composer used two fundamentally different sound scenarios, some of which were borrowed from Gregorian chant , which he had alternately clashed, gloomy brass for the serpent leader and gentle sounds for Conan's clan ( Riddle of Steel / Riders of Doom ). Unmistakably, O Fortuna from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana was the inspiration for the composition . Poledouris let the theme of the leadership role pass musically in the ballad-like character from Conan's father to son. While the scenes with the swordsman Valeria, with whom Conan fell in love, are accompanied by melancholy minor harmonies, the scenes with the archer and Conan's companion Subotai are accompanied by a cheerful melody that depicts the companion theme ( Theology / Civilization ).

One of the pieces does not come from Poledouris: Tower of Serpent (also Tower of Set ). It underlines the scene in which the three protagonists Conan, Subotai and Valeria break into the snake tower to steal a valuable jewel. A piece of music from the 13th century was used here, No. 166 ( Como Poden per sas Culpas ) from the song cycle Cantigas de Santa Maria . It was recorded by the Clemencic Consort and released in 1976 on the Harmonia Mundi LP label . Poledouris, however, added an ethereally hypnotic female choir to the already existing recording of the Clemencic Consort . This recording made no official release of the original film music on sound carrier; only the new recording from 2010 by Prometheus Records contains an interpretation of this piece of music.

Towards the end of the film the music becomes more peaceful. With a gentle choir, high strings and a harp, Poledouris shows that Conan conquered his adversaries, took revenge and found his peace.

Publications as phonograms

The film music was published in 1982, as was common at the time, by various regional record labels. The releases of MCA Records on LP for Europe, the USA, Brazil and Japan contained 12 tracks with a total length of almost 49 minutes. The editions published by RCA for France and Italy also contained the original film prologue spoken by Mako . In 1992, Milan Records , which had already released the MC in 1982, released a CD version of this selection with a prologue, and Varèse Sarabande a 19-minute longer CD version without a prologue. Since these incomplete releases did not satisfy numerous fans, a large number of bootlegs appeared .

In 2010 a double CD was released via Prometheus Records, containing the complete film music re-recorded by the Prague Philharmonic and produced by James Fitzpatrick , including unpublished material .

Title list of the MCA- LP and Milan-Records- CD:

1. Prologue / Anvil of Crom - 03:39
2. Riddle of Steel / Riders of Doom - 05:38
3. The Gift of Fury - 03:50
4. Column of Sadness / Wheel of Pain - 04:09
5. Atlantean Sword - 03:51
6. Theology / Civilization - 03:14
7. Love Theme - 02:10
8. The Search - 3:09 am
9. The Orgy - 04:14
10. The Funeral Pyre - 04:29
11. Battle of the Mounds Pt. 1 - 04:53
12. Orphans of Doom / The Awakening - 05:32

Title list of the Varèse Sarabande CD:

1. Anvil of Crom - 02:34
2. Riddle of Steel / Riders of Doom - 05:36
3. Gift of Fury - 03:50
4. Wheel of Pain - 04:09
5. Atlantean Sword - 03:50
6. Theology / Civilization - 03:13
7. Wifeing (Love Theme From Conan The Barbarian) - 02:10
8. The Leaving / The Search - 05:59
9. Mountain of Power Procession - 03:21
10. The Tree of Woe - 03:31
11. Recovery - 02:11
12. The Kitchen / The Orgy - 6:30 am
13. Funeral Pyre - 4:29 am
14. Battle of the Mounds - 04:52
15. Death of Rexor - 05:34
16. Orphans of Doom / The Awakening - 05:31

(Publication extended by four pieces, but without prologue)

Title list of the new recording of the Prometheus Records CD by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Nic Raine :

CD 1

1. Prologue (film version) / Anvil of Crom - 03:38
2. Riddle of Steel / Riders of Doom - 05:23
3. The Gift of Fury - 03:25
4. Column of Sadness / Wheel of Pain - 04:09
5. Pit Fights - 02:45
6. Prologue (Original Version) - 01:03
7. Atlantean Sword - 4:00 am
8. Wolf Witch - 03:21
9. Theology / Civilization - 03:04
10. The Street of Deviants / Hopefuls at the Tower of Set - 01:28
11. The Tower of Set / Snake Attack (Las cantigas de Santa Maria) - 05:21
12. Infidels - 01:03
13. The Tavern - 01:51
14. The Wifeing - 02:20
15. In the Court of King Osric - 01:13
16. Conan Leaves Valeria / The Search - 06:03
17. The Mountain of Power / Capture - 4:00 am
18. The Tree of Woe / Recovery - 06:04

CD 2

1. The Kitchen / The Orgy - 06:23
2. Orgy Fight - 02:53
3. Funeral Pyre - 05:15
4. Battle Preparations / Battle of the Mounds Part I - 05:59
5. Battle of the Mounds Part II - 02:11
6. Battle of the Mounds Part III / Night Of Doom - 05:56
7. Head Chop - 00:53
8. Orphans of Doom / The Awakening - 6:30 am
9. Epilogue / End Titles - 05:13
10. Theology / Civilization - Alternate Version - 03:27
11. The Tower of Set - Alternate Cues - 03:37
12. Battle of the Mounds (Part II) - Original Version - 02:11
13. Chamber of Mirrors from "Conan the Destroyer" - 07:16
14. Riders of Doom - Orchestral Version - 04:05

Further uses and bonds

The cover story from Total Recall , composed by Jerry Goldsmith , is inspired by the Anvil of Crom ; unlike Poledouris, however, Goldsmith's composition consists of a basic structure created with synthesizers, over which the lead melody is played with a horn and string ensemble.

In Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film adaptations , both the Companion and Isengard themes are musically based on Conan the Barbarian .

There is also a reception in the metal environment. Thomas "Quorthon" Forsberg referred to Conan the Barbarian when his band Bathory changed style to Viking Metal . Robert “Darken” Fudali cited the film music as an influence for the film music-heavy later works of his NSBM / Pagan Metal project Graveland and his other project Lord Wind. Hendrik Möbus from the rock / NSBM- / Pagan metal band Absurd gave Conan the Barbarian as an inspiration to the group, the Canadian right rock - / metal band RAHOWA published in 1995 on the album Cult of the Holy War , a song called Anvil of Crom .

literature

• Peter Moormann: Conan, the barbarian . In: Peter Moormann (Hrsg.): Classics of the film music . Philipp Reclam jun. GmbH & Co., Stuttgart 2009, ISBN 978-3-15-018621-3 , p. 232-234 .

swell

1. ↑ Conan the Barbarian - Basil Poledouris. Archived from the original on October 18, 2010 ; accessed on May 24, 2011 . 
2. ↑ www.discogs.com-Clemencic Consort-Les Cantigas de Santa Maria No.2. Retrieved May 28, 2011 . 
3. ↑ https://www.discogs.com/de/Basil-Poledouris-Conan-The-Barbarian-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack/master/99885
4. ↑ ^{a b} Michael Boldhaus: Conan the Barbarian (Prometheus new recording) (review). Cinemusic.de, December 26, 2010, accessed May 24, 2011 . 
5. ↑ Conan The Barbarian. Tadlow Music, 2010, accessed May 24, 2011 . 
6. ^ Bathory. Archived from the original on February 26, 2008 ; accessed on May 24, 2011 . 
7. ↑ Graveland. Retrieved May 24, 2011 . 
8. ↑ Skelos: Lord Wind. : Remebrance of the Atlantis' golden age:. Castle of Vampiria, March 26, 2008, accessed May 24, 2011 . 
9. ↑ Michael Moynihan , Didrik Søderlind: Lords of Chaos , First Edition, Feral House 1998, ISBN 0-922915-48-2 , p. 251.