Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey (Music from the Original TV Series), Vol. 1

I knew ten seconds into the first Cosmos episode that I would be buying the score. Alan Silvestri's work is always a joy to listen to.

As a fan of the original Cosmos I was hoping for something that pushed the edges of music a bit more. This soundtrack is completely adequate, but it really sounds like incidental music rather than something that adds to the visual spectacle. When I watched the opening of the first episode of the new series I though the music sounded like something from a Star Trek movie. It's big and spacious, but the melodies (where they exist) are completely forgettable. Silvestri is obviously a capable composer - he really could have stretched himself here, but went safe and stale instead.

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I'm a big fan of Alan Silvestri. I've loved his blockbuster scores for Back to the Future, Predator, Captain America: The First Avenger and The Avengers. When I heard that he was scoring the new Cosmos series, however, I thought that it was a bit of an unusual choice, at first. It obviously meant they were going for more of an epic, symphonic sound design this time and gives Neil DeGrasse Tyson's Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey a very "grandiose" epic feel in contrast. But for me, what had made Carl Sagan's original Cosmos: A Personal Voyage so unique and memorable was due, mostly in part, to the use of then-futuristic electronic music by Vangelis to create layered ambient celestial soundscapes and atmosphere, most notably taken from the albums Heaven and Hell, Spiral and Albedo 0.39 Vangelis' brilliant electronica was an essential part of the success of that show and its soundtrack, it became a voice of its own in the vast cosmic fugue. Neil DeGrasse Tyson's Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey is obviously a different take then its predecessor, with its own unique voice and signature, and Alan Silvestri's subdued symphonic cues illustrate the show's lavish visuals with a sense of awe, wonder and spectacle as vast and as epic as the Cosmos itself. It is a much more subtle and nuanced score than I expected that makes you feel humbled by its harmony. The first volume contains the first 13 cues and Vol. 2 contains an additional 15 tracks from the 13-part FOX TV series. I still prefer listening to Vangelis' music in the original Cosmos which fit that show perfectly but Silvestri's Cosmos is but another voice in the cosmic fugue and the universe is indeed big enough for both them to coexist and to enjoy their diversity and harmony. After all, what is our purpose for being on this Earth if we cannot express our existence and our creation with art, literature, and music as as diverse as their are stars, planets and galaxies in the cosmos?

I was not greatly impressed upon the first preview of the soundtrack. However, upon watching several episodes of the Cosmos program and hearing the music in context, the music took on new meaning. The show does an amazing job of capturing the awe and wonder of all things great and small in the universe. The music perfectly captures both the scenes of beauty and those of dramatic cataclysm. That's the job of a great composer and Mr. Silvestri is certainly one of those. Enjoy both the program and the accompanying music!

The ORIGINAL album was a collection of stuff Carl thought to fit the show's idea. This new soundtrack sounds like Deep Space Nine meets Voyager – typical American and not the multiethnical / cultural approach the ORIGINAL show had offered. Good stuff should never be repeated.

From Tim Burden who knows a thing or two about good music: "A new Alan Silvestri score is always something to look forward to and this is no exception. You would expect to hear this level of musicianship in the cinema (as has been the case with such Silvestri classics as Forrest Gump, Back to the Future and Contact), so hearing this quality for a television documentary is a real treat. As soon as the Main Title begins with its French horn solo, the grandeur of that sound persists throughout the album. Some contemporary elements and electronics are weaved in and out of the orchestra, but make no mistake that this is a fully symphonic score. One that will be expanded with 3 further volumes."

Silvestri's score perfectly complements Tyson's narrations to pull the viewer into the spirit of the film. The dynamic arrangements rise and fall and build emotion for the viewer. I love it both within the context of the movie and as a standalone piece of art.

Unlike the previous reviews, I will say that this is a typically fantastic Silvestri score and enjoyable listen. It bothers me that people have these high and mighty ideas about how a soundtrack should sound, don't you realize that you are listening to music that was custom tailored specifically for moving picture?? You will never get the full context from just listening to the audio on it's own. Despite that, everyone has opinions……….. Having seen the first episode now I can say the music is pretty spectacular and supports the visuals and narrative beautifully, and makes for an even better listen having seen it in context…..

Personally I think Silvestri did a great job of balancing the soundtrack from being too distracting while also creating a great dynamic with Tyson's narrations. This ties in well to the beauty of the show.