Marcus
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Posts posted by Marcus
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To suggest that Williams' score for AOTC is anything less than great, is simply absurd, and devoid of musical truth. Williams wrote a wonderful score for a horrible film. It happens.
Whether or not it is one of Williams' finest efforts , it is nevertheless lightyears beyond what anyone of his contemporaries could ever hope to write, no matter how inspired.
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I rather liked Luke's list. He's on to something...
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Amen.
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The writing is about as "signature 90's Goldmith" as it gets...
The orchestrations and harmonies are a little too "simplistic" to be John Williams. Listen to the Dreamworks S.K.G brass chorale to hear what I'm referring to.
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All the ones mentioned here are wonderful. Of more recent Goldsmith, I think "The Edge" has a beautiful main title score.
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Great observations, Mark! I agree 100%!
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I'm very excited about this! Elliot is a gifted composer (albeit not exactly a very eloquent one, judging from the interview sequence), and I like his concert works quite a bit.
Good for him, and good for us, I suppose. I wish I could attend...
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Oh, me too!! I miss Jerry Goldsmith...
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Ah, fun, fun, fun! And strangely nostalgic, as it reminds me a lot of ventures of mine into similar territory when I was very young.
I wish they had gotten the force theme right, though...
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Now, AOTC is certainly not a very pleasant film to watch. And the score was rather butchered in the film, but Williams' contribution is still magnificent!
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Petition signed!
Let's keep our fingers crossed,- you never know!
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I think by now, this theme has become such a cultural icon, it can hardly induce fear outside of its original context.
But keep in mind: Laughter is a very common response to fear!
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Seriously, guys... "Saving Private Ryan", "Sleepers", "Rosewood", "Seven Years in Tibet", "Nixon"...
They are fantastic scores! And "Sabrina" is, too. It is a fairly mediocre film, but Williams' contribution is tremendous, and pays a wonderful homage to a lost tradition of romantic scoring. And "In the Moonlight" is a very beautifully crafted song. Has anyone here looked at the harmonic construction of it? It's actually very interesting, and quite sophisticated! (Basically, it's in C major, but never gets there, and works its way down in fifths, starting on A, which becomes its tonal center by proxy).
"Saving Private Ryan" is perhaps the best score for a world war II picture in film music history.
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Oh, how fun! I think I would like him to have a dog...Considering his anglophilia, I wouldn't be surprised. Elgar had dogs. Herrmann too (not that he was british, although he certainly wanted to be!)
A cat is generally more "composer-friendly", as they require less attention...
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I have to say, FieryAngel (Hooray for Prokofiev!) is very right in his observations about Williams being a better composer than Jerry Goldsmith from the point of view of technique.
I also think that Williams' scores from the last fifteen years are some of his strongest, and I find it exiting that he seems to have somewhat bridged the gap between his concert and film music; they generally have a tendency to share idioms now.
Again, I love Goldsmith, but my musicianship and training and experience as a composer compels me to state, given the objective of this poll, that Williams is undoubtedly a better composer, and in my opinion also a better film composer.
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I share that sentiment, Mark...
Unfortunately for the film series, what little I've heard of the new composer's has been very unimpressive.
It's a lost cause now...
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They are both phenomenal, of course! And far, far superior to most of their colleagues, living or dead, and in the world of film and concert music!
Still, Williams is a more accomplished composer, technically, and his other musical qualities render him an obvious candidate for "The Greatest Composer Of The Lats Hundred Years", which sounds awkwardly competitive and deeply silly. And he would perhaps tie with Dmitri Shostakovich. And maybe Maurice Ravel.
God, I'm being very juvenile (and I'm loving it).
Not that Jerry Goldsmith wasn't magnificent, -he was divine!
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Perfect observation, dear Moderator!
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The Map Room.
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They are both excellent, and vastly differing love themes, describing two very different loves.
But since "Superman" is such a far superior film to "Attack of the Clones" (which I find almost unwatchable), I think, in the context for which it was written, I will prefer "Can You Read My Mind".
As pure music, I'm equally enamoured with both...
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How could such an effort NOT be beyond everything offered by an Elfman, a Zimmer, or anyone else? Williams would elevate this series to wonderful artistic altitudes, and add wisdom, grace and beauty...
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Dear Omen II and Incanus! Thank you, both of you, so much for all the help! I am very grateful, and find it absoultely wonderful that a mutual appreciation of the music of John Williams leads to a general good will and helpfulness towards others. What a marvellous site this is!
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Dear Incanus!
Thank you so very much for your help, I greatly appreciate it! and you really should be compensated for your time and effort, and if you'd like, I will gladly send you a copy of the book when it comes out. It incudes several "Kalevala" selections. And the illustrations are stunningly beautiful. As for the music, I will try my best...
Thank you again!
Yurs very, very gratefully,
Marcus
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Ah, what a lovely theme!
I think it was originally written for either "Escape Me Never" or "Another Dawn", but it's been a while since I listened to it outside the context of the concerto (which is marvellous!).
Marcus

The Episode II score: is it really so bad?
in General Discussion
Posted
Why is that? Please be kinder to your ears!