claesgrufman

Without knowing the specifics of your planned arrangement (additional instrumentation and accompaniment, number of singers etc), I agree with everything Marcus says. Bear in mind though that pop arranging differs somewhat from traditional choral writing in that the parts are often close together in the "unisex" register, with male voices seldom (if ever) sounding in the lower register; the instrumental bass normally covers that part instead. Depending on the setting, another suitable voicing might be: Bass: d' (optional octave doubling on d to provide additional depth) Tenor: f'# Alto: a' Soprano: d'' With the tenors on f'#, another quality is produced, one that may provide more oomph or power to the overall sound. YMMV.

http://www.wtso.net/movie/197-The%20Simpsons%201617%20The%20Heartbroke%20Kid.html Listen at 11:07 and onwards. I think this is probably unintentional; anyone notice this before?

We are, but my argument hinges on the fact that Indy and Belloq are morally near-identical characters pursuing the same artefact. Had Belloq's character been more evil, or had Indy been played by James Stewart, I could never have formulated this viewpoint. I felt I needed to be clear on this in my previous posts. So that would by extension imply that God is the real villain in RAIDERS, but even I wouldn't want to push for that. I certainly don't see the Ark as a diabolical mastermind, but we must remember who it works for: the Old Testament God, who will release floods and wipe out entire populations. However, I'm not one for further discussing theology in this forum, so I'll just leave it at that. Let me just say that it's not up to me to convince anyone, like I said it's just my opinion and I will explain it if asked. I should also clarify that this little theory is something I have developed in addition to my initial appreciation I've had of RAIDERS ever since I was a kid, where Indy is the hero and Belloq and the Nazis are the villains. I think it makes repeated viewing of the film much more interesting.

A valid point, but in my initial post I suggested that Belloq and Indy are very similar characters. Central to understanding this is Belloq's line: "Men will kill for it [the Ark], men like you and me." Indy may not be evil, but is he good? If the Ark destroys evil, then yes, Indy is good. But I argue that Indy is neither good nor evil, nor is Belloq. Both want the same thing equally badly, and both will resort to extreme measures (sabotage, murder etc.) to secure it. Meanwhile, the Ark sits away, quietly monitoring the proceedings, awaiting just the right moment to blow everyone sky-high. Pretty cold if you ask me. So why does the Ark only destroy one of them if neither is good nor evil? Because the Ark does not destroy evil, it destroys those who are not humbled by the power of God and who seek it for their own gain. From a narrative point of view, the Nazis are merely a convenient storytelling device in that they serve as an ally to the antagonist Belloq and the audience gets somebody to dislike from the outset. However, as I said earlier, the film is set in 1936, and the Nazis had not yet shown their true colours to the world (they were actually busy hosting the Olympics). The audience knows the Nazis are bad, but how would Belloq know that? Even to Indy, the Nazis are just obstacles between him and the Ark, not future facilitators of genocide. Once you start looking behind the whole black-and-white/good-vs-evil aspect of the Hollywood formula and start questioning Indy and Belloq as purely good or evil characters, the film offers a surprisingly multilayered piece of storytelling that actually holds together. This is precisely what I have come to enjoy about RAIDERS in recent years. Again, I am disregarding the sequels in this discussion. And yes, now it starts to feel like I've overanalyzed a fine piece of blockbuster entertainment.

This viewpoint is just my opinion and is related to how I have come to appreciate RAIDERS as a stand-alone film. Once again disregarding the rest of the franchise, in RAIDERS the Ark is narratively presented much like a human character, with its own history, motives and (ultimately) actions. Characters develop relationships to it, which it in turn responds to. It remains a mysterious entity throughout, and reveals its true nature at the end of the film: immense power coupled with merciless destruction, but not without a sense of right and wrong. Other memorable movie villains have shown the same qualities; Keyser Soze of "The Usual Suspects" comes to mind. Seen from this perspective, the film becomes a love triangle of sorts between the object of desire that serves as catalyst of events (the Ark) and those who seek it (Indy and Belloq + their respective sidekicks). The "Raiders" become the protagonists (though all are not necessarily heroes) and the Ark becomes the villain. This approach also works for the music. Unlike the human villains in RAIDERS, represented by the fanfare-like Nazi motif, the Ark is given a rich musical foundation steeped in old-testament grandeur. (A similar analysis can be made in the Star Wars saga when comparing the brief and impersonal Imperial Motif to the endlessly more developed and versatile Imperial March.) From the subtle introduction to the revelational finale, the Ark is provided with a musical story that keeps telling more than it is showing. Through Williams' score we understand that the Ark is otherworldly, but the theme is never given a satisfying conclusion until the climax, musically keeping the audience in the dark about the full measure of its powers. The final warehouse scene provides a fittingly ambiguous coda for the Ark, narratively as well as musically, in a way reinforcing it as the titular character. The others are just, as the title suggests, raiders - morally bankrupt, consumed by greed and blinded by power. The Ark destroys them all except one who redeems himself at the very last second. (Oh, that's right, his girlfriend did too so she is also spared.) It's no coincidence that the theme we all associate with Indiana Jones' character is named "Raiders March" and not "Indy's theme" or something similar. So that's my explanation, I hope that clears things up a bit. I would like to add that I do not dislike the other films (with the exception of KOTCS which I have not yet seen and thus have no opinion of). I do watch them from time to time, in which case I always enjoy them, however, the "artefact as villain" argument is not really applicable to them because they lack a well-rounded antagonistic character such as Belloq to balance Indy. That and they don't have "Raiders" in the title.

My take (in my adult years) on RAIDERS is that Indy and Belloq are really two sides of the same coin; they both take little time to think about the moral implications of their actions. The only real difference is who they choose to side with, but then remember this film is set in 1936, before the Nazis had committed the atrocities for which they would eventually be remembered. Regarded independently of the sequels, who is to say Indy is better than Belloq? They are both avaricious and unscrupulous, they steal each other's artefacts (none of which are theirs to take) and don't seem to care whether most people live or die. Indy, for example, does not hesitate to shoot a complete stranger in the street just because he wields a sword at him for five seconds. Belloq at least gives Indy a chance (to run away from natives or escape from a tomb) whenever he leaves his nemesis for dead. In the end, the only redeeming characteristic of Indy is that he is humble before that which is greater than him whereas Belloq is not. That said, I think RAIDERS is only "complete" film of the franchise. It's a little ballsy in that Indy is morally shady, but the sequels would diminish this facet of the character. The antagonist has real motives and is actually a real relatable character, whereas in the sequels they are more cartoony in their evilness. Nothing wrong with that though, it's all good fun, just like Dietrich and Toht were as secondary villains in the first film. As a side note, the film also benefits from not containing the words "Indiana Jones" in its title, giving the viewer the option of not taking the protagonist's good motives for granted. The true villain of RAIDERS, however, is the Ark.

Hi folks, I've been writing arrangements for voices and small ensembles for a few years now, and I'm getting more and more interested in trying my hands at something larger. An upcoming project would allow me to write arrangements for a medium-sized pop orchestra (rhythm section, brass and strings), and I'm looking for good books on the subject. Ideally, they would feature both written and recorded examples, but any tips are greatly appreciated. I already have a basic understanding of music theory (keys, intervals, scales, notation etc.) so I don't really need that to be included. Many thanks for your suggestions! Regards, Claes

Another good autumn cue is "Fast Forward" from the film Serendipity by Alan Silvestri. Has anyone here heard it?

You are correct. I got the theme mixed up in my head. It is true of The Omen, however. Or...?

I might be wrong (just reminiscing off the top of my head from a score I haven't even owned in years), but doesn't the Dies Irae appear at the start of "Hell's Kitchen" in Sleepers? EDIT: Also, the four-note motif that runs through "Devil's Dance" from Witches of Eastwick is the Dies Irae, but shifted one beat forward.

Two pieces that always get me: Main Title from Superman: The Movie. Simply love that long chromatic brass figure in the end that inevitably lands perfectly on the finishing chord. The last phrase of the Medallion Theme from Raiders of the Lost Ark, especially when it's used in conjunction with the Ark theme. Best examples: Ark Trek and The Miracle of the Ark. Okay, so it's not really the end of the piece itself, I just think it's a great theme with a wonderful ending. BTW: I agree on The Empire Strikes Back.

Can someone please clarify specifically which scenes in the movie that Howard scored? As I'm more familiar with Zimmer's style, his scenes are easier for me to pick out. On the whole, I thought Batman Begins offered a mature movie and score. That main "alternating double sixteenths" ostinato is brilliant.

Since nobody else has done this, I shall be the first to welcome you to this forum. I'm no music theorist, but I'll offer my knowledge on the subject. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. There is a difference between perfect and absolute pitch. People with perfect pitch are are able to hear very small variations in frequency and are extremely sensitive to anything being slightly out of tune. Perfect pitch is very, very rare and it is generally thought that it cannot be learned - either you're born with it or you're not. It can be either a blessing or a curse. I believe people with perfect pitch generally find most music to be unlistenable due to inexact tuning of the instruments. Perfect pitch should not be confused with absolute pitch (or pitch memory), which is something completely different. As with relative pitch, absolute pitch can be learned, but it takes a fair bit of effort and training. People with absolute pitch can hear a random note and identify it correctly as, say, an "A". They do this because they've managed to memorise what an A sounds like, which usually requires some experience. They can also identify which key a song is playing in, or if a song has been transposed from its original key. I recommend a visit to http://www.good-ear.com/ They have free exercises in absolute (though they call it perfect) and relative pitch ranging from simple do-re-mi to advanced jazz harmonies. A great way to lose hours and hours of your life!

The medallion theme is a close relative of the ark theme, though it is somewhat more melodic than the ark theme. It can be heard most prominently in three places in the film: 1. When Marion first pulls it out of her blouse and looks at it in the bar in Nepal. 2. As the Nazis are transporting the Ark through the canyon, just before Indy threatens to blow it up. 3. During the finale, right before the beautiful angels turn into nasty demons. The so-called "discovery" theme is a 16-note sequence played by the strings in two places in the film: 1. As Indy begins to walk towards the golden idol in the Peruvian temple. 2. As Indy is locating the correct hole in which to insert the staff of Ra in the map room. Incidentally, the first phrases of the medallion theme are subtly quoted a few bars later in that very same scene.

I suddenly remembered that I've answered this exact same question before. This was the answer I supplied then, slightly more readable than my above reply.