The Mask of Zorro

For more than a century, the legendary tale of Zorro has graced screens big and small. Despite a television series in the early 90s, it had been 50 years since the hero had been seen on the big screen. That changed in 1998 when TriStar Pictures released director Martin Campbell's swashbuckling adventure film, The Mask of Zorro, which captivated audiences worldwide. It's more of a sequel, as we see an ageing Don de la Vega passing the torch to the next generation. But the film integrates the traditional moral themes of the genre, protecting the poor and defenceless while resisting oppression.

At a time when CGI was the new kid on the block, the filmmakers chose to tell the story without the aid of computers, relying instead on death-defying stunts and practical effects. One of the essential elements that contributed to its success was the evocative musical score composed by James Horner. Campbell's "practical rather than CGI" approach inspired Horner to adopt a similar strategy, using a smaller orchestra with a minimum of electronics. Even with a modest ensemble, Horner created one of his most colourful, sweeping and exciting scores.

Much of the score features the vibrant flamenco style, defined by hand-clapping, foot-stomping (zapateado) and rhythmic guitar. Horner also captured the Spanish (and Mexican) essence with folk instruments such as castanets and tambourine. And much of the melodic and harmonic content is derived from the Spanish Phrygian scale. The love story between Zorro (Antonio Banderas) and Elena (Catherine Zeta-Jones) allowed Horner to create a sweeping, memorable love theme.

The dramatic ascending and descending melody perfectly captures their passionate, tumultuous relationship, while the simplicity of the opening phrase reflects the innocence of the young child we see at the beginning of the film. Now musicians, music students, conductors – any music lover – can study The Mask of Zorro in this durable, high-quality edition, carefully reproduced and edited from the original handwritten manuscript.