Memoirs of a Geisha...

[wanner251 17]

I'd just like to say that I finally watched the film two nights ago. I don't like to listen to the score until I see the film because I don't want to experience it completely out of context. It's been a long time coming, but WOW what a score! The score is actually too good for the film...

John really did his homework on that one. Captures the feel and traditions perfectly in my eyes.

[Tom 4,658]

you should now listen to the Memoirs Suite for Cello and Orchestra, available in Sony's American Masters' Collection dedicated to Williams. It is a six movement piece with each piece a significant reworking of the original soundtrack. It is my favorite lengthy William's work of the last 10 years.

[indy4 155]

I would also recommend the piano/cello duets that Williams arranged (and perfomed by Williams and Yo Yo Ma). I believe they're only available on iTunes, but they're fantastic.

[KK 3,307]

you should now listen to the Memoirs Suite for Cello and Orchestra, available in Sony's American Masters' Collection dedicated to Williams. It is a six movement piece with each piece a significant reworking of the original soundtrack. It is my favorite lengthy William's work of the last 10 years.

The suite is a beautiful piece of work with stunning extrapolations of the material from Memoirs. One of my favourite works of the past decade.

[Incanus 5,714]

A stunning score indeed and the Suite is as stated above just a beautiful reworking of the material.

Here are some of my thoughts on both works:

Memoirs of a Geisha

Suite from Memoirs of a Geisha for Cello and Orchestra

[wanner251 17]

Very nicely written... This may sound a bit juvenile of me, but the track from the score that seems to be speaking to me the most is "Going to School". Granted, it's not as emotionally gripping as any of the rest, which I also appreciate. However, there is something about it that just works. It is a fine example of musical storytelling. Although, that may be just because it serves almost as a sort of "training montage".... without the montage.

[Incanus 5,714]

As a slight detractor to the Going to School is the fact that it does follow its temp-track a bit too closely, David Byrne's main title theme from the Last Emperor being its inspiration. Williams luckily steers away from it in the Suite version of the piece.

[wanner251 17]

I need to check out the Suite. Actually, may I ask how you know about the temp track? Such things are usually pretty secret in Hollywood.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

He has ears!

[Incanus 5,714]

He has ears!

Exactly! The "inspiration" is quite obvious. Which does not detract the value of the score as a whole for me, just another sign of how the temp track love can really affect a film composition.

[wanner251 17]

Yes, our ears tell us all that they sound very much the same. However, I'm a bit unclear as to how this means that the Main Theme to the Last Emperor was in FACT used as a temp track to go on. Or is this just an assumption that is understood, and therefore the way it's thought of? I don't see why the marimba (is it marimba?) background texture, which is pretty much identical in both pieces, couldn't be thought of as a fairly standard ethnic texture, much like the drone in Indian music. I'm sure that neither John Williams nor David Byrne invented that. Also, because we westerners seem to view Asian music as stereotypically pentatonic, it would make sense that the melodies of the two would sound very similar to each other, given the bias of our western ears.

Let me rephrase my original question: Is there factual evidence that supports that the Main Title to The Last Emperor was indeed used as a temp track in Memoirs of a Geisha?

That is all...

[KK 3,307]

There isn't. But David Byrne's piece is rhythmically original and it isn't right to dismiss his use of the percussion as a standard device in Eastern music. The rhythmic and textural use has nothing to do with the pentatonic nature of Oriental music. It's clear that this is Byrne's original take on that cultural music. The fact that John Williams' Going to School utilizes nearly the same identical structures points to an obvious source of inspiration. And it's highly unlikely that Williams is a man who loves to listen to Byrne whenever he gets the chance. So the logical assumption is that the scene was tracked with this cue.

It's called the science of deduction, my dear Watson!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Apologism!

[KK 3,307]

?

[indy4 155]

I agree with KK. But to clarify wanner251, I don't think anybody is claiming Williams' melody is unoriginal. Just the opening. The two melodies are quite different, and Going to School melody is derived from Sayuri's theme anyways.

[Incanus 5,714]

I agree with KK. But to clarify wanner251, I don't think anybody is claiming Williams' melody is unoriginal. Just the opening. The two melodies are quite different, and Going to School melody is derived from Sayuri's theme anyways.

Yup.

[crocodile 8,012]

wanner251 listen to the suite. Just checked it out myself. It's a 28 minute orgasm. More thoughts here.

Karol

[wanner251 17]

Okie dokie guys. You make a convincing case. It's my job to be skeptical.

[DreamTheater 131]

you should now listen to the Memoirs Suite for Cello and Orchestra, available in Sony's American Masters' Collection dedicated to Williams. It is a six movement piece with each piece a significant reworking of the original soundtrack. It is my favorite lengthy William's work of the last 10 years.

Thank you for bringing this album to my attention. After reading the comments here I was interested in the selections from Memoirs but in the end I've loved the majority of the album but not the concert arrangement of Memoirs, though it's not bad of course I still prefer the score album versions, but it's nice to have the different arrangement anyway. I'm sure it'll grow on me after repeated listens. I've bought the album on iTunes and it's going to be an album I will return to often. The third disc is just heavenly and the Williams fan in me is completely satisfied.