Childhood musical experiences can make a powerful impact on us. I
saw Legend at some point in my early childhood and I can only recall
two things about it: the image of a unicorn and the music.
There was something otherworldly and charming about it and it stuck in my mind
as I grew up. The Legend soundtrack became my gateway into
hearing Tangerine Dream and the wonders of synth-based music.
Overall Soundtrack Impressions
Tangerine Dream created a score that is rich with atmosphere and
imagery. The way in which they mingled unique instruments with lush
and complex synth interactions drenched the soundtrack in
atmospheric expression.
This score succeeded in creating the sensation of traveling across
fantastic lands, moving through wondrous landscapes and
experiencing a grand adventure.
As is typical of their work, Tangerine Dream’s facility in combining
synthesized tones, timbres and textures shines through in the Legend
score. The full gamut of sonic signatures from coruscating light to all-
enveloping darkness and from dancing flutes to chanting voices all
come together to enfold the listener in a shifting sonic tapestry.
Another powerful aspect of the Legend soundtrack were the melodies
that were written for it by Tangerine Dream. The melodic content
mirrored the timeless, hallowed tale within the film and gave it a strong
flavour of magical lands and ancient times. I enjoyed how Tangerine
Dream skilfully evoked a wide variety of emotional states in their
melodic writing.
My Favourite Tracks Analyzed
“Intro” starts out as vibrating, trembling pipe-like sounds flicker out and
the hollow pipes carry an ancient-sounding melody that’s broken into
sonic fragments.
The melody adds a sense of mystery over the bass depths that swell
up below to fill the open space with a rumble. The hollow panpipes
carry the melodic fragments into the lush surroundings.
There’s something that feels curious and quizzical in the pipe-like
synth and the melody gives hints of the journey on which we are about
to embark.
A folky-sounding string instrument carries the elegant melody that
speaks of a rustic, charming life to open “Cottage.” A harpsichord
ripples and flickers in oscillating lines over a trickling, bubbling sound
and higher synth swirls in ethereal, extending chords.
A deeper sonic well flows before the main melody sings out again.
Charming and delicate, the melody frolics in as a flute-like instrument
breathily carries it.
The deep well below grows as the harpsichord’s flutter adds more to
the texture o the music. Choir-like sounds move deeper underneath
and again we return to the timeless, clear melody and fade into quiet.
“Unicorn Theme” begins with shakuhachi echoing out mysteriously
into the openness around it as airy, magical synths call out in hollow
voices to add shadows and a haunted feeling to the music. The
mystical synth moves in drifting lines as elevated, tense sounds flow.
Rich bass swirls around lush, medium-low synth as a harpsichord
adds flashing light to the music.
The bass has a lush weight and synth instruments create an
orchestral feeling above it. The trumpeting synth that cuts above adds
more majestic power. This track evokes a sense of awe and wonder
as string-like synths bend into worried, tension-filled notes and a harsh
twist of sound contributes a sense of threat.
High synth trembles and feelings of fear break into open driving
percussion. Strings howl and scream as colossal brass adds intense
weight. Martial, ancient sounding percussion with a bending quality is
broken by quick string hits and a clap of thunder as the track ends.
Hovering, mystical strings are brushed by fragile chimes that glitter
delicately as “Fairies” comes into being. The gentler segment is
broken by shattering, rushing metallic sounds full of dark sensations.
There’s a harsh quality to them before again floating off into ethereal
sonic clouds.
A resonant, breathy woodwind slips into the music along with a
haunted wobble. A woodsy calliope huffs a playful, slightly devious
melody over the dancing, flickering chimes to imbue the song with a
lighthearted quality. There’s also something vaguely unsettling about
the tune. A shakuhachi breathes and shadows rise as the track ends.
“Blue Room” starts as a reverent synth choir is touched by open-
voiced, slowly moving percussion. A mist-shrouded, twisting synth
tumbles into the music and wobbles in ghostly motion over the slow,
hollow percussion.
A shadowy synth wash gruffly drifts before feather-light, fluting tones
cry out in a hurting melody brimming with tenuous feeling. Sinister,
steady percussion reverberates out into space.
There’s a spectral, lost feeling permeating this music as it unfolds. The
flute instrument feels bereft and mourns into the music as another
series of rising dark synth sounds hints at lurking danger.
Mystical sensations emanate from trailing synth tendrils to open “The
Dance. “ Breathy organ plays a steadily shifting musical pattern
doubled by a flute in an unsettling waltz as a sharp buzz of synth accents the end of each phrase. Lush bass provides support as the
waltz hovers between warmth and more uncertain feelings. The
contrast of the airy background adds a certain ambiguity as shadows
rise to engulf it at the end.
“Darkness” commences as doomy bass with a vocal quality adds
Stygian weight and a sitar jangles and flashes, full of strange portent.
The shadowed, massive low vocal sound doubles the ringing, twisting
sitar in a minor key line that oozes dangerous sensations.
The bass is colossal and foreboding while the sitar is darkly devious,
expressing something sneaking and insidious. A steady series of
heavy, string-like pulses joins a droning, rising sound. Broad, metallic
synths repeat in crushing blocks that clatter out over the bass void and
the shakuhachi flows in one airy burst and fades.
Conclusion
While the Legend soundtrack is controversial for some people, I
thoroughly enjoyed it. I freely admit that there’s an element of
nostalgia bound up in my love of it, but I also feel that it is musically
rich and draws me into the sonic world it seeks to explore.
