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War Horse – A Review and an Analysis of the Original Soundtrack Album


Incanus

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Which of the themes sounds like Jade from The Rock?

Count me in too. I thought that the first time I heard it, but was afraid to bring it up. I'm new and didn't know how Zimmer and company were appreciated around here.

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Which of the themes sounds like Jade from The Rock?

Count me in too. I thought that the first time I heard it, but was afraid to bring it up. I'm new and didn't know how Zimmer and company were appreciated around here.

Well usually mentions of Zimmer are followed by icy silence and then we move on like nothing has happened.

Nah just pulling your leg. His name is an anathema here to some. To most. Well to all except Koray Savas. ;)

And yes the theme for Jade from the Rock has a sort of Celtic feel as well very similar to the Dartmoor theme. Let the horrible Zimmer influence conspiracy theories run wild!

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Hey Incanus, "Plowing" features the Nature Theme towards the end of the track. It's notated in your track-by-track section but not the theme list at the bottom

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To be completely honest, what you're calling the Friendship Theme I don't see as a "theme". It's just a piece of music that is briefly used toward the very end of the movie, and then expanded on very emotionally at the end (especially by the cellos) in a very music-centric way in the film. Now if you want to call that a theme, I guess it doesn't make too much of a difference, but to me it was just a piece of music that he used within the closing moments to highlight the emotion in general.

I suppose it depends on whether you feel strongly that if a sketch of music repeats even twice that it must signify something.

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I suppose you have seen the movie, right?

well, I haven't seen it, but according to Incanus it does appear 3 times in the soundtrack..

and strictly musically, I would definitely call it a theme because it's very strictly and carefully structured, very characteristic melodically and complete as a theme.. It's not a free cadential like melody or something abstract, or even a motif.

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Well it occurs twice within the movie proper (now, this is only from one viewing, so it may occur elsewhere that isn't represented on the OST), the last track is a suite.

Like I said, I don't take issue if someone takes away from it some sort of thematic association, if it means something to the viewer. But to me it just simply felt like an overall emotional release, more or less, easing us into peaceful contemplation. Hey, if everyone else sees it and thinks otherwise then so be it, I just didn't think it was clearly defined or constructed as a specific theme.

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Well it occurs twice within the movie proper (now, this is only from one viewing, so it may occur elsewhere that isn't represented on the OST), the last track is a suite.

Like I said, I don't take issue if someone takes away from it some sort of thematic association, if it means something to the viewer. But to me it just simply felt like an overall emotional release, more or less, easing us into peaceful contemplation. Hey, if everyone else sees it and thinks otherwise then so be it, I just didn't think it was clearly defined or constructed as a specific theme.

You mean it does not seem to have a specific dramatic purpose outside the final emotional accent on the story, not scoring any specific idea in the film?

Well it could be a final version of the Bonding Theme as I mention, another melodic phrase joining the original theme to finish the whole, sort of making a comment of coming around full circle emotionally. My instinct was to separate it as its own entity because of its distinct nature.

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I really, really LOVE the friendship theme--the beginning of it especially. I wish it appeared everywhere. I listen to Homecoming repeatedly just to hear it.

I like our mention of Terminal and Heartbeeps. I'm sure others realize that Williams unknowingly lifted music from Heartbeeps and stuck it in a track in Terminal. I the the wedding track.

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For some reason I'm so curious to see that movie (heartbeeps)

It's one of the worse movies I've ever seen. Although it makes it a cult classic for that reason!

And I like the Williams score very much.

Anyway, back to our subject:

one suggests here that the Dartmoor theme resembles a theme from Poltergeist II.

Well, yes, it does, but I would call it purely accidental..

(I can't listen to the whole Poltergeist now to find all the renditions of the theme , but one good rendition which has the complete theme is in track 3: the mall (the melody in the church organ in the bass)

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You mean it does not seem to have a specific dramatic purpose outside the final emotional accent on the story, not scoring any specific idea in the film?

It seemed that way, especially how it's used in track 15. The scene that it plays over. I'll have to take closer notice next time of how that smaller moment plays out in track 14. To see where exactly it's spotted. This is just my initial observation.

Sort of how "Regaining a Son" works in Seven Years in Tibet.

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You mean it does not seem to have a specific dramatic purpose outside the final emotional accent on the story, not scoring any specific idea in the film?

It seemed that way, especially how it's used in track 15. The scene that it plays over. I'll have to take closer notice next time of how that smaller moment plays out in track 14. To see where exactly it's spotted. This is just my initial observation.

Sort of how "Regaining a Son" works in Seven Years in Tibet.

And since you bring that up...how beautiful is that anyway, and more importantly the Williams/Ma version, Elegy for Cello and Orchestra from 2001? That and War Horse's main theme are definetly in my top 20.

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I was a bit bored by this score on my first listen. I guess with all the hype I was expecting something more dramatic and "in your face". I'm trying to get into it.

I honestly feel a bit sad for you. What must happen to be bored by such a masterpiece... by really really good music... this is just so sad but hopefully in the future you will get into it

Is orchestral music your favorite musical genre by the way?

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Yes :lol:

I think I haven't been in the correct mood for this score in a while, I mean I went straight to Close Encounters and Jaws after War Horse as if "aah, that's more like it". There's also that I can't hear much in my right ear due to a cold and if you listen to music you know well your brain kind of fills the gaps.

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well, this soundtrack's been on replay for the past two days now and I still can't stop listening to it. I listen to it walking to and from class and it's by far the best study music I've ever had. Out of all the themes, the so-called "friendship theme" is the best one.

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I've only listened to this sparingly, but I can tell you now it doesn't even one close to Tintin, as far as I'm concerned.

But I will say that if the film's magnificent then the score is very likely to grow on me.

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Sure. But then again, 99% of John Williams' output from the last 25 years isn't.

Such a wasted career!

No, but he composed virtually all of his masterpieces prior to those 25 years.

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Yeah. Apart from JP and possibly the first Potter there was a huge drop of quality after TOD...

Ah, come on. BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, WITCHES OF EASTWICK, EMPIRE OF THE SUN, HOME ALONE...i mean, i'm picky but those are some of Williams' best works, in case of BOTF i'd say there was hardly another film after it where Williams so brilliantly captured the spirit of not only the movie but the whole tragedy of war it portrayed. Sod off, SPR!

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Yeah. Apart from JP and possibly the first Potter there was a huge drop of quality after TOD...

Yeah, Born On The Fourth Of July, Hook, Home Alone, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, Harry Potter, ... A HUGE drop....

The thing is, most artists "suffer" from a creative peak during their careers. Williams had his from 1975 to 1982. He delivered a string of some of the greatest scores ever written within a relatively short timeframe. After his peak, he is still producing excellent scores. However; the quality he produced during his peak-years will never be equaled.

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The thing is, most artists "suffer" from a creative peak during their careers. Williams had his from 1975 to 1982. He delivered a string of some of the greatest scores ever written within a relatively short timeframe. After his peak, he is still producing excellent scores. However; the quality he produced during his peak-years will never be equaled.

I agree, except for me it's from 1975 to 1984.

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The thing is, most artists "suffer" from a creative peak during their careers. Williams had his from 1975 to 1982. He delivered a string of some of the greatest scores ever written within a relatively short timeframe. After his peak, he is still producing excellent scores. However; the quality he produced during his peak-years will never be equaled.

I agree, except for me it's from 1975 to 1984.

the quality and quantity of work during that period is unmatched by any contemporaries, or John himself in later years. Still for a 1 month release period of these two scores it's stands pretty damned high. They are so terrific as stand alones I'm very excited to hear them in context within the film.

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Yeah. Apart from JP and possibly the first Potter there was a huge drop of quality after TOD...

I think it's because the Star Wars films ended and Spielberg didn't make fun movies for a while . But I extend that period to 1986 because I include Amazing Stories The Mission and Spacecamp .I liked the Spacecamp score as much as E.T. back then

1986-1999:

By around 1989 I remember I was a bit depressed with the new JW scores for Oliver Stone films, Presumed Innocent and Always . The Home Alone scores weren't up to 1975-1986 amazingness . Bright points were Last Crusade , Hook and JP ( at least the first half of the album). The lowest point in my fandom was mid-late 90's with Sabrina, Sleepers, Seven Years in Tibet ,Amistad and Rosewood back to back.

TPM ,A.I. and Sorcerer's Stone kinda put things back into place.

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I like them more now, but I really struggled with Born on the Fourth of July and JFK back then . By 1997 with Rosewood I was worried we'd never get a classic JW score again and I didn't like The Lost World that much (still don't) except for the main theme and a few individual tracks

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1986-1999:

By around 1989 I remember I was a bit depressed with the new JW scores for Oliver Stone films, Presumed Innocent and Always . The Home Alone scores weren't up to 1975-1986 amazingness . Bright points were Last Crusade , Hook and JP ( at least the first half of the album). The lowest point in my fandom was mid-late 90's with Sabrina, Sleepers, Seven Years in Tibet ,Amistad and Rosewood back to back.

You are......insane. :sigh:

BOTFJ, HOME ALONE >>>>>>> SPACECAMP, HOOK, JP. They show a Williams not vegetating in a musical wake coma. ALWAYS is fucking boring, though.

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Also during that time Goldsmith (post 1986) started to disappoint me so it didn't bode well for my film score fan future

BOTFJ, HOME ALONE >>>>>>> SPACECAMP, HOOK, JP. They show a Williams not vegetating in a musical wake coma.

No way

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War Horse is good, but its no Jaws or Close Encounters.

It seems a lot of film music fans define Williams with his output from 75-82. I think those years were very non-Williams. The pre-1975 and post-1982 Williams I believe have been consistent in quality, which is fantastic. In fact, if I had to choose between having stuff 75-82 but nothng else, and everything except for 75-82, I would choose the latter. Meaning, I would happily give up Star Wars, Jaws, and Superman if I get to keep his 90's, 00's, and 60's/early 70s scores. People are too attached to those few years where he was trying something new.

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Also during that time Goldsmith (post 1986) started to disappoint me so it didn't bode well for my film score fan future

BOTFJ, HOME ALONE >>>>>>> SPACECAMP, HOOK, JP. They show a Williams not vegetating in a musical wake coma.

No way

Ass. :sigh:

But what's the score on WAR HORSE now? I only listened to the clips form the radio station multiple times and one cue called PLOWING which i found better than the clips, i smell respectable Williams located somewhere between THE RIVER, FAR AND AWAY, ANGELA'S ASHES and AMISTAD. The emotional pull harks back to pre-1993 Williams in the PLOWING cue.

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I think charts and "best of" lists speak more about our perception of music and our emotional attachment to it than the actual quality of the music itself. The majority of older Williams' aficionados became attached to the Maestro's music during the so-called "peak years" (i.e. from Jaws/Star Wars to Temple of Doom)

I for one find very difficult to make comparison charts when it comes to Williams and his music. Sure, I have more deep emotional attachment to some works than others, but that's frankly a very subjective POV. But Williams' output has been so consistent in all departments that it's somewhat useless try to rank his works. Of course this doesn't mean that we should worship every single thing he has done, but my feeling is that we should put more perspective in our judgements. When we analyze the work of composers like Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Herrmann or Korngold do we always bring our the argument "Oh, he's damn good, but he never peaked himself again after that period" etc.? No, we take their work and enjoy them while putting them in their own right historical/aesthetical perspective.

That's why I'm constantly impressed at Williams' ability as a composer. I would say that I'm probably more impressed today than I was when I started to listen to his music.

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