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What Is The Last Score You Listened To? (older scores)


Ollie

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15 hours ago, Incanus said:

The V'Ger material might drag a bit in the middle but otherwise it is a killer score.

 

I actually think it's the finale where it drags a bit. That and the long unreleased stuff between drydock and the V'ger stuff. But The Cloud, V'Ger Flyover and Spock Walk? Those are what makes the score so special!

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X-Men - Michael Kamen

 

Rather underrated. It's more understated underscore than brassy fanfare, so it's a shame Bryan Singer didn't let Kamen go all out. There are some things John Ottman did better in X2, but Kamen's theme for Rogue and Logan is sublime. The only composer that came close to nailing the beauty of what Kamen did was Powell's X-Men: The Last Stand.

 

 

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47 minutes ago, Matt C said:

X-Men - Michael Kamen

 

Rather underrated. It's more understated underscore than brassy fanfare, so it's a shame Bryan Singer didn't let Kamen go all out. There are some things John Ottman did better in X2, but Kamen's theme for Rogue and Logan is sublime. The only composer that came close to nailing the beauty of what Kamen did was Powell's X-Men: The Last Stand.

Yeah, there are some lovely moments (almost Williamsesque in certain areas) in the score.  Though the action music is pretty poor overall.  I'd probably rank it between X3 (the best) and X2.

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Cocoon (Intrada) by James Horner: My first listen to this score if you can believe it. Classic early Horner. Much of the musical workings would pop up in later scores in a somewhat transformed form but boy does it pack a hefty punch here. The build-up of the score is expertly done leading to the rousing emotional finale where Horner wrings every ounce of feeling from his orchestra. It doesn't get much better than this in the Horner-department.

 

Powder (Intrada) by Jerry Goldsmith: A subdued thoughtful score from Jerrald bouyed on a delicate (in all honesty at times it can get a bit saccharine) main theme and its ancillary motifs. Surprisingly quiet and luminous in its ruminative tone it sets itself apart from the often driving, pulse pounding scores the composer was churning out left and right around this time period. Some vestiges of the concurrent First Knight appear in the soothing noble harmonies and the main theme is like the tamer cousin of the soaring majesty of the titular theme from The Edge coming two years later, but for me the smaller eerie effects like the waterphone in cues like The Spoons/Enemies and the soothing lyrical slowly unfolding atmosphere of The Silver Box are the most appealing material found here.

The score electrifies mostly in the moments of tension and horror that Goldsmith handles well with traditional angry writing for brass and strings but mostly the music rather wafts through the speakers than asserts attention with huge dramatic blowout (apart from the finale of Going Away that is) and makes for a pleasant listening although one might easily cut some of the subtler stuff out of the playlist without detriment to the experience. Not quite top tier Goldsmith but worth a listen for the quieter side of the maestro.

 

:music:Secret of NIMH (P.S. I am strongly wondering why was Paul Williams ever given a license to sing. It is a crime against music)

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12 hours ago, Incanus said:

 

:music:Secret of NIMH (P.S. I am strong wondering why was Paul Williams ever given a license to sing. It is a crime against music)

True, although the rest of this score is ace!

 

Karol

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20 minutes ago, crocodile said:

True, although the rest of this score is ace!

 

Karol

Yes I am just discovering this. :) 

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It's also remarkable in that it singlehandedly elevated animation scoring to new symphonic heights that by that time was long gone from Disney's plate. Horner followed suit. 

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John Williams - The Force Awakens (playlist of the original album + FYC album)

 

And for the return home, some Jazzy Johnny!

 

 

p_lpm2164.jpg

 

Marty Paich And His Jazz Piano Quartet Present Robert Merrill's Music From The Broadway Production Take Me Along (1959, RCA Victor, LPM-2164)

Featuring John T. Williams (p).

p_lsp2259.jpg

 

Lush, Latin & Cool (1961, RCA Victor, LSP-2259)

 

Featuring Johnny Williams (p).

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Since I last popped my head in I've re-listened to a few scores but tonight, in light of the remakes trailer, Elmer Bernstein's The Magnificent Seven

 

a favourite part is always the latter half of "Strange Funeral" when Chris and Vin ride away from Boot Hill. Another highlight is "The Journey" but overall it's a fantastic score.

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11 hours ago, publicist said:

It's also remarkable in that it singlehandedly elevated animation scoring to new symphonic heights that by that time was long gone from Disney's plate. Horner followed suit. 

 

What!?  It's only two years removed from Rosenman's LOTR and four from Morley's Watership Down.  Was Disney in a slump musically at the time?  Sure.  But you can't write off all animation scores from that era.

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I really do not like Rosenman's score and concur with 'Watership Down' but it still is more of a british-tinged classical score. The Goldsmith has that special 'you're about to watch a great Hollywood fantasy movie'-feel, a torch that Horner and others took over later.

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Give the latest HUNTSMAN and MALEFICENT a spin then (if you haven't already). There are some great shades of that in both - though they are of course no match. Goldsmith and Horner (i exclude Williams for the obvious reason he didn't do animation) really brought the genre to its current standard. 

 

I invested myself in some of the lesser-known Horner animation scores after his passing and apart from 'Pagemaster', i always had a soft spot for this:

 

 

Clearly Horner but there are at least 4 hummable themes and ripe 'nature' sound that is just lovely.

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This clip sounds really good. I gave Horner's The Pagemaster a spin this morning. It's one of those full scores that flows efficiently from one piece to another. It feels more like an hour long concert piece rather than a fragmented film score. It might one of the most musically coherent soundtrack albums with music from an animated feature.

 

 

And now I'm listening to the slightly overlooked later score by the same composer. I do get that The Spiderwick Chronicles might not have that much of its own melodic identity but kid's genre seems to bring a very special kind of energy from Horner and this score is no exception. I particularly like the more tense and darker passages:

 

 

 

Karol - hoping that someone will release The Land Before Time soon.

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Though there isn't much that we don't have already. 'Jumanji', uneven as it is, has also some recommendable parts.

 

For fans of Klimek & Tykwer (sans Heil): their newest collaboration after 'Cloud Atlas'

 

 

 

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I don't want TLBT because of unreleased stuff. I want it re-released because it's missing from my collection and won't pay those astronomical prices for a used copy.

 

Karol

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55 minutes ago, crocodile said:

I don't want TLBT because of unreleased stuff. I want it re-released because it's missing from my collection and won't pay those astronomical prices for a used copy.

 

Karol

 

Wait, i look around maybe i still have my copy...;)

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3 hours ago, crocodile said:

I don't want TLBT because of unreleased stuff. I want it re-released because it's missing from my collection and won't pay those astronomical prices for a used copy.

 

Karol

 Ditto

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Far And Away

 

Always after I listen to this I think "this is really an excellent score, I should listen to it more!" 

But for some reason I rarely do.

For a big epic adventure score Far And Away doesn't get discussed here often. It actually borders on obscurity.

 

The themes are excellent, and Williams deftly weaves in Irish stylings and instumentstions without going hog wild with it like Horner did in the 90's. 

The gentler cues are lacking a bit maybe. But otherwise this is a really fine score. The end credits is one of Williams' very best.

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Two great old-style themes, middling underscore that is an exact match for the naive Lean wannabe movie. When the big Star Wars-tutti finish rolls by you know how a Williams shoulder shrug sounds like.

 

Another one from that middling category is the x-th unctuous ode to the fucking greatness that is the US of A, 'The Patriot', one i like considerably more.

 

 

It has the same old-school yearning - that only Williams and Horner could ever muster in that unashamed-but-sincere manner - and while it's all a bit cheesy which seems mandatory if you are working for Roland Emmerich, the cheese actually is entertaining in a way the boring solemnity of 'Saving Private Ryan' & Co. only could dream of. 

 

The maestro here has some fun with his brass section that undergoes some deft polyphonic variations (i. e. 'Preparing for Battle', 'Martin vs. Tavington') and the score features one of his best 'popular' love/family themes that seems simple but harmonically is anything but. 

 

The mixture of dissonance (cf. late 90's works like 'The Lost World'), the quasi-olympian colonial 'ballets' and the lush and elegiac material makes 'The Patriot' maybe not top-tier Williams (it really is too slight and superficial for that) but you don't mind when it's on. When suddenly 'The British Grenadiers' faintly plays in the background of 'Facing the British Lines' it almost appears as if he had some fun writing it - and why should that be a bad thing?

 

 

 

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Oscar and Lucinda by Thomas Newman: Among my favourite Newman scores along with Road to Perdition, Shawshank Redemption and Angels in America it contains again his trademarks of intriguing but engaging atmospheric writing, gorgeous melodies and unique handling of the orchestra. This one also employs the choir and boy soloist to a good effect on a few cues (Prince Rupert's Drop - Main Title, Church of Glass and Oscar and Lucinda (End Title)) where Newman combines its spiritual power with surprising but wonderful jazzy thematic inflections of the main theme. The score also sports several brisk scherzos short but to the point with equally wonderful driving melodic invention as the lyrical thematic ideas. These wonderful moody melodies are interspersed throughout the album and are mostly carried by Newman standard instruments of choice for such things, the woodwinds. Very few can write such beautiful longing into musical form, whether romantic yearning, tender reminiscence or nostalgia. I urge to give this one a listen as even though it might not win you over instantly it amply rewards subsequent listens.

 

:music:How to Make an American Quilt

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My husband: "My favorite score of all time is The Mission. Morricone.  This and Memoirs of a Geisha.  These are the best scores ever. Who write it again?"

 

:sarcasm:

 

John Williams - Memoirs of a Geisha

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:music: Creed by Ludwig Goransson. Now this is one badass action score (if you can call it that). It does does fondly look back at the franchise's past and then adds its own modern personality. And while there are contemporary stylistic fingerprints all over it, it's a terrific piece of music that works extremely well on album. Well structured and intelligently composed. And it's one of the few instances where I could actually hum a theme after watching a film and bought this soundtrack album immediately after walking from the cinema. Fantastic stuff. Poldeouris and Goldsmith would be proud. And I'm pretty sure Conti is.

 

 

 

Karol

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Red Dragon by Danny Elfman

 

Lair by John Debney

 

Banner Saga by Austin Wintory

 

SUN - Soul of the Ultimate Nation by Howard Shore

 

War of the World by John Williams

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In light of the really awfully/muddy sounding 'Journey to the Line' production from Zimmer's concert, i put on the album again - not the session tapes i acquired years before but the old album. It's a filigree exercise in stillness and that one theme at the tail end of the cue above still rates as one of Zimmer and crew's best (who knows who wrote it...). The only thing lacking is the Fauré paradise music (for obvious reasons) but other than that it's a wonderful album and has - for this composer - an unexpected depth especially in its divised string and woodwind writing.

 

Also in light of the concert a friend urged me to listen to 5 concert suites from 'The Dark Knight Rises' (not on the official album), a score that i find drab and insufferable. When all's said and done, it will have been a Zimmer-heavy week...

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The album is among Zimmer's finest and among my personal few Zimmer favourites.

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You are still required to immerse yourself in JNH's 'Huntsman' score. As i said, it may take some time but half of that album is a keeper and will stay with you (especially the more lyrical writing).

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John Williams - Star Wars (2016 ultimate Digital Collection)

 

John Williams - Star Wars (1993 OS Anthology, playlist combining CD1 and CD4)

 

John Williams - Star Wars (1997 SE)

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Airport by Alfred Newman. (A lovely precursor to the smooth jazz in JW's 70s disaster pictures scores, Earthquake and The Towering Inferno.)

 

Rebecca by Franz Waxman

 

Zootopia by Michael Giacchino (I have been trying to enjoy this one for weeks with no success.)

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Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas by Harry Gregson-Williams: One of the most delightful modern swashbucklers and among Gregson-Williams' most energetic and entertaining works.

 

Brothers Grimm by Dario Marianelli: A wonderfully full-bloodied dark fantasy score very much in tune with Gilliam's moody if uneven fairytale visions. Slightly Elfman-ish in its Gothically quirky style, borrowing Goldsmith's Hollow Man some of the inspiration for the main theme but compositionally Marianelli through and through and highly entertaining, full of interesting orchestral colours and percussive effects. There is a rather wickedly playful quality to the whole affair and this atmosphere is only enhanced by the not so subtle quotes from the classical repertoire for knowingly sly commentary on the story, a nod and a wink to the discerning audience.

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4 hours ago, EdwardHall said:

Zootopia by Michael Giacchino (I have been trying to enjoy this one for weeks with no success.)

 

I tried this one again the other day too.  Even after seeing the film (which I liked), the score album still doesn't do much for me.

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5 hours ago, Incanus said:

Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas by Harry Gregson-Williams: One of the most delightful modern swashbucklers and among Gregson-Williams' most energetic and entertaining works.

 

Brothers Grimm by Dario Marianelli: A wonderfully full-bloodied dark fantasy score very much in tune with Gilliam's moody if uneven fairytale visions. Slightly Elfman-ish in its Gothically quirky style, borrowing Goldsmith's Hollow Man some of the inspiration for the main theme but compositionally Marianelli through and through and highly entertaining, full of interesting orchestral colours and percussive effects. There is a rather wickedly playful quality to the whole affair and this atmosphere is only enhanced by the not so subtle quotes from the classical repertoire for knowingly sly commentary on the story, a nod and a wink to the discerning audience.

 

 

Two good scores, agreed 100% on your views

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20 hours ago, Incanus said:

The album is among Zimmer's finest and among my personal few Zimmer favourites.

I completely agree with this. I have long considered it to be Zimmers best work.

 

 

 

I've found myself listening to young Sherlock Holmes a lot lately

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20 hours ago, publicist said:

In light of the really awfully/muddy sounding 'Journey to the Line' production from Zimmer's concert, i put on the album again - not the session tapes i acquired years before but the old album. It's a filigree exercise in stillness and that one theme at the tail end of the cue above still rates as one of Zimmer and crew's best (who knows who wrote it...). The only thing lacking is the Fauré paradise music (for obvious reasons) but other than that it's a wonderful album and has - for this composer - an unexpected depth especially in its divised string and woodwind writing.

 

Also in light of the concert a friend urged me to listen to 5 concert suites from 'The Dark Knight Rises' (not on the official album), a score that i find drab and insufferable. When all's said and done, it will have been a Zimmer-heavy week...

 

That tune always struck me as being Powellesque, but his and Badelt's contributions were pretty compartmentalized elsewhere so I'm not sure.

 

Listen to those DKR suites!

 

On 4/25/2016 at 5:55 PM, crocodile said:

:music: Creed by Ludwig Goransson. Now this is one badass action score (if you can call it that). It does does fondly look back at the franchise's past and then adds its own modern personality. And while there are contemporary stylistic fingerprints all over it, it's a terrific piece of music that works extremely well on album. Well structured and intelligently composed. And it's one of the few instances where I could actually hum a theme after watching a film and bought this soundtrack album immediately after walking from the cinema. Fantastic stuff. Poldeouris and Goldsmith would be proud. And I'm pretty sure Conti is.

 

 

 

Karol

 

This one was really cool, wasn't it?

 

A score in a similar vein from a few years back that seems to have been unfortunately overlooked.

 

 

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7 hours ago, Indianagirl said:

I've found myself listening to young Sherlock Holmes a lot lately

It's a lot of fun in the grand 1980's adventure score style. Among Broughton's most delightful creations.

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I bought Young Sherlock Holmes from Intrada without ever hearing a note from it previously, and the hype surrounding it peaked my interest enough to purchase it. But once I listened to it, I was left underwhelmed. I know it has a following because it is a strong and competent score, but for some reason it did nothing for me.

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4 hours ago, Drax said:

I bought Young Sherlock Holmes from Intrada without ever hearing a note from it previously, and the hype surrounding it peaked my interest enough to purchase it. But once I listened to it, I was left underwhelmed. I know it has a following because it is a strong and competent score, but for some reason it did nothing for me.

Well you can't like them all.

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Something Wicked This Way Comes (Unused) - Georges Delerue

 

It is certainly a darker and atmospheric score than James Horner's more robust replacement. Horner's score clearly focused on the innocence of the two boys contrasting with Mr. Dark's traveling carnival, while Delerue focuses squarely on Mr. Dark and his carnival almost entirely. The sweet friendship theme Delerue conjures up is incredibly lovely, on par with Horner's motif, but it surfaces only at beginning, the tail end of "Dark Dies" and "End Credits."

 

What I really appreciate about Delerue's score is that his score truly tells a story musically, while Horner's score is blunter and more on-the-nose. I really appreciate Delerue's motif for Mr. Dark and his carnival, and the way he develops and changes it throughout the score. I haven't listened to a lot of Delerue's work, but I would love to see a director's cut of the movie with Delerue's music restored. I really like the BTS photos integrated in the liner notes as well, which was missing from Horner's album.

 

I'll have to listen to this again, but I like how different it is!

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