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The Austin Wintory Thread


Faleel

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Everyone should get it! ASAP! Follows in the footsteps of Wintory's gorgeous Journey in terms of how he constructs moods and interweaves his thematic ideas through the score but it is its own beast to be sure with gorgeous choral work both subtle and grand. I love how the composer both delivers something very much expected for the aquatic environment of the game and gives such impressionistic sound painting his own distinct voice and goes even for a more ambitious concert piece feel for some of the choral material.

 

10 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

For those who haven't heard Abzu yet (like me, because I don't generally like buying digital-only releases):

Marian, the album is available at Varese as a good old fashioned physical CD release. ;)

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Just now, Stefancos said:

But look at those shipping costs!!!

You can get it from European retailers I am sure. I did.

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I don't know, I don't really see much overlap.  Very different musical worlds - one is shimmering, lush, and full of life and color.  The other is austere, solitary, and absolutely steeped in the most sublimely indefinable and elusive sort of melancholy.  Only real similarities seem to be certain religioso elements and the modal language, and an overall sense of vague myth.

 

Ah, time to listen to both again.  Don't forget Flow, either, lovely stuff in its own right.

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On 03/08/2017 at 4:08 PM, crocodile said:

 

Thanks, I must have missed that. I.e. I probably read about it and then forgot. For now I'll make do with my Bandcamp FLACs. I haven't really found access to Wintory's music yet... both Journey and Abzu are lovely, and certainly very well done, but so far that's all I feel about them.

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17 hours ago, TheGreyPilgrim said:

I don't know, I don't really see much overlap.  Very different musical worlds - one is shimmering, lush, and full of life and color.  The other is austere, solitary, and absolutely steeped in the most sublimely indefinable and elusive sort of melancholy.  Only real similarities seem to be certain religioso elements and the modal language, and an overall sense of vague myth.

 

Ah, time to listen to both again.  Don't forget Flow, either, lovely stuff in its own right.

I'd have to revisit the score, but my entire experience with Abzu, in game mind you, was that it was desperately trying to recreate the magic of Journey and only succeeded at being mediocre.

 

Wintory is great, though. AC Syndicate is ace. 

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3 hours ago, crocodile said:

I'm pretty sure at least some of those gentlemen would give Wintory thumbs up.

 

Karol

 

I'm certain that Jerry would be a fan.  He mentored Wintory, didn't he?  Or at least had some early influence.

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Here is an older article where he mentions Jerry Goldsmith as a definitive inspiration.

Quote

My teacher (Derry O’Leary) then exposed me to the music of Jerry Goldsmith, and I was an instant addict and from 10 onwards, hellbent on the life of a composer,” he said. “But I didn’t play any music before age 10, and actually didn’t even really listen to music in an active way.”

 

Btw he also arranged this suite and someone on Youtube set it to images ("The Gold Standard" by Austin Wintory -- a tribute to the music of Jerry Goldsmith, arranged and conducted by Austin, performed by the Golden State Pops Orchestra, recorded live at the Warner Grand Theatre, San Pedro, California, June 11, 2011:

 

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Well by the sound of his music I don't think Wintory despite his initial film music inspired spark to make music has entirely left the vast Western musical tradition by the wayside in his education. He seems to have a healthy attitude to music as music regardless of genre and of actively working in games, films and concert hall so as not to be stuck in one niche.

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15 hours ago, TheGreyPilgrim said:

 

I'm certain that Jerry would be a fan.  He mentored Wintory, didn't he?  Or at least had some early influence.

 

No, Austin's first year in LA was after JG died plus JG taught at USC in the early 90's.  Beltrami studied with him and said it was unpleasant.  JG is more composer than teacher and had little time for building someone up.  But Austin was an avid fan who knew the composer's works inside and out so in a way studied it thoroughly the way some of us are well versed with JW without having been taught by him...we've absorbed his vocabulary and hopefully made it our own.  Austin was very passionate about JG.  I think that is not dissimilar to how JG did that with Herrmann when he was getting his start.  We were classmates at USC and I will confess I appreciate his talent and the person he has become much more now than I did then.  He had obvious talent but it was a competitive environment. I am delighted by the success and adoration he has received and it is well deserved.

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Did you study with Morten as well?  I'm sorry to hear of how competitive an environment it was.  That is something I am glad to have bypassed by studying privately, and I don't believe it should be the case in the first place, but that's an entirely different discussion. 

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Indeed.  It is both fascinating and humanizing to read.  Helps remind that film composers are humans with human foibles (and strengths of course).  A fact that can so often recede into the background for me on the consumer end of things.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Another new Wintory score coming out from Varese Sarabande on 3rd of November:

Tooth and Tail

Quote

030206753585_grande.jpg?v=1506014409

From the creators of the IGF-winning, best-selling game Monaco: What’s Yours Is Mine, Tooth and Tail is set in a world of animal revolution.  The Commonfolk, the Civilized, the Longcoats and the KSR are factions at war over who will eat and who will be eaten.  Featuring music by Grammy nominated composer Austin Wintory.  The music features themes for each faction which ranges from fast upbeat tarantellas, organ/violin tangos, Germanic waltz music and Eastern European folk dances.

 

Quote

Track list

1. The Food Of Beasts (1:34)
2. Hopper, Flagbearer For The Commonfolk (2:24)
3. Bellafide, Firebrand Of The Longcoats (2:14)
4. The Quartermaster Of The KSR (2:14)
5. Archimedes, Left Hand Of The Civilized (1:15)
6. The Old South Distillery (1:22)
7. Hollow In The Gut (3:24)
8. Hyperduck Soundworks: Who Becomes The Meat? (3:23)
9. The Hungry Face A Stiff Wind (5:53) 
10. Kristin Naigus: Bellafide’s Tarantella (2:17)
11. Fuel Of The Firebrand (3:38)
12. Snikaree Liberation (4:22)
13. John Robert Matz: Waltz Of The KSR (3:12)
14. Black Sledge Uprising (2:06)
15. Bonepit Exile (1:50)
16. The Siege Of Ragfall Road (5:24)
17. Eli Bishop: Archimedes’ Tango (2:43)
18. The War For Meat (2:11)
19. Salome Scheidegger: The Ivories Of Beasts (3:40)
20. Swine, Inscribed (1:29)
21. To The Ends (5:00)
22. Darren Korb: Anthem Of The Commonfolk (2:32)
23. Victors Will Feast (1:21)

 

 

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I know Disco Stu mentioned it above but Absolver is coming out on CD and LP as well (from Laced Records).

Absolver_CD_Render_2_1024x1024.jpg?v=150

Quote
Album:
Absolver (Original Soundtrack)
 
Artist:
Austin Wintory & RZA
 
Shipping Date:
Q4 2017
 
Artwork:
Angela Bermúdez
 
Product Information:
Single CD
All 20 Tracks From Absolver
4 Page Inner Booklet
.........................................
 
Laced Records, in partnership with SloClap and Devolver Digital, bring you the Absolver (Original Soundtrack) on CD. The game’s 20-track original score by award-winning composer Austin Wintory (Journey, Abzu, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate) includes a brand new exclusive track co-produced by RZA (Wu-Tang Clan, Afro Samurai).
 
The CD edition includes a 4 page booklet and original artwork by Angela Bermúdez.
 
TRACKLISTING:
1. PATH OF THE PROSPECTS
2. SHARDS OF AN EMPIRE
3. THE GUIDANCE BRIDGE
4. FOLDING
5. A HARBOR OF SPLINTERS
6. HANDS OUTSTRETCHED
7. THE HUNTING PATH
8. RASLAN COLISEUM
9. THE MADNESS OF KURETZ
10. ORATIAN QUARTER
11. REFLECTIONS
12. DANCING ON CENOTAPHS
13. THE TOWER OF ADAL
14. ADALIAN COLUMBARY
15. CARGAL AND KILNOR, CHILDREN OF WARLORDS
16. IMPERIAL LIBRARY
17. THE BIRD CALLERS OUTPOST
18. A FORGOTTEN TEMPLE
19. RISRYN, ROGUE ABSOLVER (CO-PRODUCED BY RZA)
20. WE WILL CALL ON YOU
 
CREDITS:
 
Music by Austin Wintory
 
Tom Strahle: Various guitars, mandolin, banjo, dobro, electric bass
Kristin Naigus: bansuri and English horn
Produced, mixed and programmed by Austin Wintory
Album mastered by Steve Kempster

 

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I like "Cargal and Kilnor, Children of War" from Absolver.

 

Also, he released a new film score two days ago :) 

 

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  • 2 months later...
On 11/3/2017 at 6:13 AM, Disco Stu said:

I like "Cargal and Kilnor, Children of War" from Absolver.

 

Also, he released a new film score two days ago :) 

 

Sounds great!  Go Austin!

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11 hours ago, crocodile said:

Varese just released a limited run of 500 copies of The Rendezvous. @publicist, @KK and @Incanus might want to consider this one. :) One of the best scores of 2017, no question about it.

 

Karol

Thanks for the heads-up Karol! I'll certainly be getting this one.

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  • 1 month later...

Very interesting, if he manages to sign a prominent project these days he'll probably be a Pembertom, Johansson, Wallfisch or McCreary in the next five years.

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Thanks for linking the story KK! Very interesting stuff. I am sure Austin would have done a brilliant job if they had had the sense to hire him.

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Great story! He really did go to some lengths to get a shot and gave it all - the balls to just book an orchestra for the next day, thinking "so, now I have no choice but to write this until tomorrow!". Great demos also. And awesome that he could share the story at all - I'd imagine he had to get an ok first as he had signed an NDA beforehand.

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Jup. But the main problem with his general idea is that - while traditional - it is not bold enough, melodically, that one would instantly say 'sold'. It just kind of hangs there as if something more interesting is about to happen but that's it.

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5 hours ago, publicist said:

Jup. But the main problem with his general idea is that - while traditional - it is not bold enough, melodically, that one would instantly say 'sold'. It just kind of hangs there as if something more interesting is about to happen but that's it.

 

Agreed. Plenty of interesting colours and ideas, but it still leans more towards general "library music" than it does a fine musical set-piece a la "The Enterprise".

 

But again, we're talking about demos scraped together in days versus the work of a full-budget film score. I'm sure Wintory would have been brilliant for this had he landed the gig.

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