Sandor 459 Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 What do you consider to be the single most complex arranged Williams piece? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie 45 Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 In terms of arranging his themes orchestrationally and developmentally?The Cowboys Overture. At all times there are at least three motives running simultaneously in the melody, counterpoint, accompaniment, or just background... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandor 459 Posted August 29, 2006 Author Share Posted August 29, 2006 In terms of arranging his themes orchestrationally and developmentally? Could be a combination of the two, but I was aiming for orchestrationally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 1,931 Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 The last minute of Hedwig's theme is pure orchestral bliss, although I'm not really able to judge complexity. The Battle of Endor also comes to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpigeon 3 Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 I always found it funny that the best music written for the original Harry Potter film was not even in the film, and that is the last minute or so of Hedwig's theme, which is jaw-dropping.Ted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salacius 7 Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 The Spiders on the second Harry Potter. Easily some of his most complex arrangements to date Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 2,924 Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 I always found it funny that the best music written for the original Harry Potter film was not even in the film, and that is the last minute or so of Hedwig's theme, which is jaw-dropping.TedIt was the end of the first trailer's music("There's no such thing as magic..."),and that performance is different,and better IMO, as in includes the B section from Hedwig's Theme.K.M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trumpeteer 243 Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 I've always been amazed with "The Quidditch Match," how themes are passed seamlessly between orchestra sections. I know this is done in many of his scores, but in this cue, lasting eight minutes, there is a true requirement for the orchestra to be in sync. So much is going on that I always find new things in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Skywalker 1,285 Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 Did you spot Ludlow's demise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Barnsbury 8 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Like people have been saying about "The Quidditch Match," Hook's "The Ultimate War" is amazing in terms of the numerous themes being bounced around between sections of the orchestra, while maintaining an unbelievably fast pace, cohesive feel, and direction throughout. I really wish he'd score something this decade that would allow him to write like this again.Ray Barnsbury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 5,520 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Speaking of Quidditch music, Quidditch, Third Year is absolutely amazing - a fugato with outstanding motivic work and orchestrations. Some other cues from POA qualify as well, but this is probably the standout from that score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 2,924 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Underground Heroics from Temple of Doom.K.M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingPin 194 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 I say it's a tie between Quidditch Third Year and Adventures on Earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ymenard 35 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 The Ultimate War from various boots. I still wonder how he's done it, it's not mickey-mousing at all, it holds on to itself and the orchestration is phenomenal. And on screen, it's perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salacius 7 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Underground Heroics from Temple of Doom.K.M.Oh yeah, gosh there are so many awesome arrangments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant 1,093 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 I think the Scherzo for Motorcycle has quite complex rhythms... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpigeon 3 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 The Ultimate War from various boots. Â I still wonder how he's done it, it's not mickey-mousing at all, it holds on to itself and the orchestration is phenomenal. Â And on screen, it's perfect.Yes, the entire 20 minute battle sequence is exceptionally scored. It amazes me as well.Ted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pi 0 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 That violin part in the scherzo for orchestra is quite hard. Complex to play or complex to write (texture wise)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus 385 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 "Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra" is certainly a very complex piece, both in terms of writing and in terms of performance."Out to Sea & Shark Cage Fugue" has some wonderful contrapuntal writing (I love when the shark-motif comes in as a slowly undulating pedal during the stretto!). The "Epilogue" from "War of the Worlds" is quite complex in terms of design. Then there's the multi-layering of "Duel of the Fates" over the force theme as Anakin departs from the exploding space station in TPM, or the underground heroics-cue from ToD. I think certain parts of "The Witches of Eastwick" display very intricate writing, and even seemingly simple things like the main titles from "Towering Inferno" have their complexities.There is also some quite harmonically complex writing in "Minority Report" and certainly "A.I.".But Williams is always complex, on some level...Oh, and not to forget: The final reels of "E.T" and "Close Encounters"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 73 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 The Ultimate War from various boots. Â I still wonder how he's done it, it's not mickey-mousing at all, it holds on to itself and the orchestration is phenomenal. Â And on screen, it's perfect. The entire 20 minutes may be Williams' best action cue ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpigeon 3 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 You may be right about that.Ted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 1,931 Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 Books could be written about the Hook score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 2,924 Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 All his music is pretty complex...K.M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genius_Gone_Insane 5 Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 Not sure if I understand the question, but shouldn't someone have said "Star Wars Main Title" by now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251 Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 That's not particulary complex to me.The orchestration is the Leia's Theme concert version is more layered to me, if more subtle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingPin 194 Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 That's not particulary complex to me.I agree. Star Wars Main Title isn't so much complex as it is "busy". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony69 0 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 All his music is pretty complex...K.M.well not as complex as strauss. i await the day where willilams writes something a la ein heldenbeen. who else wants this:)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Docteur Qui 1,248 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Why? So we can say he wrote something as complex as Strauss? No thanks. If his music can be this good and not be the most complex thing ever written, that can only be good.His most recognisable works are often the most simple. Raiders March, Jurassic Park theme, Luke's theme, etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg1138 2 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 The orchestration is the Leia's Theme concert version is more layered to me, if more subtle.I've conducted this a few times and played it many times - each time I hear it I hear something new - there is so much going on in it for what seems like a simple tune at first listen......Ditto for the Superman March - I have just arranged this for Brass Band (unhappy with the other 3 arrangements out there) and going through the orchestral score is a real eye-opener......there are notes which you really can not distinguish on any recording, but I'm sure they would be missed if they weren't there......much of the Piano part springs to mind!Most complex, and very, very clever..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty 0 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 "Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra" is certainly a very complex piece, both in terms of writing and in terms of performance.Believe it or not, Scherzo is one of simpler pieces in terms of scoring. It is built for size, so the WW's, Brass and Strings are self contained, but the the counter-point between the 3 sections is amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Composer_Fan 2 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 ^Interesting, I was going to agree with the Scherzo, but you raise some interesting points.I've always been fascinated with The Knight Bus. There's so much movement, and I struggle to find beat one in each measure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Breathmask 480 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 The orchestration is the Leia's Theme concert version is more layered to me, if more subtle.I've conducted this a few times and played it many times - each time I hear it I hear something new - there is so much going on in it for what seems like a simple tune at first listen......Ditto for the Superman March - I have just arranged this for Brass Band (unhappy with the other 3 arrangements out there) and going through the orchestral score is a real eye-opener......there are notes which you really can not distinguish on any recording, but I'm sure they would be missed if they weren't there......much of the Piano part springs to mind!Most complex, and very, very clever.....There's a piano in the Superman March? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 859 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 After listening to the Musical Journey DVD that came with ROTS and hearing instruments I've never heard before I'm not suprised.It's hard to pick a single complex piece because it seems alot of his music has orchestrations that one might not notice unless you actually looked at the sheet music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg1138 2 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 The orchestration is the Leia's Theme concert version is more layered to me, if more subtle.I've conducted this a few times and played it many times - each time I hear it I hear something new - there is so much going on in it for what seems like a simple tune at first listen......Ditto for the Superman March - I have just arranged this for Brass Band (unhappy with the other 3 arrangements out there) and going through the orchestral score is a real eye-opener......there are notes which you really can not distinguish on any recording, but I'm sure they would be missed if they weren't there......much of the Piano part springs to mind!Most complex, and very, very clever.....There's a piano in the Superman March? Yes, there is....which is precisely my point.....I defy anyone to pick all of it out (though it seems to be most audible on the Kunzel "Star Tracks" recording) - but I bet it would be missed if some orchestra recorded the march without it - we would all be sat here saying "Something's missing" etc etc.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Breathmask 480 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 After listening to the Musical Journey DVD that came with ROTS and hearing instruments I've never heard before I'm not suprised.I'm going to pop that in now, because I still haven't heard that piano in The Imperial March or in The Asteroid Field... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus 385 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 As far as complexity and "Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra" is concerned, I'm thinking more in terms of motivic development. The orchestrations are very clear and quite simple in terms of texture.As far as playability goes, it is quite a work-out, it requires a lot of stamina.Actually, in terms of orchestrational detail and complexity, I think Williams' suite from HP:CoS has some really nifty things in it, especially "Dobby the House Elf" (middle section). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Breathmask 480 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Well, I just listened to The Imperial March and The Asteroid Field on the DVD, and I still haven't spotted that piano... But there's tons of stuff I'm hearing for the first time! Even in something as recent as Duel of the Fates.- Marc, playing the full thing now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 2,924 Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 the NFL football themeK.m. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 859 Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salacius 7 Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 How about The Battle Of Hoth. I mean it contains one of my most favourite pieces, The Battle in The Snow!It's pure genius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Vincent 8 Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Not sure if I understand the question, but shouldn't someone have said "Star Wars Main Title" by now?I have never thought Star Mars Main Title was a complex piece until I study the sheet. It is more complex than I thought first.A lot of John Williams compositions are complex, I really love the end of Edwig's Theme, I also think about a lot of Hook and Indiana Jones cues like The Mine Car Chase.The final raptor and T-Rex scenes from Jurassic Park are wonderful, pure action music ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 859 Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 How about The Battle Of Hoth. I mean it contains one of my most favourite pieces, The Battle in The Snow!It's pure geniusYes it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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