What Is The Last Score You Listened To? (older scores)

[Incanus 5,890]

Star Trek First Contact by Jerry Goldsmith

Star Wars Episode II by John Williams

[crocodile 9,724]

Mars Attacks!

Karol

[Rachael Foley 10,162]

Treasure Island - Clifton Parker.

[crocodile 9,724]

Star Trek V, Michael Collins and Far and Away.

Star Trek II/III now. Kirk's theme/Kirk and Spock theme/Spock's theme got to be the best thematic material in Horner's repertoire. A triple knockout.

Karol

[indy4 160]

The Patriot: There's definitely some interesting and original things going on in this score. Much of his would go on to influence some of Williams' later works. The action music of War Horse in particular seems to originate from this score. The love theme is really good, and the main theme is nice, if a little predictable and too close in Williams' comfort zone. Still, there's a lot to like about this score.

The Music Man: An awesome work.

[Romão 2,473]

I love that ominous trumpet theme in the Patriot. Williams can really make that instrument sound creepy, as he did in War of the Worlds

[Incanus 5,890]

I love that ominous trumpet theme in the Patriot. Williams can really make that instrument sound creepy, as he did in War of the Worlds

Yes that is classic Williams trumpet writing and great playing by Tim Morrison once again. There is really a darkly haunting quality to that melody.

[indy4 160]

Agreed. That's definitely one of the stronger, more original parts of the score.

[crocodile 9,724]

Stronger? Yes. Original? I don't know about that.

Karol

[Incanus 5,890]

Agreed. That's definitely one of the stronger, more original parts of the score.

This particular solo trumpet presenting a theme has been explored by Williams before but he once again makes it shine. It is definitely a distinctive dirge for Martin's past in the film. Shame that Tavington didn't get a clearer theme in the film nor did Williams develop his idea extensively. The propulsive rhythmic motif in Tavington's Trap would have been a great basis for a furious bad guy theme.

[crocodile 9,724]

Copernicus' Star. My feel good album of 2011.

Karol

[chuck 155]

The Adventures of Huck Finn by Bill Conti. It's one of the precious, nostalgic music of my childhood, along with Jurassic Park.

[crocodile 9,724]

Now I'm listening to McNeely's recording of Vertigo, probably one of my favourite CD's of all time.

Karol

[Incanus 5,890]

Now I'm listening to McNeely's recording of Vertigo, probably one of my favourite CD's of all time.

Karol

It is absolutely wonderful. My first Bernard Herrmann album.

[indy4 160]

Now I'm listening to McNeely's recording of Vertigo, probably one of my favourite CD's of all time.

Karol

It is absolutely wonderful. My first Bernard Herrmann album.

Me too, and to this day my favorite (although I don't have a lot of Herrmann's scores). "Scene D'Amour" is definitely one of the gems of film music.

[Matt C 605]

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 - Desplat

It's like with "Prisoner of Azkaban", it gets better with each listen. The thematic material is subtle but brimming with melody and personality, and Desplat just effectively underscores the silences and darkness beautifully. I'm trying to find that coldness and other detractors people like Erik Woods constantly complain about in Desplat's work, but not here. I'm not a die-hard Desplat fan (The Ides of March, Birth, Extremely Loud... and Benjamin Button don't do a thing for me), but when he delivers -- he knocks it out of the park.

Erik, you should really re-evaluate this. Quit comparing it to JW's work on the first three movies, and evaluate it for what it is.

[Incanus 5,890]

To Desplat's advantage is has to be said his music is quite distinctive but on the whole neither part 1 and 2 did much for me. These two scores lack the magic and emotional resonance for me for the most part. Subtlety of the work is not a problem, the fact that is does not resonate but breezes past you without much effect is. Still I enjoy these two scores more than Doyle's or Hooper's.

Journey 2 The Mysterious Island by Andrew Lockington: A very enjoyable melodic orchestral action/adventure romp. I was very positively surprised. While this score brings nothing new into the genre by any means, the young composer shows that he can do a thoroughly fun and enganging score that contains both modern touches and good old orchestral writing. I can hear hints of JNH, Thomas Newman and others here and there but the sheer positive and enthusiastic attitude of the music is hard to resist. I have not heard the much lauded Journey to the Center of the Earth by Lockington but I'll be checking that and his other discography out now.

The Thief from Hugo by Howard Shore

[crocodile 9,724]

I kind of lost interest in Desplat's two Potter scores after few months. It's good to see him stetch his creative muscles and try a bit broader pallet to what he's usually doing. But that's about it.

Ben-Hur (FSM) by Miklos Rozsa.

Wow! The Rhino set didn't sound bad, but this one is even better. I can't believe it has been recorded 53 ago. Very vibrant and, in all honesty, better than many recordings done 20 years later. Didn't finish listening to ithe whole set, obviously (in fact I just abaout managed to quickly browsed through the content). But I must say it was worth.every penny. Apart from the score, there is almost 2 hours of alternates, some of which are quite interesting. And the three LPs are also great. More for their pleasurable concert format, rather than recording itslelf, though. The arrangement of Christ's theme on that third album is a particular highlight.

Oh and there are apparently 150 units left, so if anyone wants it... get it now! If not, get the recent 2011 re-issue of the Rhino. It'll do

Now if there's anything that they could still do is hire Fitzpatrick and Raine pay for sessions with City of Prague Philharmonic and release the mammoth score yet again in glourious modern recording.

Karol

[Quintus 6,493]

Now I'm listening to McNeely's recording of Vertigo, probably one of my favourite CD's of all time.

Karol

It is absolutely wonderful. My first Bernard Herrmann album.

Even better than the original?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,383]

I believe it's considered the best of the Varese recording of old Herrmann scores.

[crocodile 9,724]

Now I'm listening to McNeely's recording of Vertigo, probably one of my favourite CD's of all time.

Karol

It is absolutely wonderful. My first Bernard Herrmann album.

Even better than the original?

It's one of those that capture the magic and on top of that offer spectacular sonics .

Karol

[JoeinAR 1,957]

Dr. Zhivago. It's a fine score but somehow it's one I find more appealing during the film than stand alone.

[Matt C 605]

To Desplat's advantage is has to be said his music is quite distinctive but on the whole neither part 1 and 2 did much for me. These two scores lack the magic and emotional resonance for me for the most part. Subtlety of the work is not a problem, the fact that is does not resonate but breezes past you without much effect is.

If I wanted breezy, I'd listen to Hooper's scores again. I mean, I know what you're getting at (especially his score for Part 2)... but I have to disagree on the resonance part. He got it, while Hooper didn't and Doyle overdid it.

[Marian Schedenig 11,694]

Copernicus' Star. My feel good album of 2011.

That really is a feel good album.

Now I'm listening to McNeely's recording of Vertigo, probably one of my favourite CD's of all time.

And I still don't have it!

Even better than the original?

I believe the OST (not conducted by Herrmann, btw) has a pretty bad reputation.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 - Desplat

I love Fireplaces Escape. But my favourite bit from the score is the choral source cue for the Christmas walk sequence (included on the limited 2 CD set, which Amazon thankfully had on sale last year).

Ben-Hur (FSM) by Miklos Rozsa.

Wow! The Rhino set didn't sound bad, but this one is even better. I can't believe it has been recorded 53 ago. Very vibrant and, in all honesty, better than many recordings done 20 years later.

Now *this* is what I've been waiting to read. Mine still hasn't shipped.

[Quintus 6,493]

The Vertigo ost just suffers from crude editing techniques of its time, but I'm the sort of listener who appreciates and even enjoys those quirks.

[crocodile 9,724]

The Vertigo ost just suffers from crude editing techniques of its time, but I'm the sort of listener who appreciates and even enjoys those quirks.

Which one are you referring to? I've got just the two Varese Sarabande releases. And while I treasure the original film version, McNeely's recording beats it in terms of performance, I reckon. Also, the original recording switches between mono and stereo constantly, which can be quite distracting.

To Marian: You need to get this album. It's a must.

But my favourite bit from the score is the choral source cue for the Christmas walk sequence (included on the limited 2 CD set, which Amazon thankfully had on sale last year).

This is my favourite bit as well.

Ben-Hur (FSM) by Miklos Rozsa.

Wow! The Rhino set didn't sound bad, but this one is even better. I can't believe it has been recorded 53 ago. Very vibrant and, in all honesty, better than many recordings done 20 years later.

Now *this* is what I've been waiting to read. Mine still hasn't shipped.

It's still a 50's recording, so I wouldn't exactly expect a modern Tadlow kind of sound. But there is a definite improvment, even to my non-audiophile ears (and other people seem to agree, judging from reading other forums). The LP's sound more archival, but they're great to have. Some lovely arrangements in there. In any case, it's all worth it.

Karol

[crocodile 9,724]

The Golden Compass by Alexandre Desplat

Screw Deathly Hallows, this is much better work. Not for everyone, as Desplatian trademark "crystal clear, delicate as a porcelain and paper thin" music is not exactly what many people expect from their fantasy scores. But if you give it time you'll get the most out of it. And then you realise there are dozen of themes in there and they're all developed thoughout. Rewarding.

Karol

[Jilal 681]

Alliance Assembly from Return of the Jedi, John Williams.

This is such a great track. Very nostalgic. I love Return of the Jedi. Ah, the warm feeling of that film...

[Rachael Foley 10,162]

Alliance Assembly from Return of the Jedi, John Williams.

This is such a great track. Very nostalgic. I love Return of the Jedi. Ah, the warm feeling of that film...

I prefer "The Levitation"

[Matt C 605]

I love Fireplaces Escape. But my favourite bit from the score is the choral source cue for the Christmas walk sequence (included on the limited 2 CD set, which Amazon thankfully had on sale last year).

"My Love is Always Here" is just gorgeous. The regular CD has at least 5-7 minutes left they could've included, like this one. I wish it wasn't an iTunes exclusive.

[Incanus 5,890]

The Golden Compass by Alexandre Desplat

Screw Deathly Hallows, this is much better work. Not for everyone, as Desplatian trademark "crystal clear, delicate as a porcelain and paper thin" music is not exactly what many people expect from their fantasy scores. But if you give it time you'll get the most out of it. And then you realise there are dozen of themes in there and they're all developed thoughout. Rewarding.

Karol

Now that is one of my favourite Desplat scores. Despite being at times subtle and always quite typically to Desplat delicate, the music has color and life that sparkles during every track with no meandering.

Flow Like Water from the Last Airbender by James Newton Howard.

[Naïve Old Fart 13,020]

Now I'm listening to McNeely's recording of Vertigo, probably one of my favourite CD's of all time.

Karol

It is absolutely wonderful. My first Bernard Herrmann album.

Even better than the original?

It's one of those that capture the magic and on top of that offer spectacular sonics .

Karol

How would jwfaners rate the Varese "The Day The Earth Stood Still"? I find the panning on the "Klatuu Stops The World" track (sorry, I don't know its proper title) to be a little jarring, but I suspect that this is deliberate. All'n'all, I think it's a fantastic score.

[Xander Harris 9,671]

Alliance Assembly from Return of the Jedi, John Williams.

This is such a great track. Very nostalgic. I love Return of the Jedi. Ah, the warm feeling of that film...

I prefer "The Levitation"

They're both phenomenal. It's just too bad we only have them in bootleg sounding quality.

[KK 3,313]

Now I'm listening to McNeely's recording of Vertigo, probably one of my favourite CD's of all time.

Karol

It is absolutely wonderful. My first Bernard Herrmann album.

Even better than the original?

I would say so. The recording is fantastic!

[Matt C 605]

The Golden Compass by Alexandre Desplat

Screw Deathly Hallows, this is much better work. Not for everyone, as Desplatian trademark "crystal clear, delicate as a porcelain and paper thin" music is not exactly what many people expect from their fantasy scores. But if you give it time you'll get the most out of it. And then you realise there are dozen of themes in there and they're all developed thoughout. Rewarding.

Karol

The Golden Compass ties with Deathly Hallows: Part 1 as my favorite Desplat score. The score is just... magical. And those dozen themes you mentioned, for Lyra, the Magisterium, Iorek, the Witches.... wonderful. It's a shame the film didn't get a sequel, it would've been interesting to see how Desplat would've progressed the themes. But I have a feeling if it did, he would've gone for a different approach like he did with DH2.

[Incanus 5,890]

The Black Beauty by Danny Elfman: Is this truly Elfman I am hearing? The change of tone from Elfman's typical darkly elegant and slightly off-kilter scores is truly startling, in a positive way. This score sparkles with Celtic styled yearning and joyous melodies, lilting with crisp and sprightly piano, tin whistle, harp and violin performances and generally upbeat and lyrical atmosphere that is simply magical and sweeps you away. A slight undercurrent of melancholy still reminds us that this is an Elfman score but this just adds another layer to the lively and marvellous score. The composer also expertly manipulates his main theme which he spins through many different interesting variations. Inspiration truly at work here.The closest cousin to this in his discography would be Sommersby that shares some of the lyrical and rustic sounds but is more American. I can't recommend this score highly enough for those who would love to hear a different side to the composer that is so rarely exhibited in his bigger films.

Next: All the King's Men by James Horner

[Brónach 1,330]

The Black Beauty by Danny Elfman:

It's great! One of my favourites of him. I'm still unfamiliar with Sommersby though.

[Matt C 605]

X-Men: The Last Stand - John Powell

The guy went into overdrive with this score, but it is just marvelous. Jean Grey's Phoenix theme is both romantic and dangerously exotic, especially in "Whirlpool of Love" and "Phoenix Rises." But the most enticing thing is the action music... oh man, half the album is comprised of it. But the themes are so good... it's a shame Powell's former colleague Gregson-Williams and Henry Jackman didn't try to top it.

[crocodile 9,724]

The Black Beauty by Danny Elfman:

It's great! One of my favourites of him. I'm still unfamiliar with Sommersby though.

As Mikko pointed out, they seem to be siblings in Elfman's repertoire. Sommersby ventures heavily towards John Barry type of romance with some folk elements.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to358vveOfg

Oh and I just listened to Goldsmith's First Knight.

Karol

[indy4 160]

Happy Birthday Variations:

This is a really neat piece. It seems to be about everybody coming together to celebrate a birthday. You have each section doing their part; horns, percussion, woodwinds, non-horn brass, strings, and then they all come together at the end. You can tell Williams had a ton of fun with this.

You can hear traces of Harry Potter, Home Alone, SPR, and his concert works too.

I also think the whole idea is just really funny. The happy birthday tune is about as simple and unsophisticated as it gets, but here it is getting the deluxe John Williams treatment, like it's the greatest thing on earth. It's such a complex and unpredictable piece, rhythmically, harmonically, and orchestrationally. And right in the beginning JW hits us on the head with those wonderfully odd and complex horn chords (I wish I had the musical knowledge to know what they are). It's like he's showing off, letting us know how strange this experience is going to be.

[MrJosh 1,205]

Jerry Goldsmith - Poltergeist (complete)

Man, this score is amazing. I love the innocence and beauty in Carol Anne's theme, and the slightly creepy statements of it....the intense and complex action music...and to hear it in a complete presentation. WINNING.

This is one of my top favorite Goldsmith scores for sure.

[indy4 160]

I'm listening to Angela's Ashes. What a great score.

[crocodile 9,724]

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

1941

Jane Eyre (Marianelli)

And I've also listened to the third LP on Ben-Hur set. Now I've got just two hours of alternates left. That is exhausting!

Karol

[alicebrallice 134]

Thomas Newman - Shawshank Redemption

without a doubt his best work! it's crazy how much the score favored the movie. I can listen to it over and over again.

[Incanus 5,890]

Thomas Newman - Shawshank Redemption

without a doubt his best work! it's crazy how much the score favored the movie. I can listen to it over and over again.

Yeap. Definitely in his top 5. The album is a rather great presentation of the score on the whole as well. The build-up to the release of the finale is just beautiful.

Elegy for Cello and Orchestra by John Williams in the memory of a dear friend who recently passed away.

[alicebrallice 134]

there's one thing that keeps bugging me...

who the hell is tom newton?

according to lastfm:

haha... I also tried googling "tom newton composer" without any luck. must be some kind of mistake, right?

[Josh500 1,620]

Send him a message on FB or Twitter!

"Who the hell are you?"

[Matt C 605]

Batman - Danny Elfman

It remains a favorite of mine. For his second feature film score, Batman is still surprisingly well-developed and orchestrated. Every time I listen to his Batman theme or the big cues like "Charge of the Batmobile", "Descent into Mystery" and the finale -- it's amazing. I don't have the LLL 2-CD release yet, but the original album has most of the highlights in beautiful stereo.

[Wojo 2,458]

You should get it. Trent can't sleep until it sells out.

[indy4 160]

John Williams' Trumpet Concerto. It's very good. I hear bits of JFK, War of the Worlds, and some of his modern action material. I don't really understand the piece yet, but it still makes for a very engaging and exciting listen.