Incanus

That is just one of my many epithets. Grey Hame, The One True John Williams Believer, Keeper of the Faith, Storm Crow...
This is what an old sage and scald sang of these movie adaptations in the time of BloodBoal the Young when the world was still green and good during our ancestors' day.
Where now the director and the script writers? Where is the inspiration that was in LotR showing?
Where is the sense and moderation and the story easily flowing?
Where is the hand on the key pad, and the Tolkien's spirit glowing?
Where is the faithful adaptation of the novel and the ideas from the original story growing?

They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;
The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow.
Who shall gather the smoke of the dead wood burning?
Or behold the flowing years from the Sea returning?

I changed the title again. Does that seem safe to you now? In every possible viewing mode it is presented on the MB? Should there be stronger claims of the thing just being a false rumour and a hoax?

Topic title edited for general mental and physical well being of JWFan (the original gave me a near heart attack when I first read it).

Topic title edited for general mental and physical well being of JWFan (the original gave me a near heart attack when I first read it).

FotR has better storytelling and better development of themes than AUJ. Also FotR is much more diverse in the musical colours of its palette. It's more nuanced as a whole, with more intelligent subtleties in the music, and the music for the different locations are more easily distinctive, and the emotional material is far more substantial (ex. the choral material for Boromir, the operatic solos, etc). Finally, FotR has better themes/motifs as a whole.
It's as the Messenger said:

Keep Russian stylings away from Lake Town I say! No balalaikas! It could be only worse if there were bouzoukis in the score! There is no indication they are portrayed as anything even remotely Russian and they are actually related to Rohirrim as both are part of the larger group of Northmen.

We have actually very little info on the Lake Town and the culture of that people and how PJ is going to portray them in the films. A few glimpses of Lake Town itself and the Master, Bard and Master's lackey.
I think a mix of Norse and Central European elements would be a good combination. Tolkien himself thought them belonging to the same cultural group as men of the Dale, Rohirrim's ancestors and the Woodmen of Mirkwood. Naturally all of them had their own cultural traits but I would like to see some common elements with Rohan, like rich woodcarving motifs in the buildings etc.
Dale looks somewhat curiously South European.

This absolutely deserves its own thread.
http://mspresents.com/
"A screening series of restored classic Polish films touring the U.S. and Canada, opening at the Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York in February 2014.
Martin Scorsese has personally selected 21 Polish films that have been an inspiration and influence.
(...) an unprecedented cultural event. Polish cinema has never been showcased in North America on such a scale. The best in classic Polish film will be shown in cities in the U.S. and Canada throughout 2014, beginning with a special premiere presentation in New York City on February 5th.
Films in the series will be presented in the highest possible quality thanks to extensive digital picture and audio restoration. Dirt, scratches and other ravages of time have been removed, while preserving the integrity and beauty of the original films."

It took me almost two years to get this out of my head an into my computer, but I've finally managed to assemble a little concert arrangement based on Tintin's theme:
http://soundcloud.com/chrisafonso/tintins-theme-arrangement
It mostly consists of Williams' original theme and secondary "sneaking" theme, which I extended a bit. And to make King Mark happy, I applied a bit of a Raiders March feel to the beginning.
It's relatively short, unlike the more fleshed out suites Homeboy and especially Skystalker already created, but I hope it's enjoyable nonetheless

Ten years ago! I'm sure it was an exhausting experience then and he would not necessarily want to repeat it now.

Episode # 08: James Horner in Vienna (2nd International Edition)
Includes interviews with Horner, conductor/composer David Newman and concert producer Sandra Tomek. We also play many of the ACTUAL cues from the concert, the concert recordings. This is a must-listen, IMO!
AND it's in English.
http://celluloidtunes.no/celluloid-tunes-08-james-horner-in-vienna-2nd-international-edition/
PLAYLIST:
BRAVEHEART (concert recording)
LEGENDS OF THE FALL (concert recording)
STAR TREK 2: THE WRATH OF KHAN (concert recording)
ALIENS (soundtrack recording)
THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS (soundtrack recording)
TITANIC suite (concert recording)

There are a few early "John Williams" screen credits (Daddy-O in 1958 was "John Williams"). But the formal transition from "Johnny" back to "John" happened circa 1967. Valley of the Dolls had a "John Williams" screen credit (although the soundtrack LP still used "Johnny" on the cover). Fitzwilly had "Johnny Williams," which I believe qualifies it as the last. In 1968, both Land of the Giants and Heidi were "John Williams" -- and for these two productions, both his screen credit AND the original Capitol Records LPs had "John" on the cover. The fact that the Label X CD of Heidi uses "Johnny Williams" is one of the errors on that release.

WARNING: I HAVE NOT SEEN THE PLAY, BUT BASED ON MY LISTENS OF THE SCORE THERE WILL BE SPOILERS.
As Williams’ only venture into musical theatre, I’m surprised this score gets so little attention around here. I got it mostly because I was curious, but I ended up really enjoying it. It is a must-have for anyone who wants to understand the full capability of John Williams, but also a probably-have for anyone who just wants to hear good music (and enjoys musicals). And it’s fairly cheap on the Amazon marketplace.
I’m going to give my overall thoughts on the score, and then a track-by-track analysis. The latter was written as I was listening to each track, so a lot of it is sloppy, redundant, or grammatically awkward.
First, my overall opinion. There are a lot of really enjoyable, catchy tunes. None of it is incredibly revolutionary or unique, but you can definitely hear Williams trying to do something different and not write a patchwork of older musicals. You can also hear a little of the origins of Williams’ future works (mostly love themes). There’s a lot of cool rhythmic ideas that Williams adopts; he uses ostinatos during songs, rhythmically complex melodic lines (that I imagine are hard to sing), and unexpected interjections to some songs. One of the most effective parts of the score is Williams’ use of ideas from songs in many different tracks, especially “Will No One Ride Me?” I know that this is common practice in the musical world, but Williams usually alters these references to keep it interesting. Sometimes singers leave out a key word/note in the phrase, sometimes the rhythmn remains but the melody changes, sometimes the opposite. The lyrics are strong too, although sometimes they seem a little awkward or simpleminded. Some of the songs recall the songs Williams would write for films later and earlier, but a majority sound pretty different. Like I said, it’s an important score in the development of Williams, but also an enjoyable listen. I give it 4/5 stars in listenability.
“Processional” is a jumpy and bright track, which is mostly instrumental. What lyrics there are are sung by a choir. It’s very crisp and ceremonial. I’d imagine this piece aunnonces the arrival of royalty. Fans of some of Williams’ brassier works (ie, everybody on this MB) would enjoy this track I think.
“Look Around You” is one of my favorites. It’s very rhythmic for a song from a musical, but that’s what makes it more interesting. It’s energetic and exciting. The addition to multiple voices makes it especially exciting.
“Am I Beautiful?” is one of the lesser songs on the album, in my opinion. This one sounds like it could be one of the songs that Williams’ wrote for films of the 60s and 70s. It’s not bad, but it certainly isn’t as breathtaking as I think it attempts to be. Still, it’s enjoyable enough.
“Man of Love” is a charming infectious melody. It’s a soaring, careless, and optimistic tune. This song showcases Williams’ brilliant ability to create catchy melodies. This singer is really great, probably the best in the show. The ending is great again, taking the song into new melodic realms.
“The Question” is another nice one. It starts out a little awkwardly, but once it gains momentum it’s a nice listen. The melody itself is really quite beautiful, but for some reason it plays stronger without lyrics. The melody is drawn on a lot throughout the rest of the score.
“What Choice Have I?” is a stressful, confused song. It emphasizes strange and unpredictable rhythms similar to “Look Around You,” which once again makes it an exciting and interesting listen. It conveys indecisiveness and confusion really nicely. It also draws one a melody from “Am I Beautiful.” All the time it gathers tension, but drops out unexpectedly and reverts back to the hopelessness of the beginning. As the character “knows what she must do,” it ends on a major chord (I think).
“We Shall Do It” is the most charming of the songs, and the one that most reaches back to other Broadway hits. It is the most uplifting and exhilerarting of the melodies. Williams utilizes a choir to join the king singing during the chorus. There’s some more playing with rhythm (during the lines “civility, tranquility, etc.”). It recalls the melody from “Processional.” It’s a little goofy, but I love it for that. Overall, it is really rousing, crisp, and optimistic.
“Improbable as Spring” is a gorgeous melody that again recalls giants from Broadway. I think this one will appeal to one who likes some of Williams’ famous romantic themes (Luke and Leia, etc.). The melody ascends as the lyrics grow more powerful. It ends on a beautiful instrumental quote of “Man of Love.”
“Power” is one of my favorite songs. It starts with a twisted ostinato, followed by an unstoppable and evil melody sung by another great singer. There’s some neat muted brass licks underneath the singer. This is an intense, overwhelming, angry song that declares women’s dominance over males, and the evil lady’s plan to overthrow the king. What is that plan? We don’t know until the last word of the song: “war!” This is my second favorite song, behind “We Shall Do It.”
“The Question (Reprise)” is a more humble, more reverant variation of the original. It also reaches more of a climax, a more intense finish, with brass accompanying the singer rather than the woodwinds of the original.
“Consecration” is a close cousin of “Processional,” at least in the beginning. It begins with crisp trumpet fanfares, and is later joined by choir once again in loud, declatory notes. The choir later returns crying “Hallejulah” which serves as a sort of ostinato over the deeper male voices who sing something else. Layered on top of this are variations from “The Question.” I would guess this is the En’tracte.
“’Tis Love” comes next. This song is nice, but a little weak compared to the rest. It features harpsicord. Overall it sounds a little to pop-ish for my tastes, but it’s still a nice listen.
“Sincerity” is a fun, fast-paced song. It opens VERY similarly to Bernstein’s “Tonight Quintet” (which opens the “Overture” in the film version of West Side Story), but after that it goes in its own direction. The song is very quick and “notey”, climaxing of a dissonant chord and the word “blasphemy” stretched over a few measures…very effective.
Next is “The Test,” which starts with some awkward lyric/music combinations. After the first minute, it starts to flow better. It gets a little too cheesy during the line “why did you make such a mess?!” followed by descending xylophones and woodwinds, but the rest of the song is nice. The song ends with more trumpet fanfares.
“Replay the Game” starts with a quote from “Am I Beautiful?” but quickly turns into its own melody. This is another tune that recalls Williams’ love themes from the world of film. It finishes magnificently with big dramatic final statements.
“A New Way to Turn” is based on the rhythm from “We Shall Do It,” but the melody changes. It is another optimistic, exciting piece. A men’s choir joins the singers. And at the very end, the phrase “we shall do it” is even quoted, although the melody is considerably different.
“Will No One Ride Me?” is an intense cue that recalls several songs, such as the ostinato from “Power.” This is more an instrumental cue with sung interjections from characters. It is nightmarish as the king tries to fight whatever evil has taken over by recalling phrases from “A Man of Love,” but he is unable to finish each phrase. “Sincerity” is recalled, but it’s chorus is changed to “insincerity.” “We Shall do It” is reprised in a nightmarish and twisted fashion. This is one of the most exciting tracks in a horrible, demented way. The chorus repeatedly shouts “Becket” (which I believe is Thomas’ last name) in a menacing way. The evil lady reprises some of the vocal parts of “Power,” which sails easily above the rest. For a moment, she causes the entire song to halt, which instrumental interjections waiting to follow her command. The track ends with full orchestral jabs, and the king’s shouts of discomfort.
“So Many Other Worlds” opens with a melancholy flute variation of “The Question.” The king mourns Thomas’ death. As the king realized man’s potential for good, the music turns optimistic, and a slow ballad “So Many Other Worlds” begins. This song is very beautiful. It is more mature, less frenetic than the other “happy” songs, but just as optimistic. The king promises to Thomas to “build the better world” as the music soars dramatically. The song finishes with a strong brass statement, which joins the king as he shouts the final words in a dramatic and inspiring way: “we shall do it!”

Far be it from me to become a hipster at this point. I am not that far gone yet.

Karol

Guess I've just missed that. Thor was sitting much closer to the stage then myself.
Anyway he's one of my favourite bits from the show (not that you can see anything):

Karol

http://youtu.be/OEaXaigFTus

The point is that many directors are simply in love with Glass-like minimalism, which has become a true staple in dramatic movies scoring to the point of now being a cliché.
I see why many people like it in movies, though: the repetitive patterns, the usual stripped-down "piano-cum-strings" orchestration, the small melodic nuggets, the emotional directness of diatonic chords etc. can really serve the drama and the actions in a very unobtrusive way while giving a sense of elegance and class.
The point is: after the man himself (Glass) brought this technique to its likely maximum impact in film music on a score like The Hours (imho one of the most seminal scores of the last 15 years), I wonder how many variations and deviations can be done within this quite already constricted musical language. It would be refreshing if some director would ask the composer to approach a minimalist-influenced style while looking at the whole spectrum of it, i.e. not just the usual Glass/Nyman template. Take a look for example at how Morricone used minimalist technique many times, but he never sounded like Glass or Reich. Even John Williams approached minimalism gestures in some creative way (A.I., Minority Report, portions of Memoirs of a Geisha).

Oh I like Doctor Parnassus too, very underrated score.
While not exactly film scores, or not at all, but... I just came back from a BBC Philharmonic concert in Nottingham where they played Manuel de Falla's The Three Cornered Hat Suite suite no 2, Prokofiev's second Violin Concerto, Maurice Ravel's Daphnic and Chloë Suite no. 2. and, most importantly Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. The whole evening being basically a tribute to Sergei Diaghilev's famous ballet productions. Each piece was better than the previous one. And it really takes a live performance of Stravinsky's piece to understand and feel just why is it held in such a high regard - it doesn't make quite a same impression heard even on best recordings. And Nottingham concert hall's spectacular acoustics were clearly the star of this evening. I also have to say, Ravel's piece made a great impression on me - something I might want to investigate while preparing a next list of music shopping (just joking, I don't make lists like that):

Karol

I doubt they tinkered with digital technology back in 1975
The OST album is definitely a re-recording, no question about it. It was very much the common rule back then to re-record selections of the score for commercial album purposes. Mancini did it all the time and Williams did too quite a number of times even before Jaws. What is great is that Williams rethought and rewrote quite a few cues, expanding them in a very concert-like fashion (think about "Out to Sea" and "Preparing the Cage" of course, but also "Tourists on the Menu", "One Barrell Chase" and the end credits cue), including the now-iconic concert arrangement of the shark motif he still plays in concerts (even though he added an even more extended coda during the Boston Pops years).
Also, the orchestral performance is overall better, much more refined, precise and nuanced. Some may feel it lacks the "rawness" of the original film recording, but the fact Williams was able to conduct and record without the contraints of synchronization produced what is imho a pretty much definitive performance of this score.

He means he's about to arrive in NZ, having left NY a week ago, and he and Howard suffering many misadventures along the way, including but not limited to laceration, evisceration, and incineration. Thankfully Pope was able to step in and conduct for a while!

Pics from the event here:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151916416816278.1073741831.530696277&type=1&l=3b03991f26

Pics from the event here:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151916416816278.1073741831.530696277&type=1&l=3b03991f26

I think it gives it a old/classic movie theater feel..

What a great list of scores. It's hard to argue with Corigliano's Oscar win. Angela's Ashes is one of my personal favorites from JW. Episode 1 was a just tremendous showcase of what he can with a full orchestra, and is a score of so many different colors and moods that I'm in awe in the pure achievement of the thing. American Beauty was probably the most influential of the bunch. The Matrix planted the seeds for the (superior) later scores.
Out of sheer sentimentality, my vote goes to Angela's Ashes. But it could as easily had gone to the Red Violin or Episode 1, for different reasons