Music Comparison

I listened to “Hymn to the Sea” by James Horner, from Titanic. The first arrangement was from the soundtrack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wz1xA5kxVI&feature=related

It begins with soft, deep piano chords, a singer and a trumpet on the melody. Then the tune is taken up by uilleann pipes, with strings on harmony. A flute doubles the pipes, and a higher violin counter-melody is heard. Lower wind instruments begin a scalar pattern in the bass. A choir of boys enters in harmony, and all the instruments drop out except the strings. Later the trumpet is again in harmony with the choir, barely audible. The pipes and strings carry the final statement of the melody, joined by a few notes of a harp. The strings and the trumpet play the finishing cadences.
This arrangement is wonderful; I particularly like the ending, which to me resembles the end of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, with the bass notes and the high violins. The singer is essential to the piece; she sets the mood and states the melody. Both she and the uilleann pipes add a quality of sadness and simplicity to the piece.
The second arrangement I listened to was by the solo singer on the soundtrack, Norwegian singer Sissel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tis7uLQD4Yc&feature=related

She begins with the melody from the movie, very similar to that on the soundtrack, accompanied by strings and a women’s choir. The last note transitions to a modern arrangement of the folk song "Eg Veit I Himmerik Ei Borg," the song which inspired Horner to compose “Hymn to the Sea.” It uses drums, electric guitar, organ/synthesizer, and the women’s choir. Just as soon as this ends, however, Sissel repeats a verse of “Hymn to the Sea.” This creates unity between the pieces, and juxtaposes an ethereal wistful song with a much stronger one.
I admire this piece very much. Using a familiar piece like this one from “Titanic” with a rather obscure Norwegian folk song is, in my opinion, fantastic.