Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture
Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack to the film of the same name composed, orchestrated and conducted by James Horner. The soundtrack was released by Sony Classical/Sony Music Soundtrax on November 18, 1997.
Riding the wave of the film's immense success, the soundtrack shot to the top of the charts in nearly two-dozen territories, selling over 30 million copies, making it one of the top 100 best-selling albums in the United States. It is one of the best-selling albums of all time, and the highest-selling primarily orchestral soundtrack ever.
In 2012, the album, along with its successor Back to Titanic, was re-issued as part of the Collector's Anniversary Edition set for the 3D re-release of the film. In 2017, La-La Land Records released the 20th Anniversary Edition in a limited edition 4-disc release.
Album information
Director James Cameron originally intended Enya to compose the music, and in fact put together a rough edit of the film using her music as a temporary soundtrack. After she declined, he approached James Horner. Their relationship was strained after their first collaboration in Aliens, but the soundtrack of Braveheart made Cameron overlook it. Horner composed the soundtrack having in mind Enya's style; Norwegian singer Sissel Kyrkjebø performed the wordless vocals on the soundtrack.Horner knew Sissel from the album Innerst i sjelen and he particularly liked how she sang the song Eg Veit I Himmerik Ei Borg. Horner had tried 25 or 30 singers and, in the end, he chose Sissel to sing the wordless tune.
Céline Dion, who was no stranger to movie songs in the 1990s, since her contribution to Walt Disney's Beauty and the Beast, sang "My Heart Will Go On", the film's signature song written by James Horner and Will Jennings. At first, Cameron did not want a song sung over the film's ending credits, but Horner disagreed. Without telling Cameron, he went ahead and wrote the song anyway, and recorded Dion singing it. Cameron changed his mind when Horner presented the song to him. "My Heart Will Go On" became a worldwide smash hit, going to the top of the music charts around the world. "My Heart Will Go On" also ended up winning the 1997 Academy Award for Best Original Song as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 1998.
Other artists were invited to submit songs for the movie including contemporary Christian artist Michael W. Smith. He mentions in the liner notes to the song "In My Arms Again" from his 1998 album Live the Life; "Inspired and written for the movie Titanic, grateful for the opportunity to send them a song; grateful it landed on this record."
For the choral background of certain tracks, Horner made use of a digital choir instead of a real one; after the orchestral music was recorded, Horner personally performed the synthesized choir over a playback of the recording. The idea behind using electronics, rather than a real choir, stemmed from Horner wanting to avoid a 'church'-like sound.
Principal leitmotifs
Throughout the film, the composer created themes for particular characters, events, locations, and ideas.- "Hymn to the Sea" — A sorrowful, melancholic theme which expresses the tragic side of the Titanic. It's also featured prominently in "Never An Absolution". This theme contains uilleann pipes and vocals by Sissel Kyrkjebø. An alternate version is first heard in the film's opening sequence. A more dramatic and rousing version, which uses flutes, is heard when Rose jumps back on the ship to Jack and when Jack and Rose reunite on the ship's Grand Staircase during the so-called dream sequence at the end of the film.
- "2 1/2 Miles Down" — Although this track is mostly incidental, ambient music with droning synth voices and eerie strings, it features the menacing, descending, three-note motif which signifies the wreck of the ship and is first featured when Titanics wreck site comes in view at the beginning of the film. This theme is also heard in "Hymn to the Sea".
- "Southampton" — Uplifting, adventurous and rather heroic-sounding theme which signifies the spectacle of the Titanic. This melody features an electronic choir and snare drum clumps. This theme is first heard when bringing the safe up to the research vessel Akademik Mstislav Keldysh. Parts of its can be heard in "Hymn to the Sea".
- "Distant Memories" — This leitmotif contains synth choir vocals and an aquatic, chiming tone. It represents the Heart of the Ocean and the history of the Titanic. This piece is first heard when old Rose is taken aboard the "Keldysh".
- "Rose" — The sentimental theme of the film that is associated with the romance between Jack and Rose. Whilst in the major key for the most parts, this leitmotif's rousing chorus modulates to the relative minor key. The theme features orchestral violin, flutes, strings and piano. Electronic choir intrudes at times. Sissel Kyrkjebø performs the wordless vocals of this theme, with Céline Dion singing this leitmotif in lyrical form. This theme is first heard when Jack sees Rose for the first time on the deck. The theme would usually interpose during sequences when other music is playing, such as in "Hard to Starboard" and "Death of the Titanic".
- "Hard to Starboard" — This piece contains the ominous leitmotif associated with the iceberg, which is first heard when the iceberg is spotted. It also contains a percussion-heavy, pulsating motif that corresponds to the peril and danger the characters endure during the sinking. Anvils are extensively used in this track.
- "Death of Titanic" — This track contains a descending, tumid and foreboding motif that also corresponds to peril and danger. It is played during the scene where the ship slowly starts to submerge into the ocean. To note, the descending cue is also heard in other tracks, such as when Jack and Rose are chased by Cal, although it sounds slightly altered.
Commercial performance
The soundtrack also hit number-one in at least 14 other countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. The soundtrack was certified 5× Platinum by the ARIA in Australia for 350,000 copies shipped. It was certified 3× Platinum in the United Kingdom for over 900,000 copies shipped; and was certified diamond by the CRIA in Canada for 1 million copies shipped. The soundtrack is the best-selling non-Chinese CD album in both Taiwan and China, selling 1.1 million copies in the former and 1 million copies in the latter.
The soumdtrack's success led to the release of a second volume, called Back to Titanic which contained a mixture of previously unreleased soundtrack recordings and newly recorded performances of some of the songs in the film, including one track recorded by Clannad singer, Máire Brennan. Back to Titanic was certified platinum by the RIAA.
Track listing
Standard edition
Two-Disc Anniversary Edition
All tracks performed by I Salonisti. Each tracks written by various composers as noted.Four-Disc Anniversary Edition
All tracks performed by I Salonisti. Each tracks written by various composers as noted.Each tracks performed by various artists as noted.