Tom Guernsey

Brilliantly, on the lossless download from Presto Music, The Age of Innocence is credited to both Elmer and Leonard Bernstein... eye roll lol. Still, great album so far!

Perhaps the very early 90s scores.
 
JP came out on vinyl a few years ago, for those who are into such perverse stuff.

Not on the first one as I recall. At least nothing intrusive. Sound and performance are both really good. Great selections too, nice variety.

Jurassic Park by John Williams: This is the score that made me a John Williams fan back in 1993 and even after all these years it still has not lost its magic. I love it!

Sounds like a pretty good artistic choice. An alternative ending would be to use the ending from the film version of the main titles, in a frenzy where it suddenly just cuts off dramatically. Feels more appropriate and dramatically satisfying than a melodramatic rallentando. I like that the audience was taken by surprise by the ending. The opposite to Superman where the build to the final chord is sometimes drowned by applause where the audience don't realise it hasn't finished. Not a big fan of the similar style ending for Battle of the Heroes where it stops to build up to a final chord, but I'm just being picky now ;-)
 
Have to admit that I think the Ewok theme is great, but then I love Prokofiev ;-) It just feels unfocussd to me, not horrendously so, just not as rigorously structured as some of his classic concert arrangements, but appreciate everyone hears things differently. Again, probably being picky.

Stargate - David Arnold
 
What are the odds of, in this 21st century, a young director asks for his young composer an epic orchestral score, filled with themes and grandiose orchestrations? The same as me winning the lottery? Or maybe the same as Scarlett Johannsson asking me to go on a date with her in Las Vegas?
 
Thank goodness these things (orchestral scores, not Scarlett) were way more common in 94, which is why we got this excellent score by Arnold.

Totally agreed, it's a great film, but the score makes it. Interesting (to me at least) that Jaws and the Omen won successive Oscars, both for horror scores (albeit Jaws is closer to the adventure end of things) and both scores which really make the films. The Omen perhaps even more so than Jaws, which would have been pretty terrific anyway, but The Omen is pretty flat without music.

Totally agreed, it's a great film, but the score makes it. Interesting (to me at least) that Jaws and the Omen won successive Oscars, both for horror scores (albeit Jaws is closer to the adventure end of things) and both scores which really make the films. The Omen perhaps even more so than Jaws, which would have been pretty terrific anyway, but The Omen is pretty flat without music.

More Jerry listening...
 
Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Hard to argue that it's not one of his best scores, if not his single greatest achievement. Although like all things that approach perfection, I still assert that the opening credits would have been far more effective using the V'Ger music rather than his Star Trek theme. Indeed, imagine starting the credits with the descending four note blaster beam motif that opens the alternate version of The Force Field and the Vertigo-esque arpeggio figures over the credits leading into the Klingon Battle. Sure, his Star Trek theme is winning and always feels like the best summation of the Star Trek ethos in music (I always sigh inwardly whenever Giacchino's theme is used to signify Star Trek...), but the tone feels all wrong for the start of this particular movie (I'm sure it's what the producers/director wanted). For me it's too upbeat and adventurous. I suggested this as a "heretical view" on FSM and nobody agreed so I don't expect anyone here to agree!
 
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier - When almost everyone's grails have been released, this was one for me until the terrific espanded album came out. Still one of my favourite scores and certainly my favourite performance of Jerry's Star Trek theme. Whatever subtle orchestration changes he made between TMP and this (I don't know if anyone has sat down to figure them out?) adds just a bit more adventurous swagger to an already terrific theme and the coupling with the original Courage fanfare works gangbusters too. Indeed, the original TMP opening feels almost a bit clunky in comparison and the subtle synth swoop that helps join the two melodies together subtly enhances it for me, keeping the momentum going.
 
TFF also contains one of my favourite short, spine tingling moments in A Tall Ship. His glittering introduction of the Enterprise, while not the showstopper of the titular TMP track, is just terrific. Indeed, I have made the point elsewhere that he really scored the spectacle of this film (or how it would have looked with a huge budget rather than the iffy effects it actually got) and the chance to score little joining scenes that don't come up very often. What it is about Star Trek movies and short shuttle rides that bring out the best in composers?! The Wrath of Kahn has a similarly lovely few seconds as the crew journey to the Enterprise.
 
Having said all that, I've not come across a Jerry score where the original versions of a couple of action cues (notably Open the Gates and Let's Get Out of Here) are surprisingly clunky in places and the album edits really tighten the pacing. Not sure if those little pauses are due to William Shatner's pacing or just one of those things, but it's really noticeable compared to the tightness of the album edits.

Tending to go through phases of more or less classical, but have explored the symphonies of Robert Simpson recently. Not quite sure how to describe them, some people feel they are quite dry but I don't really feel that. He was a massive fan and scholar of Carl Nielsen, although his own music isn't quite as memorable as Nielsen's, you can hear some of that seeping through at times.
 
As a massive Sibelius fan (almost acquired the BIS complete Sibelius edition, although hard to find some of the super short things that interesting aside from curiosities but still). My favourite of his symphonies are undoubtedly 3 and 6. Usually I'm a fan of grander gestures (say, 2 and, in particular, 5) but for Sibelius, 3 and 6 just feel like perfection.
 
Not sure if anyone has heard of Eduard Tubin but his symphonies are very enjoyable, as is his ballet Kratt. Worth checking out out if you're fan of tuneful Scandinavian composers (which I am).
 
Someone mentioned a recording of the complete Appalachian Spring recently (conducted by Leonard Slatkin) and it made me realise that all of the several versions I own are the shorter suite. Quite a revealation hearing the parts that Copland excised. Not really sure why he would have done so either, but surprising how few of the mainstream recordings are of the full thing.
 
Shostakovich's 8th Symphony was (I think) the featured work in a recent BBC Music Magazine so I gave the excellent Haitink recording a spin. His recording of the 5th and 9th was the first Shostakovich album I ever bought and still my go to option for both of those works, especially the 5th (I find others take the finale too ponderously or belabour the repeating string figure too much for my liking).

Sleepy Hollow by Danny Elfman: Still among my top 5 Elfman scores. It is superbly thematic, Gothically raucous and intricate in its writing with the main musical ideas constantly being reworked and spun around each other throughout the album. The finale from The Windmill onwards is breathless and expertly weaves in and out of the long exposition scene with intercut Headless Horseman approach shots culminating in The Chase and the piece with the classic Elfman track title The Final Confrontation. The rest of the score is equally intricate and dramatic with nary a dull moment throughout. I would love to have a complete presentation of this score, even though most of the unreleased music is shorter connective material as it would just add to the dark glory of this score.
 
Robin Hood  Prince of Thieves by Michael Kamen: I really like this score and think that a better recording/performance would certainly raise my appreciation even more. Someone should re-record this with better acoustics and mixing as the original recording feels very closed and small which sucks some of the dynamics out of the music. Still there is some of Kamen's loveliest melodic and swashbuckling material to be found in this score and I find myself revisiting it more often that we now have Intrada's release of the music.
 
Blue Max (Tadlow re-recording) by Jerry Goldsmith: I simply loved this score from the first moment I heard it and the Tadlow re-recording is a resounding success. Jerry's score is a textbook case of how to score a movie about flying and aviation as his music depicts all the grandeur, thrill and danger of flight in the most pulse pounding, inspiring way, the music literally taking flight right in the Main Title. I don't think there is a wasted note in this one and every piece whether love music or the classically constructed battle passacaglias feels part of a greater dramatic arc.  

Man, that's a brilliant tribute, superb arrangements and some of those transitions are utterly brilliant. I'd hope that Jerry would be pleased with that!
 
Been doing some Jerry listening myself...
 
Planet of the Apes - not much to say, but my appreciation has only increased since the LLL set came out.
Star Trek: The Motion Picture - listening through the alternates and unused early score is a treasure trove of music that's only not top drawer good becuase the final thing is so utterly brilliant. To think that he wrote music that good which got turned down and managed to up his game even more. Astounding.
Medicine Man - Still one of my favourites, such a winning mixture of orchestra, synths and exotic elements.
LA Confidential - I don't begrudge James Horner his Oscar (although I think he should have won for Braveheart... or Krull... or Star Trek II, but they were never going to happen), Jerry full deserved the prize for LA Confidential. Mind you, he was robbed so many times...
Concert Suites (from the Tadlow Blue Max album) - nice to have a range of less familiar Jerry scores represented, like they've done with some of their Maurice Jarre albums. The Blue Max re-recording is terrific too, of course.
 
 

Oh yeah his symphonies are great! I got them during my "buyer all of Naxos' American composer series" - I have only scratched the surface, but got plenty of good stuff. David Diamond's symphonies are worth looking into.

Some of their earlier albums are hit and miss but most of their more recent albums seem to have pretty good to great sound but I appreciate that sound quality is in the ear of the beholder! However, as a place for exploring new repetoire they are pretty incredible I would say. Especially now their entire catalogue available pretty cheaply in lossless... that sigh is my bank account. ;-)

Some of their earlier albums are hit and miss but most of their more recent albums seem to have pretty good to great sound but I appreciate that sound quality is in the ear of the beholder! However, as a place for exploring new repetoire they are pretty incredible I would say. Especially now their entire catalogue available pretty cheaply in lossless... that sigh is my bank account. ;-)

Oh yeah his symphonies are great! I got them during my "buyer all of Naxos' American composer series" - I have only scratched the surface, but got plenty of good stuff. David Diamond's symphonies are worth looking into.

I highly recommend Paul Creston's Symphony No. 1, composed in 1940.  This music wasn't breaking any new ground, but Creston wrote with crispness, clarity, and best of all a real sense of infectious enthusiasm and joy.  It's certainly one of the *happiest* symphonies I've listened to in a while, and it's really entertaining to bounce along with its boisterousness.
 

 
 

Seconded on this one, a terrific score that is well worth exploring. The Moutain has terrific although the ecstatic writing in The Golden Door is absolutely spine tingling. Need to revisit this one.
 
Is it me or are quite a lot of Morricone's scores fairly poor, recording wise, even some of the more recent ones aren't as good as might be hoped. The older ones can be very hit and miss. Given how particular he was, it's surprising he wasn't more fastidious with the quality of the actual recording/mixing.

I remember that Naxos compilation! It was one of the earliest Williams compilations I bought (along with the Silva Screen Jurassic Park one) and remember quite a bit of it being pretty ropey. However, wasn't the selection from The Accidental Tourist just A Second Chance?
Obviously listening to a lot of Morricone since the sad news:
 
Marco Polo - Lovely score although over a double CD it does drag times.
The Untouchables - One of my favourite Morricone scores. I still find it a bit weird that the original album was award winning despite the slightly odd decision to put the Machine Gun Lullaby at the end of the album, which rather leaves things hanging. The expanded album is much more satisfying.
L'Uccello Dalle Piume Di Cristallo - Almost surprising to see this appear so often on top Morricone scores. The main theme is typically lovely but the rest of the album is at the stranger end of his writing.
Cinema Paradiso - A proper classic, super themes, everything glows. Terrific.
Yo-Yo Ma Plays Morricone - One of my favourite Morricone compilations. Superb synthesis between composer and soloist.
 
But a few others as well...
Tron (Wendy Carlos) - Feel I should be more familiar with this score. The synth writing reminds me too much of 1980's Doctor Who scoring, but the mixing with the orchestra is quite effective.
Cry, the Beloved Country (John Barry) - Was surprised to discover I didn't own this score so had to acquire it (easier said that done). Great main theme, typically lush Barry score for the period.

I remember that Naxos compilation! It was one of the earliest Williams compilations I bought (along with the Silva Screen Jurassic Park one) and remember quite a bit of it being pretty ropey. However, wasn't the selection from The Accidental Tourist just A Second Chance?
Obviously listening to a lot of Morricone since the sad news:
 
Marco Polo - Lovely score although over a double CD it does drag times.
The Untouchables - One of my favourite Morricone scores. I still find it a bit weird that the original album was award winning despite the slightly odd decision to put the Machine Gun Lullaby at the end of the album, which rather leaves things hanging. The expanded album is much more satisfying.
L'Uccello Dalle Piume Di Cristallo - Almost surprising to see this appear so often on top Morricone scores. The main theme is typically lovely but the rest of the album is at the stranger end of his writing.
Cinema Paradiso - A proper classic, super themes, everything glows. Terrific.
Yo-Yo Ma Plays Morricone - One of my favourite Morricone compilations. Superb synthesis between composer and soloist.
 
But a few others as well...
Tron (Wendy Carlos) - Feel I should be more familiar with this score. The synth writing reminds me too much of 1980's Doctor Who scoring, but the mixing with the orchestra is quite effective.
Cry, the Beloved Country (John Barry) - Was surprised to discover I didn't own this score so had to acquire it (easier said that done). Great main theme, typically lush Barry score for the period.

I remember that Naxos compilation! It was one of the earliest Williams compilations I bought (along with the Silva Screen Jurassic Park one) and remember quite a bit of it being pretty ropey. However, wasn't the selection from The Accidental Tourist just A Second Chance?
Obviously listening to a lot of Morricone since the sad news:
 
Marco Polo - Lovely score although over a double CD it does drag times.
The Untouchables - One of my favourite Morricone scores. I still find it a bit weird that the original album was award winning despite the slightly odd decision to put the Machine Gun Lullaby at the end of the album, which rather leaves things hanging. The expanded album is much more satisfying.
L'Uccello Dalle Piume Di Cristallo - Almost surprising to see this appear so often on top Morricone scores. The main theme is typically lovely but the rest of the album is at the stranger end of his writing.
Cinema Paradiso - A proper classic, super themes, everything glows. Terrific.
Yo-Yo Ma Plays Morricone - One of my favourite Morricone compilations. Superb synthesis between composer and soloist.
 
But a few others as well...
Tron (Wendy Carlos) - Feel I should be more familiar with this score. The synth writing reminds me too much of 1980's Doctor Who scoring, but the mixing with the orchestra is quite effective.
Cry, the Beloved Country (John Barry) - Was surprised to discover I didn't own this score so had to acquire it (easier said that done). Great main theme, typically lush Barry score for the period.

Minority Report Expanded
 
Time to make some adverts for my incredible complete and comprehensive discography.
 
Hey new jwfans, everything...yes EVERYTHING is here!!! 
 
http://www.goplanete.com/johnwilliams/music/disco/albums.htm
 
 

That's super cool of you, thanks! Will make a nice change of pace from my current listening, Tadlow's terrific Sodom and Gomorrah (Rozsa) recording.

Matinee (Jerry Goldsmith) - What a great, fun score. Perfect length album, delightful, whimsical themes and appropriately silly when needed.
The Huntsman: Winter's War (JNH) - One of those scores that seems quite enjoyable at the time/in places but by the end it rather passed me by. Perhaps I'm missing something.
The Special Relationship (Alexandre Desplat) - Enjoyably quirky in places for a drama score.
The Willoughbys (Mark Mothersbough) - All over the place (in a good way). Can't remember much specifically, but lots of fun.
Shane: A Tribute To Victor Young (NZSO Kaufman) - Really great album, which is annoyingly difficult to find (the Newman Kaufman compilation is relatively easy to obtain and equally good). Must admit that I don't know much Young, but this seems like as good a place to start. Going to give Around the World in 80 Days a spin later (which I've owned for years). Side note... listening to Counterpoint, Radio 3's music quiz and the answer was "Around the World in 80 Days" (unrelated to film music, indeed I don't recall the context) and the contestant could remember the entire title aside from the number of days... they guessed "14 days". Erm...
The Prisoner of Zenda (Henry Mancini) - recent acquisition. Fun and tuneful as usual for Mancini, but not sure it'll surpass the Newman score. I've not seen either film, but assume the tone for the Mancini scored version is quite different!
Airport '77 (John Cacavas) - Not as good as Newman's original, seems closer to the dour end of JW's disaster movie scores but without the good main theme. Probably needs another listen. Looking forward to the Schifrin Concorde album.
 
Now playing: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Not sure anything needs to be said on this one...

Rocketeer:
 
The film mix sounds like the album.
 
Intrada mix is something else entirely.
 
Batman:
 
Album and Batman collection version sound great, first LLL is closer to film mix. Sounds fine, but the reissue is improved.