Howard also convinces with its third composition to the Hunger Games!

Part 3 of the successful Hunger Games series is now up and running and split the audience. For many happened to little, however I liked that even in many places. But I am particularly convinced of the compelling score by James Newton Howard, who now composed the music for Panem for the third time. Except for Batman Begins and The Dark Knight (in collaboration with Hans Zimmer), Howard has never really set to music a series of films, the more tense I was also on Mockingjay I, because I was already very much his work on Catching Fire. And here he did not disappoint me! Maybe I'm a Howard fanboy, but I did not like his fourth Bourne score a lot and I also had concerns that Howard would think little new for Mockingjay I

This was fortunately a mistake! Although the music is at first listen not particularly special and the it's frankly not. But after repeated listening a fall but on the strengths. Mockingjay I is like his predecessors, particularly in terms of the film a great setting. Howard's dark and melancholic, sad composition works perfectly with the pictures, I think. Here I think it is good that there are no big and complicated, composed themes, such as in Star Wars. The gloomy style of music that is very focused on the images, just fits like chalk and cheese, and the scenes in your mind, the music itself looks again very different.
Nevertheless, there are of course a few motifs that recur: The Katniss motif of Catching Fire, which is sung by a female voice or the District motif 12, which is played by a violin, a stop at this score again. Especially emotionally incorporating the Rue-thread drill, incidentally (from Part 1) in Air Raid, a great title!
In the film, the Horn Of Plenty topic (ie the subject of the Capitol facade and the Hunger Games, so to speak) to hear during the TV broadcasts, can not remember what also makes on CD but for me but meaning. Although I love the piece, but it does not really matter much in music, moreover, it is always the same version of Part. 1

The highlight is the new theme: The Hanging Tree. Even in the film, I had goose bumps and tears in his eyes, so powerful was the music in the cinema and on CD works the title almost as good. The rough but delicate vocals of Jennifer Lawrence, who later mixed with the rebels and turns into a majestic choral version is moving! Something just a shame that you can hear the sound sounds from the movie for a few seconds, you could not take the song apart or what here I would like to hear a few more variations in the score, but maybe we'll get the in Mockingjay II next year

Otherwise dominate the strings again, as usual in Howard's scores, as well as the choirs are very often heard. It's just his style and I like him. But he is this time even further and makes the music even more dynamic and rousing sound than its predecessors. From quiet and emotional beginning The Mockingjay, to the driving Victory Howards composition works very subtly, but powerfully. While there is less action, yes, but both film and score still manage to maintain a tension and atmosphere upright. Nevertheless, there are with incoming Bombers, Jamming The Capitol and the great Air Raid Drill bit more pace.
But otherwise, I recommend listening to the music in one piece.

The CD offers a decent length of 69 minutes and is natural for film music lovers to recommend rather than the soundtrack with the songs.

Conclusion: The more I hear the CD, the more they like it, as well as The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. James Newton Howard, it may still, and I hope that he is still in Mockingjay II can, but I have no doubts. A great, dark, but also emotional music that sounds even more mature and more epic. And The Hanging Tree is perhaps the best track of the year and will long be dialed in my MP3 player!