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There's a lot of classical music out there that's worth your time. And just like with film music, a lot that isn't worth your time.

Thank goodness Williams didn’t wear a blue tie on one night, and grey the next!

https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=145575&forumID=1&archive=0

If that's the case, it begs the question why Mike didn't fix the weird edit and or audio glitch between Saving Buckbeak and the Bats Extension. That's even one of the tracks he provided a corrected master for!

No, no no, no, yes

Its very hard to tell where the score ends and the sound design begins, honestly; and yes, its very prominent in the mix. Sometimes it works for the visuals, sometimes its a bit too much. There were a couple of lines mumbled by Rebecca Ferguson there were lost on me. Its still a wonderful movie.

Then let's hope for a nice album release

Morocco shoot looking good! Appears to be second unit, as Ford is still in Italy. Love the lighting in this shot: Look who's sporting their Last Crusade tie again? A chase scene through the streets of Morocco with motorbikes, tuk tuks and vintage cars... ummm, yes please! Just think of JW's music for all this stuff...

It is simply a trope from pop culture about Nazca lines--no different than Stargate's treatment of the Ancient Egyptians and many other sci fi stories. Hell, even Star Trek TNG claims human beings have accomplished what we have because we were seeded by aliens. Its just standard sci-fi storytelling, and that is what they were going for in IV.

Williams saved me from listening to classcal music

Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula My annual rewatch. Is Keanu hopelessly miscast? Obviously yes and the other performances are all over the place. But every other aspect of the filmmaking is so jaw-dropping that I still say it’s one of Coppola’s finest movies. There are images here that stay with you forever. I almost wish I could watch a “silent mix” where dialogue is dialed out but music and SFX remain. I think it would only enhance the movie’s dreamlike surreal tone and of course deepen its connection to its early 20th century influences.

But it does evolve though! In any encounter, you can choose to steam in guns blazing, sneak around a pick them off one by one silently, or do bursts of steamrolling with distractions to get back to a safe area and try again. And as you get more weapons and tools you have more options to make any of these approaches happen. Plus, the gameplay really evolves in the Left Behind DLC. Finally you can, fight zombie and human enemies at the same time, and have them take each other out with careful planning.

Gosh, Glory made me cry. Very good movie.

Right, the new master uses the 44.1kHz OST source instead of the 48kHz one.

Not sure. I'll consider it if I have the time.

Or they were hidden cameras...

I will present a piece

I'm pretty swamped with work for the next few weeks, but I'll try and put something together if time allows!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVaj02MARID/?utm_medium=copy_link

We can’t judge things that don’t exist. based purely on this film, it does not fill its 2.5 hours. per my count 4 major incidents happen. 1. harkonnens withdraw from Arrakis and Atredies arrive in their stead based on the Emperor’s command. 2. there is an assassination attempt on Paul. 3. harkonnens in partnership with imperial forces mount an attack on the artedies. Many including Leto die. 4. Jessica and Paul escape into the desert and find the freemen. Everything else is exposition. Now for a humble 4 events, did they need 2.5 hours? Not at all. Cinema is very different from television. For all of this movie’s cinematic grandeur, it moves like a television series. All set up. Think bank to lord of the rings. The sheer amount of incident it packs into the first film. i think This is what a lot of us are saying. While there is a lot of world building going on here. There is not a lot of story. Cinema thrives on story in the end, not world building. World building is an element which supports the story. Gives it context and resonance. World building is eventually exposition. World building is not a goal unto itself. think to Harry Potter 1 of a similar length. Look at the amount of world building packed and the sheer number of incidents. lotr too. It’s first 5 mins pack in more world building than this movie. It is a very necessary question. Does the movie use its time well? I am afraid the answer has to be no. What actually feels cinematic is a large sweeping story packed into 3 hours. That feels epic. But a small story spread thin over multiple hours - that is what television does.

Highly doubt LLL would consider A) as people will drive them crazy asking "when does this come out?"

Oh i missunderstood, i thought it was the preorder of the new box

Fool of a Took!

I feel its more the 2nd half of Dune that wouldnt work as just a part of a whole movie. Too much happens.

If it's good, it's worth your time. If it's not, it isn't.

Ok, dude, which is which?

Can't say for certain! My impulses to play around on the online sequencer are rather sporadic, and largely dependent on whether there's something very important that I need to procrastinate about....

This actually nothing Lucas made up. That is a theory that those alien worshipping pseudo scientists like Erich von Dänecken made up as proof that aliens pushed our civilization. And that the bizzare icon statues of ancient cultures were just imitations of their"Masters" who gave them their knowledge. Picking up these theories in the movie made sense to me because Dänecken developed them in the early 70s or even late 60s.

It mainly comes from how easy it can be for one to find fake lossless/upconverted sets online within music download communities. It isn't what one would call rocket science (and the HP3 situation certainly is different from the usual), but it can be a useful tool to suss out discrepancies compared to other editions and sources. And like Luke mentioned above, it's definitely an easy thing to look at in cases where one decides to make edits in audio programs. Plus, it's kind of surprising how much lossy samples can get into music, so it just becomes a thing of regular curiosity after so many checks. (Also, I just think spectograms are neat to look at, regardless of quality.) Generally, people care heavily about getting the material in the best possible condition for preservation and quality sake. Especially if one is going to pay a great amount of money for it (think Hi-Res releases and the like), and also in case materials do end up getting lost to time. For most people, it's a hard concept to grasp on the basis that such things wouldn't never cross their mind. And for good reason, since sound compression has gotten really strong over the years (that, or the quality didn't matter as long as it didn't feel blatantly off). It's a great contrast between regular listeners and sound nuts, so I imagine it's a bit outlandish for the former camp. In my opinion, for being that these are supposed to be high profile releases for famous properties, there's already a greater expectation of the amount of care being placed into them. So it becomes a bit of a head scratcher that for as recent as these specific scores are, the fact they had to initially rely on inferior sources reeks of mismanagement in some department along the road. I could excuse it if this was a set that was being sold digitally in all markets, but as a thing that costs $100+ and for a still niche audience, it kind of bugs me that we essentially are beta testers for releases that should have an extra level of refining in the digital age. Guess I shouldn't be too hard on crews that are of an older generation, admittedly.

The debate over Film Music is more than just John Williams. It's basically an debate over what music is. Over at Talk Classical Forum, they talk about John Cage, Pierre Boulez, all of these figures, and John Williams. Because if you read the Classical Music History, there was a split between the Romantic sound and the newer Arnold Schoenberg sound in the 1900s. Some people would argue however, and I would agree that the Romantic Sound would actually end up in Film. People like Korngold, Max Steiner from which JW gets his inspiration. Film Music itself coming from Incindental plays, operas. And if we understand the totality of that history, we can understand why JW is the most interesting music figure in my book. And the argument that Williams doesn't attract people to Classical music is somewhat folly because that's exactly why he got awarded the Gold Medal by the RPS. last year. https://royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk/awards/gold-medal/john-williams " John has dedicated his life to ensuring orchestral music continues to speak to and captivate millions of people worldwide. Accepting the medal via video, he said: ‘To receive this award is beyond any expectation I could possibly have. For any composer to be able devote his or her life entirely to the composition of music is very fortunate indeed. I’d like to thank our musicians of our great orchestras in London and in the United States with whom I’ve worked so happily for so many years.’ Director Steven Spielberg sent his congratulations in a video recorded especially for the RPS, saying: ‘John, you have brought the classical idiom to young people all over the world through your scores, and through your classical training and your classical sensibilities. You are in the DNA of the musical culture of today.’ "

That was really cool! I adored the string writing and colors! Very fine music. It reminds me a bit of Ives and also film music of that time. Here is more American music, Howard Hanson's Lament for Beowulf:

YES! I got tickets to the June concert that was cancelled, and am getting to go for real! Yub nub!

Well, it was the first Playstation game I ever played and beat. I've always been a Nintendo guy, and never owned a Sony console until I bought a PS4, and this was the first game I played on it. Previously, I had played various PS games over the years on friends consoles, most notably Resident Evil 2 which blew me away, but had mostly been out of the AAA game loop and anything happening in the big budget video game world outside of Halo 1 and whatever Nintendo was doing When I played The Last Of Us I was instantly hooked and pretty instantly loved it. Yes, the locations are not too diverse yes, the gameplay is a bit repetitive. But it's not super hard or super long, and the storytelling is great. I loved how often it felt like I was playing an interactive movie. And the best storytelling is everytime Joel and Ellie are just out and chatting and figuring each other out. Finally, what really elevates the game to something special is the ending. If they didn't do the ending they did all the other stuff might not be enough to make it stand out as much. But that final cut scene or two just hits so hard and really makes everything worth it. I'll never forget it. Also, the Left Behind DLC is fantastic! It improves the gameplay a lot, and has very memorable moments.

And thats entertainment is included.

Ned Rorem turns 98 today! A very happy birthday to one of my 5 favorite American composers. He composed amazing, beautiful music across 8 decades but retired from writing 10 or so years ago. Boosey & Hawkes for his birthday uploaded a score video of "Lions" one of his coolest orchestral pieces. It's a fascinating combination of orchestra with a traditional jazz quartet functioning sort of like a continuo, except the orchestra and the jazz combo often seem to be more in conversation or even competition with each other. Well worth your time.

because it’s a zimmer release the good cues are always missing :/

I'm not sure how I discovered it in the "wilderness years". YouTube I think. It has that super cool 70's (not QUITE elevator music) vibe with a Williams sheen to it. I hadn't really heard anything like it. It was like Earthquake but I could listen to it. (I'm not a fan of Earthquake. TOO 70's.) This CD was a must have.

It’d be even better if they released the full score… [yes, I know I’m sounding like a stuck record, which is ironic since what I want is a 3CD set…]

The thing is that with PoA, maybe it does sound better corrected, but I did not immediately notice when listening the first time to the first pressing that it was in need of correction. With SL, I immediately noticed how compressed it sounds. The fix certainly sounds better, and you hear the difference when you play them side by side. The two sets do not have the same issue, so let’s not pretend they do. They are not the same at all.

I had my first listen to Zimmer's DUNE last night. I rarely hear a score in context first but I had this feeling that I needed to do just that with this film. I won't go into too much detail (I probably will) because I'm still processing what I saw and I think I need a second viewing to truly appreciate it for all that it's worth but it's a stunning motion picture that just sucks you into its vast universe and doesn't let go for two and half hours. I wish there was part 2 because I want to immediately dive right back into that world Villeneuve created. On a technical level, it's perfect. Never once was I pulled out of the picture by a dodgy special effect shot. And Rebecca Ferguson stole the show... she is the emotional centre of this film and I would love to see her win some awards for her work. As for the score... it's mesmerising. With this being my first experience with it, it's felt monothematic, which is fine with me. That central main theme really sticks with you, especially when performed with such vigour by the film's solo vocalist. I couldn't pick up on any other themes other than the bagpipe theme for House Atreides but I'm not sure if it ever shows up again after its flourishing introduction. There's this eight-note motif that keeps repeating in "Ripples in the Sand". I'm assuming that's the theme for Arrakis. I could be wrong. As I said, I need a few more views to completely understand everything I saw last night. The rest of the score felt like a tone poem. Strange, otherworldly sounds are mixed with big beefy chords, staccato drums, electronic pulses, twinkling synths, whispers, ethereal chorus and tortured vocals. You never knew when one cue ended and the other began... it just flowed effortlessly over the picture creating this perfect synergy of sound and visuals. As the film wraps up, "My Road Leads Into The Desert" ends with something a bit more modern with rolling power chords and the final performance of the score's main theme by Loire Cotler which sent shivers up and down my body! You can clearly hear and feel that this was a passion project for Zimmer, something he was destined to score. Would a more traditional orchestral score be easier to digest and appreciate... sure... but when you see the name Hans Zimmer on any film, you really have to throw out all of your expectations because for better or for worse, he's not going to do the traditional. Even though I don't like the man personally, his creativity and always trying to push the boundaries of his music is something is do admire. Dune is an exceptional score... and I'm even surprised to see me write that since I was greatly annoyed by the material I heard in the sketchbook album, which I never finished. I'm currently spinning the DUNE soundtrack as I write this and it might be an album I play on repeat for the next few days. IMO, it's one of the best scores I've experienced in 2021. -Erik-

Which concert was better? Barbican, Summer, 1982

Amazing. The films are so much more united - and, I think, both your cues and instruments are sounding more, and more, as though taken from an unreleased - official - score.

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1tq4y1G7Wo?p=2&spm_id_from=pageDriver Here you can watch the concert on video

LOL It's okay, we don't need to be constantly gushing about JW (nor anyone else) and I am certainly guilty of that I also think that any composer/musician etc. has the right to be criticized, positively or negatively. That's part of the deal. It's true that Hollywood composers live in a privileged bubble, but I don't think we're just worshipping at the altar of popularity. I think JW truly earned the respect and even the reverence he now gets from institutions like Vienna and Berlin thanks to his talent and hard work. I completely get your point and I even agree for the most part, but that's the inherent problem of presenting film music out of its original context. If you take out the visuals, most of film music loses its power and even its significance, so it's essential to rework it (sometimes even extensively) to present it as pure music in a concert hall. It's true that one of Williams' ultimate talents is his ability to create a coherent musical discourse while accompanying the film narrative, and that goes beyond the usual 3-4 minutes miniatures he prepares for concert performances (the live-to-picture performances are perhaps a good compromise in this regard). I guess it's his own modesty at play here too, as he would probably feel too pretentious to present a 25-minute suite from just one score, so I suppose he feels that those 3-4-5 minutes are enough to satisfy both himself and his audience. But again, it's also a matter of how staggering his output is. Even cutting out completely everything before 1975, it's still 45+ years of music. Anyway, let's not miss one very important point: by doing these concert arrangements Williams is not necessarily simplifying his musical discourse, but more likely making an effort to reach a wider audience. My wife didn't know a jack about John Williams and film music in general (nor even classical or symphonic stuff) before we met, but now after attending several concerts she's starting to sincerely enjoy some of John's music. She learned to appreciate not just the tunes, but also how the pieces sound and how they tell a story. She never saw any of the Star Wars films, but she can enjoy the music. It's fascinating for me to see someone completely unfamiliar making a process of discovery even without all the context in which that music was born.

Great picture!

I didn't hear many mistakes in the saturday concert. On friday the horns and trumpets were more nervous. Obviously saturday was the better concert from a playing perspective. There were no major errors. Some timing issues from the percussions e.g. that the beginnings or some endings were not together with the other sections. But overall a top notch performance and much better than the Boston Pops.

1:51 - 2:10 is a wonderful Williamsism. The score for this episode was probably my favourite of the bunch in the way it emulates some of JW's style.