KingPin 201 Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 Just out of curiosity, I'm interested to know everyone's favorite overtures. So if you would, please share your picks. It can be from any musical genre - opera, ballet, film score, musical theatre, or a stand-alone piece (e.g., 1812 Overture) - whatever you decide. The only rule is that they must include the word "overture" in the title so that there is no debate over whether or not the piece is an actual overture.My personal favorites:Mancini - Overture to a Pops ConcertBernstein - Overture to CandideShostakovich - Festive Overture (Op. 96)Williams - The Cowboys Overture, Fitzwilly OvertureMozart - Overture to The Marriage of FigaroMendelsohn - Overture to A Midsummer Night's DreamRossini - Overture to The Italian in Algiers, William Tell OvertureTchaikovsky - 1812 Overture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightscape94 965 Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 Hebrides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,212 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Bernstein - Overture to CandideWilliams - The Cowboys Overture, Fitzwilly OvertureMozart - Overture to The Marriage of FigaroMendelsohn - Overture to A Midsummer Night's DreamThese are all great. For Mozart, add Don Giovanni, for Mendelssohn Die erste Walpurgisnacht and Paulus.Some more:Wagner: Der fliegende Holländer, Lohengrin, Das Rheingold, Die Meistersinger von NürnbergWeber: Der FreischützAnd several of the Beethovens are quite cool as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QMM 4 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 10538 Overture-Electric Light Orchestra But seriouslyAmerican Overture for Band - John Wilcox JenkinsBarber of Seville-Overture - RossiniJane Eyre Overture-Williams Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTennisBallKid 17 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 A Homeward Bound Overture is a lot of fun...ttbk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicHunta131 0 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 HebridesTragic Overture - Brahms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Twilight Zone Overture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 2,274 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Tanhauser and the Flying Duthcham (don't know how to write it in German) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,020 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 At the moment my favourite overture is Supergirl 9even f this is in fact end credits).Twilight Zone Overture.I haven't yet opportunity to hear this score. But many claim it's good, so I might check it soon.Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Breathmask 555 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Overture from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisAfonso 186 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Barber - Overture to the School for Scandal...many of those you already mentioned...and I'd loce to hear Elfman's new "Overeager Overture" a.k.a. "Overture to a nonexistent musical"oh, and Tchaikovsky's concert overture "Romeo and Juliet", although technically it's more of a tone poem than an overture (and quite long) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Breathmask 555 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 The overture from the Nutcrackersuite is quite nice too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beowulf 4 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 American Overture for Band - John Wilcox JenkinsJust gotta love the opening French Horn rip on that piece.As for me, I really love Dvorak's Carnival Overture....just so full of energy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 "Stargate Overture". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QMM 4 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 American Overture for Band - John Wilcox JenkinsJust gotta love the opening French Horn rip on that piece. Also a great piece to just show off French Horns, great themes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrScratch 294 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Rozsa - Ben-HurJeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fommes 153 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Does Sunset Boulevard Prelude count? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superman 0 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 If someone here mentions Spartacus (Alex North) then all hope is lost. A bigger barrage of noise and structural mess is hard to come by. Come to think of it that's a pretty accurate general description of Alex North's music.Current favorite of mine: http://www.immediatemusic.com/musicsource/...fm?FNAME=012_45 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robthehand 3 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 If someone here mentions Spartacus (Alex North) then all hope is lost. A bigger barrage of noise and structural mess is hard to come by. Come to think of it that's a pretty accurate general description of Alex North's music.Spartacus doesn't have an overture, does it? If North wrote one, it's not in the film, anyway. If you mean the main title, then I think it's brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,020 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 A bigger barrage of noise and structural mess is hard to come by. Come to think of it that's a pretty accurate general description of Alex North's music. I think that X3 (and parts of Sky Captain) would perfectly fit that description.Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superman 0 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Robthehand, there's absolutely NOTHING brilliant about the OVERTURE (yes it has one) in Spartacus. You'd have to be completely tone deaf to enjoy something like that. It's completely devoid of all the basic necessities in enjoyable music (form, structure, melody, sensible harmonic progression, dynamics etc.), and as an overture it fails completely by definition. It's just a meaningless and relentless sonic tirade of junk. There's simply no argument against this. It's an incontrovertible fact, as is your case of tone deafness How anyone can sit through that overture is beyond me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,020 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 So I am tone deaf? If that's the case I'm proud of it!Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 2,274 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 I love the main title of Spartacus, as I do the rest of the score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robthehand 3 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Robthehand, there's absolutely NOTHING brilliant about the OVERTURE (yes it has one) in Spartacus. You'd have to be completely tone deaf to enjoy something like that. It's completely devoid of all the basic necessities in enjoyable music (form, structure, melody, sensible harmonic progression, dynamics etc.), and as an overture it fails completely by definition. It's just a meaningless and relentless sonic tirade of junk. There's simply no argument against this. It's an incontrovertible fact, as is your case of tone deafness How anyone can sit through that overture is beyond me.Yes, my opinion is clearly wrong. How stupid of me, thinking I could make up my own mind about this sort of thing. :roll:And your idea that enjoyable music needs "melody, sensible harmonic progression, dynamics" is completely wrong. Are you saying that percussion-dominated cues (i.e. without melody) aren't proper music? What about atonal music? And as for dynamics... organ music doesn't have much in the way of that, are you saying that's not proper music?I've seen the film a many times (5+ times on TV) and twice theatrically, and none of them have had an overture - it just goes straight into the opening credits. Is there an overture on the DVD? Or is this piece on the CD only? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superman 0 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 A bigger barrage of noise and structural mess is hard to come by. Come to think of it that's a pretty accurate general description of Alex North's music. I think that X3 (and parts of Sky Captain) would perfectly fit that description.KarolI'm inclined to agree somewhat on the account of X3, but Sky Captain is far from it. There's intelligent thematic and motivic development with a musical aim and distinct direction, whereas Spartacus feels like someone set the orchestra on fire and everyone's running frantically around hoping to put it out somehow. By the time the overture (finally) ends you're so sick and tired of the random noise you're just gonna want to switch off the TV and go read a book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robthehand 3 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 whereas Spartacus feels like someone set the orchestra on fire and everyone's running frantically around hoping to put it out somehow. By the time the overture (finally) ends you're so sick and tired of the random noise you're just gonna want to switch off the TV and go read a book.Funny, I felt the exact opposite. It's attention-grabbing and interesting (to me), which is exactly what a main title or overture should be. (I presume you're talking about the main title, since no TV prints have an overture.) How is it that anyone who disagrees with you is wrong, all of a sudden? I suppose all Alex North fans are tone-deaf morons as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superman 0 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 There was an overture on the DVD. I'll never forget the torment... I simply couldn't believe my ears when I heard it. It's among the absolute worst pieces of orchestral music I've heard from that musical era. Oh well, some people will buy anything. (Btw, I didn't mean to offend anyone really.. just take my comments with a grain of salt (if you're not already doing so . Church organs of today are dynamic to a large extent. No, I do not regard percussion/rhythm alone as music, and no, atonality is not something I listen to with great pleasure (although these are all subjective opinions, they happen to reflect those of the majority). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoes 0 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 superman wrote: there's absolutely NOTHING brilliant about the OVERTURE (yes it has one) in Spartacus. You'd have to be completely tone deaf to enjoy something like that. It's completely devoid of all the basic necessities in enjoyable music (form, structure, melody, sensible harmonic progression, dynamics etc.), and as an overture it fails completely by definition. It's just a meaningless and relentless sonic tirade of junk. There's simply no argument against this. It's an incontrovertible fact, as is your case of tone deafness I don't even think I know what "tone" means... This is just one of those cases I mentioned where sometimes the musically-trained tend to look down their noses at those of us who aren't, even though we're all just trying to enjoy music for what it is: a pleasure.Just don't see the point in ever telling someone that they're flat-out wrong when it comes to something as simple as musical taste. By the way, my favorite overtures:The Cowboys -- (luckily JW has played this 3 out of the 6 times I've seen him perform with the Chicago Symphony)Does the Superman main titles count??Or how about Thomas Newman's Oscar and Lucinda titles?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superman 0 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Heh heh, well I certainly went overboard here Of course I have no business telling people what in my opinion is good and bad. I find it extremely curious that people truly are enjoying the Spartacus overture, though. Perhaps even fascinating.. I certainly would have fired him on the spot if that was my movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robthehand 3 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 I certainly would have fired him on the spot if that was my movie.Sure, YOU might fire him, but this is Stanley Kubrick we're talking about. He wouldn't fire a great composer like Alex North. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superman 0 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Bah! If there's anything Stanley Kubrick is known for it's his exceptionally poor taste in music, evident throughout his movie output. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robthehand 3 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Bah! If there's anything Stanley Kubrick is known for it's his exceptionally poor taste in music, evident throughout his movie output.(a) You clearly didn't get my point. (B) I couldn't disagree more. Are you saying that - for example - "We'll Meet Again" doesn't work in Dr. Strangelove? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,212 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Since it doesn't seem to be clear... are the Spartacus overture and main title two different cues? If not: I remember a fugue in the main title - so the "no form" argument dies right there.Tanhauser and the Flying Duthcham (don't know how to write it in German)You can't write it in English either, it seems. (Sorry) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robthehand 3 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Since it doesn't seem to be clear... are the Spartacus overture and main title two different cues?The overture (as I just found out) was composed and recorded, but not used in any prints of the film. The main title is the one that is, and the one that's on the official album.The "overture" is on the Tsunami CD (which I don't have yet). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry B 50 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Oklahoma! - Richard RodgersWest Side Story - Leonard BernsteinEl Cid - Miklos Rozsa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trumpeteer 302 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 "West Side Story""Dancer in the Dark" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitch 57 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Mozart, W.A.: Overture from "The Marriage of Figaro"Dvorak, A: "Carnival" OvertureBernstein, L: "Candide" OvertureJarre, M: "Lawrence of Arabia" Overture.Horner, J: "Titanic" Overture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Barnsbury 8 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Mancini - Overture to a Pops Concert This is great, I saw it performed in Boston...know of any recordings it can be found on?Ray Barnsbury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitch 57 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 http://www.amazon.com/Premier-Pops-Henry-M...i/dp/B000008I2M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 1,059 Posted September 30, 2006 Share Posted September 30, 2006 Alex North was a great composer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 2,274 Posted September 30, 2006 Share Posted September 30, 2006 Since it doesn't seem to be clear... are the Spartacus overture and main title two different cues? If not: I remember a fugue in the main title - so the "no form" argument dies right there.Tanhauser and the Flying Duthcham (don't know how to write it in German)You can't write it in English either, it seems. (Sorry) 8O Nice one Marian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixie_twinkle 48 Posted September 30, 2006 Share Posted September 30, 2006 Wagner: Overture to act 1 of LohengrinIt's beautiful haunting music. The first few minutes of it was used in Chaplin's The Great Dictator, for the scene where he dances with the balloon (globe). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisAfonso 186 Posted September 30, 2006 Share Posted September 30, 2006 I've just seen/heard this live 2 weeks ago, it was quite stunning. 8O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,212 Posted October 1, 2006 Share Posted October 1, 2006 Wagner: Overture to act 1 of LohengrinAnd of course, the orchestral interlude in Act 3, while not an overture, kicks ass. American Journey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixie_twinkle 48 Posted October 1, 2006 Share Posted October 1, 2006 The prelude to act 3 is I think the inspiration for the main title to Clash of the Titans. It's not the same, just... similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,212 Posted October 1, 2006 Share Posted October 1, 2006 Well, the prelude is the orchestral version of the wedding march, but I was talking about the orchestral piece somewhere in the middle of the act. I haven't heard Clash of the Titans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 3,696 Posted October 1, 2006 Share Posted October 1, 2006 Ernest Gold; Exodus overtureJ.W.; Cowboys overtureJ.W; Jane Eyre overture (I actually prefer the structure of Theme from Jane Eyre but I'm listing it anyway because the theme's great)Silvestri; Back to the Future overtureMancina; Haunted Mansion overtureZigman; The Notebook overture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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