Nixon is a truly underrated JW score

[artguy360 1,843]

Thread title says it all. JW was firing on all cylinders for Nixon and I don't think it gets the recognition it deserves. The entire score is oppressively weighty and dark but not in a monotonous way. The main theme is brilliant. It's basically the story of the Nixon presidency in about 5 minutes of relentless, pounding music that is at times full on evil, and others beating with the drum of breaking news, and then strangely, maybe defiantly and stubbornly dignified in a twisted kind of way. The music really lives up to the title "The Turbulent Years." I can't think of another JW main theme that has such a clear narrative structure and is so varied in the emotions and ideas it expresses: I don't know why this main theme isn't talked about more often as among JW's best.

 

 

The rest of the music takes us to Watergate with some kickass JW conspiratorial music, into Nixon's childhood with some bittersweet, yearning music that somehow also maintains hints of the oppressive weight from the rest of the score, and right into some powerful, pounding music for some of Nixon's biggest political moments like his convention speech.

 

Even in its quieter moments the music is scored with such dramatic flair that it demands to be noticed such as in the opening scenes of the film where the low, driving brass and high strings contrast beautifully as we go deeper and deeper into the White House and Nixon's state of mind.

 

What do you think? What are y'all's impressions of the Nixon score? What other highlights from the score should we all be aware of?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Oh yeah, I reckon it's alright, mate.

[Brundlefly 2,385]

I agree. At least it got an Oscar nomination.

[Bryant Burnette 654]

Not by me, it isn't.  I've loved that score since it came out!

[Naïve Old Fart 9,508]

No argument from me @artguy360 , it's a brilliant score. I like his use of the "JFK snare", when he's at Lovefield.

MIAMI CONVENTION 1968 is amazing!

It's a testament to JW's talent, that he can compose NIXON, and then SABRINA, within weeks of each other.

[filmmusic 1,823]

2 hours ago, artguy360 said:

 I can't think of another JW main theme that has such a clear narrative structure and is so varied in the emotions and ideas it expresses:

 

This is mostly so because this is actually the trailer music (from 0.39'' and on), as used in the original trailer, and as entitled in the sheet music.

 

 

[Thor 7,478]

Quote

Nixon is a truly underrated JW score

 

It sure is!

[Jurassic Shark 12,033]

1 minute ago, Thor said:

 

It sure is!

 

Maybe it has something to do with the OST presentation.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

It doesn't need an expansion.

[Quintus 5,399]

If Drax had been around during Watergate, he'd have been a big Nixon defender. 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

He wasn't such a bad guy. He was just overwhelmed by the job. It happens.

[filmmusic 1,823]

1 minute ago, Denise Bryson said:

He wasn't such a bad guy. He was just overwhelmed by the job. It happens.

Ι'm not expert on American history and politics, but in the film I sympathised with him and he looked like a hurt person.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Exactly. Stone was very fair to the President.

[Jurassic Shark 12,033]

That made the film more interesting.

[Quintus 5,399]

Corrupt officials are always so desperately misunderstood. It just isn't fair 

[Jurassic Shark 12,033]

JW should have scored Stone's documentary on Putin. Missed opportunity.

[Quintus 5,399]

Yeah he could have made the Russian tsar a really sympathetic character. 

[publicist 4,643]

Milošević - The Movie

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

It's probably JW's best dramatic score from the 90s.

[Tom 4,640]

So when we get these threads that "X is underrated," can I ask that the poster indicate exactly who is underrating it?  Is it that it did not get an Oscar?  Do you think people around here are underrating it?  What would the evidence for the latter be?  

 

How about just a thread that "X is good, and I want to talk about it." Otherwise, it comes off as presumptuous and weird.  

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

This forum is weird.

[Jay 37,323]

5 minutes ago, Tom said:

So when we get these threads that "X is underrated," can I ask that the poster indicate exactly who is underrating it?  Is it that it did not get an Oscar?  Do you think people around here are underrating it?  What would the evidence for the latter be?  

 

A general feel of how the forum rates a score.

[Faleel 5,343]

I love it.

[Quintus 5,399]

2 hours ago, Philippe Roaché said:

It's probably JW's best dramatic score from the 90s.

 

I prefer Jurassic Park. 

[Faleel 5,343]

I didn't know Jurassic Park was a  drama, I thought it was an action adventure disaster flick.

[Jurassic Shark 12,033]

The score is quite dramatic in places.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Nixon is impressive on a technical and conceptual level but I have a hard time connecting to it.

[mstrox 6,647]

Nixon hasn't always been a favorite, but it grew on me in a way that quite a few of Williams' drama scores from that era (JFK, Sleepers, Stepmom, Seven Years in Tibet) still haven't.  It's a good listen.

[Lewya 360]

-

[Quintus 5,399]

1 hour ago, Fal said:

I didn't know Jurassic Park was a  drama

 

It isn't. 

[Brundlefly 2,385]

4 hours ago, Lewya said:

I wouldn't call Nixon as underrated as A.I.

You aren't often on this forum, are you?

[Jurassic Shark 12,033]

5 hours ago, Fal said:

I didn't know Jurassic Park was a  drama,

 

It's a docudrama.

[Omen II 1,235]

18 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

It's a docudrama.

 

A diplodocudrama, surely?

 

🤪

[Brundlefly 2,385]

49 minutes ago, Omen II said:

 

A diplodocudrama, surely?

 

🤪

Your content count is exactly 1941 like the movie. Don't reply otherwise you spoil it.

[Lewya 360]

-

[filmmusic 1,823]

I was just thinking:

a boxset with the complete scores of Stone/Williams collaboration would be great!

[artguy360 1,843]

11 hours ago, Tom said:

So when we get these threads that "X is underrated," can I ask that the poster indicate exactly who is underrating it?  Is it that it did not get an Oscar?  Do you think people around here are underrating it?  What would the evidence for the latter be?  

 

How about just a thread that "X is good, and I want to talk about it." Otherwise, it comes off as presumptuous and weird.  

As I said in my original post, the main theme is one of JW's best but is rarely mentioned among his best themes. It's rarely acknowledged for it's sheer force, the complex ideas and emotions it expresses, or it's structure. The score itself is nuanced yet relentlessly dramatic and yet it is rarely discussed on this forum or recognized in threads regarding cool musical moments or about his best dramatic work. Outside of this forum, I don't think the film score listening community even knows JW scored Nixon. 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The only issue I sort of have is the rather goofy Imperial March-esque motif.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Across the Stars shows up in there too.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

You can hear the evolution of Tibet and Geisha in "The Meeting with Mao."

[Incanus 5,713]

A quick search on the forum revealed that these Nixon threads resurface every few years and people usually share a lot of appreciation for this score. I usually sing paeans for its unusually deep psychological underpinnings and beautiful and tortured dramatic scoring which curiously has a big influence on the style of the elegiac and anguished writing in the Prequels. E.g. Anakin's Betrayal, Shmi's Funeral and The Immolation Scene have their stylistic if not always direct melodic precursors in this score but in a much subtler guise.

Here is my ramble from back in 2009:

On 6.5.2009 at 2:23 PM, Incanus said:

I feel that Nixon is one of the most deft psychological portraits in music the Maestro has ever done. The score is singularly focused on Nixon. It leans heavily towards the Mahlerian and even Herrmannesque in how Williams depicts the main character's inner feelings, his triumphs, losses and inner darkness, his thirst for power, which in the end is his downfall.

 

The film feels very much in places like an homage of sorts to another great character portrait film, Citizen Kane. The White House opening of Nixon is clearly inspired by the Xanadu gates from Kane, the music adding an operatic sense of foreboding to the simple of image of camera gliding toward the fence and the presidential residence and if to say that drama and dark plots are waiting for the audience

.

The scoring alternates between nostalgic and optimistic and tragic, eerie and cold as we are shown all different aspects of the character of Nixon. It is like he has 2 personas in the film, one public to which he was a slave to, and the private one, which aspired to do good but in the end was thwarted by the corruption of power.

 

Williams once again provides a very leitmotivic and clever score for the film which digs deeper into Nixon's psyche and facets. He foreshadows and draws links to Stone's collage style of cutting which presents images from before and after present film time to form a web of interconnected ideas. Nixon's character has several themes, two of which are presented in the White House Gate cue. The Nixon fanfare, representing his lofty goals and good side of his persona is muted, twisted under the orchestral gloom, the Darkness/Loneliness motif follows in very eerily on synths with heavy explosion like accompaniment which refers to the tragedies of Vietnam. This motif is fully explored mostly in the present time of the film when Nixon's fall is evident, his resignation looming and he feels trapped, betrayed, alone and lost. This theme receives its longest variation in the I Am that Sacrifice cue after the resignation.

 

The Power theme which is the main theme developed through the film and represents the corruption of power Nixon succumbs to. This is heard in the Turbulent Years, Making a Comeback and many other cues. Superficial 3 note resemblance to Imperial March aside the theme is malleable enough for Williams to use it in clever ways in the score. The Love Field: Dallas, November 1963 sees the theme transformed into a countdown motif for the approaching assassination of Kennedy which is implied in the scenes. It also implies the power behind the throne so to speak, the people who back up Nixon and with who he is willing to make a deal for presidency. Making a Comeback presents a brooding, evil variation on the theme, the Miami Convention 1968 brings it together with the Nixon fanfare turning his victorious acceptance speech first so full of hope and personal triumph into a horrid depictions of tragedies performed during his presidency projected in the background. Here we see the fall from grace in pictures and music in a juxtaposition. In his attempt to do good Nixon succumbed to horrible deeds. The music is blazing with power and marching victoriously only to be cut in abrupt tortured brass fanfare and eerie finale.

 

The positive side of Nixon and his memories of home also receive a theme of their own. The Americana theme which is connected to the Nixon fanfare is very nostalgic, warm and homely when he reminisces about his childhood and home. It is used when ever a positive side of him is shown or we see his victories and successes. Growing Up in Whittier is a prime example but as with most of the music in the score it soon turns darker, pensive and almost sorrowful.

 

Beautiful and tragic moment is Meeting with Mao where Williams composed an independent musical moment, still completely a part of the musical palette of the score, and to me fully captures the tragedy of the scene. There comes the ultimate realization to Nixon on how people see him, how he feeds his own hunger for acceptance and love with countless victims and how even more chillingly he decides to continue on that path. The music supports the notion and underlines the tragedy.

 

The Farewell Scene ends the film in a positive note. Here Williams composed a kind of reconciliation for the character using his positive theme and the fanfare. Nixon is only human after all, although his farewell address seems to be detached from the notion that he was forced to resign ignominiously rather than departed with honor from the office. Still in his departure he is treated with respect by the film makers whether he quite deserved it or not. As some might guess I really love this score and like the film very much.

[filmmusic 1,823]

12 hours ago, Incanus said:

A quick search on the forum revealed that these Nixon threads resurface every few years and people usually share a lot of appreciation for this score. I usually sing paeans for its unusually deep psychological underpinnings and beautiful and tortured dramatic scoring which curiously has a big influence on the style of the elegiac and anguished writing in the Prequels. E.g. Anakin's Betrayal, Shmi's Funeral and The Immolation Scene have their stylistic if not always direct melodic precursors in this score but in a much subtler guise.

 

Here is my ramble from back in 2009:

 

Incanus I'm trying to find here the themes you say:

I don't hear the fanfare (just some echoes of its harmony) and where exactly is the darkness motif in the White House Gate cue and I am that Sacrifice?

 

* * *

 

By the way, i figure this must be the ost with the most music missing? (since the duration of the film is 3.30 hours, and I was just seeing some notes I had about the music)

[Incanus 5,713]

12 hours ago, filmmusic said:

Incanus I'm trying to find here the themes you say:

I don't hear the fanfare (just some echoes of its harmony) and where exactly is the darkness motif in the White House Gate cue and I am that Sacrifice?

 

* * *

 

By the way, i figure this must be the ost with the most music missing? (since the duration of the film is 3.30 hours, and I was just seeing some notes I had about the music)

The whole I Am That Sacrifice is basically an extended development of the eerie forlorn piano motif which I call the Darkness theme. It is subtly referenced from 2:23 to 2:58 in the White House Gate and the opening notes are heard again in 3:43-3:55. The motif appears a few additional times throughout the film when Nixon is battling with feelings of betrayal, loneliness and fear.

And indeed the fanfare is inferred by the echoes of its harmony in the brooding brass and strings in the White House Gate.

 

The regular running time of the film is about 192 minutes and while the film doesn't have wall-to-wall scoring there is a fair amount of music left off the 45 minute OST.

[filmmusic 1,823]

2 hours ago, Incanus said:

The whole I Am That Sacrifice is basically an extended development of the eerie forlorn piano motif which I call the Darkness theme. It is subtly referenced from 2:23 to 2:58 in the White House Gate and the opening notes are heard again in 3:43-3:55. The motif appears a few additional times throughout the film when Nixon is battling with feelings of betrayal, loneliness and fear.

And indeed the fanfare is inferred by the echoes of its harmony in the brooding brass and strings in the White House Gate.

 

 

Ok, thanks. That piano motif is very subtle and I thought you meant another theme as the darkness theme. It is in a way the "main" theme of the film since it appears in the movie more times that anything else, at least 17 times(!) as I noted.*

it is heard at 1.37-1.53 of Farewell Scene.

And it's indeed used all those times in the same context of feelings of loneliness, fear, failure.

 

* In comparison:

The Americana theme appears 2 times.

The Fanfare appears 2 times.

The Power theme appears 6 times.

(all these are approximate, maybe they appeared somewhere else and I couldn't hear it in the mix of the film)