What to expect from Episode VIII's Score?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Cerebral Cortex 3,357]

8 hours ago, crumbs said:

He never seems particularly interested in reusing existing themes when he has a chance to write new ones, unless specifically asked to.

I feel like Rey's Theme will follow a pattern similar to the Force theme in that it won't experience a specific pattern of growth or evolution per se, because, as you noted, that's not in keeping with Williams' style, but given how enamored he seems to be with Daisy, Rey, and Rey's theme, I can see the theme expanded upon through statements that coincide with important Rey-centric moments in the story. Again, much like the Force theme serves as the emotional backbone and is the pulse of these films, I think Williams will go against the usual and indulge in continuing to explore Rey's theme for this trilogy and use it as the backbone to Rey's arc, even if the theme itself doesn't adhere strictly to a similar arc. This isn't really based on any fact, just a hunch. Hopefully that makes sense. I'm rambling. 

 

8 hours ago, crumbs said:

So... who thinks JW will top Rey's Theme in TLJ?

My reflexive response is to say no, but given that:

A) I feel like TLJ will be a film that will provide Williams with more musical inspiration, and...
B) Will most likely be a film that sees the characters going through more highs and lows than their fairly straightforward journeys in TFA...

I think there will be more meat musically for Williams to bite into, and I can see him being able to possibly top Rey's theme in TLJ. Given how TFA exceeded my expectations, it goes to show that Williams is still full of surprises. 

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

I wonder which recording style this score will utilize.  Will it continue the dryer, brassier sound of TFA or the rounder, more reverb heavy sound of the prequels?  

[Datameister 2,037]

I'm sure it'll continue more or less in the vein of TFA's sound, which I'm not overjoyed about, but I'm expecting the music itself to be pretty fantastic. Considering Williams' fondness for Rey, I'll be very surprised if he abandons her theme altogether, but I would imagine some new thematic material will be prominent, too.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

TFA sounds fantastic! Reference quality recording and performance!

[Alex 2,833]

I'm hoping for extended treatment of Finn/Poe's theme. I wonder if characters like Hux/Maz will have more prominent roles in TLJ and therefore require some thematic material.

[Arpy 4,145]

A development of Rey's Theme and an 'Imperial March-like' development or new theme for Kylo Ren.

 

Finn/Poe Theme with more xylophone too!

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Finn/Poe theme on Marimba

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Bespin 8,480]

Vulva-what?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

13 minutes ago, Bespin said:

 

Vulva-what?

 

 

 

Where was Kanadia during the 2010 World Cup?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I'm expecting an enjoyable score, albeit a brief distraction. As with TFA, we'll soon discover that we've heard most of the music before and that Williams has pulled a Horner.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

"People will look up Horner in the dictionary and there'll be a picture of me!"

 

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

I expect this score to cause Trump's impeachment.  Hillary will be president. 

[mrbellamy 6,272]

This score will be the reason these boards exist. The dawn of TLJFan is upon us.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

I've long since learned not to have any kind of expectation of content other than high quality. And that's a 100% guarantee with JW.

 

As far as themes go, the less I hope for specifically, the better. That's not a criticism at all, but if I'm sitting there expecting a developed version of Poe's theme or a balls-to-the-wall villain theme in the style of The Imperial March then I'll be disappointed because it's almost certainly not going to happen. JW rarely does the expected in his scores these days, and it's only in retrospect that it all seems to be perfectly in line with his instincts and style.

[Tom 4,639]

5 minutes ago, Docteur Qui said:

I've long since learned not to have any kind of expectation of content other than high quality. And that's a 100% guarantee with JW.

 

As far as themes go, the less I hope for specifically, the better. That's not a criticism at all, but if I'm sitting there expecting a developed version of Poe's theme or a balls-to-the-wall villain theme in the style of The Imperial March then I'll be disappointed because it's almost certainly not going to happen. JW rarely does the expected in his scores these days, and it's only in retrospect that it all seems to be perfectly in line with his instincts and style.

There is a lot of wisdom in this post. 

[DarthDementous 1,059]

can we merge this thread with the 'John Williams begins recording Episode VII in Los Angeles' one, since it seems like the comments and overall constraints of the discussion are the same - would just make it easier to follow when news actually does come out.

[Jay 37,287]

No.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The line must be drawn here!

[Will 2,215]

The new First Order theme has leaked. Listen here. 

[DominicCobb 194]

What are the chances JW abandons all the new themes from TFA save Rey's and maybe March of the Resistance?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

I'd say they're high!

[DarthDementous 1,059]

5 hours ago, Jay said:

No.

why? what's different between this thread and the other one.

[mrbellamy 6,272]

@DominicCobb Probably your guess is as good as anybody's, really. It's gonna be interesting to see what happens with TFA's material. To me I think Rey's Theme is the only thing that will surely have at least one prominent statement - be it action-driven, broadly emotional, or otherwise - along with probably a few other references in the underscore. 

 

Other than that, who knows, I feel like everything else is potentially on the chopping block. I could see the Resistance March merely showing up once for the first scene on the base, or it could wind up with several big action renditions in the climax! Kylo's motifs could continue to define his character throughout, or they could get buried. If Poe gets a big hero moment, maybe his theme returns in glorious fashion....or maybe not.

[artguy360 1,843]

Were there complaints early on that the orchestrations in TFA were boring? I seem to recall something like that. If there were, those people are nuts. The orchestrations in TFA are great. Similar to the OT and very bright and crisp. I hope JW sticks with the same general style for TLJ.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

The LA musicians are better than the LSO at film scoring anyway.

[crumbs 14,300]

3 hours ago, artguy360 said:

Were there complaints early on that the orchestrations in TFA were boring? I seem to recall something like that. If there were, those people are nuts. The orchestrations in TFA are great. Similar to the OT and very bright and crisp. I hope JW sticks with the same general style for TLJ.

 

It was definitely a conscious departure from his modern style (The BFG couldn't sound any more different, and he wrote it mere months after TFA), but that was also by JJ's request.

 

He's never shown much fondness for revisiting his older works outside of concert performances; a common trait in artists actually. Spielberg's made similar comments when revisiting his older films.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Yeah Spielberg doesn't really make movies about suburbia anymore.

[crumbs 14,300]

Probably a reflection of his own life and how it changed in the 80s, though he still has daddy issues.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

21 hours ago, artguy360 said:

Were there complaints early on that the orchestrations in TFA were boring? I seem to recall something like that. If there were, those people are nuts. The orchestrations in TFA are great. Similar to the OT and very bright and crisp. I hope JW sticks with the same general style for TLJ.

 

I think a lot of people were expecting more percussion in general, which does affect the sound of the orchestration quite a bit. As it is, there was hardly any snare drum or pitched percussion in the score (both of which featured very heavily in the prequel and OT scores), at least not in a prominent position in the mix. That threw a few people off. There's so many subtle colours going on in TFA that repeat listens illuminate; a lot of brass and string combinations, blended woodwinds etc. At first listen it doesn't sound like a very wide palette of orchestrations but when you listen closer there's so much going on.

[crumbs 14,300]

Well said, @Docteur Qui.

 

That said, I'd really love a resurgence of percussion in TLJ. I really missed the snare drums in TFA... can't even think of a cue that features them.

[Quintus 5,399]

YouTube just recommended this to me, I haven't watched it yet so not sure if it tells you anything you didn't already know:

 

 

[Muad'Dib 1,801]

3 hours ago, crumbs said:

Well said, @Docteur Qui.

 

That said, I'd really love a resurgence of percussion in TLJ. I really missed the snare drums in TFA... can't even think of a cue that features them.

 

 

[Quintus 5,399]

3 hours ago, crumbs said:

Well said, @Docteur Qui.

 

That said, I'd really love a resurgence of percussion in TLJ. I really missed the snare drums in TFA... can't even think of a cue that features them.

 

It's my dream before I die to hear alternate Resistance March with snares and cymbal crashes. 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

That's cheesy! The Resistance March is lean as fuck! Like a bullet!

[Tom 4,639]

4 hours ago, Quintus said:

YouTube just recommended this to me, I haven't watched it yet so not sure if it tells you anything you didn't already know:

 

 

Its okay.  The guy assumes from the tweet mentioning Johnson is editing to Williams's music was fact.  Given that it now looks like the tweet was nothing but pure speculation, I am not sure of the point of the video. 

[Cerebral Cortex 3,357]

Q: How is John Williams scoring The Last Jedi?
A: Chances are, very well. 

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Loert 2,510]

Q: How is John Williams scoring The Last Jedi?

A: He's "doing the best he can."

[Naïve Old Fart 9,498]

The question that I have (please forgive, if it's been asked, already) is...why is he scoring it a full ten months in advance, how will the score change in p-p, and will he be able to rescore, if necessary?

[crumbs 14,300]

Well, presumably:

The Last Jedi: Sessions until April/May

Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara: Writing and recording between May - Aug

The Last Jedi: Pick-ups in Sept/Oct

Ready Player One: Writing and recording between Nov '17 - Feb '18

 

Followed by a well-earned break for most of 2018 (before Indy 5).

[Naïve Old Fart 9,498]

He's done a mans job, sir.

 

Indy 5. Forgive me if I don't put out the bunting 

 

Isn't there a rumour going around Hollywood, that he's taking over from Thomas Newman, for Sirocco, which is due for release in October, '18?

[Tom 4,639]

2 hours ago, Richard said:

The question that I have (please forgive, if it's been asked, already) is...why is he scoring it a full ten months in advance, how will the score change in p-p, and will he be able to rescore, if necessary?

All of us are just wildly speculating, but here is another wild speculation.  Johnson began editing the film in August.  There is a good chance Williams is scoring a near-final edit.  Any other film would require no more than 3 months of editing and be locked.  It is just that SW has a weird release date that there is more time between post-production and release.  Accustomed to Lucas's and JJ's indecisiveness, people here are assuming any director would keep making substantial edits over that period, which would affect the score.  Maybe Johnson is not Lucas or JJ (or maybe he is, again, just speculating). 

[crumbs 14,300]

Everything I've read about Johnson and editing indicates that he doesn't subscribe to the JJ school of endless tinkering.

 

 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

But what if Disney orders reshoots?

[crumbs 14,300]

There will almost certainly be pick-ups in October. It's probably already penciled in.

[Muad'Dib 1,801]

3 hours ago, Richard said:

Isn't there a rumour going around Hollywood, that he's taking over from Thomas Newman, for Sirocco, which is due for release in October, '18?

 

Joke?

[Naïve Old Fart 9,498]

Joke? A story with a humorous climax.