Popular Post Ludwig 1,120 Posted January 29, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted January 29, 2015 Part two of my posts on the Best Score nominees for this year's Oscars, this one on Desplat's The Imitation Game.http://www.filmmusicnotes.com/oscar-nominees-2015-best-original-score-part-2-of-6-alexandre-desplats-the-imitation-game/A subtly effective score. publicist, Not Mr. Big, Incanus and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,233 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Thanks Ludwig. Not a score that I was too tickled by but clearly well constructed as you'd expect from Desplat.Interesting about the bass of Alan's first theme and the memories of Christopher theme. That's the kind of subtle but masterful connection that I love to discover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 7,984 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Thanks for sharing all those articles, Ludwig. I might not always comment but they're really insightful for non-literate (largely!) morons like myself. Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwig 1,120 Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 Many thanks, Karol. I try to aim the articles at a broad audience, especially for these Oscar posts. So it's good to know that you get so much out of them without feeling the need for a lot of background.Working on the Theory of Everything ideas now. Funny that it's not as melodically "theme-y" a score as most these days, even if one considers really short motifs a la Zimmer. The themes seem to be defined more by chord progression than melody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK 3,307 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Another great post Ludwig!And an apt observation of ToE. Some of the progressions heavily borrow from Korzeniowski too, likely due to temp-track love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,233 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I recall being constantly reminded of this by that score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I loved the score Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,233 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Imitative dreck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 said the zimmer lover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,233 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Yes, that guy who writes inventive and substantial music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 And pigs can fly... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Yes, that guy who writes inventive and substantial music.When? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,233 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Classic JWFan idiots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Zimmer fan! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,233 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Ginger! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 And proud!Fucking racist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,233 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Sorry Ludwig.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Who? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Yes, that guy who writes inventive and substantial music.he writes the stuff that comes out of your butthole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I have now the exciting vision of a man - presumably TGP - farting KING ARTHUR. Somehow fitting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,233 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Fine score, that one is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 And you are certifiable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,233 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Budget Meeting, now that'll get your heart racing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 that is an excellent undertaking by Ludwig. I prefer this to Hotel. AD is becoming one of the best of this generations film composers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkissimo 1,973 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 ... moving on.Great article as always Ludwig. Really like that Secrets theme - the use of hexatonic poles is not something you normally see in an Oscar nominated score.The way the two 16th note ostinati interlock in Alan Successful is spine tingling.BTW, you forgot to tick 'Show player controls' when copying the Youtube embed code. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I prefer this to Hotel.You are certifiable, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 7,984 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Pub, since we're talking about Desplat, I just noticed that you included Unbroken on your best of 2014 list. Why is that?Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,233 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 It's an interesting one, somewhat new territory for him. Better than TIG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 7,984 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I like the Olympic theme in this score but not so sure about the whole.Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 It is not prime Desplat - the whole middle lags like a comatose snail but there are some fine pieces of sustained dramatic writing (THE PLANK, WAR IS OVER) that i would recommend over the easy pleasures of TIG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwig 1,120 Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 BTW, you forgot to tick 'Show player controls' when copying the Youtube embed code.Ah, thank you! It happened with Grand Budapest too, it seems, so I fixed them both. Always appreciative of these things as I might never have noticed them myself.Really like that Secrets theme - the use of hexatonic poles is not something you normally see in an Oscar nominated score.The way the two 16th note ostinati interlock in Alan Successful is spine tingling.Agreed on both counts. I think Desplat probably arrived at the hexatonic thing by altering the i-bvi progression we usually get with associations of evil. It's more of a filmic way of approaching it, but results in the same thing.And that ostinato isn't your everyday fare in film, either. It does sound like the China Gates that TGP posted, but then I wonder whether it just happened that way since ostinato is so pervasive in today's film scores and wouldn't have to be drawn from a classical source. Maybe Desplat knows and loves a lot of Adams' music, but if I were to guess, I would say it was a case of coincidence. After all, besides the perpetual rhythm and similar timbre, the melodic material is quite different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,233 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Oh I was unclear - I meant that The Theory of Everything reminds me of China Gates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I prefer this to Hotel.You are certifiable, too.my mother had me tested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 With what result? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 that I am sane as a sane person. but that my brain patterns would never be able to accept the film vision of wes anderson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkissimo 1,973 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 And that ostinato isn't your everyday fare in film, either. It does sound like the China Gates that TGP posted, but then I wonder whether it just happened that way since ostinato is so pervasive in today's film scores and wouldn't have to be drawn from a classical source. Maybe Desplat knows and loves a lot of Adams' music, but if I were to guess, I would say it was a case of coincidence. After all, besides the perpetual rhythm and similar timbre, the melodic material is quite different.When I first heard it my mind went to Morricone's Ecstasy of Gold by way of Green Day's Boulevard of Broken Dreams. The pop influence is pretty strong here I'd say, though no more than other composers of Desplat's generation - James Newton Howard, Dario Marianelli etc. Strong tendency towards Mixolydian and Dorian harmonies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwig 1,120 Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 Oh I was unclear - I meant that The Theory of Everything reminds me of China Gates.Yes, of course. My bad. Any particular cues you had in mind?And that ostinato isn't your everyday fare in film, either. It does sound like the China Gates that TGP posted, but then I wonder whether it just happened that way since ostinato is so pervasive in today's film scores and wouldn't have to be drawn from a classical source. Maybe Desplat knows and loves a lot of Adams' music, but if I were to guess, I would say it was a case of coincidence. After all, besides the perpetual rhythm and similar timbre, the melodic material is quite different.When I first heard it my mind went to Morricone's Ecstasy of Gold by way of Green Day's Boulevard of Broken Dreams. The pop influence is pretty strong here I'd say, though no more than other composers of Desplat's generation - James Newton Howard, Dario Marianelli etc. Strong tendency towards Mixolydian and Dorian harmonies.What's your take on Morricone's ostinatos? Do you hear them as derived from pop accompaniment styles or more from classical minimalism? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,233 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Well the main theme of TOE, the cue that opens the album sounds like a marriage of the Adams piece with this one. Not trying to imply anything shady, it's just what pops into my head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK 3,307 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Well it does literally have the same chord progression.The score's influences are not subtle, but it is a pleasant summation of various things done by other minimalists. Having said that, I'm not sure there's much more to it than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 7,984 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 It is not prime Desplat - the whole middle lags like a comatose snail but there are some fine pieces of sustained dramatic writing (THE PLANK, WAR IS OVER) that i would recommend over the easy pleasures of TIG.Oh yes, those two tracks are quite something indeed.Plus, as I said, main theme is very nice.Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hlao-roo 389 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 It is not prime Desplat - the whole middle lags like a comatose snail but there are some fine pieces of sustained dramatic writing (THE PLANK, WAR IS OVER) that i would recommend over the easy pleasures of TIG.Oh yes, those two tracks are quite something indeed.Plus, as I said, main theme is very nice indeed.Indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 7,984 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I just un-deed this indeed?Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK 3,307 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I prefer TIG as a whole over Unbroken. But as you mentioned, the score has its highlights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Apart from the bookending, more sentimental pieces i just find IMITATION GAME a bit meh...it is polished and well-written but i had these moments with Horner/BEAUTIFUL MIND over 13 years ago and TIG isn't better, just more of the same (apart from the token similarities to scores like EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE and others, with the cited example, another quickie, being one of Desplat's best 'sentimental' american scores). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I want to apologize to each of you for liking this Meh score. How wrong of me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,233 Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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