The music that made the movie.

When Titanic became an instant hit, I lost all interest in seeing the film - despite the fascination I've had with the historic ship for the majority of my life. What brought this exquisite music to my attention was therefore not the film itself, but a contest I don't even remember entering - a contest that won me this CD.

It was this music that drove me to see the movie - these beautiful sounds that brought tears to my eyes even before I knew the story they accompanied. This is unquestionably some of the most touching, passionate music that has ever graced a movie soundtrack.

1. Titanic Suite

Through this first piece of music you can follow the entire movie - it's all here, masterfully performed and arranged into this nearly twenty minute song. From the soft, reflective vocals to the triumphant, enthusiastic orchestra, the Titanic Suite is as smoothly flowing as the calmest waters without losing any of the intensity of a raging storm. Within the music lies sorrow, passion, longing, hope, pleasure, and peace - none of it dominating another, every mood blending beautifully into the next. The last two or three minutes of this are absolutely breathtaking. I've never listened to it once and not cried.

2. An Irish Party In Third Class

This song is basically a scene from the movie captured on disc - the first time that Rose and Jack really come together and enjoy one another's company. The track is filled with background noises, sound clips of the two main characters conversing as they dance, and, of course, the lively Irish music. It's a nice switch after the fairly sad Titanic Suite.

3. Alexander's Ragtime Band

The music of the Titanic band sets the mood in the dining hall throughout the movie - the song, while relatively simple, is pleasant to listen to and nicely performed. It follows the Irish Party song as a reminder of the contrast between the worlds of Rose and Jack.

4. The Portrait

This is one of my favourite tracks on the CD. It's an exquisite piano solo of My Heart Will Go On (or very close to it) performed by James Horner himself. It isn't elaborate with a ton of variations - but its simplicity makes it all the more honest and touching. Those who have seen the movie will be taken back to the scene where the drawing that started it all was created - one of the best and most famous in the film.

5. Jack Dawson's Luck

This is a fun little song that has the feeling of hurry to it, a nice contrast against The Portrait. It starts out somewhat slow and begins to build into a very lively Irish sounding tune - the perfect reminder of the chase that follows the portrait scene.

6. A Building Panic

The pleasure of the storage room is over, and there is suddenly danger - through this song you can almost see the ice burg coming into vision. The hurrying about, the building panic as the crew attempts to measure the damage, the rushing of the water into the ship; this is an exquisite piece of music that does a fantastic job at evoking fear and holding you captive to its intensely suspenseful, fantastically performed majesty. A Building Panic is perhaps my favourite track on this CD - there is so much fire, so much passion to it! And yet, there is a sorrowful calm that overtakes it all, and, with a great sense of loss, gives way to the next song.

7. Nearer My God To Thee

This is the first version of Nearer My God To Thee on this CD; the performance by Titanic's band is perhaps one of the most touching things to take place during the sinking of the ship. (It has also been rumoured that the band did indeed play on during the actual sinking of the real Titanic.) The song is in itself very touching; adding to the tear factor is the clip at the end of performance - "Gentlemen, it has been a pleasure privilege with you tonight."

8. Come Josephine, In My Flying Machine

This is perhaps one of the saddest songs on the entire CD - it begins with a clip of a crew member calling out into a sea of frozen dead, searching for any living; following the first is a second clip - that of Rose herself softly singing Come Josephine, In My Flying Machine as she lies on floating debris. Next comes the unearthly voice of Máire Brennan as she sings the song that Jack sang to Rose as she "flew" over the ocean. Then, to further add to the sorrowful mood, the clip of Rose's realization that Jack has died is played at the end.

9. Lament

This song can only be described as bittersweet; it has the feeling of fond memories in a dark time, and it moves easily from slightly upbeat to a slow, flowing melody. In all honesty, it isn't one of my favourite tracks; the beginning is somewhat harshly played, but the music itself is lovely.

10. A Shore Never Reached

This, too, has a very reflective feeling to it, but it flows much more easily than Lament does. At some parts it can sound quite mournful, in others it is more of a deep longing; there are even gentle undertones of peace and slow acceptance of the sorrow at hand.

11. My Heart Will Go On

This is the most celebrated song of Titanic - the widely known vocal version of My Heart Will Go On, performed by Celine Dion. Throughout the song, there are clips from the movie that have since become some of the most famous and heart-wrenching quotes in the entire film (such as "I'll never let go Jack, I'll never let go." and "You jump, I jump - remember?"). The words to the song itself are perfect for the story of Titanic, and Celine Dion does a nice job at singing them - even if she does go a little overboard with her powerful voice in a few places. The instrumental is, of course, exquisite.

12. Nearer My God To Thee

This is the second version of the song on the CD, performed by someone else this time. The actual playing of it is somewhat different although the music remains the same; it softness of Nearer My God To Thee follows the power of My Heart Will Go On very nicely.

13. Epilogue: The Deep and Timeless Sea

The slow, gentle music of the Epilogue is one of the most expressive songs that Back to Titanic has to offer its listeners. It resembles the Titanic Suite to an extent; the song uses a variety of elements from the entire soundtrack and makes a sad, yet oddly triumphant climax of the blend. It is stirring and reflective, with dark undertones and comforting highlights; it finishes off the collective masterpiece like no other piece of music could.

I realize that this review was more than a little too long. I wanted to put into words as much of what the music is to me as I possibly could; I hope I have succeeded to some extent. There are few albums that successfully portray the entire spectrum of emotion; Back to Titanic is one of those few. Within it lies the true core of the movie, and it serves as a magical window into the heart of us all.