PIANOMUSICIAN1991
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Posts posted by PIANOMUSICIAN1991
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It could indeed be the effect you mentioned, blowing through wind instruments without making a pitch. This would be quite effective if the orchestral texture is thin. It is a very quiet effect. It could also be a wind machine but it could also be a written instruction to certain orchestra members to simply 'make whispers', this would then be sorted out with the conductor of the piece.
the thing you have to understand about this type of orchestration and effect is that each composer has a different way of putting them in the score. As I said you could simply write, for instance, 'quiet whispers' above the stave of the first violins, with an indicated time span and the conductor would then interpret that. If you have a choir in the orchestra then usually this type of effect would be down to them, depending on the texture of the music. If the music is louder, then use the choir, if the texture is very thin then use the wind section blowing through their instruments. Its a matter of taste and imagination I guess.
I would look into the vocal works of Berio, he uses a lot of effects. If you can track down some of the scores, he usually has a page at the begging with his own versions of performance instruction and notation. These have been adopted by many composers. Some sort of explanation is a huge help to the conductor/musicians.
Hope this helped your question without rambling too much.
Lewis
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I love its use in Sweeney Todd, it seems that its use there is the most appropriate of nearly all examples.
Given your avatar, I'm not surprised.
Yes indeed.
I think its true though that the Dies Irae is used an awful lot but most of the time its not used properly. Its one of those motives that is over-used like the danger motive. Sweeney Todd has the Dies Irae because it is foretelling the 'judgement day' upon people.
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Another great musical is The Producers by Mel Brooks. His musical adaptation of Young Frankenstein is also worth a listen, both are rich in story and songs.
The actual films they are based on are far and far better.
I can't stand the musical film version of The Producers!
Shame on you! Mel Brooks is God!!
Mel Brooks is indeed God. I might get shot for saying this but I found the original version of The Producers rather dull. I love Young Frankenstein though, the musicals are just stand alone pieces from the originals. They are not meant to be better or worse really.
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I just love Alan Menken, he is the best!
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I'm not a huge fan of the show. I like some of the songs from it and I would probably say its my favourite of Andrew Lloyd Webbers works. He is a competent composer for musical theatre but I wouldn't say he's the best. He is well suited to pieces of music which are not in the classical or opera styles. He is a pop composer. I have admiration for the show for doing so well but its not up my street. I have also heard great stories about it from the singer Barry Clark, who featured as the auctioneer and member of the ensemble in the original London cast. I worked with him in a musical at the end of last summer and he said it was a wonderful experience to have been a part of the show.
I think that if you want to go searching for a great musical look at Les Miserables, Into The Woods or Sweeney Todd. Stephen Sondheim is my favourite composer of musical theatre as he really knows his craft.
Another great musical is The Producers by Mel Brooks. His musical adaptation of Young Frankenstein is also worth a listen, both are rich in story and songs.
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Everyone plagiarises, its difficult not to in some circumstances. I have to admit though, the Stravinsky/Star Wars example in this video is too similar. I don't know how John Williams got away with that!
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I love its use in Sweeney Todd, it seems that its use there is the most appropriate of nearly all examples.
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One of two ways really. I compose my initial ideas at the piano with a pencil and manuscript paper, I make the score a detailed as possible. Then I go to my laptop and re-write and orchestrate straight onto Sibelius. I find this is the easiest and most effect way for me.
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I would love to hear an arrangement made my John Williams himself of all his love themes or action themes, but in a really different orchestral way and playing off each other etc, like a chaotic battle between his themes.
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Does anyone agree that wailing voices in film music is the worst type of music ,the worst of all is when there is arab sounding voices on a film that does`nt require it at all,makes me cringe hearing it in a film,thank god i have`nt got that sorta music on ost.That sorta sound as been going on for years now,i blame hans zimmer lol.
I would agree with this, but I also think that the female voice on "Minority Report" adds an emotional depth to the score, giving Agatha a "voice" of her own.
And John Williams uses is also in Star Wars III, and it works. But I get what you mean, it can sound very tasteless when used a lot, if used sparingly it can be quite lovely, like anything, too much of it is a bad thing.
Does anyone agree that wailing voices in film music is the worst type of music ,the worst of all is when there is arab sounding voices on a film that does`nt require it at all,makes me cringe hearing it in a film,thank god i have`nt got that sorta music on ost.That sorta sound as been going on for years now,i blame hans zimmer lol.
I would agree with this, but I also think that the female voice on "Minority Report" adds an emotional depth to the score, giving Agatha a "voice" of her own.
And John Williams uses is also in Star Wars III, and it works. But I get what you mean, it can sound very tasteless when used a lot, if used sparingly it can be quite lovely, like anything, too much of it is a bad thing.
This 'wailing' is called Melismas for the record. Derives from Arabic traditions and even used in Flamenco music styles nowadays... maybe it should remain there for the majority of the time!? lol
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Some people go to church, I listen to John Williams. I have him on my Ipod everyday, being a musician and composer also I often seek inspiration from his music on a daily basis. So I would say, yes, yes I do have withdrawals.
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In a way, both. Both are key to making good music. A great melody nine times out of ten has a good rhythm, it makes it catchy, the rhythm don't have to be complicated it just has to work with the notes, take 'Happy Birthday' for example! But sometimes its not melody or rhythm, its harmony.
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Well done for getting to such a good old age. RIP
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Hi, im doing a report on John Williams at school as we have to choose our most influential practitioner and write 3000 words on them so i thought who could be more influential than the man himself, aha.
Basically i need to find out about what inspired him to become a film score producer and what aspects of his personal/working life may have influenced his style or anything really, does anybody have anything they can share with me?
Thanks guys
His father was a jazz musician, a drummer. He was around jazz greats during his early years. He took up piano, amongst other insturments such as cello and clarinet. He was a jazz recording artist (Pianist) originally. He started arranging jazz music and then when he moved to LA with his family, studied composition privately. He was a good pianist all round, classical, jazz you name it. He got into being a musician in the Hollywood orchestras in the 50s, playing on such themes as Peter Gunn by Henry Mancini. He then became an orchestrator in the studios for well known film composers at the time such as Franz Waxman and Max Steiner. He also did do some ghost writing. You could say he was influences and got the knowledge of film composing from watching the 'masters' at work in the studios. He soon started to get film composing work for B movies and Tv themes and such like, until getting his huge breaks with Jaws, Starwars and ET etc.
Thats my little summary for you. Hope its helpful,
Lewis
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An even longer career in show business?
A long life, perhaps?
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Oh I know! I love the 'Grave Robbers' track from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, its so experimental in a way, I dont know how John Williams manages to do it. Its not so noticeable in the film but when listened to as a stand alone track its wonderful. Especially the harp parts that a kinda 'Strummed' violently. Superb!
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The theme in Star Wars Empire Strikes Back when they are in the 'Mynocks Cave' There is a flourish of high piccolos then the horns and strings come in with the theme.
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Always makes me a little angry to think people would do that during a rehearsal of a John Williams piece, especially when he is standing right in front of them! So rude! All I can say is 'I would like to see them compose like he does'
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I heard that Peter Jackson has pulled out of the Hobbit now. I hope we get a sneak peak of John Williams' work for Tin Tin sooner or later, I'm literally dying to hear it!
I heard that too many people hear too many things from people who heard nothing.
True but Peter Jackson said it in an interview himself, shame really, was lovely what he did with Lord of the Rings.
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I heard that Peter Jackson has pulled out of the Hobbit now. I hope we get a sneak peak of John Williams' work for Tin Tin sooner or later, I'm literally dying to hear it!
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Oh how tragic and sad. I really didn't expect this at all, such a shame. I was so upset last year when Bea died and Estelle Getty the year before, now the youngest. RIP Rue
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I would say,
Erich Korngold's 'The Sea Hawk' and even such soundtracks as Disney's Snow White, and anything Bernard Herrmann and John Williams
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This may be a really special score, its the first time John Williams has scored for a cartoon type film isnt it? Maybe that will change the way he writes, who knows
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I can imagine quirky little themes at the moment, I imagine a colourful jazz score for some reason. With the Tsk Tsk high hat and a clarinet solo or something like that, but also classic JW at the same time. Also can imagine things like "ETs Halloween' track. Hope he reverts back to his old days of scoring the likes of Jurassic Park, ET and Jaw. AHHHHHHH I'm so excited lol Too long to wait though
Do You Truly Hate Hans Zimmer? (Musically.)
in General Discussion
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Personally, yes I hate him musically. The problem with Zimmer is that he has passed his sound on to the group of musicians he works with in his company/business. He usually writes the themes for a movie and then his minions often write the scores for the scenes, meaning that they have to adopt his style. When they eventually leave his scoring company and make their own way into the scoring world, they still have his sound, and know nothing else. No originality! He has caused the death of proper film music.