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THE ADVENTURES OF HAN - 2018 John Williams theme for Solo: A Star Wars Story


Obi

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The melody doesn't sound like Williams to me. It sounds more towards Silvestri. I can feel it sitting comfortably next to Silvestri's Back to the Future, Captain America and Ready Player One themes. As they all share the same energy and shape. 

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I can sort of see that about the A theme but I feel the same way about some other vintage stuff like Amazing Stories, almost Williams-esque more than Williams. Funny that somebody mentioned that one earlier since this reminded me of that too.

 

Ever since we heard the B theme in that clip, though, I felt that was either Williams or the best imitation of him I'd ever heard.

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6 minutes ago, leeallen01 said:

The melody doesn't sound like Williams to me. It sounds more towards Silvestri. I can feel it sitting comfortably next to Silvestri's Back to the Future, Captain America and Ready Player One themes. As they all share the same energy and shape. 

 

Yeah, for some reason, every time I hear the start of the A theme, I expect into continue into the RPO theme and am thrown off by the short conclusion :P

 

Love the B theme though

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45 minutes ago, leeallen01 said:

not being impressed, but mostly I guess because I haven't heard the actual piece, just the low quality concert recording. 

 

Seriously?? Why not to wait the real thing. It is awesome!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1 minute ago, Taikomochi said:

The B-theme is pure Williams magic.  I think the relative genericness of the A-theme is well evened out by the lovely, softer B-theme.

That's kind of the case with themes sometimes.

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7 hours ago, Jay said:

I like what Powell does with the theme much more than what Williams does in his arrangement

 

Seriously??? I had to stop listening Powell stuff, sweet but no style(too modern, do not know the orchestral sound) Williams' stuff was instant classic. Man he is still good😍😍😍

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1 hour ago, rough cut said:

. But it sounds like a diluted version of Zimmer’s pirate theme, and that’s a long way from Star Wars.

Listening to the soundtrack I think this is due to the Powell (coming from Zimmer) style, that encompasses the theme. (orchestration, texture etc.).

The original setting of the theme in the Adventures of Han sounds 100% Williams i think.

 

I just wish action film music could get away from the percussion loops. I know it's easier and it's quick, but it doesn't sound sophisticated to me..

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14 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

 

One of the things I love about Powell is how he can appeal to classic orchestral score enthusiasts without ever once being a “throwback.”  He is just himself.

What is "throwback"?

 

4 minutes ago, hornist said:

 

 

 

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I can kind of see how one might not think the A theme sounds like Williams.  At the same time, I never had that thought with Poe's theme, and Han's A theme is clearly written by the same guy (even if I did not know film music, I would know that).  So, its just Williams in "in-your-face hero mode," which he has not done in a full-throated sort of way in a while. 

 

I just read Williams' intro to the piece.  Funny he calls it a "tune." 

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What a nightmare the score is to listen to. Little variations in texture, orchestrational chaos. No tension in the pieces and therefore no release and payoff and satisfaction for the listener. I love The Adventures of Han - but what the fuck is Powell doing in the Star Wars universe? This is not a Star Wars score and I don’t like that it’s trying to sit in that universe. Powell cocks up the traditional themes on quite a few occasions. At least Williams still knows how to write. 

 

I am sorry for this unpopular opinion. Rip into me all you wish for this, it’s 12:30am GMT and I’m going to sleep.

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There's nothing wrong with sharing an honest opinion that happens to go against the majority, as long as everyone is nice to each other and doesn't exaggerate how they feel just to stir things up

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Some comments after first listen

 

Powell sure didn't let the theme go to waste. It's quoted like every 10 seconds

I don't like some of the RCPish percussions, such a sharp contrast between Track 1 (Williams) and track 2( Powell with RCP orchestrations)

Don't like another rehash of TIE fighter Attack, because we just had one in TLJ

I think Williams helped compose Lando's Closet , because it's too good and elaborate compared to the rest of Powell's score (or his other scores I've listened to)

I also think Williams wrote another theme that sounds ( almost exactly)  like the Jurassic Park Jeep motif (Mine Mission, Into the Maw at 1.22)

The only theme I noticed from Powell is the short one from the TV clip after the Asteroid Chase quote (is that Chewy's theme?) , and it's wasted because I only heard it twice

 

 

 

 

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8 minutes ago, King Mark said:

Some comments after first listen

 

I also think Williams wrote another theme that sounds like the Jurassic Park Jeep motif (Mine Mission, Into the Maw at 1.22)

 

 

 

That's L3's theme.

And it's Powell's.

8 minutes ago, King Mark said:

Don't like another rehash of TIE fighter Attack, because we just had one in TLJ

 

 

 

 

Almost the whole cue is a "rehash"

1 hour ago, filmmusic said:

I just wish action film music could get away from the percussion loops. I know it's easier and it's quick, but it doesn't sound sophisticated to me..

I agree, we should get back to this:
 

 

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36 minutes ago, King Mark said:

I think Williams helped compose Lando's Closet , because it's too good and elaborate compared to the rest of Powell's score (or his other scores I've listened to)

 

 

 

It's beautiful but I don't hear Williams in this track.

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I'm on my third listen of AoH and it gets better each time. I'm really enjoying the "lean" texture; the brass lines are crisp and tight and every instrument can be heard. I remember reading somewhere ages ago how Mozart was considered by some people to be the hardest composer to perform because there is nowhere to hide one's sloppy playing or poor intonation -- the orchestration is so transparent. This track sounds like JW's answer to that, amped up 100X in color and verve. And how joyous it is to hear!

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On my first listen. Adventures of Han is good JW material, maybe a little directionless but still very good.

 

Holy fuck is John Powell frenetic. I love some of his orchestrations but I HATE the generic percussion loops that are all over the score. The rythym in the second track is ripped directly from Horner's Avatar score, which worked because of the tribal imagery, but here it makes the score feel very generic because it's so overused to create tension nowadays. Want a good example of how to use percussion to create tension? Duel of the Fates. There's almost zero percussion in it except at really poignant moments, because it relies almost solely on real tones to create the tension. 

 

Aside from that, I really like how the score sounds like a classic hollywood score at times. Some of the softer moments are quite nice (when Powell slows the fuck down for a second) The throwbacks are a nice welcome, but when you place them toe to toe with the new music it makes the new music sound VERY generic. 

 

Powell for the love of god get your hand out of the percussionist's panties please. 

 

I give the score a solid B-

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6 hours ago, Fal said:

You mean the A melody right? The B melody sounds like Williams, Keys theme especially.

The rising chord development is vintage Williams! 

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23 minutes ago, YoYoMama said:

which worked because of the tribal imagery,

Well, I believe the some of the percussion (the ones with the choral element) is supposed to be tribal, to represent Enfys Nest's Marauders.

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The Williams version just sounds kind of drained and tired. It's interesting to hear as a demo of sorts, at least. Powell makes sublime use of it and pretty much makes it his. Williams just gave him the building blocks.

My favorite themes in the score were definitely Chewie's and the marauders. 

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17 minutes ago, Fal said:

 

Williams' number 1 die hard fan vs. Powell's Number 1 diehard fan: the battle of the ages!

Nah, I'm in too happy a mood to feel like battling. So far though, Williams hasn't grabbed my attention since War Horse.

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"Reminiscence Therapy" is fascinating, mashing up the Asteroid Field/Tie Fighter material like that. It's got some phenomenal moments, particularly the bit that KM pointed out where the strings take the frantic trumpet part from "The Adventures of Han".

 

It's exactly what it says on the box: Williams crossed with Powell. Look forward to seeing how it works in the film.

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Adventures of Han has a demo-like sound to me. The opening especially sounds a little out of place and almost too golden age for where the rest of the music goes. Someone mentioned that the piece has a very lean sound in terms of orchestration and I agree. Certainly not bad, but also a little unrefined by JW standards. 

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did i mention i like Lando's Closet a lot.

 

it's not impossible Williams helped out, i'm more and more certain of it. Like Powell handed the theme to Williams and Williams scribbled better notes over it

 

 

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I'm not surprised by some of the criticisms I'm seeing about the score being too "modern" and RCPish, I think that was pretty inevitable around here but I think that stuff is generally handled in kind of fleeting and novel ways for SW. It's just coloring outside the lines a little, doesn't feel like a fundamental change to me.

 

51 minutes ago, kaseykockroach said:

The Williams version just sounds kind of drained and tired. It's interesting to hear as a demo of sorts, at least. Powell makes sublime use of it and pretty much makes it his. Williams just gave him the building blocks.

My favorite themes in the score were definitely Chewie's and the marauders. 

 

 

Somehow I'm not surprised that a piece as boisterous and hyperactive as "Adventures of Han" is still too weaksauce for you!

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3 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

I'm not surprised by some of the criticisms I'm seeing about the score being too "modern" and RCPish, I think that was pretty inevitable around here but I think that stuff is generally handled in kind of fleeting and novel ways for SW. It's just coloring outside the lines a little, doesn't feel like a fundamental change to me.

 

 

Somehow I'm not surprised that a piece as boisterous and hyperactive as "Adventures of Han" is still too weaksauce for you!

About as hyper as Raven from Teen Titans. :P

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Watch cartoons! Then you'll be cool, like me. ;D

 

I kid either way. Love the score, movie was fun, Williams demo is interesting. I haven't heard the album a gazillion times yet, but I'm surprised it pretty much SEEMS to covers everything save end credits.

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There is an end credits arrangement of the themes, though, but it's not "Adventures of Han." I don't know the score well enough to know if they were just using bits and pieces or if it was a unique credits arrangement by Powell (or Williams? But sounded more Powell)

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