Jediwashington

Just got back from seeing the film and I've listened 3 times.
 
The orchestrations are so colorful. He packs more colors per bar than most impressionist composers and I'm just amazed.
 
Sophie's theme, In my opinion, is a lullaby, which would follow his typical logic. It is so evident because of its simplicity, repetitive nature and relatively small tessitura. It tries to be pentatonic as most lullaby's, but he gets bored of that harmonically. He also develops it in the film a lot more than the CD if you listen to the order. You don't really get a full theme reveal in major until the end of the first act.
 
This will go down as one of his best orchestrated films yet. The flute writing is incredible (and even better played... Brava!!!) the oboe work is great too. Woodwind writing is just magnificent. I'm so impressed that he was able to get those little unison flute lines to line up for the dreams and move straight on to the next material without dropping the idea. Just wow... Also, they should have kept Big Ben in the CD! 
 
As as for source music, I love the choice. Hail Britrania has hints of his melodic/rhythmic style, so it's not out of place. Bagpipes are snoozers. The real question is this: is that baroque/Renaissance music his? I think it is and wish it were on the CD...
 
The film itself just lagged in places. It threw us into the world really quickly, only to take over an hour fascinating us by said world, and then hurrying as quickly as possible to wrap up the story. It is a great story and a great book, but the script and editorial choices weren't distributed correctly to keep interest.
 
within those long scenes, they jump quickly from topic to topic, and transitions from scene to scene are quick, so John really didn't have time to play much, thus the sad reality that we don't get a big theme moment like ET or Harry Potter. It was quite dialogue heavy as well and didn't rely on as much visual story telling that Williams can throw in a motif.
 
Overall, love the music, not a big fan of the film. I think Williams had read the book, loves it, but knew it had a pacing issue and I can hear him struggling to save it, but not having the silence or opportunity to do it. He was boxed in and did what he could and certainly had a fun time with it regardless. A for effort!
 
Hope it's not the last children's score we get... He is too good at this style!
 
Definitely. Clarinets in A I think for a darker sound. It sounds like Alto flute as well, but maybe unison? Definitely more than one flute, but I can't tell if it's just 2 players with one that has a darker breathy sound or it is a different instrument completely. 
 
There is also a few articulations that make me think there could be a little glock with rubber mallets or maybe even vibes. Something metallic anyway extremely soft.

I keep forgetting to mention this and I'm surprised nobody else has (unless I missed it), but I think there actually is one notable Sophie's Theme statement missing from the OST. There's a microedit in "Giants Netted" where it should be, I think when the helicopters fly in and at some point there's a push-in to Sophie and the BFG watching, with the theme. It's not that long, I think just the first phrase at most, but it is probably the closest the underscore gets to the overture/end credits version of the theme. I do remember that sticking out and trying to remember if it had been on the OST, which it's not.
 
Also cut from the OST is the little face-off with Fleshlumpeater and BFG and then when the helicopters actually come in and net the giants. Basically I think the "Giants Netted" track is Sophie releasing the nightmare and the giants being affected, and then at about 0:53 it cuts to them already netted and being flown off to the island. All of this goes by really quickly so it's not like this is 10 minutes of unreleased stuff and I don't really remember it that well besides the Sophie's Theme statement, but it's missing anyway.
 
So...yeah. There is that, at the risk of sending KM into a panic.

You just nailed my biggest problem with the film.

Just got back from seeing the film and I've listened 3 times.
 
The orchestrations are so colorful. He packs more colors per bar than most impressionist composers and I'm just amazed.
 
Sophie's theme, In my opinion, is a lullaby, which would follow his typical logic. It is so evident because of its simplicity, repetitive nature and relatively small tessitura. It tries to be pentatonic as most lullaby's, but he gets bored of that harmonically. He also develops it in the film a lot more than the CD if you listen to the order. You don't really get a full theme reveal in major until the end of the first act.
 
This will go down as one of his best orchestrated films yet. The flute writing is incredible (and even better played... Brava!!!) the oboe work is great too. Woodwind writing is just magnificent. I'm so impressed that he was able to get those little unison flute lines to line up for the dreams and move straight on to the next material without dropping the idea. Just wow... Also, they should have kept Big Ben in the CD! 
 
As as for source music, I love the choice. Hail Britrania has hints of his melodic/rhythmic style, so it's not out of place. Bagpipes are snoozers. The real question is this: is that baroque/Renaissance music his? I think it is and wish it were on the CD...
 
The film itself just lagged in places. It threw us into the world really quickly, only to take over an hour fascinating us by said world, and then hurrying as quickly as possible to wrap up the story. It is a great story and a great book, but the script and editorial choices weren't distributed correctly to keep interest.
 
within those long scenes, they jump quickly from topic to topic, and transitions from scene to scene are quick, so John really didn't have time to play much, thus the sad reality that we don't get a big theme moment like ET or Harry Potter. It was quite dialogue heavy as well and didn't rely on as much visual story telling that Williams can throw in a motif.
 
Overall, love the music, not a big fan of the film. I think Williams had read the book, loves it, but knew it had a pacing issue and I can hear him struggling to save it, but not having the silence or opportunity to do it. He was boxed in and did what he could and certainly had a fun time with it regardless. A for effort!
 
Hope it's not the last children's score we get... He is too good at this style!
 
Definitely. Clarinets in A I think for a darker sound. It sounds like Alto flute as well, but maybe unison? Definitely more than one flute, but I can't tell if it's just 2 players with one that has a darker breathy sound or it is a different instrument completely. 
 
There is also a few articulations that make me think there could be a little glock with rubber mallets or maybe even vibes. Something metallic anyway extremely soft.

Could it be Flute and Clarinet?
Maybe Flutes in octaves...

I did see the film yesterday, but unfortunately I had a pretty bad headache afterward (possibly from the 3D) so I had to just rest. This evening I will give the full OST a first listen and then post what things I can remember about the music in the film. 
 
Well, for starters, I noticed during the end credits that there was no credit for orchestration (assuming I didn't miss it). So it seems that Williams did all the orchestrations himself. 
 
 
 
 

Just got back from seeing the film and I've listened 3 times.
 
The orchestrations are so colorful. He packs more colors per bar than most impressionist composers and I'm just amazed.
 
Sophie's theme, In my opinion, is a lullaby, which would follow his typical logic. It is so evident because of its simplicity, repetitive nature and relatively small tessitura. It tries to be pentatonic as most lullaby's, but he gets bored of that harmonically. He also develops it in the film a lot more than the CD if you listen to the order. You don't really get a full theme reveal in major until the end of the first act.
 
This will go down as one of his best orchestrated films yet. The flute writing is incredible (and even better played... Brava!!!) the oboe work is great too. Woodwind writing is just magnificent. I'm so impressed that he was able to get those little unison flute lines to line up for the dreams and move straight on to the next material without dropping the idea. Just wow... Also, they should have kept Big Ben in the CD! 
 
As as for source music, I love the choice. Hail Britrania has hints of his melodic/rhythmic style, so it's not out of place. Bagpipes are snoozers. The real question is this: is that baroque/Renaissance music his? I think it is and wish it were on the CD...
 
The film itself just lagged in places. It threw us into the world really quickly, only to take over an hour fascinating us by said world, and then hurrying as quickly as possible to wrap up the story. It is a great story and a great book, but the script and editorial choices weren't distributed correctly to keep interest.
 
within those long scenes, they jump quickly from topic to topic, and transitions from scene to scene are quick, so John really didn't have time to play much, thus the sad reality that we don't get a big theme moment like ET or Harry Potter. It was quite dialogue heavy as well and didn't rely on as much visual story telling that Williams can throw in a motif.
 
Overall, love the music, not a big fan of the film. I think Williams had read the book, loves it, but knew it had a pacing issue and I can hear him struggling to save it, but not having the silence or opportunity to do it. He was boxed in and did what he could and certainly had a fun time with it regardless. A for effort!
 
Hope it's not the last children's score we get... He is too good at this style!
 
Definitely. Clarinets in A I think for a darker sound. It sounds like Alto flute as well, but maybe unison? Definitely more than one flute, but I can't tell if it's just 2 players with one that has a darker breathy sound or it is a different instrument completely. 
 
There is also a few articulations that make me think there could be a little glock with rubber mallets or maybe even vibes. Something metallic anyway extremely soft.

"Frolic" reminded me of "Aunt Marge's Waltz" from POA. An old fashioned comedy piece with a really classical ending
 

Basically any time he uses a third relation... (For the theory nerds out here)
 
But for more specifics, I love any of the transitions for the seasons (the tree moments from fall to winter, winter to spring, etc.) in The Prisoner of Azkaban. They are virtuosic for the solo instruments and just gorgeous.
 
Aunt Marge's Waltz oboe solo is just dripping with sass as well. Matches the scene perfect.
 
The Terminal piano and bass duet at the beginning of Jazz Autographs is just contrapuntal perfection, particularly from a rhythmic standpoint. especially the duple and triple play.
 
E.T. and Close Encounters have far too many moments to even mention. The opening's in particular I think convey such a great amount of fear and uncertainty while exploring so many post-tonal colors. 
 
Jurassic Park "Journey to the Island" after the fanfare from 7:30-8:00 and 8:30 to the end is a perfect setting for the entire film.
 
I'm most impressed with Williams when he finds a new color I haven't heard before, a line/countermelody that is genius or a rhythm that incorporates syncopated jazz in a way not normally done in orchestras.
 
Just a list of some more of my favorites from a more technical perspective:
The flute/trumpet octave mix and the clarinet/bassoon quartet from Hymn to the Fallen
The Bass Clarinet substitute for bass in The Knight Bus
The simple rhythmic layering across registers for Buckbeak's Flight (especially when the bass drops out)
The horn layering of "Lando's Palace,"
The Fugue in Jaws
The Ives style writing dueling melodies in Jaws
The contrasting rhythmic layers he uses for "The Asteroid Field,"
The slow accellerando he uses for the Battle of Hoth AND the Battle of Endor,
The viola ostinatos that tie together the entire Star Wars Prequels (DOTF, and the beginning of RotS etc.),
A Dream Discarded (which has as much to do with composition as Yo-yo Ma's impeccable ability to choke the tone of his Cello to tear every bit of your soul to shreds), 
The descant the violins have in "Flight to Neverland" over the woodwinds around 2:08, 
Chords for "The Immolation Scene" (They are some of the most devastating written for strings, second only to Barber of course),
and probably my favorite is a combination between him and the cellists/alto's in Close Encounters that blend so well at times you can't tell them apart.