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Such good news! Su

The Force Awakens has become my favorite Williams score since it’s release. I can’t think of any other score of his that is as passionate and thrilling throughout. Or as narratively satisfying, how Williams bookends the film with similar yet tonally different, full statements of Rey’s theme and makes his skilled development of the theme the backbone inbetween. Or how Williams adapts the rebel fanfare into a general motif for nostalgic excitement, then interweaves it with the force theme and Rey’s theme in the end credits. Or how the score balances classic Williams adventure with his late period affection for soft woodwind writing. Or that statement of Rey’s theme that opens the credits that chokes me up every time with its beauty. It’s almost impossible to believe a score with so much life and creativity was written by an octogenarian. I might place scores like ET above TFA in their cumulative effect on the film (so much of TFA is barely audible…), but it’s nevertheless my favorite.

Aha!

Had been a while since I listened to this one. And I’ve forgotten how completely perfect it is. It almost makes me cry. Truly a late era Williams masterpiece. Sorry for the old thread bump. (That is all)

Could Powell be working on Pixar's Lightyear perhaps?

Danny Elfman - The Corpse Bride (OST album) Spooktober may be over, but I still had a pile of Spooktober CDs in my car I didn't get to in October (probably because Sleepy Hollow ate up an entire week of work commutes practically...) so I listened to this one on Monday. Wow! It's super fun! I liked the songs and the score. There's so much harpsicord! Is this the most Danny has used it? The bonus tracks after the end credits are OK; I'm glad they were included but the main program is the highlight. Already looking forward to listening to again!

E-mail reply from Berlin Phil.

I agree with all of this. I remember there being some grumbling when it first came out that it sounded like “generic Williams”. And then people started to change their tune (probably the mix in film didnt help) But then you take stock of the dozen or so new themes and motifs he’s written paired with the OT themes. All masterfully integrated into the scores architecture. It’s just breathtaking. It was an unforgettable experience as a “fully grown” score aficionado where I got to hear brand NEW Williams Star Wars music and it immediately made me feel like I was a kid again:) Fingers crossed Indy 5 will have the same result!

2.5 Men makes Big Bang Theory look like Citizen Kane

Nooooo! Better 30 different releases than none

It makes no sense... We should send them as many e-mails as possible, so they can think it over again. I've just did that. https://www.berliner-philharmoniker.de/kontakt/

Things wrong with the TV cut: - New 10 minute introduction, with footage shown out of context, and annoying voiceover - scenes rearranged, not according to Lynch's vision - 4:3 ratio - "Screenplay by Judas Booth" - "Directed by Alan Smithee" (not surprised Lynch had his name taken off the film!) There's more, but I can't remember,at the mo.

So can we at least hope for EuroArts or DG? I am personally more interested in a proper high-res audiophile release than any streaming product. I use my computer (and the internet) mostly for work and communication. My HiFi is used more like a musical instrument, i.e. for music only, and comes second after the real concert hall experience. I presume I am not the only person who dislikes merging everything into one interne-based format. I mean, limited golden vinyl from Vienna vs streaming bits and bites from Berlin tucked away behind a paywall...how can that be?

That would be really stupid. I guess they prefer to release the 1000th edition of Mahler and Beethoven Symphonies....

In the last week, having had no prior experience to Dune whatsoever, I watched David Lynch's Dune. I enjoyed it quite a bit, I didn't quite grasp 50% of what was happening and the pacing takes an absolute nose-dive in the last third, but I still felt Lynch's touch and there was some wonderfully inventive concepts and the patented twisted Lynch weirdness (I laughed so hard at the scene with the cat). Gorgeous visuals as well, the set and costume and creature design was next level, with only a few shots feeling very clearly they were done on the cheap even for the time. Then I watched Villeneuve's the following night. I found it incredibly meh. To the point that I don't want this to achieve enough success to set the precedence that this is what we should get more of, it contains nearly everything that un-enthuses me about modern blockbusters. I'm surprised this was a Villeneuve movie honestly, granted I've only seen Bladerunner 2049 and Arrival, but other than the strangely large and sparse rooms with fog machines I couldn't feel much of his vision at all. So then I re-watched Lynch's Dune. I grasped about 70% of what was happening this time and it definitely contributed to my enjoyment, I had initially written off the second half entirely but this re-watch made me realize there's some really good scenes in that second half that are just missing in-between content to be really effective. My appreciation for Kyle MacLaughlan's Paul Atreides was firmly cemented, the precocious noble-like character was far more interesting of a performance than the dime-a-dozen angsty teen protagonist I found in Villeneuve's Dune. MacLaughlan was surprisingly likeable in the role for the kind of character Paul is, the gentleness he brings makes the moments that he stands up and shouts as a leader all the more powerful. Despite that, the last third I still found to be a bit of a rushed mess. Then I watched some videos on the behind the scenes of the production, and realized why exactly this movie ended up the way it is which lead to me a surprising discovery - an extended cut was made. However, it was rather haphazardly thrown together for TV, with the additional content not bothering to rotoscope the 'spice eyes'. That's when I heard of 'Dune Alternate Edition Redux', a 2 hours and 57 minutes fan cut that incorporates extended edition and deleted scenes footage, with re-editing, billed as the closest thing to Lynch's original vision as we'll ever get. And my god, it was magnificent. Now I grasped 95% of what was happening. It completely transformed the movie and utterly fixed the pacing of the second half. Some of those extra scenes were amazing, and I got to see versions of some of scenes that were in Villeneuve's Dune but not the original cut of Dune 1984. I can now say I do not prefer a single thing about Villeneuve's Dune compared to Lynch's.

A number of off-topic posts that derailed this thread from its intended purpose have been deleted and a user has been warned for continually violating these rules:

As some know here I'm a big soundtrack collection of 30+ yrs, help run Notefornote Music with Bryon Davis and I also rep some stellar composers like Vince DiCola. Not sure if anyone saw this, but there is a sale going on and you can get 4 older Vince DiCola CD's and then get his newest Rocky IV: The Symphonic Rock Suite for free and signed by Vince who's my client and friend. These 4 CD's go for some crazy prices on the secondary market and prior to repping Vince I can attest I paid a big price for one of them back in the day. Lots of great music from Vince and his writing partner Kenny Meriedeth and many others from Vince's career, Transformers, Rocky IV and many other projects he worked on over the yrs is in this set. Also comes with an instant download of the ROCKY IV suit. Looks like there are less than 15 bundles left in case anyone needs/wants to know. ORDER & INFO: https://bit.ly/3ByD4hf You get: Falling Off A Clef Found Objects Of Two Minds In-Vince-Ible! plus the Rocky IV Rock Suite Signed CD (free)

Try this one!

Speaking of Rey’s theme. JUST listened to that alternate version mock-up. Holy cow! What a fascinating treasure.

Dune passed the $300 million mark at the global box office, which is more than Blade Runner 2049.

A New Hope! So next email to Deutsche Grammophon !?

PREMIERE EPISODE OF TALKING SOUNDTRACKS ON THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH BRUCE BROUGHTON PART 1 http://www.cinematicsound.net/talking-soundtracks-interview-with-bruce-broughton-part-1/ In April 2021 for TALKING SOUNDTRACKS, Jason talked to Bruce Broughton via Zoom at his home in Los Angeles, California. In part one of this two-part interview, amongst other things, Broughton talks about his way into television scoring, his first film projects and his work on Silverado, Tombstone and Young Sherlock Holmes. And of course, throughout both episodes, you will hear samples of music from one of the finest composers ever to work in film, TV, video games and the concert hall. Enjoy! ----- LISTEN: http://www.cinematicsound.net/links-page/ PATREON: https://bit.ly/2QWDGeO MERCH STORE https://www.teepublic.com/stores/cinematic-sound-radio

I've never seen a single episode of 2 1/2 Men, and had no idea the finale was considered to be disappointing. The LOST finale was perfectly fine, and has no need to be on a poll like this. I watched every episode of Game of Thrones, Dexter, and How I Met Your Mother. And all 3 finales were, indeed, utterly and astonishingly disappointing, on multiple levels for each of them. All three deserve to remain in the conversation for a very long time about how not to end a long running show with lots of dedicated fans. So, while all 3 are absolutely very bad and disappointing endings, I would say that yes, GOT still manages to stand tall above both of the others. Dexter was, in the end, only really good for its first 4 seasons (and within that, only season 1 and maybe season 4 were something truly special). Starting with season 5 the writing quality just continued to go down and down and down, so by the time the season 8 finale (series finale) came, it was atrociously bad, yes, but it wasn't exactly a surprise, because the writing had already been so bad. The finale was extra bad even compared to all that, but the love was long lost by that point so it was kind of hard to be too disappointed. It was more of a petering out than a swift drop. So, I'd put Dexter as the "lest terrible" of the 3 bad finales in question. How I Met Your Mother was basically just a Friends-ish sitcom, so the overarching story wasn't terribly important to enjoying any given episode. But there was an overarching story, and they utterly and completely screwed it up at the end. The gimmick of the show was that while all the action took place in the modern day, it was narrated by one of the main characters from the future, who is presumably telling his children the long version of how he met their mother. They don't even introduce the mother until the season 8 finale, and then they spend almost of of season 9 with them still not having met each other, except in the occasional flash-forward, until the finale when they finally meet in the modern timeline. The actress they cast for her was fantastic, and she had great chemistry with the main character. In addition, the show had gotten 2 of the other characters together and married. They undid all of this good stuff in the final minutes of the finale, having the other 2 characters get divorced, having the mother die, and then having the main character go pursue the divorced friend in the future setting. So this was worse than Dexter, because it didn't really slowly peter out, it was fairly consistent until that strange final season... and even then, it felt the whole season like they had a grand plan, and were building toward a fulfilling finale. Instead, the ending they went with was so out of left field, so tone-def to what the fans wanted, and what was working on screen perfectly fine that they could have went with instead of their idea for a finale they came up with in season 2. Really lame. Game of Thrones, what more needs to be said. For 4 seasons they did a great job of adapting a beloved trilogy of books. For the next 2 seasons they hastily and sloppily adapted the next two, lesser beloved books. For the final 2 seasons, they made up their own endings to what the books were setting up and really screwed it all up. So again like Dexter, it's not just the finale episode that was bad, but the entire final season. And yet, within that terrible final season, the final episode did manage to elevate to another higher level of disappointment than the season was already at. There was enough to cling on to that they could maybe turn things around and have something interesting to say or reveal, but no, the finale was just.... bad upon bad upon bad. The way the whole show ended was so bad, the whole GOT franchise seems to be in pretty rough shape and the prequel series is going to have to be really special to elevate it back up I think. And really it all comes down to "it didn't have to be this way" for GOT. You have the HBO execs stating they wanted more seasons, that it was entirely D&D's idea to end it in 8 seasons instead of 10, and to make those final 2 seasons so short. It really seems like they got their Disney and Netflix money, decided spending 5 more years on GOT was too much for them, so got out as quickly as possible, ruining all the good will. You really feel for the actors to, who could barely hide publicly that they were disappointed in the way it all ended too. What a joke. I'm still made about it! Luckily, the FreeFolk subreddit continues to provide nice memes to help ease the pain all these years later.

Great score!

Lionheart - Jerry Goldsmith (2021 edition) Giant - Dimitri Tiomkin (OST re-created using LLL edition)

Me too! Come on, people.

The camerawork was just flat out bizarre. So many things and characters out of frame. I began to wonder if it was because the graphic novel was drawn that way.

Nice to see HTTYD2 fully confirmed, and with a release window!

Until I know what Powell's writing for, I'm kinda more excited for Sener's Ice Age score.

@superultramegaa thank you, so glad you like it! I was excited to write those themes specifically since CoS is one of my favorite scores. Finally got to bring some of it back for this film! BP

I wonder what is this new movie Powell is scoring. I hope it's a big blockbuster that will allow him to write another epic score.

This has really grown on me after seeing the movie and listening a few times. One of my faves of the year now, if not at the top.

Toy Story.

Chris Noth?

I don't know about which I'd say is best, but I've always liked this set piece of the score from Toy Story 2:

When the conductor lowers their arms, that's usually the sign that the performance is over and the applause may start. But anything before that, while their arms are up, I still count as part of the performance. Including the silence. Most annoying are people at the opera who start clapping as soon as the curtain begins to lower. Never mind any solemn pianissimo chords or whatever the composer may have written.

Yes, that's a trend coming from america that I don't like. Also cheering after the first notes of a tune are played... It's not a rock concert.

Who is this imposter

The Extras - The Evolution of a Score So here's a different idea - with the amount of stuff we got here, instead of just picking the most different alternates and showing them, I thought why not do direct comparisons of the different versions in order instead? One video for every cue, going through the different included versions in recording order based on their take numbers, no regard for redundancy with the main program, only internal redundancy - so separating out every insert and pickup instead of repeating parts of the same take within the same video, but including full takes I already included in the main program videos for ease of comparison. For his help in the separation and phasing, I want to say a huge thank you to @Chewy! The takes were numbered absolutely instead of per cue, so we can place them in relation to each other and in a timeline during the entirety of the sessions, from Take 1 to 350 or so (obviously not all of them are included). A few are missing their number, could only guess for those. I turned to the session leak for help but could only get a couple take numbers, two inserts and a single unused unreleased alternate. I marked the Disc and Track number on the Intrada for every take so y'all can find them easier. Introduction 1m1 Tk 244 - D3T4 1m1R Tk 349 - D2T1, edited into Tk 244 The first included take was already recorded well into the sessions, the revision was very late, among the last things recorded. Originally, the cue scored a shorter sequence of writing and sealing the will, in a much more tame way, mostly strings with bell punctuation, introducing the Mystery motif and playing a Main theme before continuing as we know it. The revised insert concerned the entirety of the will writing and sealing for a longer cut, and took the opportunity to be a lot more dramatic, adding more main themes and replacing the Mystery for the sealing with Horseman Rearing. The film uses a different take for the opening at least. A Place Called... 1m2 Tk 158 - D3T5 1m2 pickup Tk 311 - D2T2, edited into Tk 244, crossfaded with 1m3R The cue as originally recorded had no specific gentle flute for Ichabod letting the bird fly, and a lot darker ending. The pickup only added the flute and a less dark but still tense ending. Main Titles 1m3 Tk 47 - D3T6 1m3 Alternate pickup Tk 50 - D3T7, edited into Tk 47 1m3R Tk 297 + 1m3R pickup Tk 299 - D2T2, crossfaded with 1m2 and barely with 1m4 The original title sequence was shorter - the best place I could find to shorten it was Ichabod looking at his notes. Thematically, only the blasting 2-note theme over the night part is really different/missing, the Mystery theme continues over that part more intensely in this early take, but there are tons of instrumentational differences, like the ostinato (it even changes in the early version), the voicing of the main theme on oboe and flute vs bassoon, the final part on solo voice vs. choir - ending up making it feel quite different. The alternate pickup, recorded not long after the main take, adds the over the top 2-note Horseman part we know from the final version. If the Elfman/Burton set can be assumed to be edited as things were originally intended, this pickup was supposed to be an insert, its ending leading back to the remaining material from the original take - the Intrada doesn't treat it that way, but as a complete ending shortener and replacement. The third version is the one in the film and on the album, a longer and reorchestrated version that also incorporates the alternate pickup. Unclear where or what the revised pickup is, this is the only version presented. Ichabod's Arrival 1m4 Tk 163 - D3T9 1m4 Tk 236 - D2T2, barely crossfaded with 1m3R The earlier take has some strangely different structure, as if it was a re-edit of the same material as the revision. Tried to somehow follow it with the picture edits. The Story... 1m6/1m7 Tk 28 + 1m6/1m7 pickup Tk 30 - D3T8 1m6/1m7R Tk 188 - D2T3 Same basic structure but filled out overall very differently. The early take's missing the busy strings from the opening and the buildup's pitched higher, ending up on the same Horseman reveal, but a pretty different Main theme statement. The bridge where his horse dies is the same, but his flight in the early take gets a faster Main introduction and prominent strings, while the revised one is more lowkey. The girls in the forest get no harp in the early take and the ensuing fight is scored with a ...strange/misguided brass line over the same or a very similar base as the newer take. The brass keeps going for the Horseman's funeral, fitting a lot better for this idea, while the revision gets him a choir and darker brass. Masbath's Terrible Death 2m1 Tk 65 - D3T10 2m1R Tk 303 - D2T4 Another early first take and late revision. The two are largely the same until the action finale - Take 65 pulls out all stops with the crazy brass, strings and winds, anvil and screaming voice, going much more over the top than the far more restrained Take 303 that still shares the same rhythmic structure. The early version only features the main theme, the revision adds Rearing and 2-note into the mix. Autopsy/Phony Chase 2m5/2m6 Tk 115 - D3T11 2m5/2m6R pickup Tk 217 - D2T8, edited into Tk 115 The first take was a lot more heavy on the cartoonishly mocking winds, the revision again took it a bit more seriously, and also added a calming resolution for the reveal. Sweet Dreams 2m7 Tk 75 - D3T12 2m7A Tk 80 - D3T13 2m7R Tk 176 - D3T14 2m7RR Tk 211 - D2T9 The cue with the most different versions in the score and every version's lovely, even Elfman couldn't pick just one for the OST. All 4 share the basic ideas: strings and voices for the mother, plucky sounds for the bird/cage trick, Ichabod setting of the main theme, the appearances of the door/the father introduce the Dies Irae. The first one takes a slower approach, prominent witchy fiddle, harp and glockenspiel with voices, switching to pizzicato at the end before the Dies Irae finale. The second one has a faster tempo and more playful but less embracingly warm tone with pizzicato and piano, the voices only enter later. The third one is based on the second one, but is already looking back towards the first - the faster tempo and pluckiness are there but strings and voices enter early to make the sound warmer again. By the fourth one they knew they got it right the first time - it's practically a rerecording of the first with the voices much more prominent than the witchy fiddle, ending up more etherial. Spying, and/or A Gift, and/or Family History 3m1/3m2 Tk 90 - D3T15 3m1R Tk 261 + 3m1R pickup Tk 262 - D2T11 3m0 Version 3 Tk 338 + 3m0/3m1 Tk ??? - D2T10 Let's start simply - I think Spying being an alternate that was intended for this scene is indisputable, the sync points and similarities to the later version are very obvious. The first version keeps to the understated but gentle mood, most notably connects to Sweet Dreams' early versions when Katrina shows witchyness with the piano and fiddle, it's also notably missing the romantic setting of the main theme. The second, already pretty late revision is very similar, but since Sweet Dreams had changed by then, it removes the explicit references to the earlier versions, and it also tones down the ending. Now, A Gift has no take number, so I can only guess that it came after the revised Spying- but here it seems they decided that they got 3m2, the ending, right, but 3m1 needs another revision, and the cue should start earlier too and score the whole conversation. Enter 3m0/3m1: Well, we don't have it as is, what we have is 3m0/3m1 plus a revised/rerecorded/corrected 3m0, Take 338, very late. This is the main program version, a lot more lush and featuring the romantic setting of the main theme. The ending is cut shorter, it seems to be designed to lead into the revised 3m2. The film does indeed use this one all the way through, then edits the end of the revised Spying into it, like I tried to in the main program - the Intrada rather elects to present the two versions in full separately in film edit order. Philipse's Death 3m3 Tk 7 - D3T16 3m3 Alt Tk 142 - Not on the set 3m3 Tk 143 - D2T12 Take 7 - either the first or second cue they tackled, a hell of a roofraiser to start with! This earlier take is very similar to the main program one with more prominent choir and less prominent brass. The middle one can only be found in the sessions so it wasn't circled - it attempts to insert the Horseman Rearing motif, not that successfully, even if it works literally. It and the final picked one are takes 142 and 143 - so either Elfman brought them both to the sessions to pick from later (seems to have been the case with other cues too), or they tried the revised one and immediately said no, searched up the old one and rerecorded it. Into the Woods 3m5 Alternate vocals - D1T8 3m5 T135 - D2T14 latter part Not much to talk about here, the OST features different vocals over part of the cue. Mystery Figure 3m6/3m7 Tk 95 - D3T17 3m6/3m7 pickup Alternate Tk ?? - D2T15 (edited into Tk 95) As originally recorded, the cue ended a lot simpler and kind of colder. The alternate ending (no take number unfortunately) is a lot warmer and features more of the main theme, romantic setting. The Tree of Death (part 3) 4m1 Pt. 3 Tk 55 - D4T1 latter third (opening unreleased) 4m1 Pt. 2 Tk 60 - segment 4m1 Part 3 pickup Tk 309 - D2T16, edited into Take 55 (latter third) The cue as recorded originally started with bare percussion and strings slowly quietly starting to come in, this was revised to include stabbing orchestra cries and a menacing string line on top and rerecorded at the end of 4m1 Pt.2, the previous cue, immediately after. The earlier version could actually just be something recorded minimally as an editing guideline. The pickup's another late revision of an early take. The first originally ended with the screaming female voice again, the revision changed it to a Rearing supported by a male choir. Bad Dream/Tender Moment 4m3/4m4 Tk 223 - D4T2 4m3/4m4 Alt Tk 224 + 4m3/4m4 pickup Tk 225 - D4T3 4m3/4m4 Version 3 Tk 325 - D2T18, edited into Tk 224 The booklet confuses something, or Doug confused something, or the source he got confused something - what are labeled "Tk 223" and "Tk 224" here are the exact same take with an overlay mixed in ever so slightly differently. Only including the pickup Tk 225 as a difference here. This earlier take is again a lot more quiet and lowkey, but similarly transitioning the main theme from a dark to a romantic setting. The Will 5m1 Tk 252 - D4T4 5m1 Retake Tk ??? - D2T20 The original version here is much more lowkey, slower paced, no pulsing driving strings - basically, it feels like "slowly realising things about a mystery" rather than the "the key has been uncovered, pieces are falling into place" feel the final one has. Evil Eye 5m2/5m3 Tk 109 - D4T5 5m2/5m3R Tk 249 + 5m2/5m3 Tk 333 - D2T21 Basically both share the same ideas and pure base melodic/thematic content, but phrased/orchestrated very differently. The only big difference in vision is near the end, when the revision plays a lush romantic Main, while the original keeps going with its colder material. The Church Battle 5m4 Tk 14 + 5m4 pickup Tk 16 - D4T6 first half 5m4 alternate pickup Tk 18 - D2T23 (partially), edited into Tk 14 Recall 5m4 alternate pickup Tk 21 - D2T23, edited into Tk 14 Recall The original, very early take was deemed mostly good, and they quickly fixed the one portion that wasn't quite there (the Horseman's arrival at the church) with two inserts - one used only partially in the end, and thus present only partially on the Intrada, thankfully found in the sessions. Love Lost 5m5/5m6 Tk 128 + 5m5/5m6 pickup Tk 129 - D4T6 second half 5m5/5m6R Tk 291 - D4T7 5m5/5m6 R3 Tk 356 - D2T23 second half The opening reveal got gradually toned down - the first version treats even the cut to Katrina lying there fainted as a big moment, the second one tones that one down and saves the reveal setting until we see the "evil eye", the third removes even the choir. The first two approach Ichabod at Katrina's bed and up to him leaving similarly, the third is again more loud and overtly lush. The second treats Ichabod's return and entrance to the doctor's office to a bigger louder rendition of the same material. The Lady Van T reveal and the ending is again similar but quieter in the earlier take. The Windmill part 1 6m1/6m2 Tk 140 - D4T7, first half 6m1/6m2R Tk 180 - D3T1, first half Little to no compositional differences - the earlier version was written for a much shorter cut that later got extended, rescored, then mildly cut down again. The Final Confrontation 6m4 Tk 36 Mix 2 + Female VOX Pass ? Tk ??? 6m4 insert 1 (part 2 patch?) Tk ??? 6m4 insert 2 (pickup @ Bar 62 Tk 227?) 6m4 insert 3 (??? Tk ???) + Female VOX Pass ? Tk 201 Solo Boy VOX Tk 201 So what is going on here? There was an original take, 36, then 3 inserts - 1, 2 and 3, and 3 vocal overlays for the ending, female 1, female 2, and boy. So far so good. Insert 1 replaces the quietly joyous strings for Ichabod and Katrina hugging with a bigger orchestral rendition. Insert 2 removes a somewhat jarring brass line when the Horseman's horse approaches. Insert 3 is for the finale, tones down the original screaming brass. Unfortunately the documentation must've been a mess, the 2-track source Intrada got might have already been pre-edited too, but with the help of the session leak, I put this much together: No Intrada track presents the original Take 36 as recorded. Disc 4, Track 9 uses the first insert and the first female vocal overlay (she uses an "aah-aah" voicing), Disc 4, Track 10 uses the third insert and the second female vocal overlay (she changes between "aah-aah" and "ooh-ooh"). Using these two tracks, one can then assemble an approximation of Take 36, using the insertless first half of 10 and the insertless second half of 9, and fabricating a clean opening and end. Disc 3 Track 2 is the film/album assembly, inserts 2 and 3 plus the boy solo overlay. Phasing out the perfectly finely performed Take 36 leaves us with a clean enough insert 2, revealing that it's performed perfectly fine, the musicians are all together, it's just badly edited in indeed in this version of the track. The booklet is kind of a mess, forgets the existence of Insert 3, names both female vocals Pass 3, the D4T10 breakdown even forgets that the track includes the alternate New Day. A New Day! 6m5 Tk 155 - D4T10, slightly crossfaded with 6m4 6m5R Tk 275 - D3T2, slightly crossfaded with 6m4 The original take does use the main theme early on, but then welcomes the new century with a new fanfare, on its own, while the revised mostly replaces it with an evolved main theme. End Credits 6m6 Tk 285 - D4T11 6m6R Tk 285R - D2T3 Aside from minor instrumentation and mix changes, the main difference is the ending - the older take fades out on a high pitched boy solo+choir main theme, the revised ends on lower nonthematic boy choir. So, in the end, nothing completely radically different, but a fascinating look into the creative process and how unchanged base ideas can be expressed differently, by changing the orchestration, switching out a theme, quickening the pace, reimagining the sound. Some overall trends can be noticed: For example, in the early cues the romantic setting of the main theme practically didn't exist, the Ichabod/Katrina scenes were scored lowkey and understated, only the rewrites turned them expectedly romantic, possibly to boost up this kind of uninteresting and unengaging thread. Some parts of the investigation were also boosted up, while a lot of the over the top screaming and action was decided to be too over the top even for a limb-flying bloodsplattering Burton/Elfman film, and got mostly toned down.

Not mutually exclusive possibilities, of course... To me, it seems as though Zimmer thinks he's in the Bene Gesserit, using The Voice to command the viewer to FEEL THE AWE!!! But instead I just find it brash and obnoxious.

<-------- Sad and pathetic Your moviegoing experience does not need me to visit a movie theatre in a different province or country in order for you to have a better experience. That's like saying your medicine does not work unless I also take my medicine.

I’m looking forward to more Djawadi music in this universe, and I’m also glad he’s composing it because that makes him less likely to be hired for LOTR!

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 THEMES New Themes Adventure Longing Theme · 02 Together We Map The World 0:03, 0:38, 0:48, 1:30, 2:08, 4:12 · 03 Hiccup The Chief/Drago's Coming 1:40, 2:17 · 04 Toothless Lost 0:06 · 06 Valka's Dragon Sanctuary 0:48, 2:19 · 10 Flying with Mother 0:45, 1:45 · 14 Stoick Saves Hiccup 0:50 Lost and Found Theme · 04 Toothless Lost 1:30, 2:12 · 05 Should I Know You? 1:45 · 07 Losing Mom/Meet the Good Alpha 0:37 · 09 Stoick Finds Beauty 1:15, 2:05 · 10 Flying with Mother 0:04, 0:25, 1:20, 2:11 · 14 Stoick Saves Hiccup 0:01 · 17 Toothless Found 0:40, 1:38, 2:36, 2:56 · 18 Two New Alphas 0:34, 0:56, 1:27, 1:43 Alpha Theme · 07 Losing Mom/Meet the Good Alpha 1:50, 2:21 · 12 Battle of the Bewilderbeast 0:04, 3:02, 5:34 · 18 Two New Alphas 2:54, 3:23 Valka Theme 04 Toothless Lost 1:04, 1:47, 2:45, 3:45 05 Should I Know You? 0:01 06 Valka's Dragon Sanctuary 0:03 Drago Theme · 08 Meet Drago 0:08, 0:55, 1:51, 3:39 12 Battle of the Bewilderbeast 4:13 · 13 Hiccup Confronts Drago 1:13, 2:12 · 18 Two New Alphas 0:03 Drago Threat Theme · 08 Meet Drago 1:41, 2:31, 3:30 · 12 Battle of the Bewilderbeast 1:09, 5:51 Stoïk and Valka Theme · 11 For the Dancing and the Dreaming 0:01, well pretty much the whole track 12 Battle of the Bewilderbeast 5:02 · 13 Hiccup Confronts Drago 0:02, 0:17 · 15 Stoick's Ship 0:11, pretty much the whole track · 18 Two New Alphas 4:42 Hiccup Adult Responsibility Theme · 03 Hiccup The Chief/Drago's Coming 0:02, 4:23 · 04 Toothless Lost 0:28 · 09 Stoick Finds Beauty 0:01 · 18 Two New Alphas 5:16 Returning Themes from HTTYD 1 Hiccup and Toothless / Flight / Main Theme A and B Phrase · 01 Dragon Racing A Phrase 0:05, B Phrase 0:42 · 03 Hiccup The Chief/Drago's Coming A Phrase 1:44 · 06 Valka's Dragon Sanctuary A Phrase 2 :30 · 12 Battle of the Bewilderbeast A Phrase 2:23, B Phrase 2:49 ; B Phrase 3:42 · 15 Stoick's Ship B Phrase 3:15 · 16 Alpha Comes to Berk A Phrase 1:08, B Phrase 1:38 · 17 Toothless Found A Phrase3:27 · 18 Two New Alphas A Phrase 5:43 Viking Fun Theme · 01 Dragon Racing 0:26, 1:19, 1:53, 3:28, 4:19 · 03 Hiccup The Chief/Drago's Coming 3:12 · 05 Should I Know You? 0:45, 1:44 · 16 Alpha Comes to Berk 1:30, 2:01 Viking Warrior Theme (Stoick Theme) · 01 Dragon Racing 3:45 · 03 Hiccup The Chief/Drago's Coming 3:45 · 05 Should I Know You? 1:05 · 06 Valka's Dragon Sanctuary 0:48, 3:03 · 09 Stoick Finds Beauty 0:27 · 12 Battle of the Bewilderbeast 5:25, 5:54 · 13 Hiccup Confronts Drago 1:57 · Viking Aspirational Tune / Enlightenment / Winds of Change · 01 Dragon Racing 2:03 · 08 Meet Drago 2:47 · 12 Battle of the Bewilderbeast 1:29 · 18 Two New Alphas 3:52, 4 :25 Love Theme (Astrid Theme) · 01 Dragon Racing 4:02 · 03 Hiccup The Chief/Drago's Coming 0:43 · 12 Battle of the Bewilderbeast 2:09 · 18 Two New Alphas 4:57 · Dragon Theme · 02 Together We Map The World 1:03 · 07 Losing Mom/Meet the Good Alpha 0:08 · 12 Battle of the Bewilderbeast 0:33 · 13 Hiccup Confronts Drago 2:34 · 18 Two New Alphas 2:01 Friendship Arpeggio · 01 Dragon Racing 2:15 · 02 Together We Map The World 1:18 · 03 Hiccup The Chief/Drago's Coming 0:22, 2:06, 2:45 · 11 For the Dancing and the Dreaming 0:35 · 12 Battle of the Bewilderbeast 2:37 · 13 Hiccup Confronts Drago 3:34 · 15 Stoick's Ship 3:15 · 17 Toothless Found 2:13, 2:48 Fate Theme / Hope For The Future · 01 Dragon Racing 2:18 Viking Fighting Theme · 01 Dragon Racing 3:05 · 12 Battle of the Bewilderbeast 5:05 · 17 Toothless Found 3:11 · 18 Two New Alphas 1:39 One will rarely find a score that is so thematically dense and complex. Themes are stated constantly and in a multitude of different arrangements. Other than LOTR and Star Wars I cannot find other scores that can compete with what Powell have achieved. Can someone recommend me scores that are as complex thematically as this? Thanks in advance.

I decided to listen to this album today and in doing so realized there was a bunch of mistakes & omissions in my old theme list, so I updated it In order of first appearance, Hiccup and Toothless / Flight / Main Theme 01 This Is Berk (Revised Intro) 0:04, 0:42 {B} 02 This Is Berk 0:44 {B} 08 Wounded 0:15, 0:50 {B}, 1:07 09 The Dragon Book 0:00 12 Forbidden Friendship 2:01 16 See You Tomorrow 0:08, 2:20 17 Test Drive 0:22, 0:40 {B}, 1:03, 2:01 {B} 18 Not So Fireproof 0:54 24 Let's Find Dad 0:05 25 Kill Ring / Stop The Fight 3:20 27 Ready / Confront 0:35 {B}, 4:57 29 Over / Less Okay 4:30, 4:46 {B}, 5:08, 5:55 {B} 32 Where's Hiccup 1:20, 1:43 {B}, 2:14 33 Coming Back Around 1:17, 1:34 {B}, 2:02, 2:19 {B} Viking Fun Theme 01 This Is Berk (Revised Intro) 0:25 02 This is Berk 0:28, 1:12, 1:35, 2:10 03 Anybody See That? 0:51 13 New Tail 2:02 19 This Time For Sure 0:09, 0:35 21 Astrid Goes for a Spin 0:00, 0:30 Viking Warrior Theme 02 This Is Berk 0:00, 1:28, 2:26 {B}, 2:42 03 Anybody See That? 0:31 04 War Room 0:00, 0:09 05 Training Out There 0:22, 2:58, 3:16 07 Dragon Training 0:00, 2:02 09 The Dragon Book 1:40 10 Hiccup Focus 0:52, 1:10 16 See You Tomorrow 3:20 19 This Time For Sure 0:28 26 Not A Viking 1:17 27 Ready / Confront 0:06, 1:05 28 Relax / Stroke / Hell 0:50 30 Wings 0:25 Viking Aspirational Tune / Enlightenment / Winds of Change 02 This is Berk 1:50 {male choir variant}, 3:18 03 Anybody See That? 0:22 04 War Room 0:06 05 Training Out There 0:48 25 Kill Ring / Stop The Fight 0:06 27 Ready / Confront 2:20 29 Over / Less Okay 1:37, 1:52 {male choir variant}, 2:23 31 Counter Attack 1:05 35 The Vikings Have Their Tea 0:00, 0:50 {B}, 1:28 36 The Vikings Have Their Tea (Alternate) 0:00, 0:50 {B}, 1:24 Love Theme 02 This Is Berk 3:01 22 Romantic Flight 0:00, 1:13 24 Let's Find Dad 0:32 33 Coming Back Around 0:05, 0:40 Dragon Theme 02 This Is Berk 4:22 06 Hiccup Comes Home 0:02 07 Dragon Training 2:23 09 The Dragon Book 0:38 10 Hiccup Focus 0:02 23 Dragon's Den 1:20, 2:15 25 Kill Ring / Stop The Fight 1:10, 2:30, 3:45 26 Not A Viking 0:09 27 Ready / Confront 2:55, 3:45 29 Over / Less Okay 0:15, 3:30 30 Wings 0:06 31 Counter Attack 0:44 Friendship Arpeggio 05 Training Out There 0:07, 3:07, 4:07 09 The Dragon Book 1:08 10 Hiccup Focus 0:40 12 Forbidden Friendship 0:20, 1:15, 2:20 16 See You Tomorrow 0:08, 2:17 17 Test Drive 0:04, 1:54, 2:23 20 Astrid Finds Toothless 0:06 22 Romantic Flight 0:50 25 Kill Ring / Stop The Fight 0:16, 4:00 26 Not A Viking 0:34 29 Over / Less Okay 3:58, 4:16, 5:51 31 Counter Attack 0:03 32 Where's Hiccup 0:50, 2:39 33 Coming Back Around 0:30, 1:08 Fate Theme / Hope For The Future 05 Training Out There 1:04 13 New Tail 0:16 16 See You Tomorrow 0:30, 1:25, 2:32 27 Ready / Confront 1:35

We're spoilt.

Although I agree there's still some great new film music to be found, you really have to dig for it, as others have said. I can't imagine a 10 or 12 year old falling in love with film music through the mainstream movies he or she watches and and enjoys. The amount of great film music that was written for mainstream movies when I was 10 or 12 years is staggering. Just between 1992 and 1995, for example, we had stuff like: Twin Peaks - Fire Walk with Me Batman Returns Alien 3 Basic Instinct Sneakers Bram Stoker's Dracula 1492: Conquest of Paradise Jurassic Park Schindler's List The Nightmare Before Christmas Stargate Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Interview with the Vampire The Shadow Legends of the Fall The Shawshank Redemption The Lion King Cutthroat Island Batman Forever First Knight Braveheart Apollo 13 Waterworld Batman Forever And that's just a small sample of fairly mainstream stuff. People from my generation and earlier really had it easy to become film score fans

For all the challenges that 2020 brought us, the two albums for the second season of The Mandalorian were an encouraging reward at the tail end of an...interesting year. The music was, for me, love at first listen (no surprise), but I am still warming up to the presentations of the two volumes. Of course, at this point I understand why they were released this way, but certain omissions (some more glaring than others, especially considering a few, let's face it, mediocre cues have seen the light of day) have me hoping for some sort of deluxe edition. Up to this point no Goransson score has really needed a bigger release (Black Panther was pretty full and the sessions have since leaked, the two Creed OSTs were well and covered). Tenet was rereleased with bonus tracks, so I'd hope for something similar in the future, but in the meantime I'm more than content with the music we have now. The second half of the season presented plenty of opportunities for unique musical moments, including several classily-integrated callbacks and a heap of new motifs and sounds. All of this comes in anticipation for the final episode, where we knew in advance that the full(er) orchestra had been able to record for that chapter exclusively. I'll try my best to make this an easy-to-read-and-follow breakdown. Let's take a look! 01. The Sorcerer (3:32) A decent album opener, although not as immediately punchy as Volume 1's Mando is Back. There's a lot of running percussive rhythms here, underneath sliding electronics and whistles, including one sound that evokes a sort of lightsaber effect (appropriately). Essentially, it's a new environment, and that's abundantly clear in the music. Kiner's Ahsoka theme comes to the fore and the title card runs, upheld by slightly moody strings. There's some really cool unreleased music that directly follows this in-episode for the arrival at Corvus, but no cigar. 1:35 Ahsoka's Theme (Kiner) 3:06 Western Motif (downbeat) 3:12 Western Motif (downbeat) 3:18 Western Motif (downbeat) 3:23 Western Motif (downbeat) 02. The Story (6:48) A thoughtful playground for recorders, strings and modest percussion. We hear everything from some expansions of Kuiil-esque soulfulness, to solo cello renditions of the fanfare, a brief glimpse at Yoda's theme, the return of the Child's mysterious motif from Season 1, and a peek at a semi-familiar Seeing Stone idea, which is essentially derived from several overlappings of the Jawa woodwinds (see Chapter 2's Jawas Attack). Towards the end there are some clear ethnic influences in percussion, as if to play into the samurai style that pervades the episode. A lot of that teamwork for strings and drums feels not too far off from something Greenwood might do. 0:56 see Chapter 1's You Are a Mandalorian 1:20 Rhodes Motif 1:27 Fanfare 2:00 Yoda's Theme (Williams) 2:36 The Child (Mystery) 4:02 The Seeing Stone 4:09 Western Motif (downbeat) 4:16 Recorder Riff (skeletal/outline) 4:39 Western Motif (downbeat) Recorder Riff (skeletal/outline) 03. A Mandalorian and a Jedi (1:57) This is a brief action cue, opening with a guttural, thunderous set of rolls, and connected by a percussive through line (which still reminds me of Greenwood for whatever reason). Ahsoka's theme returns amongst the lightsaber sound and upbeat drums, extending itself up into the atmosphere. 0:59 Ahsoka's Theme (Kiner) 04. Ahsoka Lives (3:43) This is certainly the standout track of Chapter 13, and one of the best from this half of the season. The first half of the cue is a recorder fugue that dances between the riff and the fanfare, as well as several connecting ideas. These are both intertwined and constantly working around each other, so I will not specifically timestamp the themes present in that section. The second half of the track features a strong development on Ahsoka's theme, starting with that higher, distant effect and growing into a fuller variation. Goransson really owns it. 0:00 Recorder Fugue (contains shades of riff and fanfare) 1:33 Ahsoka's Theme (Kiner) 2:09 Ahsoka's Theme (Kiner) 2:45 Ahsoka's Theme (Kiner) 3:16 Ahsoka's Theme (Kiner) 05. The Seeing Stone (2:12) A number of familiar ideas reemerge for the first Chapter 14 cue on the album. The Seeing Stone idea returns, along with some fluttering synths, and a quick title card sets us on the way for a brisk, action-packed episode. Unfortunately this particular intro isn't as varied or interesting as the two chapters that follow, both of which did not make this release. No matter. 0:00 Mando & Child Motif 0:51 Western Motif (downbeat) 0:56 Western Motif (downbeat) 1:00 The Seeing Stone 1:11 The Child (Mystery) 1:56 Western Motif (downbeat) 06. Capture the Flag (5:38) This the first real set piece on the album, and it's certainly a kicker. Shades of the Seeing Stone are interspersed throughout a fascinating mixture of electronic and organic elements, introducing old and new motifs in prime Goransson fashion. This of course brings us to Boba Fett, who gets a motif of his own, used in both following episodes in unreleased cues (you have to wonder if it will carry on into the new show, and more importantly, if Goransson will take the helm, especially with Mando S3 seemingly further down the line). Fett's musical treatment is similar to Mando's in terms of the earthy elements offered by the set of recorders. In this case, however, they are tougher and more aggressive, and ultimately more befitting of the character. The semi-vocal underlayment for his motif sounds like a beefed-up, lumbering approximation of some excerpts of Black Panther. It's super cool, but it's also hard to trace where it stops and starts, so the beginning of each section is all that I'll timestamp. We also hear a number of shimmery references to Moff Gideon's theme, as well as stellar statements of the heroic utility motif and the fanfare, both in action mode. 0:07 The Seeing Stone 1:01 Moff Gideon A 1:09 Moff Gideon A 1:41 Boba Fett Motif 2:09 Heroic Motif Western Motif (downbeat w/ interlude) (underneath) 2:15 Western Motif (downbeat w/ interlude) (underneath) 2:26 Boba Fett Motif 2:50 The Seeing Stone 3:53 Fanfare Heroic Motif (underneath) 4:54 Boba Fett Motif 5:12 Boba Fett Motif 07. The Armor (2:43) This is a fine cue, although it certainly wasn't one that I especially picked up on in-episode. The riff and Mando & child motif are glanced at, and a strange guitar theme variant picks up in the middle, later carried on by strings and synth. 0:03 Recorder Riff Mando & Child Motif (underneath) 08. Invaders on Their Land (2:48) This is yet another fine cue, athematic in nature but still quite punchy, what with a Tenet-y synth backdrop, electric guitar and percussion, with the strings aiding in the back half. When the cue titles leaked I was near certain that this would be the great 6-7 minute pirate set piece that follows in-episode, and so while I was greatly disappointed at that (IMO) huge omittance, I still very much like this track for what it is. 09. Brown Eyes (2:51) This is a cue that really leaves me wondering. If the score was released like it was last season, I'd welcome a little tension builder like this on the mini-OST, but in the case of two fairly limited albums, I really don't see how a track like this gets by. In any case, it does exactly what it needs to in one of my favourite scenes of the series, so there's that. 10. Rest in Peace (2:44) Another cute track title from Goransson, this one because it completely threw us off when it leaked. The RIP is in reference to Bill Burr's character and the conclusion that he's "off the grid" (or killed in an explosion, as the cover-up goes). Again, this track is just fine, but I would take that action set piece over it in an instant. Enough moping though! It's a fairly relaxed and bouncy cue, with non-descript approximations of...some theme (?) coming in the first minute. A short bit starting around the minute mark reminds me of the electronic part of Oksana Floren (...) off the Solo Deluxe Edition. The cue ends with a cut to Gideon, and a tracked segment of the recorder riff from Chapter 6 is the final word. 1:33 Heroic Motif Western Motif (downbeat) Recorder Riff (skeletal/outline) 2:06 Recorder Riff 11. Activated (6:08) Goransson finally had a bigger orchestra to work with in the finale, and he held nothing back, making full use of the increased strings and the addition of winds and brass. This track is an album edit, but it works well all the same. It's a symbiosis of hard electronics and delicious orchestrations. There are a number of really great ideas passed around here, some familiar and others really fresh. This episode in particular had a lot of great prominent stretches for the wind section, which I really enjoyed. As far as new motifs go, it's kind of hard to put a finger on just what exactly qualifies for the dark troopers, but one thing is for sure- they have their own sound, and that is dubstep. A little easter egg is the drip-drop The Egg synth that appears two times throughout, as well as on numerous occasions elsewhere in the show. There's just a lot of cool things overlapping and working alongside each other- it takes a couple listens to really wrap your head around all the different elements at play! 0:42 Recorder Riff 1:22 The Egg Synth 1:40 Fanfare 2:03 Heroic Motif 2:49 The Egg Synth (underneath) 12. The Sword (3:07) Another great cue, this time with references to Moff Gideon's material, with plenty of variety as his theme slowly phases out towards the end. I particularly like that col legno (hit with the bow) slap that accompanies the swirling strings after 0:19, as well as the woodwinds that space out the marks of the skeletal riff after 1:17. 0:19 Moff's Frenetic Strings 0:27 Moff Gideon A (continues interspersed) 0:33 Moff Gideon B (continues interspersed) 1:17 Recorder Riff (skeletal/outline) 2:23 Moff Gideon B (partial) 2:46 Moff Gideon B (partial) 13. Troopers (2:33) This track certainly defines the dark trooper sound further, going full in on the electronic side of things, but carrying through with highly complimentary orchestral furnishings to fill the space and round things out. Strings tend to be easiest as a counterpart to the dubstep, and they have plenty of great teamwork moments here. 1:36 might be the closest the troopers get to a motif of their own, but I think it's clear that they're most easily represented by a generally mechanical sound. 1:18 The Egg Synth 1:25 Recorder Riff 14. A Friend (3:52) As we reach these last three tracks, each of which features some of Goransson's best work to date, I find I already have an immediate emotional response to each of them. In short, I'm of the mind that the final 10 minutes of the episode are perfectly scored. This cue is unlike anything else in the Mando repertoire up to this point, and rightfully so. A choral effect carries on throughout, and what starts out as a darker, more mysterious idea for the hooded hero quickly turns triumphant and magical. It makes way more sense than Luke's theme, especially considering even Williams rarely considers it in that context anymore. There are so, so many masterful strokes here that solidify this sequence for me, and I'll touch upon a few of them. The oboe (?) at 1:41 syncs up perfectly with a slight hand movement from Grogu as he's drawn in to the security footage (see the isolated score video up the page). It's a small touch, but it works so well. As the troopers prepare to face the lightsaber wielder at 1:57, there's an absolutely splendid blending of all the sounds: the dubstep working with the choir effect and strings to create a powerful build-up, leading into a release at 2:33 with a reprise of the "friend" idea. The end of the cue features some dissonant textures between strings and winds. From start to finish, it's a fantastic sequence of musical storytelling, and even within these 4 minutes, Goransson's development as a composer is quite apparent. 3:29 Fanfare (ascending closing figure) 15. Open the Door (4:52) It's crazy to think about just how many great themes and memorable ideas Goransson has delivered for the show in the last two years, and what's crazier is that at least four or five of them reach their highest points one after the other in this next cue. The track opens the same way as A Friend, a little repeating figure that kind of feels like a touch-up of Binary Sunset, which makes sense because it does in fact lead into the Force theme here, complete with the second phrase. The Mando & child motif makes a touching return in similar fashion to the emotional climax of last season, before giving way to the glittery Grogu synths that came as such a sweet surprise not but a few weeks ago. From the chiming theme to the bright eyes portion, up to the strings and then eventually on brass with counterpoint, it's a perfect incarnation of the material and a beautiful resolution in so many ways. I hate to make the comparison to E.T., but the music garners a similar response from me, as I think both ending scenes are similar in a lot of ways as is. The fanfare and riff appear on glorious brass before an uplifting and highly fulfilling ending closes out the season. This track feels like such a definitive conclusion to this part of the Mando story, and I don't think it could be any better than this. It's clearly one of Goransson's best. 0:13 Force Theme (Williams) 0:42 Mando & Child Motif 1:19 Mando & Child Motif (B section) 2:08 Grogu/Snacks 2:29 Grogu/Snacks 2:56 Bright Eyes 3:07 Grogu/Snacks 3:20 Bright Eyes 3:34 Bright Eyes 3:51 Grogu/Snacks 4:02 Grogu/Snacks 4:16 Fanfare 4:30 Recorder Riff 16. Come with Me (2:45) And then this lovely surprise- a brand new credits piece derived from the recorder fugue in Ahsoka Lives, playing out the end with bittersweet joy. It starts with the riff and then goes into the piece proper, the riff, fanfare and western motif fused together by strings, and some winds (see 1:42). 0:00 Recorder Riff 0:25 Recorder Riff 0:51 Recorder Fugue ... I'm preparing some "resources" using an easy-to-access medium that should clear up any questions/confusion there might be as to which theme or motif is which and such. Basically, I've set up a blog site where I will collect revised versions of my write-ups for Season 1, album analyses for Season 2 and much more in that regard, and probably the most useful part; a comprehensive guide to all the recurring musical ideas in the show (as far as I understand them ). It's a major work in progress, but fortunately it is also a passion project, so I look forward to sharing it here for anyone who may be interested! What a ride! Goransson has really impressed me this season, both in how he made do during the pandemic and with how he has progressed in the writing itself. I do wonder when we might start to get announcements about composers for the other upcoming shows. Depending on the scheduling, I'd be willing to bet Goransson might just be able to stick around for some of the other Mando timeline projects, especially if Mando S3 doesn't go into production until sometime after The Book of Boba Fett is completed. Who knows. Wishful thinking, and it's too soon to tell, but I look forward to hearing how it works out. Thank you for taking the time to read my writing, and for all the discussion and shared excitement of these past two months! I'm looking forward to a good year ahead, what with all the music I have to keep busy with until next time. Cheers and happy new year!

Due to the nature of this season's score release, I have concluded that while it is not exactly ideal to continue the thematic analysis precisely as I did last year, it would still be good to dissect the album and the music therein using a format that combines the timestamping and writing that I have done in the past. Getting to know Goransson's score for this season has been a very interesting experience, it being very different in circumstance compared to last year. I recall hearing the odd update in the months leading up to October; how he had begun work shortly after finishing Tenet, recorded with strings for the first 7 episodes and larger orchestra for the finale thereafter, and wrapped up in good time. I was quite surprised at the turn around, and also intrigued by the news of the orchestra size. At the end of the day I was thankful they were able to record anything, but I was still anxious about the almost inevitable new:tracked material ratio when it came to the premier. With each episode I have gained appreciation for the execution of the music this season, a worthy achievement when you take a step back. I appreciate hearing Goransson strengthen his writing for strings, tweak pre-existing cues and effectively integrate them in with fresh music, and pull out all the stops in his studio to continue the sound he established without a noticeable drop-off. And it works! Even under these circumstances I'd still very much like to have had all the music for this season available, tracked and all, yet I remain extremely grateful for the excellent release that is Volume 1, as it is quite a smashing album. Without further ado, let's dive right in! 01. Mando Is Back (4:05) You can already hear the studio work pulling its weight from the beginning, with this kicker of an opening that features an array of guitars, synths and wild recorders, all under a tough beat as Mando walks through the graffiti town. We hear statements of the familiar recorder theme in different settings, the second of which plays out like a beefed up version of the guitar rendition in Ch. 8's A Thousand Tears, percussion and synth being the key additions. The confident western motif returns, and we hear brass stabs of the recorder outline (likely backtracked from the final episode, as it certainly doesn't appear anywhere else before). A tracked but altered statement of the Razor Crest theme closes the cue. 0:11 Recorder Riff (guitar version) 1:15 Recorder Riff (guitar version) 1:26 Western Motif (downbeat) 1:32 Western Motif (downbeat) 1:38 Western Motif (downbeat) 1:44 Western Motif (downbeat) 1:50 Western Motif (downbeat) 1:56 Western Motif (downbeat) Recorder Riff (skeletal/outline) 2:00 Western Motif (downbeat) 2:55 Western Motif (downbeat) 3:07 Razor Crest 3:32 Recorder Riff Western Motif (interlude) 3:37 Western Motif (downbeat w/ interlude) 3:43 Western Motif (downbeat) 3:49 Rhodes Motif 02. Enjoy the Fights (2:56) It's hard to really describe what this cue is, beyond wacky goodness. The self-contained piece is extremely unique, even for this show, the full percussion, vocal effects and wailing horn sound (almost like a bagpipe?) really walk the line between score and source music. Brooding strings enter as Mando sits down beside Gor Korresh, the one-eyed informant, and watches the pigs fight. At 2:03, the drop and ripple synth present in Ch. 3's Second Thoughts is reprised purely for effect. No thematic material is present here. 03. The Marshal's Tale (6:06) With that we move to Tatooine, getting our first taste of many one-off set pieces in double form, first with a cool speederbiking melody and then into Cobb Vanth's flashback, which features a dramatic string idea that is briefly alluded to later in the episode in an unreleased cue. This is a very apt combination that works extremely well, despite there being two unreleased sections totaling just under 3 minutes that technically separate the pair in episode. The first is Cobb Vanth's introduction cue, which itself is essentially reprised in a more fleshed out form starting at 4:44, and the second is an upbeat 20 second travelling insert that leads into the the story. Another item of interest is the the flashback appears to hint at the Tusken Raider theme for the episode, but more on that later. Note that for all intensive purposes the one-off melody is notated below alongside proper themes. 0:07 Speederbiking to Mos Pelgo 0:12 Recorder Riff (weaving in & out) 0:44 Speederbiking to Mos Pelgo 0:50 Recorder Riff (weaving in & out) 1:03 Recorder Riff 1:21 Speederbiking to Mos Pelgo (acoustic guitar version) 1:58 Recorder Riff 2:38 Dramatic Flashback String Idea 3:28 Tusken Raiders (?) 3:57 Jawa Motif 4:12 Recorder Riff (skeletal/outline) 4:16 Jawa Motif 4:26 Jawa Motif 5:23 Dramatic Flashback String Idea 04. Tusken Raiders (3:19) I must admit that I was disappointed when I first heard this on album, as I was almost certain going in that this would include the big Tusken statement when the banthas enter town, paired with the Arabian recorder riff for the journey to the dragon cave. Unfortunately these two cues remain unreleased, much to my surprise, but this track is still a nice one to have, considering the others are well-mixed in episode and fairly salvageable. Goransson touches up sections of a number of cues here, including Ch. 5's Raiders, Ch. 1's Face to Face, and Ch. 7's The Standoff. I'll repeat my initial comments about the former, in that the muted trumpets give off a sort of Star Trek vibe, as in, the original series. The middle section lays the groundwork for the two-parted Tusken Raider motif. 0:02 Fanfare (ascending closing figure) [Raiders] 0:12 Fanfare (ascending closing figure) [Raiders] 0:43 Tusken Raiders A 0:55 Tusken Raiders B 1:07 Tusken Raiders A 1:19 Tusken Raiders B 1:38 Fanfare (ascending closing figure) (guitar version) 1:50 Fanfare (ascending closing figure) (guitar version) 05. Get the Child (2:07) The latter half of Ch. 5's Raiders is referenced here, featuring filtered percussion and recorder textures. The second part of the track, after a snappy title card, features a dynamic guitar idea that has a similar shape to elements of the show's main theme without any striking similarities. 0:55 Western Motif (downbeat) 1:01 Western Motif (downbeat) 06. Beneath the Ice (5:26) This track has really grown on me. I remembered little of this sequence after viewing the episode, so hearing this music in particular was a revelation. Once again it is quite unlike anything else in the show's repertoire, focusing on a chilly atmosphere and taking the form of an eerie sound collage. It's a real treat, with brief glances at the new material for Baby Yoda, as well as the recorder riff in slick guitar mode, fitting in perfectly with the mood of the cue. I dig it! 4:34 Recorder Riff 07. Snacks (2:47) Snacks is actually one of two sequences with fuller displays of the new music for Baby Yoda (and the all that he consumes, apparently). An earlier unreleased cue is a bit longer in its presentation, and isn't cut off by a hard synth takeover in the final minute as happens here, fully equipped for a spider attack with aleatoric pizzicato. Decidedly cute zings and plucks form an idea that seems mostly connected to that which Baby Yoda eats, but is still rather fluid, as the next track indicates. Goransson touches upon Ch. 5's Bright Eyes and essentially reverts to it as the theme of Baby Yoda and his antics this season, shedding the mysterious motif that the child once took claim to last year. 0:19 Bright Eyes (underneath) Snacks/Eggs 08. Reunited (1:41) A lovely expansion on Snacks underscores the reunion between the frog lady and her husband. Strings take up the sweet melody, intermixed with hints of Bright Eyes and glimmering synths. Without a doubt one of the standout cues on the album. 0:08 Snacks/Eggs Bright Eyes (underneath) 0:46 Bright Eyes (string rendition) 0:55 Snacks/Eggs 1:16 Snacks/Eggs (high-pitched synth interjections of Bright Eyes) 09. Ship o hoj, Mandalorians! (8:00) Cute title aside, this is a real stunner of a set piece, spanning nearly five cues and successfully covering the new theme for Bo Katan and company in several different settings, ultimately posing as a suite for Chapter 13. A staticky accordion idea for the creatures of the harbour planet appears at the beginning of the track, as well as in an unreleased cue. From there Bo Katan's theme pumps and pounds, fully at home in its Tenet-esque surroundings (on that note, I've begun a fun project to "rescore" Tenet with Mando excerpts). It's quick and punchy, and works so well amongst the fun beats and sound that Goransson paints in and around it, even going as far into the realm of pop music to include a beat drop in the final minute. Low-key pizzicato renditions find zings of Baby Yoda creeping in ever so briefly before the second half of the track enters into full action mode for the transport heist. There's no question in my mind- this is yet another season highlight, and superbly edited for the album too! 0:39 Bo-Katan and Co. 0:46 Bo-Katan and Co. 1:00 Bo-Katan and Co. 1:07 Bo-Katan and Co. 1:10 Drama B 1:13 Bo-Katan and Co. 1:34 Bo-Katan and Co. 2:16 Bo-Katan and Co. 2:26 Bo-Katan and Co. 2:30 Drama B 2:35 Bo-Katan and Co. 2:57 Fanfare 3:06 Western Motif (downbeat) 3:33 Bo-Katan and Co. 3:40 Bo-Katan and Co. (pizzicato) 3:47 Bo-Katan and Co. (pizzicato) 3:54 Bo-Katan and Co. (pizzicato) 4:02 Bo-Katan and Co. (pizzicato) 4:06 Bright Eyes 4:44 Bo-Katan and Co. 4:50 Bo-Katan and Co. 5:16 Bo-Katan and Co. (underneath) 5:23 Bo-Katan and Co. (off-kilter variation) 5:43 Drama B 6:54 Bo-Katan and Co. 6:56 Bo-Katan and Co. 6:58 Bo-Katan and Co. 7:04 Bo-Katan and Co. (partial expansion) 10. Long Live the Empire (4:06) It was only a matter of time before Moff Gideon's theme made it's season debut, and this next track nearly reaches the heights of Ch. 8's The Ewebb in terms of hyper-focused development for the big baddie of the show. A standard introduction gives way to those warning signals that are the swirling strings, pushed to the limit all throughout this 4 minute cue. Interesting to note that statements of the Moff's A section are hardly ever completed in their fullest form at this point, as if to save up for bigger things later in the season. All in all, his theme is put through the grinder here, and is unrelenting in it's fight against Mando and company, who only get a small shred of heroism in the middle of the track, courtesy of the recently discovered utility motif. The end of the track borrows from portions of Ch. 1's Back for Beskar, before fluttering synth takes off. 0:13 Moff Gideon A 0:36 Moff's Frenetic Strings 0:39 Moff Gideon A 0:59 Moff's Frenetic Strings (variation) 1:11 Moff Gideon A 1:27 Moff Gideon A 1:45 Utility Motif (heroic variation) 2:03 Moff's Frenetic Strings 2:27 Moff Gideon A 3:04 Western Motif (downbeat) 3:11 Western Motif (downbeat) 3:19 Western Motif (downbeat) 3:27 Western Motif (downbeat) Drama B 3:40 Drama A Drama B 11. Back Together (2:20) Back Together is a fun little arrival cue to introduce the Chapter 14 content of the album. Familiar themes make appearances in new iterations, and Baby Yoda's appetite is expanded, so to speak, with even more shimmer and shine to it than before. 0:00 Rhodes Motif 0:02 Utility Motif (string variation) 0:24 Fanfare (guitar variation) 1:09 Rhodes Motif 1:21 Bright Eyes 1:33 Snacks/Eggs (first half) 12. Experiment (5:17) This track is similar to Long Live the Empire in it's intensity and focus on the villain material. A deep choral effect opens, as if to echo the Snoke/Palpatine throat singing of the Williams Star Wars canon. A surprise cameo appearance from the Client's cello theme is made, before Moff Gideon takes over the cue with some particularly Kylo Ren sounding strands of his theme's A section. At one point, Goransson's Tenet sensibilities come to the fore once again; you can clearly hear a point where time is running out, so to speak. The recorder riff plays out on strings, reminiscent of sections in Ch. 6. The drama motifs appear, and a hybrid string melody that appears to cross Kylo Ren with Moff Gideon, and then some, enters the conversation at 4:01. 0:17 The Client 0:47 Moff Gideon A (partial variation) 1:14 Moff Gideon A (brief variation) 1:31 Moff's Frenetic Strings 2:02 Recorder Riff (string variation) 2:28 Recorder Riff (string variation) 2:59 Drama A Drama B 4:24 Drama A 13. Quite a Soldier (2:47) While it's not the most satisfying conclusion, and perhaps isn't even the most wanted reference to this particular heme, Goransson's solemn March of the Resistance quote is a great inclusion for the album. Between this and the "trap" version, he really highlights his ability to tinker, pushing the theme in completely new directions, which is a promising indication as to how keen Goransson is on ensuring his stamp is always present (think Powell's Solo rather than Giacchino's Rogue One). Moff Gideon makes a cliffhanger return and, as far as my personal playlist is concerned, the credits roll. 0:17 March of the Resistance 2:02 Moff Gideon A 2:17 Moff's Frenetic Strings 2:20 Moff Gideon A ... Thank you for reading! I have been very busy lately, but I assure you that this album has been getting no shortage of plays on my end. I have not been able to dissect episode-by-episode for the last two weeks, whether it be writing or extracting audio, as I'm starting to realize that it doesn't really make sense to do that at this point, but I was confident that I'd be able to timestamp and briefly share a few thoughts on each track released thus far, and so I did. I have next to no gripes with this album, save some key missing music (more is more with Mando!). Cannot wait for Volume 2! Other ongoing things in the way of Mando music includes isolated score videos for Ch. 8, available to view in this Drive folder (check it out if you haven't yet- they're fun!), as well as an exciting development for the "all-in-one-place" catalogue of write-ups/themes/etc. More on that later! Cheers and keep on listening!

'I'll Be Right Here!' I never get tired on seeing this marvellous film, and last nights film concert performance of E.T - the Extra Terrestrial at the Royal Albert Hall surpassed my expectations. The setting, the 1982 original release looked fresher than ever before from where I was seated front row. The orchestra (BBC Concert) were on top form and certainly played beautifully even arousing your emotions with those delicate pieces (my female friend couldn't hold back the tears, as was another behind me) but I didn't want the film to break momentum with that interval but alas it felt like a starvation, only wanting more! Certainly a soundtrack favourite of mine and a successful movie/concert-going experience that brought back after thoughts of so many memories!