Now that we have LLL's "The John Williams Jurassic Park Collection," are the OS albums of both scores obsolete?

[Josh500 1,615]

Or should I say extinct? 

 

Can I throw them out? (Not that I really would, of course, but is there no need to listen to them ever again?)

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It depends.

[Josh500 1,615]

On what?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

On the weather.

[Josh500 1,615]

I think it is. For most people, anyway. 

 

There's really nothing on the OS albums that's not on the new set.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

If you enjoy the way the music was arranged on the OST releases than they aren't redundant.

[Josh500 1,615]

5 minutes ago, Stefancos said:

If you enjoy the way the music was arranged on the OST releases than they aren't redundant.

 

Yeah, of course the arrangement and order of tracks are different. But nothing from the OS albums is missing on the LLL set, right?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Of course not. Don't you know that?

[Josh500 1,615]

Just wanted to make sure.

 

Then for me the OS albums are redundant.

 

Except maybe for the JP booklet with Spielberg's liner notes and the intact teeth.... 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I can fix that!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

No! Stiff, stop doing that!

[Josh500 1,615]

14 minutes ago, Stefancos said:

I can fix that!

 

I'm good, thanks! 

 

I don't mind the missing teeth. 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

19 minutes ago, BloodBoal said:

No! Steef, stop doing that!

 

I'm only trying to help!

[Bespin 8,480]

I learned recently and the hard way (thanks @Jay for your legendary tact! ) that the original albums, as they where originally edited by John Williams are never really obsolete when an Expanded Set is released (except if this Expanded Set reproduce the OST album explicitly).

 

The reason is very simple: pretty much every single OST contains EDITS (whatever they are good or bad!).

 

So don't get rid of your old CDs too quickly if you are a serious collector!

 

Recently, I purchased used CDs of Raiders, Temple of Doom and Crusade, just to listen to the "edited" original albums (yes, for the first time!).  After all, it is these albums which were successful and sometimes got Certifications. As I often say, we can't rewrite history.

 

Now I always see an Expanded Set as "complementary".

[Josh500 1,615]

Yeah, that's most especially true when it comes to the E.T. and Jaws soundtracks. 

 

These were expanded several times, but the now hard-to-find OS albums contain completely different recordings conducted and produced by JW! So the OS albums in these cases will never become redundant.

[Marian Schedenig 8,178]

No. Not because of the track order (you can easily change that), but because of the album edits, which are not on the new set. And some strange redundant cues* aside, the original JP album was really well arranged. I have to listen to the new release a few times before I can decide if I prefer it in chronological order. Williams has made far worse album arrangements than this one.

 

*) And while they're still weird on the official LP, a friend of mine pointed out that they make perfect sense if you put the whole programm on a 2LP set.

[Bespin 8,480]

17 minutes ago, Josh500 said:

Yeah, that's most especially true when it comes to the E.T. and Jaws soundtracks. 

 

These were expanded several times, but the now hard-to-find OS albums contain completely different recordings conducted and produced by JW! So the OS albums in these cases will never become redundant.

 

Yes of course, some soundtracks exists in two versions: the OST album (which contains a re-recorded score or mostly a collection of suites [like E.T.]) AND the actual movie score.

 

Search on my discography page with the keyword "Re-recording" to find those ones. And search with keywords "Previously unreleased original score" to find the first release of an original score.

 

http://www.goplanete.com/johnwilliams/music/disco/albums.htm

 

Note: I am going to auto-congratulate me one more time, but I'm also the first who documented the "re-recordings" and "Previously unreleased original score" this way and so CLEARLY, allowing very quick and specific searches.

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

For me if a reissue contains a newly remixed OST program It makes the old CD redundant. Of course the original OST may have some economical value in the future, and nostalgic reasons...

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Older CD releases generally don't have loudness war issues.

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

In the jp collection case, being two of my fav scores, i dont think ill ever Play the osts again...

 

1 minute ago, Stefancos said:

Older CD releases generally don't have loudness war issues.

But can have murkier sound..Its not jp casero, but still...

[Josh500 1,615]

8 minutes ago, Luke Skywalker said:

In the jp collection case, being two of my fav scores, i dont think ill ever Play the osts again...

 

Same here.

 

I'll keep them, of course, and I will always treasure them, but in this case it's not an issue.

 

Chronological order and arrangements aside, the sound quality on the LLL set is twice as good. I mean, wow! Just wow! The JP OS album will sound almost unlistenable after listening to the new set.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

6 minutes ago, Josh500 said:

The JP OS album will sound almost unlistenable after listening to the new set.

 

A bit over dramatic today, aren't we?

[Josh500 1,615]

3 minutes ago, Stefancos said:

 

A bit over dramatic today, aren't we?

 

Well, you get my point. The new set sounds a lot better. I've always found that JP sounds slightly muffled (TLW not so much). 

 

But the improvement in sound quality on this new set is striking, to say the least. 

[Chewy 2,382]

I guess 'The Lost World' original CD will still be something collector thanks to the special package it offers.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yes! I was disappointed that wasn't carried over.

[Josh500 1,615]

10 minutes ago, Chewy said:

I guess 'The Lost World' original CD will still be something collector thanks to the special package it offers.

 

That cardboard CD package with the pop-up dinos was the worst idea in the long, sad history of bad ideas....

[Jay 37,322]

Josh, with all due respect, this is a Matessino-produced set.  Of course there isn't anything on the OST that isn't on the new set.

 

As others have said, you can keep the OSTs for the sentimental value / if you like the cue combinations and edits JW made at the time.
 

Maybe this will help ease your mind

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hZY4hhCz-5NzbjKuPOx8R9Yb0iWnr4P4SwzG1-6VSTg/pubhtml

[Josh500 1,615]

8 minutes ago, Jay said:

As others have said, you can keep the OSTs for the sentimental value / if you like the cue combinations and edits JW made at the time.

 

Sentimental values, yes, but it's also a valuable item in my JW collection. Every OS album is.

 

Will likely never listen to it again (unless by accident), but I will most definitely keep it. 

[rough cut 1,714]

1 hour ago, Luke Skywalker said:

For me if a reissue contains a newly remixed OST program It makes the old CD redundant. Of course the original OST may have some economical value in the future, and nostalgic reasons...

 

Agreed!

[Bespin 8,480]

And the nostalgic side???

I still listen to old OSTs even if I own an Expanded Set!

 

It also depends if I have 1 hour or 2 in front of me for listening a score...

 

There are too much geeks on this forum and not enough sentimentals!

[Josh500 1,615]

Well, I rarely listen to the entire soundtrack in one setting.

 

It's more like 15 minutes here, 30 minutes there, etc. And sometimes (quite often, actually!) I'd listen to the same track over and over again.

 

That said, I'll keep the JP OS album (as well as the 20th anniversary edition) and TLW OS album in my portable music player. I have enough storage, thank God.

11 minutes ago, Bespin said:

There are too much geeks on this forum and not enough sentimentals!

 

And you're by far one of the biggest geeks!   

 

I mean, just look at this:

 

1 hour ago, Bespin said:

Search on my discography page with the keyword "Re-recording" to find those ones. And search with keywords "Previously unreleased original score" to find the first release of an original score.

 

http://www.goplanete.com/johnwilliams/music/disco/albums.htm

 

Note: I am going to auto-congratulate me one more time, but I'm also the first who documented the "re-recordings" and "Previously unreleased original score" this way and so CLEARLY, allowing very quick and specific searches.

 

 

[rough cut 1,714]

The JP-collection was my first encounter with TLW and after hearing so much about it I couldn't wait to sink my teeth in it! But to be honest, my first impression was that it was a bit... ...much. Seeking out how to make a playlist that reflected the OS proved a way to make it more "accessible" if that makes sense. All of a sudden it flows better than the chronological sequencing and the highlight tracks are put to better use and can "shine" in a way they don't otherwise - at least to my ears.

[Jay 37,322]

I find with any score it helps to start with the highlights for a while, then delved into the complete score after you love those.  Within a year you'll love the whole thing and not just the highlights.

[Bespin 8,480]

@Josh500 I'm organized, that's not the same! I'm a developper, so It is a job conditioning, every thing must be in its compartment!

[Josh500 1,615]

9 minutes ago, rough cut said:

The JP-collection was my first encounter with TLW and after hearing so much about it I couldn't wait to sink my teeth in it! But to be honest, my first impression was that it was a bit... ...much. Seeking out how to make a playlist that reflected the OS proved a way to make it more "accessible" if that makes sense. All of a sudden it flows better than the chronological sequencing and the highlight tracks are put to better use and can "shine" in a way they don't otherwise - at least to my ears.

 

Wait. You haven't even seen the movie TLW? 

[Henry Sítrónu 494]

when I got the Ultimate Edition of TPM for Christmas in 2000, I gave away the OST album.  How stupid.....  I was 14 years old.

[Josh500 1,615]

12 minutes ago, Jay said:

I find with any score it helps to start with the highlights for a while, then delved into the complete score after you love those.  Within a year you'll love the whole thing and not just the highlights.

 

Yeah. I find that the best way to find the highlights is to watch the movie....

 

Then you can tell yourself, wow I love that scene, or that scene. This cue is great! And so on.

3 minutes ago, lemoncurd said:

when I got the Ultimate Edition of TPM for Christmas in 2000, I gave away the OST album.  How stupid.....  I was 14 years old.

 

 

I hope you rebought the OS album.

12 minutes ago, Bespin said:

@Josh500 I'm organized, that's not the same! I'm a developper, so It is a job conditioning, every thing must be in its compartment!

Sure.... 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

3 hours ago, Josh500 said:

Yeah, of course the arrangement and order of tracks are different. But nothing from the OS albums is missing on the LLL set, right?

 

The chair creak at the end of "Journey to the Island".

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

There's one quite early in the track that's been removed too!

 

Ruins the whole release for me. I'll stick to the OST, much like ROTJ!

[Josh500 1,615]

I bought the first JP OS album when I was like 13. But that one got so scratched (back then I didn't take good care of my CDs like I do now) I had to throw it out. What I have now is the replacement CD. Then last year I bought the 20th anniversary edition (yes, I only got it last year). And now the LLL set.

 

So I bought the JP soundtrack in one form or another 4 times. 

 

The Lost World? 3 times. (I had to replace the original one too.)

 

[Datameister 2,037]

I'll go against the grain here...the JP OST is worth keeping because it sounds a lot better than the new set, which has been compressed to hell. I just use the extra material from the new set to fill out the OST. 

 

For TLW, I think the new set actually sounds better than the OST, although it too has been compressed quite a bit. I don't foresee listening to any of the OST in the future, but I'm still keeping it just in case. 

 

Your mileage may vary...in any case, there's no musical content that you can only hear on the OSTs. It's just a matter of what takes are used, how they sound, and how they're presented.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

How has it been compressed? 

[Jay 37,322]

He thinks that the JP and TLW have wider dynamic range, in other words they compressed the "distance" between the quiet parts and loud parts on the new set.  "Dynamic Range Compression".  

 

I disagree and think the new set sounds better than the OSTs in every way, and also that the new set has perfectly fine and adequate dynamic range.

 

No one else seems to agree with Data on this issue.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I know I don't!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Jay 37,322]

Actually, they have both said that the new set sounds great.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Nuff' said!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Poor deiremaister..

[Jay 37,322]

Frankly, if if he happens to prefer the dynamic range of the OST of JP over the LLL JP, that is perfectly fine, but I think its going to far to say "it sounds a lot better than the new set".  The new set is empirically has more clarity than the old OST, mastered with early 90s technology.  Everyone is constantly pointing out how crystal clear it sounds, how many instruments they never picked up on before, etc.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I would tell you my opinion of what you as a moderator should do about Data, but I've been warned against it...