Forgotten Choral Pieces

[tpigeon 3]

When many of us think of Williams and the chorus, we tend to think of bold, overt, energetic pieces like "Duel of the Fates," "Battle of the Heroes," or more elegantly noble ones (which I prefer) such as "You Are the Pan" and "The Dark Side Beckons." It's the quieter choral passages that I want to focus on here, the ones that don't get as much credit but are often staggering in their ability to conjure complex emotion.

First, I'd like to point out A.I., which is known for the choir in pieces like Stored Memories, which contains some of my favorite chorus work from Williams. Also, the "Search for the Blue Fairy" (film version) contains some of the most sublime music I've ever heard and features a great interaction between the orchestra and the humming chorus which is nowhere to be found on the OST, save for eight or nine seconds starting at 2:29. The rest of the cue is sitched on the soundtrack for the wailing woman, which doesn't come close to the music as it accompanies the scene.

Throughout many of his scores, he will feature a soft chorus in one piece or two, usually for a new melody or motif. The moments are often fleeting but make for some of the great moments in his scores. For example, "Stolen Memories" from Schindler's List is so heartbreaking yet so short. Perhaps it works because it's so short and so perfect as it is. Also, Sleepers contains a great choral passage which I mentioned in the Far and Away thread. The cue is "Saying the Rosary," and it evokes a church-like atmosphere with a touch of darkness that is so ambiguous and so interesting.

More recently, he has combined electronic sounds with light choruses, as in "Gupta's Deliverance" from The Terminal and to greater effect in "Reaching the Country," from War of the Worlds, which is another bittersweet piece so tender and building so beautifully to its climax in strings.

There are so many more examples, but I want to open the discussion to other people's suggestions at this point. But part of the reason I wrote this was to highlight a more subtle side of Williams' music that he rarely gets credit for. Non-fans think he is only capable of overstated emotions and is defined by a lack of nuance and subtlty, a standpoint with which I strongly disagree. The above pieces are examples why.

Ted

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

I have always loved Williams' choral writing , especially those quieter ones

you mentioned. I'm not a big fan of "lyrics" , humming is often better for me. One of my all time favorte is in Farewell Neverland(Hook)

Pasi

[John Crichton 4]

There are several great choral moments in Temple of Doom outside of the Sanskrit chanting, unfortunately unreleased. Stealing the Stones and the choral-backed statement of the Slave Children theme in the finale immediately come to mind.

Ollivander's in Sorcerer's Stone, also unreleased.

The boys choir in Yoda and the Younglings, AOTC, is also quite nice but maybe lasts a bit too long.

[tpigeon 3]

I have always loved Williams' choral writing , especially those quieter ones

you mentioned. I'm not a big fan of "lyrics" , humming is often better for me. One of my all time favorte is in Farewell Neverland(Hook)

Pasi

Yes! I forgot that one. It is gorgeous! If I had to go through Williams' music and pick my all tim favorite passages, that would definitely be one of them. It's non-thematic, all texture, and sort of in between other non-choral moments, so it can sneak up on you. It is absolutely amazing though.

Ted

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I think I'm correct in picturing the scene of the children's return, as the leaf blows in and lands on Moira, with the choral music you guys are referencing in Hook. It really is something, very atmospheric and resolute.

Ray Barnsbury

[Maestro 147]

I love Saying the Rosary! And let's not forget, Revenge of the Sith holds a wealth of heartbreaking choral music that, while not always "subtle," is anything but "overstated." My personal favorite probably being the last minute of Anakin's Betrayal.

[Romão 2,274]

I think I'm correct in picturing the scene of the children's return, as the leaf blows in and lands on Moira, with the choral music you guys are referencing in Hook. It really is something, very atmospheric and resolute.

Ray Barnsbury

Oh yes, absolutely!!! Moments like those are pure magic.

Also, the choral writing in Close Encounters is unbelievable.

[John Crichton 4]

My personal favorite probably being the last minute of Anakin's Betrayal.

Yes, the soft choral section in there is the icing on the cake of a great, great cue. Why the censored ing censored that was edited out of the CD is beyond me.

[JWfangirl1992 18]

I love Saying the Rosary My personal favorite probably being the last minute of Anakin's Betrayal.

Thats a great bit right their, one of my favorites as well. I also love that bit in Anakins Dark Deeds i'm not big on cues but its the part where Palpatine says "into the first galatic empire" and the Senate applauds, yea there. Not very long, but very powerful IMO.

[JMan 0]

Hymn to the Fallen...hello.

[ashinyobject 0]

Hymn to the Fallen...hello.

Indeed

[Red 75]

Hook has mentioned several times in this thread and I think it is deserved. I think that Hook has some of John's very best choral work. Another cue that I'd like to name from Hook would be the Mermaid theme, which I think is very atmospheric and magical.

[drod400 0]

CE3K "The Visitors/"Bye"/End Titles: The Special Edition"

[Jacob 0]

The first 30-some seconds of Anakin's Dark Deeds has some, I think, powerful choral work -- I think it very accurately reflects the disorientation and sorrow at the utter destruction not only at the Jedi Temple but for the state of the entire galaxy.

I also love that bit in Anakins Dark Deeds i'm not big on cues but its the part where Palpatine says "into the first galatic empire" and the Senate applauds, yea there. Not very long, but very powerful IMO.

Completely with you on that one. Like evil has just asserted absolute dominance.

[KingPin 201]

I absolutely love the choral material in Empire of the Sun.

[publicist 4,643]

I'd second 'Empire of the Sun'.

Especially 'Return to the City', which has a middle section rather similar to 'Stored Memories'.

[Incanus 5,716]

Williams has written so much beautiful choral material.

Many of my favourites have been already mentioned here.

Empire of the Sun score in its entirety has so many touching choral moments ranging from uplifting to tragic.

Hook as mentioned above in so many posts has some of the most enhanting choral passages of Williams' career. Farewell to Neverland has perhaps the most magical of them and the You Are the Pan reaches religious levels of intensity and sheer elevation. Truly beautiful.

Saying the Rosary from Sleepers is a haunting cue. It has both the foreboding and doom about it. Chilling.

Amistad has many more subtle choir moments like the intense and tragic Crossing the Atlantic and the absolutely magical Middle Passage in which Cinque steers the ship at night guided by the stars (the track also contains the choir passage from "Give Us Free" scene in the film) and the threathening African chanting in the track July 4, 1839.

This score should get more attention. It is varied and powerful and contains some of the most unique music from Williams.

The HP POA has several brilliant choral moments: The Secrets of the Castle has that subtle chanting whispering choir in the middle of it. Spooky and fits the scene well. The Patrous light music of course is very beautiful. It is so simple and so pure which perfectly represents the idea of the Patronus spell. On the other end of the spectrum there is the violent and cold choral music for the Dementors.

Episode I has also few smaller choral moments besides Duel of the Fates which are good and over looked like the Swim to Otoh Gunga and the subsequent cues where the choir gives so much atmosphere to the underwater scenes. And my favourite is the malevolent and ominous Sith Chant which is a great small device to signal that something bad is going to happen or that the evil is drawing near.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Amistad has many more subtle choir moments like the intense and tragic Crossing the Atlantic and the absolutely magical Middle Passage in which Cinque steers the ship at night guided by the stars (the track also contains the choir passage from "Give Us Free" scene in the film) and the threathening African chanting in the track July 4, 1839.  

This score should get more attention. It is varied and powerful and contains some of the most unique music from Williams.  

Very true. Those grand, emotion-laden choral renditions of the main theme border on a religious feel with their restrained power. And I agree about the score too...a truly enjoyable and inspired effort by Williams.

The HP POA has several brilliant choral moments: The Secrets of the Castle has that subtle chanting whispering choir in the middle of it. Spooky and fits the scene well. The Patrous light music of course is very beautiful. It is so simple and so pure which perfectly represents the idea of the Patronus spell. On the other end of the spectrum there is the violent and cold choral music for the Dementors.

I don't know how I forgot this, but you're absolutely right. The Patronus music in particular is really wonderful. I remember expecting something more thematic and grand, but being awed by the restrained vocals, and the feeling of shimmering light they create.

Ray Barnsbury

[Romão 2,274]

Amistad has many more subtle choir moments like the intense and tragic Crossing the Atlantic and the absolutely magical Middle Passage in which Cinque steers the ship at night guided by the stars (the track also contains the choir passage from "Give Us Free" scene in the film) and the threathening African chanting in the track July 4, 1839.  

This score should get more attention. It is varied and powerful and contains some of the most unique music from Williams.  

Very true. Those grand, emotion-laden choral renditions of the main theme border on a religious feel with their restrained power. And I agree about the score too...a truly enjoyable and inspired effort by Williams.

[

I'll second that. And the imagery of the still camera and the stary sky just turns around Cinque is beautiful.

Can't also forget the track Cinque Returns home, in which the two main themes are joined on one of the saddest passages I have ever heard.

[tpigeon 3]

Does anyone remember the scene in The Prisoner of Azkaban in which Harry and Lupin practice the Expecto Patronum on boggarts? When Harry is telling about his memory, pay extra attention to the score and be amazed. I listen to this and I wonder about the possibilities that could have been with Williams' future with the series. It's brilliant, amazing music. Then, after he finally is able to successfull pull off the spell and he sits down with Lupin, there is another great rendition of the Past theme on the oboe. Why the score from that scene is not on the CD I will not know. It's a travesty, and another example of Williams' small use of choir at just the right moment to evoke such strong emotion in such a subtle way.

Ted

[crocodile 8,020]

First, I'd like to point out A.I., which is known for the choir in pieces like Stored Memories, which contains some of my favorite chorus work from Williams.

This is also one of my favourites.

Karol

[Maestro 147]

Can't also forget the track Cinque Returns home, in which the two main themes are joined on one of the saddest passages I have ever heard.

Is there an expanded Amistad score that I don't know about? If so...I want it!

[Romão 2,274]

The track is on the official CD. The track is just called Going Home, my bad

[Maestro 147]

Okay, whew.

[Marcus 390]

The "Gloria" of Monsignor is also a very good choral piece.

[Red 75]

Has anyone that Williams uses a choir in many underwater scenes? He seems to use it more often then not.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

I absolutely love the choral material in Empire of the Sun.

I was about to mention that score. I think a certain Mr Elfman may have had a head full of Empire of the Sun choral music while writing Edward Scissorhands.

[Incanus 5,716]

First, I'd like to point out A.I., which is known for the choir in pieces like Stored Memories, which contains some of my favorite chorus work from Williams. Also, the "Search for the Blue Fairy" (film version) contains some of the most sublime music I've ever heard and features a great interaction between the orchestra and the humming chorus which is nowhere to be found on the OST, save for eight or nine seconds starting at 2:29. The rest of the cue is sitched on the soundtrack for the wailing woman, which doesn't come close to the music as it accompanies the scene. Ted

Ted, the Search for the Blue Fairy film version still contains Barbara Bonney's solo performance. Her part has been toned down and the orchestral part has been made more prominent. There is no choir present in the cue as far as I can hear or if it there is, it is minimal. And I think that Bonney's voice is just marvelous on the track. Partly soothing and partly expressing deep sorrow.

[tpigeon 3]

There is no moaning in the film version. It's quiet humming. and the orchestra is doing something entirely different than on the OST. The interaction between the orchestra and the humming (which sounds amazingly different than the OST moaning) is beautiful; worlds beyond what's the on the soundtrack. Believe me, I know this piece very well.

Ted

[Incanus 5,716]

There is no moaning in the film version. It's quiet humming. and the orchestra is doing something entirely different than on the OST. The interaction between the orchestra and the humming  (which sounds amazingly different than the OST moaning) is beautiful; worlds beyond what's the on the soundtrack. Believe me, I know this piece very well.

Ted

I was just pointing out there is no choir in the piece. Barbara Bonney is humming in the film version much like she does in the Stored Memories cue. The A.I. score belongs to my absolute favourites among Williams' works and I love both the film version and the album version of the mentioned cue. Simply magical.