codanai

"Ah-luke-ah-lu--la lee du, da, Luke-ah-Luke-ah-Luke-ah-Luke-ah-" boom. BOOM boom. bobobobobobo boom.

I think I've actually said this before, in a similar thread-- but when I'm in the doldrums, I tend to listen to either the A.I. soundtrack or else John Adams's Harmonielehre (mov. 3 in particular) and his Grand Pianola Music. In the car at night is the best place to listen to those pieces. And the music's phenomenally comforting.

As for similarities with STAR WARS, that's absolutely true. In fact, I think it's intentional that Williams's music to the saga alludes to Dvorak. To my knowledge, Lucas had used Dvorak on the temp track of the original film and had even considered actually using the music (before he knew of Williams, of course). Lucas wanted a classical score, and that's exactly what Williams delivered. As for Williams stealing the beginning of the 4th movement for JAWS, that notion is absurd. It's 2 NOTES!!! All it is is a dramatic half-step introduction to Dvorak's heroic theme. It's only a coincidence that it's similar to JAWS. IMHO of course! Sure, Williams isn't inventing his own style for films like STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES, but you have to praise him for the authenticity in the music. Williams can use existing musical styles and use them to their fullest potential, plus he can dish them out at will, meeting the emotional demands of whatever film is placed before him. That's a true gift. He's the best film scorer to ever live.

haha, that's all right. You're right, though, about it being underrated. The cartoon is never really talked about, but it's absolutely brilliant. It's not just a fun kid's film. It's actually extremely artful the way it's made. Definitely my favorite cartoon.

Sorry, I know the thread has been going along the lines of Disney and Pixar, but I am a huge fan of 'The Secret of NIMH.' It's possibly the most atmospheric, beautifully animated, transfixing films I have ever seen. My other favorite would be Disney's 'Sleeping Beauty,' but I think that Don Bluth had a really unique vision for NIMH. And Goldsmith's score is one of his very best; the main melody is outstanding!

Sounds good. Thanks!

SO...I'm going to Tanglewood, Open Rehearsal, on August 12th for Film Night at Tanglewood. Apparently there's also a pre-show (or opening talk or something) at 9:30. For whoever out there has some experience with this... What time would you suggest I be at the door in order to get the BEST SEATS POSSIBLE (I'm talking front row)? Thanks, Jacob

But for the original Star Wars, didn't John Williams imitate a lot of the music used in the temp tracks? I've read somewhere that Lucas used Dvorak, Holst, and other composers' music as the original SW temp track, and you can definitely hear the influence in the score. But I'd say that that was GOOD thing (I also tend to think that Williams is an extremely cooperative, humble artist).

Is "To Lenny, To Lenny" the variations on "On the Town," with a little bit of "America" and "Happy Birthday" thrown in? Or am I thinking of something else?

1) Prokofiev's 5th Symphony, Movement 3 2) "Death to the Blasphemer" and "Field of the Dead" from Prokofiev's score to ALEXANDER NEVSKY 3) Mozart's Reqiuem Mass, No. 6, Lacrimosa 4) Mahler's 5th Symphony, Movement 2 (though, for some reason, people like to tell me that this piece is "happy," but they're all full of crap) 5) Holst's "Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age" from The Planets Suite And there's SO MUCH MORE!

Oh come on! "Not that good"?? You have heard his concertos, haven't you? Take the Cello Concerto for instance--it is absolutely modern, with Williams's most skillful, transfixing uses of atonality and chromaticism--yet, paradoxically, you can still hear that the music is based on the kind of unrequited passion of the Wagnerian operatic idiom (give your ears to the 4th movement, "Song"--hear how the cello just keeps reaching for something which always eludes its grasp--and you'll understand what I'm saying). And not to mention the absolutely impeccable orchestration, with a dialogue between soloist and orchestra which rivals that of Rachmaninov. Williams's orchestration is all that orchestration should be--colorful, unpredictable, organic, lush, and inspiring. I'm not saying he's the greatest orchestrator to ever live, but I would say he's John Adams's worthy competitor. And I'm not sure what you mean when you say that he's not "good...in terms...motifs, development, motivic continuity..." I mean, are you serious? Once again, just listen to the Cello Concerto--something like the horn restatement of the First Movement's theme at the beginning of the Fourth Movement, and how Williams can develop the cello "Song" so satisfyingly and dramatically still boggles my brain. Williams's concert works--his Cello Concerto, two violin concertos, "Five Sacred Trees," etc.--are just as brilliant as his film scores. They're elegant, complex, passionate, genuinely inspired. They're just not as accessible as his film scores. And any professor unsatisfied with the eclectic and impressive repertoire of the Maestro is either crazy or stubbornly ignorant.

If it has the old 'Transformers' jingle, then I'll go see it. ("Transformers: Robots in Disguise!")

Harry Mudd: "There's only one kind of woman ..." Kirk: "Or man, for that matter. You either believe in yourself or you don't." LOL

Can anyone tell me the name of the song played during the End Credits of NIXON? (after The Farewell Scene)

Concerning AMADEUS--I remember an interview in which Milos Forman commented that, in the process of writing the screenplay with Peter Shaffer, the Mozart music actually became to them like a character in the story. I thought that was neat.

Argh, why don't I know Russian??!!! That music has to be Prokofiev--it just has that distinctive Prokofiev sound (which includes lots of chromaticism). I LOVE it!

Uhh, I hate to say it, but I'm pretty sure pi is right. I have empirical evidence--my piano and my keyboard both agree with me--that the first pitch of the horn is actually between the pitches of E and F. It's also possible, since the pitch of the recording is erroneous, that the track pitch slightly fluctuates as well, but I cannot verify that. But pi's ears are definitely telling him something. (Stand up for yourself, pi! )

Yes, yes, I can hear it! A part of me actually enjoys hearing stuff like that on CDs. I have a recording of Leonard Bernstein's "Facsimile" where I'm sure I can hear a guy cough or sneeze right after a symbol crash, and in a recording of Bernstein's "Age of Anxiety" I can hear somebody moan during the piano cadenza...perhaps the pianist overwhelmed with feeling... *shrug*

Woo hoo, I got it too! And good thinking, Blumenkohl! I'd like to make two or three John Williams desktop images myself. I also really like your design, except that the "echoing" text behind "John Williams" should probably be less opaque, IMHO. Was it originally in Bb?

The score is musically and psychologically brilliant... but honestly, I can't imagine a lot of the other music--though it's all perfect for the film--being played at a concert; it's all so quiet, restrained, and subtle. There's just something not really concert-like about it, unless Herrmann were to have, say, expanded the Main Title and the Murder music into a larger performance work. Maybe it's just me. :?

Just so you all know, I meant "O.R." for Open Rehearsal. WOW, this whole poor language thing must be infectious...

Thanks. I've never seen that kind of notation and am very interested in what it looks like.

Can anyone tell me how EARLY I should arrive at the OH if I want, say, 3 seats within the first 5 rows?

What do you guys think of Williams's NY performance of Herrmann themes? I thought that the PSYCHO Opening Title music was a little too soft and restrained, but rest was pretty good--CITIZEN CANE was a good interpretation, and I enjoyed TAXI DRIVER--and I thought Williams and the Orchestra really REALLY had a grasp on the exciting spirit of NORTH BY NORTHWEST. It was WONDERFUL version of it.