Miz

CC can only buy into symphonic leitmotif scores, or anything that has that as its core. Anything else has little chance of impressing him.

He means 'tenets', not tenants. I feel like writing a relevant corrective email to Mr. Bloatpiece, but I cannot be bothered.

What an over-long review! And, now, again, I cannot read from a white page!

Half of all newly-commissioned works at the BBC Proms (the world's biggest classical music festival) will be by female composers, by 2022. Eat that! https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/26/bbc-proms-give-half-new-commissions-women-2022/

I'm not impressed by my first listen (and I'm a certified Giacchino fanboy, my wife made my a doll of him!). I know lots of good scores are 'growers', but I felt a stark contrast to Powell's Solo, which leaps forth in its energy, musicality and off-screen storytelling, and had immediate impact on me, as well as being 'a grower'. I am hearing lots of Roar-style monsterisms, lots of Lost-isms, noisy and forceful action music, and not much musical prowess. So far I rate Rogue One higher than this, and he had more to time to score Fallen Kingdom (I assume). However, I can see there's some enjoyment of this score in this thread so I won't give up on this score yet (as I did Ready Player One) and am giving it more listens through. Does anyone have a highlights tracklist to recommend?

It's the best of that trilogy, but that's not saying much. If you like that 'primary colours' approach to superhero films, then go for it. I for one prefer the direction that Marvel films have gone in (and they've actually nailed quite a few different tones since then), and can't watch any of Raimi's Spider-Man films now. The Amazing Spider-Man was a better film, in my view, and I particularly agree about the romance - Gwen and Peter had chemistry thanks to Garfield and Stone. Mary-Jane and Peter were as cardboard as the rest of the film, in part due to casting Maguire and Dunst. Elfman's and Horner's scores are both great in their own ways and serve both approaches. Zimmer's score can suck it, though.

B-phrase for the ANH Imperial theme?

It's a fanfare alright, but I don't hear those trumpet blasts in any opening fanfare. As for leitmotif pedantry in this thread, keep it up. Where would JWfan be without a bit of thematic interrogation? Powell's done a great job of working with old and new themes. I have probably over-listened to this score the past 10 days, but it's been worth it for discovering the layers within. And I haven't seen the film - I like it when I get to know a score well before being given its images and scenes. My thematic delight is the old stormtrooper/Empire theme in Train Heist, at 3:35. I like his callbacks to 'ANH' and wish there were more. Maybe there are in the film...

Obviously loving this, but I don't know how it will hold up over time as the album presentation is front-heavy and, the action music very dense. Powell has treated Williams' themes fantastically - not just clear callouts like Reminiscence Therapy, but subtle inclusion of familiar chord-progressions like the Rebel fanfare that run through the score. Giacchino did the same in Rogue One too, which I think not everyone cottoned on to (that score goes deeper into Star Wars mythos, structure and tone, and I would argue is dripping with the Star Wars sound as much as it is Giacchino's). Best non-Williams Star Wars score? I certainly think it's the most dynamic - Powell's ability to write captivating dynamic melodic lines is strong, not to mention how he plays with themes and give them attitude. What Solo lacks is romanticism, I think. Rogue One had plenty to offer in that regard (though some would criticise its broad-and-simple Giacchino strokes), but both are surely trumped in terms of romanticism by Shadows of the Empire.

Ha! I look again and you seem to have hit the nail on the head!

Who's between George Lucas and Ron Howard? Some of the expressions in that photo are awful!

I have trouble navigating all of this. I have the Prequel Trilogy on the same rips from CDs. Is there any new music on these remasters? If not, it sounds like the Prequel albums would be just the same? I have the Original Trilogy Special Edition OSTs on 320kbs rips from CDs. I like having the complete soundtrack (their flow is much better than the Prequels' complete versions). I don't care for OT original album presentations and edits very much. I have tried the original RotJ albums for better sound quality, and some tracks are preferable. Is this RotJ version a complete one, and does it have any improvement in sound quality from the SE RotJ complete album?

Agreed. I have a southern England RP accent, and I think it's the worst in Emilia Clarke (outside GoT) and Daisy Ridley. They should've given Rey a plucky northern England, like Manchester, accent - but it would've played badly outside of the UK where old British movies have conditioned audiences that anything outside of Received Pronounciation is basically working-class...(Rey is working-class!). Anyway, too much analysis over too little music from that clip. I'm glad we have fist-punch theme callbacks, but I agree that they're getting a little crowded as the franchise recycles itself again and again.

Ha! 3 weeks to go!

Am I the only one who finds this score quite underwhelming? Maybe I need to see the film then re-listen. There's no great hooks, and much of the action writing lacks definition and seems to just recycle musical ideas we've heard in Silvestri's other scores - I know most composers do, but here they just sound the 'least different'. It's putting me off some Silvestri a little: I mean, I loved The Mummy Returns as a kid (one of my entries into film score), Back to the Future is a deserved classic, The Abyss has its fascinating moments, and he hits the write tone with Americana dramas, but I cannot seem to get excited about the rest.

It's good for game score, but it feels a bit like Da Vinci's Demons-lite.

So is this version now available for those who have the whatever-needed to see it? Let's hope it gets torrented.

Film: in-your-face, but I appreciate that it had more to say - and better representation and values - than any other Marvel film (and most centre-stage Hollywood fare). The score I have been coming back to frequently, it really elevated the movie, has stunning variety seamlessly melded, and is rich enough for a pleasurable and quite catchy listening experience. I am chanting "T'Challa" around the house now.

Ahh, Clemensen. If it's not symphonic leitmotif, he's not that interested. Of course he's gushing over John Williams: the composer has written all the archetypal scores which he measures all other scores against, thinking there is an objective way to view these things. I agree with him on many issues, but he practically autistic in his approach and appreciation of film music. (For example, that The Shape of Water has European sensibilities within an American setting is somehow a negative to him, rather than an intentional and elevating aspect of the film/score relationship - especially in a film about outsiders and victims of the American military machine). And he needs to stop conservative criticism of the films themselves, thinly veiled through reporting other people's criticism.

Hoping that a torrent of this comes about. Disney don't need more of my money.

Classic Giacchino power-chord monster-movie mash-up. However, Jurassic World had never really grabbed my attention (except for a little of the action music). Tomorrowland was the far better score of that summer. I doubt this number two will have any seriously inventive or captivating material.

Thanks Miguel, comprehensive! Is there any studio recording of the Viola Concerto? The only one I can find is full of coughs!

Waiting for ESB in the UK...

There may already be a thread about this, but I cannot find it. I am beginning to explore the concert works of JW, am finding I seriously prefer some to others, and would like help exploring more. I've got a few albums and would like to know about the most highly praised works and any particularly good recordings... 2003 Concerto for Horn and Orchestra: Sounds rich and varied with the classic Williams sound that's going places, but I only have a live recording with coughs and sub-optimum sound quality. Are there others? Also, is this also on the JFK album, and why? 2002 Yo-Yo Ma plays John Williams: A difficult album for me to enjoy, though I love the cello. Heartwood and Elegy have magic but the rest of the album showcases some modern JW's modern writing, which I find jagged and, on cello, screechy. Sacrilegious! 2001 - Treesong and 1997 Five Sacred Trees, though distinct from one another, are both lyrical and accessible enough for me... 1996 Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra: Williams on brass! Not as coherent as I would like (that's the film music, after all) but I will give this one more time. 1976 Concerto for Violino and Orchestra: Quite dark and meandering, probably not one I could get into, especially considering the timbre of the violino... Is the Concerto for Viola and Orchestra worth getting? Is it more romantic, or at least, harmonious and accessible, than the above?