Collecting portions of the scoring provided by Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman (though at least four other composers also contributed to the film), the soundtrack album for The Last of the Mohicans splits the cues from the two into discrete sections, with Jones’ (including “Main Title” and its heavily revisited motif) opening, Edelman’s (covering most of the softer material) following, and a track of quiet bass-pulses and airy vocals by Irish group Clannad capping off the set.

For his part, Jones does an excellent job of combining folk (often of a Gaelic bent) with strong electronic textures (the under-surging bass synths of “The Glade, Part II” being a prime example).  And while the progression established in “Main Title” does get run a bit thin over the course of his nine included arrangements, its adaptation through the various energies of the film’s scenes provides a distinctive through-line, matching the fervor of “Fort Battle”, the yearning of “Promentory”, and the swelling grandeur of “Top of the World” without any major lapses in comparable capability.

Edelman’s portion also follows the blending of folk instruments with electronic touch-ups, and while he doesn’t establish any themes as powerful as Jones’ main go-to, his melodies do manage a greater sense of organic growth to their shaping.  That may be largely due to Edelman’s coverage of the softer scenes, but his handling of near-incidental moments (e.g., the twangs at the end of a bar in the opening of “River Walk and Discovery”) put him in good light for what arguably boils down to a patch job.

Despite the disparity of its contributors (Edelman was allegedly brought in to score scenes as the film’s editing ran overtime and began conflicting with Jones’ schedule) and the trimness of the soundtrack’s selections in comparison to the full score, the album achieves a richness of emotion and engaging flavor that firmly overcomes its troubled production, making for a rare score as enjoyable on its own as it is in the context of the film.