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Hi again! So, I was surfing the internet this morning, when I stumbled upon this quote from an Animated Views interview with composer Frode Fjellheim on Disney's Frozen's native spirit (I am not talking about the spiritual beliefs of Native Americans or the more popular song "Let It Go" sung by the character of Queen Elsa in Disney's Frozen, but rather the "Vuelie" that opens the movie.): Is that true? After all, do you remember the opening sound of Lebo M’s African/Zulu chant during the opening Lion King sunrise? Or the native chant at the beginning of Disney’s Brother Bear? Any example(s) of music that not only opens a movie, but also set the genuine musical tone and identity of that movie?

I was thinking about this subject in bed last night. When we usually talk about pedal points we meant something in the bass, or a single tone. But what about a ostinato that when heard over a rising or falling chord progression bass line create a temporary sense of extended harmony? I'm going to use three film music examples to render my point. 1) Danny Elfman - Hulk At 0:22 a descending ostinato for 3 flutes based around EMaj7 is introduced, in tight, clustral voicing. After rising horn and trumpet lines build to a crescendo, we reach a climax at 0:41. Here we have a series of rising chords in the brass - E > F# > G# > G#/A# and so on. This is a typical Lydian progression, but what makes the second chord (F#) so compelling is its juxtaposition with the EMaj7 ostinato in the flutes and strings. I believe there's also a sustained EMaj7 here, but could I be wrong. These two structures blend into one for the listener, and creates the feeling (and illusion) of a 13th chord. It's a much more modern, uniquely American sound than we're accustomed to for these kind of films. No false 19th century diminished chords and Sturm und Drang here. 2) Hans Zimmer - Man of Steel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezRoICYz7XA Passage from 0:35 onwards. This time round we have no chords, just a bass line, but the same tonality is implied. In the upper structure we have an ostinato based around FMaj7 from sopranos and violins, and low 16th note 'pulse' pattern based around similar intervals, from strings (hard to tell which). The bass centers around A, then F (creating the feeling of a full bodied FMaj7), repeat, then up to G. This is where as in the Hulk example, we have have an implied G13 (or perhaps more accurately, G13sus). 3) John Barry - A View to a Kill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f98i7N8g9Pw I might be stretching this one a bit, but in the descending Fm bass line at 0:42 (lifted straight from OHMSS) - the low Eb coupled with the DbMaj7 in the the violins and violas once again creates that brief 13th sound. A beautiful passing moment, effectively modernising the OHMSS motif. Does this make any sense?

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As the poll asks, which way do you want to enjoy the newly released music? I for one chose to have a "close to chronological" experience, with no editing, using only the iTunes release. I happen to like it's remastered sound, and actually do like that it is louder overall within tracks because I think the music on the 1993 OST became either too quiet or too loud for my taste. I am still in debate whether or not I want to add the three remaining unreleased cues, because of the obvious sound quality difference. I think I may end up just having them at the end as bonus tracks. I will omit "End Credits" for sure, but of course have "Welcome To Jurassic Park" where it belongs. I will have as a bonus both "Jurassic Park Theme" and "My Friend The Brachiosaurus" from "Williams On Williams". How about you guys?

What would you think if at John Williams' next concert in December, he did a performace of Aaron Copland's Lincoln Portrait with Daniel Day-Lewis as narrator??

Just this month, Hal Leonard Publishing has begun releasing installments in the new Henry Mancini Concert Library Series, analogous to the John Williams Signature Edition Series. Already available are the orchestral scores (and parts, if needed) of the Peter Gunn Theme, The Pink Panther Theme, and March with Mancini. Should prove useful for music directors and score collectors alike.