zoltan_902

Awesome; though why it sounds like it was recorded underwater is a mystery.

Oh, not lilac?

Wow, he was quite dashing at 20-something with a full head of hair (and no beard). Didn't last long then.

Thanks! I don't know if I could name a favourite - there are a few that I rarely pickup anymore, but as far as ones I'm constantly referring back to: 1. Harry Potter 1 (Particularly 'Hedwig's Theme' - which is so intricately textured) 2. Music from the Star Wars Saga ('The Asteroid Field' has fascinating orchestrations, and is, again, incredibly grand in it's texturing) 3. Jane Eyre. Both "Thornfield" and "Reunion" I'm in love with. I'm in love with the romantic emotion of these, and the Romantic (cap R) texturing, with all the intricately layered voices of the orchestra creating such grandeur. I like to analyse how JW creates these texture, how the harmony is distributed among the instruments, and how various melodies 'look' as opposed to how they sound. I often feed them, note-by-note into Sibelius, and have fun rearranging the voices in odd combinations. The ones I don't pickup too often any more are "Schindler's List", and E.T (Both the flying theme and AoE), as they sort of bore me from their insistent over-exposure in the media. I know most people are totally in love with those works, but I'm, frankly, indifferent to them.

I've been collecting them for close to 10 years now, I have 38 in total. I'm not sure what proportion of the series that accounts for, but it would be most of them. They're quite expensive - even more so given the exchange change and postage costs (I'm in Sydney, Australia), but I treasure every one of them. My first one was Hymn To The Fallen (I was particularly fascinated at the orchestrations of that one at the time). Santa came with many more the following Christmas, and then I kept slowly adding.

I often go through 1-2 week phases with random pieces that I've been relatively indifferent to previously - to the point where I'm constantly listening to, analyzing the tiniest details, and scouring the web for alternative interpretations/covers of the piece. It becomes obsessive. Then, something else catches my attention, and the piece goes back to the 'indifferent' category. The most recent example of this was "Seven Years In Tibet". I haven;t listened to it (no compulsion) since that phase.

Not likely with Omaha Beach - all the titles sound like Signature Edition versions. I suppose one of the few titles that gets excluded from an Ocsar-only selection is Jurassic Park - and the Star Wars Prequels.

The Americans have it lucky. I traveled to Boston from Sydney, Australia for the concert in 2014. While still a heck of a way to travel (though as Dane says, worth every minute), it's perhaps not quite as physically demanding as a trip from Bratislava. I think I can give up an hope of a JW conducting tour of Australia. I'll just have to find opportunity to come to Boston again, before he leaves us forever.

I can never get enough of Jane Eyre myself. Was very pleased to see the album available of itunes. I'd like to see a solo (or duo) piano arrangement of 'To Thornfield' sometime, which I think is JW's most accomplished scherzo.

Rey's Theme was very impressive, and I was equally bewildered by the Harry Potter quote at the end. What REALLY had my jaw on the floor was the brass section in The Lost World. They absolutely nailed that. Come to think it, they nailed pretty much everything - if not let down by the sound mix. The clarinet in Viktor's Theme was the best performance since the official soundtrack itself and admirably avoided an amateurish 'squeaks'.

This gem just appeared on Youtube a few weeks ago. Cool stuff.

Holy CRAP! He looks 120 years old in this video. I know he's 84, but he looks particularly aged, and even a bit gaunt, as if he lost a lost of weight.

You should expect for the signature editions to be adapted slightly, as they are intended to be commercially published (by Hal Leonard) and commercially performable versions of the cues form the films. Many of the main themes of each movie will be recorded as 'concert' arrangements on the original soundtrack album, such that they only have vague resemblance to that actually heard int he film, or may only be heard in such form in the end credits. Stating the obvious, JW signs off on the signature edition publications, and to the best of my knowledge supervises the orchestrations and structures of the pieces personally. Some Signature Edition vary considerably from the material they are originally based, merely to make them commercially existing entities in their own right. For example, 'Escapades for Saxophone and Orchestra', is based on various themes from 'Catch Me If You Can', but is in fact expanded in duration and orchestration to pose as a quasi saxophone concerto. If you're looking for actual manuscripts from the recordings, the Signature Editions won't be it. There are, apparently, bootleg versions of these floating around the web, but I'll need equal advice on finding these as you do.

My doubt is the Spielberg would let that come in his way.

Yeah, why the doubt at all?

Oh please! Spielberg would personally hold the manuscript to JW's hand on his deathbed if need be.

And they say the Oscars are no longer based solely on creative merit. Funny that

Why even discuss it it? Just hand JW the oscar now.

Yeah, one would think it wouldn't be in the commercial interests of the studio to do this.

How do you 'isolate' the score? I've seen this dome a few times, but I though the music was always mixed permanently in with dialogue and effects.

I have trouble with the notion that 'Morricone' is an unfamiliar name. The fact that it's unusual compared to John Williams is probably a benefit.

I've not seen Hateful 8 (not a Tarantino fan), but the best composer should win, not just JW for the sake of his fan boys.

They can follow the example of The Hobbit supplements.

Morricone's success at the GG's and BAFTAS indicate heavily otherwise.

That's nice, but on the BD disc, I want a 1 hour documentary talking about the music. This was just a painful tease.