Tom Guernsey
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Posts posted by Tom Guernsey
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6 minutes ago, Holko said:
Well, they did "cheat" a bit by recording in sections to have full control of the mix later.
I rather wish he wouldn't do that, his music can stand up to being performed like contemporary symphonic music, albeit on a quite industrial scale, even if I guess it makes it easier for mixing in the film.
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10 minutes ago, Jay said:
What does this sentence mean?
Dammit, that's what comes of trying to write a reply on your phone and getting interrupted lol. I meant to say that it makes you realise how difficult it is for the players given how difficult some of the music is technically, but also the conductor, who has to be able to determine which lines to bring out at each point along the way. Especially challenging where the whole orchestra is playing at once - of course, there's the mockup to get an idea, but even to ensure the right level of nuance and balance must still be difficult on virtually zero rehearsal. Amazing how often that it's a few broad horn chords which are the main focus but look so innocuous written down when so many others are playing runs or arpeggio figures, but it's all just accompaniment and orchestral colour.
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Yes and really enjoyed following it through with the album. It makes you realise how difficult it is not only for the orchestra but also the conductor if they aren’t for the composer. I’m a pretty proficient pianist, songwriter and composer but the level of complexity at some moments is astonishing. Will have to go through it a number more times to pick up on more of the details. Not exactly a chore!
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The suites album is really great, a few changes here and there from the originals. The HTTYD suite is a bit longer than the one that has appeared in concert a few times already, with a few minor orchestration changes. Building the Crate from Chicken Run has a much more prominent choir; not sure how much I like it, as it feels a bit overbearing. Having said that, the concert ending he presumably wrote especially for the album, rounds things out nicely. Strangely, the HTTYD 2 suite doesn't include Flying With Mother (or at least not the memorable opening part), which is perhaps the most obvious standalone track from the whole score. Otherwise an enjoyable suite, if a bit heavier in overall tone than one from HTTYD (which Flying With Mother would have counterbalanced somewhat). Performance and recording both excellent, a slightly broader more symphonic sound than his soundtrack albums get but tempos etc. are pretty much the same as the originals.
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Downloading! What a jolly Christmas present. Only minor criticism... such dull artwork. I’m sure one of our super talented cover designers will come up with something. Otherwise I’m sure I’ll enjoy this release immensely. And getting Jose Serebrier and the Philharmonia is quite impressive talent too.
In other news, my thoughtful boyfriend got me HTTYD Omni score. Let the air conducting commence!
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2 hours ago, Jay said:
Alexandre Desplat - The Midnight Sky
Shockingly boring
What a shame. The two preview tracks seems really lovely. But the album is pretty long and that kind of material is hard to sustain for that long. JNH’s News of the World similarly. Lovely but 45 minutes would have been plenty.
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2 hours ago, Anthony said:
What new score?
See my earlier post. He did an online masterclass and said he was working on a new score... guessed to be Lockdown for Doug Liman but not confirmed!
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If he does release another album prior to the end of the year, I assume it would be a re-release rather than whatever he's working on currently. Having said that, sounds like this new score is keeping him pretty busy (mainly with rewrites it seems!).
NP: Gigli by... John Powell.
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6 hours ago, LSH said:
The movement of 'his' body is the biggest giveaway. It's quite robot-like.
Which is weird given that, presumably, they had a real person on set over which to put the CGI face.
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3 hours ago, Quintus said:
He's at it again:
Mixed results (and some plain bad ones) in this latest hobbiest attempt. But in the shots where it does look good, I think it unquestionably looks more like Peter Cushing than the CG "original" does.
Much of the time, I think the problem lies more in the extremely unnatural physical performance, less with the face itself. Plus our brains know full well that PC doesn't sound like that when he speaks.
Part of it seems to be that the original has too much facial texture and the deep fake doesn't have quite enough, but the contrast makes them both look wrong somehow!
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6 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:
Perhaps Disney's making Solo 2?
Haha... I can't say the thought would super excite me as a film, but for the score prospects... HTTYD4?! Haha. OK... it won't be that. I think Lockdown seems the most likely. Based on the description of the film, I'm guessing the music might be quite different to his recent output.
One other thing I should mention was that in the masterclass he hinted that there might be more concert music next year, but obviously hard to know if it's just a throwaway comment rather, we can but hope, the Prussian Requiem is stupendous (I was lucky enough to be at the premiere!).
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1 hour ago, PrayodiBA said:
So this is our confirmation then?
Nonetheless, when JP feels challenged, then pretty sure we'll get another hit in the bag? ( does he ever miss though
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Really can't wait!
Could be?! As I say, I don't know the status of Lockdown... weird that the IMDb doesn't have much info for a film by a relatively well known film maker that is apparently in post-production with a strong cast. However, seems like a strong possibility. As I say, if he's writing the music now, it can't be more than a few weeks from release so we should find out more soon!
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Don't think anyone mentioned this, but JP did a masterclass for a few Brighton & Hove Music & Arts students online last Friday. It was pretty interesting and they will be posting highlights on their YouTube channel at some point https://www.youtube.com/user/BHMusicandArts. He mentioned a few times that he's working on a score which he suggested was quite a challenging assignment and the director was being very particular about what he wanted. Sounds very interesting, but he didn't give any hints as to what the film was.
Given that he's writing the music now, I assume it'll be out in a month or two... there seems to be very little info about Lockdown although the IMDb suggests it's in post-production, so that could be it?! Is Doug Liman notoriously difficult to please?! JP even said he questioned whether he was right for the film, which given he's worked with Liman before, was quite an admission. Sure we'll find out soon.
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3 minutes ago, bruce marshall said:
Well, McNeely can certainly do a good job imitating JW!😉
True although he probably sounds more himself these days, but could do a good job balancing imitation with his own musical personality. However, I do think that JW would do it just to round out the series and for SS, even if he's only the producer.
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10 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:
I recently bought Varese's stereo album of Spartacus. I really should listen to it!
Definitely... a shame it's not the complete score, but it's a pretty decent selection and sounds great.
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1 hour ago, bruce marshall said:
I'm a North fan but CLEO is a crashing bore- at least in full form.
An endless parade of fanfares, processionals, marches....
Zzz zzz.
Having listened to the full mono version of Spartacus, it really is significantly more dynamic and exciting than Cleopatra (although I concede they are pretty different films, even if they broadly fall into the category of historical epic) although I do still enjoy Cleopatra. But Spartacus really is superb. I really should listen to it more often.
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John Powell would doubtless do a terrific job, as would Joel McNeely or Bruce Broughton, but they would never get asked...
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2 minutes ago, Pellaeon said:
I would hope the new material recorded in 1997 (Victory Celebration, etc.) would not be in the main programme; that should be the 1983 score.
Ideally they would have the option of the ending of Jedi with either version, although which one was the main programme and which was the bonus would likely remain contentious forever (although I'd favour the Ewok Celebration in the main programme and Victory Celebration as the bonus). They might even through in the orchestra and chorus only version that's included on the Arista set...
3 minutes ago, Pellaeon said:Re: Beauty and the Beast, can you explain? The presentation I have always heard has all the songs first and then all the instrumental cues.
This is the Legacy Editions which are (mostly) complete new versions of some classic Disney scores. They have done Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and Pocahontas by Alan Menken. For these editions, the songs and score are sequenced chronologically as they appear in the films. But yes, the original soundtracks are songs first, score second (although of the Menken scores, Hunchback is essentially film order... yet to receive a Legacy Edition).
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Been lucky enough to see a few in London, the ones that stick out being The Empire Strikes Back as my favourite score (at least, if pushed to choose one!) and Jurassic Park (the first score I ever bought). Have also seen Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jaws, Close Encounters, Prisoner of Azkaban, Alice in Wonderland (think that was the one where I got to meet Danny Elfman afterwards outside the Royal Albert Hall for added coolness). I'm sure there are a couple of others but I'd have to check my box of programmes! Alas Superman and Return of the Jedi were meant to take place during 2020, so here's hoping they take place during 2021.
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23 hours ago, Jay said:
Here's a better way my explain it:
Every cue in its own track, unless the composer intended two cues to segue together.
Pretty much that. I mean, I'm happy to have the Battle of Hoth as a single track, but wouldn't complain if it were broken down into individual tracks, but definitely happy to leave it broadly to the discretion of an experienced producer. Sometimes there's enough momentum from one cue to the next where it makes sense for them to play continuously but any point where there's a clear gap then it makes sense to put one in, even if it's a short one, as a breather.
A couple of minor digressions on the same topic.... Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall anyone mentioning that in Solo, Dice and Roll is presumably meant to effectively play continuously into the end credits, but there is a small gap. I don't mind hugely although it does slightly kill the momentum having that gap, a bit like the clunky gap between the revised Victory Celebration and the End Credits on the 1997 Jedi album. Then again, the film version edits them together and it doesn't quite work... I'm surprised JW didn't write it with a view to ensuring the segue still worked. Then again, if it were up to me, he'd have kept the less ostentatious finale/credits segue from Star Wars which I vastly prefer. OK, I digressed too much.
I've been a bit frustrated by the way some of the Disney Legacy albums have been edited as they play almost continuously, even from one track to another. Mostly it's OK, but sometimes the gap really needed to be longer. Particularly noticeable on Beauty and the Beast where a couple of the score tracks pick up just a bit too quickly after a song even when they aren't especially meant to. Not deal breaking and not always an issue, but it does make you realise how good production can ensure the rhythm of an album can be impacted with only minor differences.
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9 hours ago, Anthony said:
Years ago he was planning to record an album of suites, but I'm not sure if anything materialised. It would be great if it turned out to be this, but I imagine it's unlikely.
I remain hopeful... some film suites could well as a complement to a recording of a shorter concert work, such as the overture I saw performed by the (I think) Sussex Youth Orchestra a couple of years ago, which would make a nice opener. A bit like the recent Desplat Airlines album.
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On 12/5/2020 at 2:38 AM, Koray Savas said:
I’ve been wanting a proper release of this score for years. There’s a lot to juggle because of Elton John’s involvement. Hopefully it’ll come out one day.
Powell just said on Facebook that The Hidden Worlds will be expanded, but not anytime soon.
I don’t think there’s a massive amount missing from The Hidden World although I would buy an expanded edition in any event. Same for HTTYD2 really. I think every time I listen to The Hidden World I like it more (having originally been slightly disappointed. Not sure what I was thinking!). The Furies in Love are 3 of the greatest minutes he’s ever written. Exquisite into soaring and the kind of film music that transcends the film. But at least it’s on the album!
On 12/5/2020 at 4:00 AM, bruce marshall said:I want him to record a concert suite of HTTYD!😊
Agreed and some of his other scores. One of those Ghent compilations would be great (like the Beltrami and Burwell ones).
I think my pick would go to Road to Eldorado. Maid of his scores are worth hearing in full but this is the most lacking on the existing album but is terrific.
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3 minutes ago, Jay said:
It's great that they were already experimenting with digital recording, editing, and mastering in 1982 but they should have had the foresight to see that 16/50 was not a ceiling that would remain in the future and running analog wouldn't add THAT much more cost! Oh well.
Quite... but then ST2 had a budget of about 9 pence, so we're lucky to have got such a great orchestral score and the whole "let's use the Planets" thing died a death (mainly because it would have been expensive as, unlike Disney and Stravinsky, they couldn't stiff the Holst estate for royalties).
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Damn... wrote all that stuff on the "what have you listened to recently thread" and thought about a Christmas scores thread but didn't think of starting one. I'll copy the bits about Christmas scores I already wrote, but I would add a shout-out for the Santa Clause scores, the first one by Michael Convertino and the sequels by George S Clinton, which are really lovely. Also the Snowman and the Snowdog by Ilan Eshkeri, a worth sequel to the Howard Blake original (see below).
In addition to the Nutcracker, I really recommend A Christmas Carol Symphony by Patric Standford and A Carol Symphony by Victor Hely-Hutchinson, both of which are available on a single album from Naxos. If you like nice broad orchestral versions of Christmas carols (like the Carnegie Hall bit from Home Alone 2) both of these are really great. The other works on the same album make very enjoyable companions too. All performed with elan by the City of Prague Phil too.
Next bit copied and pasted... but since someone asked...
Home Alone & Home Alone 2 (JW) - I would have to almost agree that if you have the sequel, you have pretty much the entire original plus lots of terrific "big city" JW does Leonard Bernstein/George Gershwin stuff on top. Plus Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas which is probably hands down my favourite Christmas song that isn't religious (notwithstanding the pretty meh lyrics). I don't think I'd have any hesitation in picking Home Alone 2 as my favourite Christmas score, just so many great moments and terrific tunes, heartwarming without being too cloying (at least to the extent possible with a Christmas score).
The Snowman (Howard Blake) - I realised that I didn't own this, mistakenly thinking that it was a narration only soundtrack (which would make it the only score with dialogue on the album but not in the film) however the album presents the score with (Bernard Cribbins, lovely choice) and without narration. Some lovely melodic content outside of Walking in the Air, although I forgot how much it mimics the on-screen action so closely on occasion, so some passages are a bit stop-start but when it gets going, it really is wonderful. Walking in the Air is one of those songs that I think most people have heard too many times to actually enjoy much but it's really quite lovely and surprisingly melancholy considering, even if the not-Aled Jones boy soprano sings it with just a little bit too much over-enunciated church choir diction.
Elf (John Debney) - One of those scores that's pretty much exactly how you imagine it to be, but no worse for that, plus it riffs on the much-used Thor swinging his hammer melody from the final movement of Sibelius' 5th Symphony. See also, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (Rachel Portman) who uses the same basis for the song As Long as There's Christmas. There's a score that deserves more than the handful of minutes it gets on album, but I doubt there's much interest from either Disney or labels... shame, it's a delightful score, even if it never reaches the heights of Alan Menken.
Santa Claus: The Movie (Henry Mancini) - Mixed feelings on this one. Some of it is super, the Making Toys cue is great fun and the whole thing has lots of typically memorable Mancini tunes. That being said, some of it has more cheese than a wheel of stilton on a cheese board that is formed into tiles on the roof of a cheddar factory. Especially Thank You, Santa, a song which makes me want to rip my ears off.
Several of the Christmas Carol scores that were mentioned in my other thread on the subject, the Alan Menken one never fails to put me in the Christmas spirit. The animated score by Julian Nott is lovely, although I'm not sure it's as memorable as I remembered. If that makes sense. Some nice versions of carols and surprisingly good songs performed by Charlotte Church and Kate Winslett (which were apparently quite big hits at the time). I enjoyed the Nick Bicât score, as recommended in the other thread, although not sure it stuck with me that much.
John Powell's FILM SUITES, VOL. 1 (2020)
in General Discussion
Posted
That's kinda what I want to know, plus I would have thought that this would have been recorded like a regular classical album so the full orchestra in a room at the same time, rather than piecemeal (maybe save for the choir). Perhaps it was done much earlier in the year or during a period when the Uk wasn't as tightly locked down.
In response to some of the earlier comments, it is a bit of a shame that some of the selections aren't a bit longer, I'm sure he could have put together a decent 10minutes from most of those scores (although I think I'm too used to the shorter HTTYD suite played elsewhere and am a little bit less enthused by the HTTYD 2 suite, missing Flying With Mother definitely feels like a missed opportunity and some of the transitions are a touch clunky). I don't have any issue with the mixing, even if some of the inner instruments aren't as prominent as the original recordings, it still sounds great. It's probably a more realistic representation of the music as written.