Silva Screen Records releases the Original Television Soundtrack to the BBC series Dracula, scored by David Arnold and Michael Price. The series, screened in three feature-length parts, was created by Stephen Moffat and Mark Gatiss, the team behind the critically acclaimed Sherlock. It followed the exploits of Bram Stoker’s vampire fiend Dracula through three time periods, and the attempts of Van Helsing and her descendants to bring his reign of terror to a close. It starred Claes Bang, Dolly Wells, and even Mark Gatiss himself. David Arnold is best known for his music accompanying the likes of James Bond and Good Omens. Michael Price has previously scored for Sherlock and Unforgotten...

It is said that the best film music is that which you don’t notice – not in terms of main themes, but certainly with incidental music. I must confess, being an enthusiast of the work of both Mark Gatiss and Stephen Moffat – and a lover of the horror classics – I couldn’t wait to see their new take on the Dracula character and situations. Although not blown away by it, I did enjoy the second segment on the ship to England. And I didn’t remember the music.

The 'Opening Titles' has a mystical East theme to the music, with strings and plenty of impending doom. 'Mina’s Theme' incorporates acoustic guitar and piano, which begin slowly, before strings pick up the pace. This is a nice track. However, I was only a third of the way into the 31 tracks when I noticed a pattern. This is more about invoking the relevant feelings and ambience of mood, than necessarily producing an enjoyable music suite. There are a few tracks of rumbling discontentment, and those with screeching and slicing. 'Boxes of Undead' has this feel, along with a galloping pace, as does 'Dracula is God'. 'Hello Jonny', 'You Are Jonathan Harker', and 'Sermon' all have a lazy melancholia inherent. 'Bats Are a Little Noisy' has a marching to battle feel, as does 'Clearing Her Throat', which sounds like something out of the classic film The Vikings (particularly the horn).

There are exceptions to this, of course. 'Vague In Parts' has an original feeling which inspires intrigue. 'In the Mirror' has a progressive, driving beat which becomes increasingly more oppressive. 'What Kept You' is a slightly different take on the 'Opening Titles'. 'Trying to Contact You' begins with a nice fluttering percussion piece, with strings which build this into a theme in its own right. 'The Fear' is the longest piece of music by far, and is the only one which could be considered a suite. It’s a very nice contribution; it definitely lifts the whole.

Over all, the music is good but repetitive in parts – probably due to the excessive number of tracks, most of them very short. It would almost certainly have been improved had some of them been combined into longer suites for the soundtrack release. Ironically, had this possessed less tracks I would have rated it higher, as it would have sounded more diverse.

7

Ty Power