The Land Before Time

[Gamecube 0]

Hello everybody. I'm back. I have been pretty busy because (if you didn't know) school has started again

I recently got The Land Before Time soundtrack, which I find very enjoyable, and would like to know your opinions on it. I have never seen it discussed on this MB.

Please tell why you voted for what you did.

[scissorhands 16]

Happy you're back, GameCube.

I have not the CD, and I don't remember the score from the film. So I can't say anything. Sorry.

[King Mark 3,631]

It's one of Horner's better and fun scores,from his"good "period.All cues are enjoyable,which is rare for a soundtrack,even Williams.

K.M.Who had to vote excelent because there was not a "very good" option.

np:The Great Migration.

[Morn 8]

Something about it makes me not like it, but I can hear it's well done.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I love the score. I watcehd the movie often as a child, and when I stumbled upon the soundtrack at Barnes and Noble several months ago, I just had to get it. It brings back wonderful childhood memories for me, and besides that, it's really very fun and moving at the same time. One of my favorite non-Williams scores.

Ray Barnsbury

[PetePan 163]

I'm willing to trade it.

[Yoda Longbottom 0]

Something about it makes me not like it, but I can hear it's well done.

Definitely agreed, Morn.

The Land Before Time is one of the few Horner's scores that I can't enjoy very much. I don't like this score as much as it's being often classified as "excellent" or a "real forgotten treasure" in Horner's oeuvre (perhaps they knew why they put it out of mind).

The score, to me, sounds much longer than it is and the song in the middle doesn't make much of a recreation. As sparse as the score is as to number of cues, all of them set out for a long journey never finding a resolution. It's a boring album, as it sounds to me, and in many regards the often-dismissed JUMANJI may turn out a more satisfying companion.

Nevertheless, seeing a film to which it was composed might help appreciate it. But as a stand-alone listen, ...

[Justin 2]

I'm with Ray. Watched it all the time as a kid. I love the score one of my favorite Horner scores. 8O

Justin -Who can't belive they have made 6 or 7 sequels to LBT! :wow:

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Yeah Justin, I know what you mean! I can't wait for the next installment . . . The Land Before Time 36: Ducky Strikes Back! 8O

Ray Barnsbury

[King Mark 3,631]

My only problem with this score is that the End Credit music sound like a photocopy of "An American Tail" End Credits

K.M.

[Rogue_Leader 2]

Its average. Like most of Horner's works.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

And most of your posts here.

Stefancos-

[Justin 2]

Justin -

[Mattris 416]

It had been a while since I heard the The Land Before Time, so I popped it in.

Multiple sessions were needed to get through this one... not because of its lack of quality - quite the opposite. This score is simply one of one the most emotional I have ever heard.... many themes, most sad... but still hopeful-sounding, in a way. Wonderful orchestrations and an excellent performances by the LSO. Goosebumps and tears all around.

Like most soundtracks, it's recommended you see the film beforehand to experience it to the fullest emotional extent.

One of James Horner's finest, The Land Before Time must rank among the best animated film scores.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

the music is great and i have very fond memories of both film and score.

But if you listen to it objectively, it sounds too much 'classical' to think everything cames from Horner originality

[Frank Vincent 234]

One of the best scores Horner has written.

[Mattris 416]

But if you listen to it objectively, it sounds too much 'classical' to think everything cames from Horner originality

It's common for film composers to hint or 'borrow' from other composers' works, although I know that Horner is probably the worst offender... heck, he reuses his own material as a regular practice. Unoriginal, but doing it serves the musical purpose for the film. (He couldn't even resist using his 'threatening/evil' motif in The Land Before Time, although it was one of the earlier uses for him. It's a Rachmoninov composition, I believe.)

I noticed Sharptooth's (the T-Rex) theme sounds like the wolf's theme from Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf.

Any other classical-sounding parts, specifically? Those of us familiar (and attentive enough) with classical music should be able to pick up on obvious references.

[The Dark Trilogy 39]

I voted Okay.

THE LAND BEFORE TIME is normally excellent but if you hear stolen themes from classical composers, it cannot be excellent.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

Any other classical-sounding parts, specifically? Those of us familiar (and attentive enough) with classical music should be able to pick up on obvious references.

It's all over the place in the beautiful moments. I dont know enough classical music to identify the cues but it really sounds like it was composed arround the XVIII century, and i dont think Horner has that kind of craftmanship in him.

[Romão 2,274]

There's a theme that is a total rip off from the theme of the Victory Movement in Prokovief's October Cantata.

[Henry B 50]

I have fond memories of this film from childhood. I think the soundtrack helped shape my appreciation for music. It's very grand.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

Hm, interesting that this Thread should appear as I was re-watching this film two days ago for nostalgic purposes. Though I did not pay overt attention to the music, I remember thinking that the score was rather nice.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

I just watched five first minutes of the film and found Bruckner,s , Dvorak's and

and Prokovief's music there. When the movie's title appears it's straight from Romeo & Juliet ,Act 3 Interlude , beautiful horn unisono.

[Incanus 5,714]

I just watched five first minutes of the film and found Bruckner,s , Dvorak's and

and Prokovief's music there. When the movie's title appears it's straight from Romeo & Juliet ,Act 3 Interlude , beautiful horn unisono.

Good ol' James Horner does not fail us in that department does he?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I'm willing to trade it.

You still got it?

[pixie_twinkle 48]

After 7 years I doubt it...

[Ollie 1,059]

A very good, entertaining and fun score by Horner.

[Wojo 2,453]

I voted excellent. I love this score and cannot help being nostalgic about it, because the movie is one of the fondest memories of my childhood.

I also can't understand why everyone here is so bitter when they remark about Horner ripping off classical music for the themes for his movies? So what? It's good music. Bruckner, Dvorak, and Prokofiev are all dead, and have been for quite some time. They don't care. And the target audience of the movie is little kids; they don't know any better either. Maybe it'll get them into classical music when they're old enough.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

He made it sound good.

[Wojo 2,453]

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

I also think that even if i dont like horner ripping habits.

[Wojo 2,453]

What a fickle bunch of people soundtrack fans are.

If you rip from other composers, you're lazy.

If you rip from yourself, you're lazy.

If you rip from yourself and tack on some power chords and synthesizer feedback, you're lazy.

What do you want? All composers to sound like John Williams?

[Incanus 5,714]

What a fickle bunch of people soundtrack fans are.

If you rip from other composers, you're lazy.

If you rip from yourself, you're lazy.

If you rip from yourself and tack on some power chords and synthesizer feedback, you're lazy.

What do you want? All composers to sound like John Williams?

I do not claim Horner is lazy or that everyone should sound like John Williams but view it from another perspective and try to understand why this reuse material bothers some of us.

I would not say a tip of a hat to another composer's work or a allusion to it in orchestration or even in melody is that bad. But when we have for example poor old Horner who has repeated it time and again, over and over, every time you listen to a score of his you have to be on your toes waiting what reference or borrowed theme or material is he pulling out of his hat this time. It gets first frustrating then irritating.

I usually expect the composer to stay true to his own musical voice but also at the same time craft a score that fits the film in question, inventing new material, themes and atmosphere unique to the film and score.

Hearing the theme from Prokofiev's October Revolution Cantata in exact same form in Willow or in any other score or Schumann's theme from his 3rd symphony note for note somehow lessens the appeal when you know he is so obviously walking in borrowed shoes. It is not a mere allusion, it is direct copying of a mood or theme not trying to express this mood or character in your own musical voice. I admire composers who can allude to these genres that have become the emotional/dramatic vocabulary of film music. The language is very wide, refined by centuries of music before 20th and it continues to broaden all the time with new genres.

Repetition inside one film might have a meaning in a thematic way but repeating a musical idea from film to film becomes something else. For example the infamous danger motif. How many times do you want to hear the exact same idea migrate from score to score. I would want fresh material after 20 or so scores that have that 4 notes blaring in different speeds and orchestrations denoting ominous danger. From Khan in ST II to Montero in Mask of Zorro, from General Kael in Willow to invading Greeks in Troy it stays the same. This gets stale and old. It is like the composer could not care less what he is writing for just as long the stock answer fits the bill. It is not a similar motif in the same range of ominous music for bad guys. Oh no it is basically the same theme every time. And how many times do you really want to listen to the stock sounds of Braveheart Love theme that has been just lifted from one score to another without any consideration other than it is the stock love theme, it works, so the composer uses it.

I do not hate James Horner, I like his music, he has skill, flair and emotion that is lacking is so much of what is written for films these days but I also acknowledge he has a rather irritating tendency to repeat himself and borrow a bit too liberally from other composers', dead or alive, works. And of course all do it, some do it with more sleight of hand and finesse than others. Also ignorance is bliss in this case and if you have no idea Horner is ripping off this and that composer you can listen to his works happy as a lark. But "he who addeth knowledge addeth pain". The more you listen the more you are likely to hear connections, intentional and unintentional in music and thus it changes your perspective of it. Some of us can shut their brains from being bothered by these familiarities and some of us can't.

[Wojo 2,453]

I'm not sure how to respond to that, because it'll probably require another four paragraphs. But that was well written. Thank you.

To be honest, I don't know "mainstream" such classical works as "Prokofiev's October Revolution Cantata" and "Schumann's theme from his 3rd symphony note" are to the general American moviegoing public. Yes, I said American, because these were made for American movie studios. If you're a huge fan of Prokofiev or Schumann, you'd naturally be in an uproar. The only Prokofiev I know is Romeo and Juliet, but only because JH used it in ST III. If Horner had used Beethoven's Fifth, Tchaikovsky's 1812, or Rossini's William Tell in such blatant fashion, then I could see the argument.

But he used obscure classical music because he could get away with it. And he did it over and over and over again. He developed a style, he was in hot demand, directors loved him, studios loved him, the public loved him, he got awards, and now he's a very rich man. Yes, he had a toolbox of conventional music phrases that worked. The 4-note danger motif. The chord sound for the moors of Scotland or the sinking Titanic. The joke's on us, I guess.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Great times, huh?