TAMERLANE Rise of the Last Conqueror

 

TAMERLANE Rise of the Last Conqueror

Director Jacob Schwarz

Cast Christian Mortensen, Mahesh Jadu

Music by Jonathan Keith

Label Plaza Mayor Company Ltd

As the Mongol Empire crumbles, a battle-scarred Timur Barlas must confront a haunting destiny and renounce his loyalties to protect the fate of the Silk Road.

Director’s Statement

Most Hollywood historical epics sound like nowhere. You know the score before you hear it: exotic strings,

vague throat singing samples—and it becomes interchangeable with ancient Rome, medieval Japan, and

biblical Egypt like many other films. The culture gets reduced to atmosphere, and that was not what Bekruz

and I wanted for our film, Rise of the Conqueror.

This is the story of Amir Timur, a man who united fractured clans and forged an empire that stretched from

Delhi to Damascus. Timur’s genius wasn’t just military strategy; it was vision. The ability to see what others

couldn’t, to build what endured centuries after his death. If we were going to tell that story, we couldn’t fake the world he built. We had to earn it—and we knew that the music would play a major role in building the world.

Jonathan Keith built the entire score from instruments and scales native to the region because he understood that honoring Timur’s story meant honoring the culture that forged him. The score doesn’t describe Central Asia from the outside; it speaks Central Asia from the inside. That’s the difference between decoration and truth.

So when Timur is betrayed and exiled, the music doesn’t just underscore his pain—it sounds like the land he lost. When he rebuilds himself into a conqueror, the music doesn’t swell with generic Hollywood triumph. It sounds like Central Asia claiming its place in history. The descent is intimate. The cost is relentless. The return is inevitable.

I didn’t want a score that explained Timur. I wanted a score that sounded like him—and what surprised me

was that Jonathan delivered something better: a score that sounds like the world that made him possible.

— Jacob Schwarz, Director

Tamerlane on Spotify  

Composer’s Statement

When I was approached about creating the musical world of Timur, I was both honored and overwhelmed.

Like every project, I carefully considered the scope of the story and the musical approach needed to bring

Jacob’s vision to life.

With the help of incredible musicians from the National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan, I was able to

establish a unique sonic palette early in production. This allowed me to explore the atmosphere, textures,

and emotional landscape of late medieval Central Asia.

I was particularly inspired by the karnay, one of Uzbekistan’s most iconic ceremonial instruments, known

for its astonishing length and thunderous, commanding sound. I had the privilege of recording extraordinary

performers on these instruments and transforming their performances into signature sonic elements that

became integral throughout the score.

The karnay evolved into a musical symbol for Ilyas and his army, as well as the tension surrounding control

of the Silk Road and the struggle between power, ambition, and protection.

This was only one part of a broader musical journey. It was a true honor to immerse myself in the culture of

late medieval Central Asia while shaping emotional arcs for each character that modern audiences could

connect with on a human level.

— Jonathan Keith, Composer 

Tamerlane CD Physical 

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