Thunderheart captures James Horner in transition between the electronic sensibilities that defined his early career and the large-scale orchestral efforts to follow. A potently atmospheric work notable for its inspired use of traditional Native American chanting, it's one of the finest scores the composer ever created. With its beautifully textured evocations of prairie life, Thunderheart vividly captures the contemporary West despite its reliance on what would become one of Horner's signature instruments, the Japanese shakuhachi flute. Despite the flute's Far East origins, its light, ethereal sound nevertheless proves a perfect complement to Horner's pastoral melodies as well as a key component in communicating the Native mysticism so integral to the onscreen narrative.