Eric_JWFAN

Here's another Ravel-esque moment in Star Wars. Not the atmospheric type, but the big brassy fanfare. It's very very brief, but you can hear some similarities in orchestration and that emphasis of the augmented 5th. The return to main theme of Star Wars in Phantom Menace (immediately after Augie's Municipal Band): http://hometown.aol.com/Orlandopiano/star+wars+1.wav The ending bars of Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand: http://hometown.aol.com/Orlandopiano/ravel+lh+conc.mp3

She is a female version of John Barry. Not impressed, but I haven't heard everything of hers.

Actually, Star Wars is one of the least "spacey" sounding scores of any movie in the Sci-Fi genre. No long extended atmospheric sounds, no cacophonous clusters, no whole tone, no electric or computer generated timbres... just a standard symphony orchestra playing early 20th century style symphonic music. If the Star Wars movies had never been made {shudders}, and Williams released a CD of this music, very few would think it was inspired by outer space (well maybe the part that copies Holst's "Mars"). With that said however, there are some things Williams does from a strictly harmonic standpoint that help give it that sound. One of them is the progression of parallel major chords that jump around by minor 3rd. Example: G major chord, up to a Bb major chord, up to a Db major chord, etc. This parallel movement of major chords gives a very foreign sound, very "out of this world". It's also exrtremely powerful and heightens the battle scenes. For more atmospheric sounds, Williams might use a major triad with an added augmented 5th (C E G G#). This is the chord that takes place in Episiode IV immediately after the overture. It gives a very ethereal sound. Think, opening of Ravel's "Ondine", but not quite as obvious. (There's a lot of Ravel in JW). There's a lot more to it than harmony (instrumentation, rhythm etc) but I think its the biggest reason.

From a strictly JW standpoint... War of the Worlds Sugarland Express That's about it...

Wow.. you want me to go in alphabetical order?

Ha, I was just about to suggest this!

Does Gavin Greenaway's music to Disney's Illuminations count?

Both themes share the same basic harmonic frame. Minor chord built on the root, drop down to a minor chord built on the flatted 6th, then return to the original minor chord built on the root. Ex: C minor, Ab minor, C minor.

He signed my avatar.

Glad we agree Marcus, apparently we're the only two who feel this way. :?

I'll take the subtle but perfectly written Sixth Sense. JNH's most effective score by far. Its cold, ghostly atmosphere connects with and aids the visuals better than any of them. Getting goosebumps just thinking about it...

I have to admit I haven't heard from Gimpel aside from his association with Goldsmith - who, btw, also studied with Rozsa. Have a look then, his arrangement of the famous Marines' Hymn by Offenbach. WARNING: EXTREME PYROTECHNICS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW7Vk5jEVBU...arch=hoffenbach Gimpel's virtuosity must have been just freakish. I wonder how good his most famous pupil (Jerry Goldsmith) was.

I am a Levine. They are the Lhevinnes.

Considering what they charge for these, you'd think they'd do it more carefully.

Funny. My copy shows an F#, and measure 232 appears on page 42. :? Heh? Isn't my copy your copy? {{{insert Twilight Zone music here}}}

Wow I didn't know Goldsmith studied with Gimpel. Have you ever heard his arrangement of the Marines' Hymn by Offenbach? It has some of the most incredible piano writing I've ever seen.

How could I forget about this one? I love Grusin!

That's what the thread is for, is it not?

E.T. Adventures on Earth, page 40 bar 232, first violins have a D# on the 2nd 8th note of beat 1, but it is supposed to be an F#.

I can't remember this. Anywhere I can find an audio file of it? And your favorite Persian piano film music cue is??

An obvious one would be the end credits to E.T. What about others with rich, complex writing for piano?

Get the complete one on RCA Victor with Yuri Temirkanov and St. Petersburg Philharmonic. Frightfully good. I was disappointed by the performance on that recording. When it was first released I bought it straight away, but the orchestra sounds a bit rough IMO. BUT, I agree it's an amazing piece. You really do need to buy it Mr. B. The Claudio Abbado recording on DG is excellent. Abbado's is great, but it is only the Nevsky "suite". Temirkanov's is the complete score. By the way, anything Abbado does is as good as it gets. 2nd best conductor alive today after Simon Rattle imho.

Get the complete one on RCA Victor with Yuri Temirkanov and St. Petersburg Philharmonic. Frightfully good.

Ah.... sorry I missed that. Speaking of Phantom, in this same piece a few bars later Webber rips a 2 measure passage from Bach's D minor Toccata and Fugue note for note.

You're thinking of James Horner.... Here... Andrew Lloyd Webber http://hometown.aol.com/Orlandopiano/phantom.wma Sergei Prokofiev http://hometown.aol.com/Orlandopiano/nevsky.wma