Anna and the King

La Face Records

Music Composed and Conducted by George Fenton

Orchestrations by Geoffrey Alexander & Jeff Atmajian

Produced by George Fenton

Release Date: 1999

Purchase At

     The score for Anna and the King attempts to tackle more or less the same style that governed David Newman’s score to Brokedown Palace. While both of these two scores make heavy use of the Asian ethnic sound, Anna and the King manages to come out on top. Where Brokedown Palace was relatively small in scale and didn’t have many interesting twists or content, Anna and the King is a full of epic and emotional qualities.

     While the opening song, How Can I Not Love You, is serviceable and serves as the basis for the main foundation of the score, it is rather bland and not very catchy. Arrival at the Palace sets the tone for the music. It starts off with the ethnic Asian style that is slowly merged along with the lush orchestra that provides the more Western touch. The score generally follows this blending of styles, and even dips into polka/waltz music in track nine. The music possesses a dark feeling, but it never depressing. There isn’t much in the way of tense moments, but they do exist. The score ends on a rather sorrowing note, but it really isn’t much of a downside.

     Every now and then, the music tends to repeat itself. The tense sections sound exactly the same every time (though they only appear twice), and near the end of the score, the music from track two is almost exactly repeated. These are minor complaints, however.

     Overall, this is a great score, especially if you enjoy those ethnic orchestrations. If you liked Brokedown Palace, then you will probably want to go for this one as well. This is one of the best scores of this genre that I’ve heard in a long time. ****

Track Listing

1 - How Can I Not Love You (4:34)

2 - Arrival at the Palace (6:00)

3 - Meeting the Children (1:32)

4 - Tuptim (1:32)

5 - Letter of the Week (1:38)

6 - The House (1:38)

7 - The Rice Festival (4:23)

8 - Rajah Attack (0:58)

9 - Anniversary Polka (3:20)

10 - "I Am King, I Shall Lead"

11 - Flowers on the Water (4:22)

12 - Moonlit Beach (1:42)

13 - Betrayed (1:52)

14 - Chowfa's Death (1:28)

15 - The Execution (4:19)

16 - Anna Returns (3:44)

17 - The Bridge (6:42)

18 - "I Have Danced With A King" (6:17)

Total Running Time: 59:01