It should come as no surprise to any of you faithful readers that I am a fan of James Horner. Thus it should be no surprise that I like the score to The Mask of Zorro. Why? Listen to the first track and you'll know why. Encompassing the opening scene of the movie, the track, The Plaza of Execution takes you on a roller coaster ride. Introducing the Zorro theme and interspersing it throughout the track is brilliant. It finishes of in grand, heroic fashion. We immeadiately go from action into a quieter piece. Elena and Esperanza brings the love theme into play. As with Titanic, Horner uses his love theme as the basis for the song heard over the end credits. Both with and without the vocals of Marc Anthony, the piece is stirring. Of course, the orchestral arrangements are much more melodic. It is unfortunate that this song did not garner as much success as My Heart Will Go On but not every song can be that popular.
Back to the score. Action is one of the keys. Even the music for the training scenes, The Fencing Lesson adds a bit of action to the mix. Using Spanish guitars and canastas, Horner clearly gives the score a decidedly Spanish flair. This is evident elsewhere throughout the score as well. By mixing his traditional style of orchestration and Spanish instruments, Horner creates a truly unique listening experience.
A lot of people have commented that this is yet another rip-off score that Horner has come up with. They claim that he's borrowed from countless other artists to come up with this work. Well that maybe, but rather than complaining about it, I choose to look at the work itself rather than trying to figure out what music he's been influenced by. Horner has worked hard to establish himself in Hollywood as a serious composer and he's deserved all the accolade's he's earned. This score is yet another example of how well he can write music. Anyone who has enjoyed his previous efforts will no doubt enjoy this one as well.
Total time: 77:16
1: The Plaza of Execution (8:28)
2: Elena and Esperanza (8:20)
3: The Ride (3:25)
4: Elena's Truth (4:11)
5: The Fencing Lesson (5:29)
6: Tornado in the Barracks (5:12)
7: The Confession (3:43)
8: Zorro's Theme (3:01)
9: The Mine (Montero's Vision) (3:00)
10: Stealing the Map (6:30)
11: "Leave no witnesses..." (13:21)
12: Diego's Goodbye (5:31)
13: I Want to Spend My Lifetime Loving You (4:41) *
* Performed by Marc Anthony and Tina Arena