curlytoot

Has this version of the theme ever been recorded/released commercially? It's gorgeous. If there's any one thing that I wish could have been added to this year's Boston Pops/Keith Lockhart album, it's this.

A favorite of mine is the bit starting at 2:50. Some interesting harmonies underlying, especially the last chord before the theme repeats (2:56-ish). Is it  just me or is there someone (trombone?) playing the major 7th in there? Feels jazzy. Either way, it's impressive to hear so much chordal motion under a simple theme; virtually every beat has a shift.
 
 

A favorite of mine is the bit starting at 2:50. Some interesting harmonies underlying, especially the last chord before the theme repeats (2:56-ish). Is it  just me or is there someone (trombone?) playing the major 7th in there? Feels jazzy. Either way, it's impressive to hear so much chordal motion under a simple theme; virtually every beat has a shift.
 
 

Jaws.  He could have gone with just one note, but he went the extra mile with two. 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/oz1zxerfocfakox/Rey vs. Ren (with Firebird Music).mp4?dl=0
 
For several months I've fantasized about how cool it would be to have TFA's climactic forest duel scored with the finale to Stravinsky's Firebird. Williams' "The Ways of the Force" is great, but at the same time it feels like a missed opportunity. For lack of a better word, it's not epic enough (and no, I don't just mean "choir" when I say epic!) That's not necessarily Williams' fault, of course -- Abrams probably dictated his approach to the scene. But, anyway, I finally got around to editing together the scene with Firebird. I took away a few bits of footage, and edited out one small bit of music near the end (I wanted to avoid music microediting, but unfortunately I was forced to in order to keep the sync points). I also cut out the X-wing trench run scene, which goes in between the two segments of the lightsaber battle in the film. 
 
Some of you may feel that the scene as edited here is almost comedically over-scored. But try to think about it like, I dunno, the creation scene in The Tree of Life (however hard that may be for some of you! ) It's not the typical approach to modern film scoring, but I don't think that makes it inherently bad. I find something profoundly beautiful and, well, epic about it. It hits you with a visceral force that matches the incredible passion of a lightsaber duel, something Williams' cue mostly failed to do until its last 30 seconds or so. It's the climax of the film, in a beautiful and unique setting ... yet the scene is far from my favorite in TFA -- and I think the musical approach is part of that (particularly given that I tend to be a music fan first and a film fan second!) I think the classical music helps it transcend being a normal hum-drum action scene and become something much more memorable. I don't know if you will agree, but that's how I feel! 
 
The recording used is Leonard Bernstein's with the NY Phil. I apologize for the low video quality - you might not want to play it in full screen! I think the quality might get slightly better if you download the video, although don't expect too much. 

Still waiting for Slatkin to get his ass in gear and continue the series with Detroit.

Schumann, John Williams, and William Bolcom
 
The New York Philharmonic is releasing (digitally) a live recording of Principal Tuba Alan Baer's performance of the Tuba Concerto. You can listen to preview clips already; sounds great IMO.

Schumann, John Williams, and William Bolcom
 
The New York Philharmonic is releasing (digitally) a live recording of Principal Tuba Alan Baer's performance of the Tuba Concerto. You can listen to preview clips already; sounds great IMO.

Schumann, John Williams, and William Bolcom
 
The New York Philharmonic is releasing (digitally) a live recording of Principal Tuba Alan Baer's performance of the Tuba Concerto. You can listen to preview clips already; sounds great IMO.

April 2018:
Michael Giacchino's Rogue One vs Michael Giacchino's Han Solo score

The tasteful use of the bagpipes during the climactic final battle is especially awe-inspiring. 

Those thinking Howard would get Hans were kidding themselves. Kennedy is running the show and this is a Kennedy choice through and through. She is very protective of the property and will make sure the feel of the franchise remains intact - which means a a full blast symphonic orchestral score.
 
Powell is a good choice. How to train your dragin is an absolutely fantastic score. He richly earned his academy award nomination and was robbed that year.
 
 

He can actually write a tune. Rare enough.
 
Karol

Brilliant news!!
 
 
how long before he's replaced by Giacchino?

<<< March of the Resistance is futile! You will be assimilated into our collective! >>>

If you had known beforehand we could have started a fund to raise a considerable sum to bribe this doctor for Williams' complete medical records and the doctor's professional opinion on how likely it is that JW will be able to compose Episode IX.

*English

He's one of the few bridging links that tie all the films together, it absolutely plays a big part in legitimizing the new trilogy.
 
In ten years when they do X, XI and XII it'll be hard to accept those as part of the fabric of Star Wars, because they won't have that John Williams link.

A newcomer with some sense!

Seriously, is this where orchestral music is nowadays? Random Stalling intervals and bad discordant moves dictated by misguided obligations to a sound and a recording style long since past. And why does it have to sound so frigging cheap? These are multimillion investments and the score sounds like a Don Peake band for ABC in 1981.

"A.IIIIIII
A.IIIIIIII
A.I Artficial Intell-i-gence"

If the reason for firing Miller/Lord, as reported, was that they wouldn't fall in line and make the movie more "Star-Warsy," I'd think she'd have something to say about a Zimmer score as well.