Track Listing

1. The Olive Garden/Night Sky (Medley)
2. Bearing The Cross
3. Jesus Arrested
4. Peter Denies Jesus
5. The Stoning
6. Song Of Complaint
7. Simon Is Dismissed
8. Flagellation/Dark Choir/Disciples (Medley)
9. Mary Goes To Jesus
10. Peaceful But Primitive/Procession (Medley)
11. Crucifixion
12. Raising The Cross
13. It Is Done
14. Jesus Is Carried Down
15. Resurrection

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8618 in Music
• Released on: 2004-03-08
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Mel Gibson spent $30 million on The Passion of the Christ, his painstakingly bloody film interpretation of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But because the film's dialogue uses authentic dialects of Aramaic, Latin and Hebrew, John Debney's musical score plays an important dramatic role. In some ways an unlikely choice as composer (he cut his teeth on many a lightweight comedy and kid flick), Debney rises to the challenge, first conjuring up a synth-laden soundscape whose gothic moodiness should be familiar to admirers of the work of Lisa Gerrard, then seasoning it with indigenous instruments, booming percussion and ancient modalities that give the score an almost palpable sense of time and place.

Like Jeff Danna in his earlier score for the gentler companion piece, The Gospel of John, Debney eventually gets around to genuflecting to some Hollywood choral and melodic traditions (the gospels themselves having arguably helped lay the original foundations for Tinseltown's venerable three-act structure). There's nothing cheap about his music of triumph and redemption, rooted as ever in roiling currents of ancient spiritual mysticism. Gibson's vision of the Passion has had many second-guessing his motivations and choices, but Debney's rich, evocative score proves there's nothing wrong with his ears. --Jerry McCulley, Amazon.com

Customer Reviews

haunting and beautiful
John Debney's intense, melodic score adds much atmosphere to Mel Gibson's magnificent film, but can also stand on its own as intriguing and lovely listening. It uses a lot of background vocals and chanting to great effect, and fascinating instruments that give it a middle-eastern flavor; notable is the duduk, which is an ancient double-reed similar to the clarinet, often used in Armenian folk traditions.

It is a score that changes from gentle tenderness to percussive strength, always interesting in its many moods. A few tracks have lush string arrangements, and track # 9, "Mary Goes to Jesus" takes flight on wings of sound.
Other contributors to the score are Jack Lenz, Shankar & Gingger, with lyrics by Lisbeth Scott.
It is all at once inspiring, peaceful, and energizing music, and a score that I will be listening to many years from now.
See the film, and hear the music; this is the rare stuff that changes lives with its beauty, power, and truth.

Music That Surrounds
This is by far the best album in my collection. The compositions suited the film well and are robust and full enough stand as an album on it's own.

If you're after music that you can get lost in, this is for you.

Haunting music from the film
This is truly superb music in the same style as Hans Zimmer's Gladiator soundtrack. Just as the film made me weep, so too does this soundtrack have the same power to evoke the same reaction. Since seeing the film back in April, I have played this CD at least once a week, and some days I just put it on repeat for a couple of hours. For those who haven't seen the film and/or aren't 'into Christianity' then the music itself can easily stand apart from the film and be enjoyed for what it is - a CD containing some excellent classical pieces.