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

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Interstellar has definitely grown on me. I have no interest in any expanded editions though. Even on the original album, the score drags.

[publicist 4,643]

 

 

THE LEFTOVERS- Max Richter

 

Score for a HBO series i've never seen - as expected, it's heavy on Kronos quartet style strings and minimalistic piano (not unlike Michael Nyman or Glass on one of his filmic expeditions) with only a handful of tracks breaking the mold, i. e. De Profundis that adds Bach-ian organ to the proceedings. It's all done with a commendable finesse though hardly casting a spell on the listener. I guess by the still lacklustre standards of modern tv music it really is a worthy addition but ultimately not substantial enough to leave much of a mark.

[Marian Schedenig 8,192]

Only a few JW OST"s have not been rendered completely obsolete by expanded Editions...basically Jaws and E.T.

The Fury.

[Bespin 8,480]

Obsolete, sometimes in terms of sound quality.... But like someone said earlier... once you have "all the music recorded", it's fun to go back to the original albums and listen to the highlights.

A long time a ago in a galaxy far far away... these albums where the only ones we had...

One thing I also like to do is to reproduce original albums sequencing using the newer material... It's not always possible to do it exactly, because the montages are different... but it's the kind of stuff I like to do.

I'm a "compilation" guy always looking for the "perfect compilation" :-)

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Yeah, The Fury's album is vastly superior to the film score.

[KK 3,307]

Unbroken by Alexandre Desplat

The least of Desplat's efforts this year. Safely playing by Oscar-bait rules, sticking with familiar warm, fuzzy chords and the occasional touch of Asian elements to reflect the setting. It's highlights can be rousing, and it has some interesting musical moments, but Imitation Game does the better job of the two musically. Though the choral bit that gets reprised now and then, is notably one Desplat's finest moments of the year. Some of the quieter moments even remind you of Korzeniowski's work for dramas. Overall, decent, but falls short in comparison to his other scores of 2014.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

It's average.

[KK 3,307]

Yup.

[Hlao-roo 389]

Average Desplat?

[publicist 4,643]

Average Desplat is about 9 scores a year. And i still like UNBROKEN more than the glossy, Hornerish IMITATION GAME...oh the irony, considering the award-begging Jolie movie.

[KK 3,307]

Imitation Game has more interesting things going on orchestration wise, and better themes. It's typical Desplat, but typical Desplat done well.

Unbroken can be summed up as a decent attempt at brass chorales with taiko drums and ethnic flutes added to the mix (because that's just about adequate enough to address the setting change) and the occasional moment of colour and intrigue in the harmonically unadventurous majority.

[King Mark 3,631]

The Plank is the highlight cue

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Computer. Remove the plank!

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Number One, that's retract plank, not remove plank.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Just imagine what it was like. No engines, no computers. Just...the wind, and the sea and the stars to guide you.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Birdman

It sucks.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Nah, you do.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Birdman

It sucks.

Misogynist!!!

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Racist!!!!

[Incanus 5,714]

Memoirs of a Geisha by John Williams: It has been a while since I have listened to this and it sounds better than ever. 2005 was truly a red letter year for JW and Geisha is still perhaps the most evocative of those 4 wonderful scores from that year. Here Williams obviously worked hard on the whole idea of combining the Western orchestra with the Japanese Instruments and stylings and it works brilliantly and he balances both aspects very well. The score envelops you in a world of its own which does have those trademark Williams moments but for the most part explores very beautiful and interesting new avenues. The emotional pull of the score is subtle and the composer avoids too schmaltzy histrionics although the score is allowed to shine with the visuals in a most complementary way. There is a lot of emotion in the performances of the soloists and all the deeper drama seems to be happening underneath the surface, only to be released at key moments. Confluence finally releases all the long held back emotions with highly effective orchestral swell and combines the themes of Chiyo and Sayuri, the two musical sides of the same person, into one fulfilling coda. The album at 60 minutes is a generous one but I could certainly listen to more of this excellent music.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Memoirs of a Geisha is a fine score. It doesn't have anything grand or melodramatic like the wonderful Seven Years in Tibet theme but it stands as a much more engaging listen; mainly due to the fantastic orchestral color.

Rise of the Guardians

I'm liking Desplat more and more everyday. I wish that he'd work on more fantasy/action films like this, Godzilla, and the Deathly Hallow movies. His action writing is comparable to Williams' in its complexity. I personally wish that his themes were more "hummable" though.

[DreamTheater 131]

LETHAL WEAPON 2 (KAMEN & CO.)

Having never owned any Lethal Weapon music before I got the LLL box I'm definitely beginning to appreciate how much great music is on this set.

As a result I now have much more appreciation for Kamen's unique style, which wasn't always to my taste in the older days.

The original album actually plays like a conceptual rock album and I love it. Every 'song' has a lot of instrumental improvisation by Eric Clapton and David Sanborn.

It's vastly different from how the score was constructed, and feels the most like a 'songs inspired by the soundtrack' kind of album.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Improvisation?

Urgh.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

"Improvisation" is the excuse they come up with to explain their lack of talent!

[KK 3,307]

Memoirs of a Geisha by John Williams: It has been a while since I have listened to this and it sounds better than ever. 2005 was truly a red letter year for JW and Geisha is still perhaps the most evocative of those 4 wonderful scores from that year. Here Williams obviously worked hard on the whole idea of combining the Western orchestra with the Japanese Instruments and stylings and it works brilliantly and he balances both aspects very well. The score envelops you in a world of its own which does have those trademark Williams moments but for the most part explores very beautiful and interesting new avenues. The emotional pull of the score is subtle and the composer avoids too schmaltzy histrionics although the score is allowed to shine with the visuals in a most complementary way. There is a lot of emotion in the performances of the soloists and all the deeper drama seems to be happening underneath the surface, only to be released at key moments. Confluence finally releases all the long held back emotions with highly effective orchestral swell and combines the themes of Chiyo and Sayuri, the two musical sides of the same person, into one fulfilling coda. The album at 60 minutes is a generous one but I could certainly listen to more of this excellent music.

Williams last truly great score I believe.

[Jay 37,346]

War Horse....

[BloodBoal 7,538]

The Force Awakens...

[KK 3,307]

War Horse is good, but doesn't compare to Memoirs in intelligence, colour and creativity.

And TFA hasn't even been written yet! It might turn out to be the new "Williams last truly great score", but the music needs to be out first to make that call!

[Jay 37,346]

And TFA hasn't even been written yet!

Are you sure about that?

[KK 3,307]

Well it hasn't been finished! And the music hasn't been produced/recorded! Unless I'm missing something...

[BloodBoal 7,538]

The recording sessions have leaked, KK.

[Romão 2,274]

Chiyo's theme is a wonder of a theme. Not the most obvious of themes, but a true keeper

[Incanus 5,714]

Memoirs of a Geisha by John Williams: It has been a while since I have listened to this and it sounds better than ever. 2005 was truly a red letter year for JW and Geisha is still perhaps the most evocative of those 4 wonderful scores from that year. Here Williams obviously worked hard on the whole idea of combining the Western orchestra with the Japanese Instruments and stylings and it works brilliantly and he balances both aspects very well. The score envelops you in a world of its own which does have those trademark Williams moments but for the most part explores very beautiful and interesting new avenues. The emotional pull of the score is subtle and the composer avoids too schmaltzy histrionics although the score is allowed to shine with the visuals in a most complementary way. There is a lot of emotion in the performances of the soloists and all the deeper drama seems to be happening underneath the surface, only to be released at key moments. Confluence finally releases all the long held back emotions with highly effective orchestral swell and combines the themes of Chiyo and Sayuri, the two musical sides of the same person, into one fulfilling coda. The album at 60 minutes is a generous one but I could certainly listen to more of this excellent music.

Williams last truly great score I believe.

I do not quite agree. I am quite partial to War Horse and Lincoln myself. War Horse has its abundance of brilliant themes and certain youthful exuberance and again the soloist work is brilliant in that one. Homecoming is still one of my absolutely favourite JW tracks of the 2010s from Williams with such fluid exploration of all his major themes in a single long piece. Memoirs of a Geisha a bit deeper work on the whole, more pensive in its character but equally impressive for somewhat different reasons.

Chiyo's theme is a wonder of a theme. Not the most obvious of themes, but a true keeper

Chiyo's and Sayuri's themes are deceptively simple yet highly effective and beautiful pieces of writing from the Maestro. Chiyo's is more unassuming at first but slowly gains beautiful emotional resonance on the album and Williams achieves a great effect by playing Chiyo's theme for the true persona of the character and Sayuri's theme for the outward appearances.

[KK 3,307]

War Horse has wonderful virtuoso solo work with some very good themes, and I'm quite partial to Lincoln myself, which is a beautifully crafted work in itself.

But there is something so fresh and unique to Memoirs, which stylistically flirts with so many facets, both old and new, of Williams' musical voice that it just ends up as the more admirable work. Few scores have managed to blend ethnic colours so well while integrating so many different musical vices (from the Adams-esque minimalism of "Destiny's Path" to the classicality of the Chairmen's waltz, and the master's emotional shine in Confluence, etc etc). And the fantastic concert suite only went on to affirm it's brilliance.

It also helps that it was one of my first Williams scores too

[Bespin 8,480]

Memoirs of a Geisha by John Williams (...)

Williams last truly great score I believe.

For me too.

It's the last John Williams CD I bought with the instinctive reflex : "I must absolutely have it!!!".

Munich, Cristal Skull, Tintin, War Horse, Lincoln, Book thief... That's more a collector reflex.

It's not that these soundtracks are bad, far from that... but the movies touched me less, the colours of the soundtrack touched me less too.

Geisha is really my last love "at first listening".

[KK 3,307]

The recording sessions have leaked, KK.

Just checked it out, wasn't too impressed!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Goes to show how clueless you are!

[Incanus 5,714]

The Golden Compass by Alexandre Desplat: This one has aged very well and I like it considerably more than when it first came out. There is a great sense of melodicism and adventure and invention in this score with very Desplat-styled orchestrational touches that add another layer of unique colour to the score. A very good show case of composer's bigger orchestral style and highly intricate and intelligent (at times quite subtle) thematic writing although it lacks a truly emotional knockout main theme to really elevate it to a status of a classic.

[publicist 4,643]

I think the theme at the beginning of RIDING IOREK sounds as catchy as any Williams from that period.

[Jay 37,346]

James Horner - Aliens

Simply fantastic from start to end. I love the action cues, the suspense cues, the atmospheric cues. It's all great! The only negative thing I can think of to say about this score is that it could be longer - they simply didn't choose to score huge stretches of the film, and having some music written there would flesh out the score even more and make it even better. I mean, when listening to the score you go right from Ripley's Rescue to Facehuggers, which is like 30 minutes later in the film. Also after the rip roaring Going After Newt we only get the droning Queen cue before Bishop's Countdown.

Regardless I love this score and now I gotta listen to Kevin Riepl's Colonial Marines score

[Incanus 5,714]

I think the theme at the beginning of RIDING IOREK sounds as catchy as any Williams from that period.

It is a shame the film didn't get sequels even just for the sake of Desplat having a chance to continue to expand his musical world in the second and third movies.

[Jay 37,346]

I really wanted them to get sequels cause I liked the movie

[publicist 4,643]

See it in a larger focus: so many people were spared the 4 additional hours of wretched trash.

[Wojo 2,453]

I read the books. I'm glad the film series ended where it did.

[publicist 4,643]

The film is a textbook example - literally - how to fuck it up. Without rhyme or reason they hurl all this nonsensical bullshit at the viewer and manage to cut even the sly religious satire that made it all work in the book. Nicole Kidman is the only character that does work and that's saying a lot about the rest.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I listened to Nixon, War of the Worlds, Tintin, Jaws and Return of the Jedi: Special Edition. Next, I shall listen to Revenge of the Sith.

[Matt C 452]

Marvel's The Avengers - Alan Silvestri

It may not be Goldsmith, but it's damn catchy and so much fun. Probably one of the strongest superhero themes this decade, and Silvestri nicely incorporates his Captain America and tesseract themes from The First Avenger throughout. It's such a rollicking good time and brings back fun memories of the film.

I know Brian Tyler does his homework for scoring big follow-ups, as there's plenty of Silvestri material he can reference and develop for Age of Ultron. I'm hoping he'll at least retain the main theme and Captain America's themes.

[KK 3,307]

I prefer Zimmer's Spiderman score (cue audible gasps). The Avengers score is a bit bland for my tastes.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

I prefer Horner's Spiderman score to both of those.

[KK 3,307]

That's a good one too. Avengers is one of the weaker superhero scores in recent years, along with most of the Marvel films. They don't exactly produce very good scores.