Composer Threads The Bear McCreary Thread

[Edmilson 7,392]

I don't even think the show is that good. It has some great production values, but overall the pacing is too slow, there's too many characters and the writing isn't exactly outstanding. But I still don't hate the show because it gave Bear McCreary an opportunity to write great orchestral music that has been solely missed in most Hollywood productions these days. 

 

IMHO, the show can go on for the planned 5 seasons only to give a huge canvas for McCreary shine.

 

The score alone makes The Rings of Power much more enjoyable to watch than most Disney+ Star Wars shows.

[crocodile 7,984]

Yeah, it's nothing outstanding. But I do enjoy visiting this version of Middle-earth. Since it's based on scraps of notes and references anyway I don't even think of the films or books. There's no point. It's excessively exaggerated fan fiction and I just leave it there. It all looks so pretty, you can see where all the money went. And the music is nice, definitely one of the best things about the show. 

 

Karol

[GerateWohl 4,338]

I have seen that there is a physical release (double CD) coming with the score for the first season? I think, I will give it a shot.

[Richard Penna 3,671]

Yes, a CD is confirmed for the season album and we're awaiting any news on any physical releases for the episode albums.

 

I'd be a bit surprised actually if there isn't something for the episodes given that Amazon knows that LotR fans buy 'stuff', such as the LotR DVD boxes with those statues.

 

Note that this isn't me venturing into the 'no CD = no sale' brigade - it just strikes me that a box set is a nice way to release all the episodes en-masse and Amazon could afford it if they made one and only three people bought it.

[mstrox 6,647]

Yeah, I’ve preordered the OST CD and was going to buy the digital albums, but unless the CDs are missing music for some reason, I’ll now wait for the CDs.

[Jay 37,287]

Hopefully the episode album CDs are either completely identical to the digital album releases, or the same PLUS exclusive bonus tracks. 

 

If they have less music that'd be really annoying bullshit

[Richard Penna 3,671]

I can see them perhaps deciding Street Musicians from episode 3 is a digital exclusive, but no other tracks have been labelled as bonus tracks so if they're sensible they would contain at least what's on the digital episode albums.

[WampaRat 1,105]

If they do end up releasing all 8 episode scores on CD, I’ll be curious about the package design. Wonder If they’ll do jewel cases for each? (Might get kinda bulky) Or just the paper sleeve sort of thing for each disk and a separate little booklet with liner notes and a beautifully designed box? I’d be ok with that. Perhaps they’ll imitate the CRs “old leather book” package. I love that look.

[crocodile 7,984]

Fingers crossed for single episode album(s) CDs. The season album feels like a really nice overview, and I am getting it, but we need everything on our shelves. 

 

In the worst case scenario, I am hoping at least for a nice digital bundle deal. I can live with that.

 

Karol

[GerateWohl 4,338]

I am fine with just the overview.

Each episode has about 30 to 40 minutes of music. 8 episodes? Between 4 or 5 hours of RoP music? I don't have time to listen to that all.

And it might get a little inflatious and boring after some time. So, I prefer the summary.

[Richard Penna 3,671]

3 hours ago, crocodile said:

In the worst case scenario, I am hoping at least for a nice digital bundle deal. I can live with that.

 

I can live with essentially any arrangement that allows a lossless purchase with some sort of bulk price.

 

6 hours ago, WampaRat said:

If they do end up releasing all 8 episode scores on CD, I’ll be curious about the package design. Wonder If they’ll do jewel cases for each? (Might get kinda bulky) Or just the paper sleeve sort of thing for each disk and a separate little booklet with liner notes and a beautifully designed box? I’d be ok with that. Perhaps they’ll imitate the CRs “old leather book” package. I love that look.

 

I was thinking digipacks in an outer slipcase or something like what they did with the JW Phillips box - doesn't need to be anything fancy.

[Faleel 5,340]

9 hours ago, GerateWohl said:

Between 4 or 5 hours of RoP music? I don't have time to listen to that all.

 

Hint: you have hours you are mot using

[Disco Stu 15,495]

5 minutes ago, Roll the Bones said:

Hint: you have hours you are mot using

 

[Faleel 5,340]

16 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

 

No need, your brain will process it while you sleep, You might even get some wacky dreams out of it!

 

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

On 09/02/2022 at 11:43 AM, Disco Stu said:

"Inspiration at War" is not only my single favorite McCreary cue it's one of my favorite film music cues from the last 10 years, period.  It's definitely the McCreary score I feel the most emotional connection to.

 

 

 

Still my single favorite McCreary cue.

 

I'd love to get more scores like Rebel in the Rye and The Professor and the Madman from Bear in the future.

[Jay 37,287]

Bear has a single track on this video game soundtrack

 

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/gotham-knights-original-video-game-soundtrack/1648365175

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

It's the only track that enjoyable. The rest is really bad.

[Boreli 1]

13 hours ago, Jay said:

Bear has a single track on this video game soundtrack

 

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/gotham-knights-original-video-game-soundtrack/1648365175

I really enjoyed the soundtrack.

No chance of a physical edition, right ?

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

The man who never sleeps continues

 

[Edmilson 7,392]

If I were him, I'd take some vacation between working on seasons of The Rings of Power, in order to rest a little bit before having to write 9 hours of music again.

[Jay 37,287]

 

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

I just listened to both volumes of Masters Of The Universe: Revelation.

Everybody is talking about Rings Of Power right now, which of course is fully understandable because that is terrific. But this score is also mindblowing. He wrote at least 14 themes, all of which are incredible and recognizable.

Full orchestra, choir and added metal elements. I love it so much!!!! It's one of my favorites.

[Knight of Ren 785]

Yeah, those scores are so much fun and full of great themes, plus a fantastic mix of orchestra with some rock elements that make it an instant recommendation! The main theme is very memorable, and I also love the Man At Arms theme and Evil Lyn's Theme.

 

I also want to recommend two more scores from him: the Outlander scores, which also have a great collection of themes, and McCreary's love for celtic/irish music is felt throughout, and also DaVinci's Demons, which contains one of his best melodies in the title theme.

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

2 hours ago, Knight of Ren said:

Yeah, those scores are so much fun and full of great themes, plus a fantastic mix of orchestra with some rock elements that make it an instant recommendation! The main theme is very memorable, and I also love the Man At Arms theme and Evil Lyn's Theme.

 

I also want to recommend two more scores from him: the Outlander scores, which also have a great collection of themes, and McCreary's love for celtic/irish music is felt throughout, and also DaVinci's Demons, which contains one of his best melodies in the title theme.

 

If you add some embeds that would be great.

[Knight of Ren 785]

Of course! He-Man's theme appears in full in this track

 

Evil-Lyn's theme gets extended treatment together with Skeletor's theme in here

 

And this is definitely one of the best cues which during the first minutes flows from one theme to another, starting with an epic rendition of the Man At Arms theme

 

I definitely recommend checking out Bear's blog about the score, as well as Jon Broxton's review in case you need help identifying themes.

 

About Outlander and DaVinci's Demons, I would also recommend to check Bear's extensive blogs, but I will leave here a couple of my favorite pieces from the shows. From Outlander this is the theme for the lead couple, which gets extensively developed through all six seasons in numerous different guises, and similarly with the Stones Theme in Dance of the Druids.

 

And this is the title theme from Da Vinci's Demons which is great because it's the same if you play it forwards as if you play it backwards! McCreary's such a nerd! I also want to add Lucrezia's theme, which is really beautiful.

 

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

1 hour ago, Knight of Ren said:

Of course! He-Man's theme appears in full in this track

 

Evil-Lyn's theme gets extended treatment together with Skeletor's theme in here

 

And this is definitely one of the best cues which during the first minutes flows from one theme to another, starting with an epic rendition of the Man At Arms theme

 

I definitely recommend checking out Bear's blog about the score, as well as Jon Broxton's review in case you need help identifying themes.

 

Indeed. Those are really helpful.

The 5 part For Eternia is also mindblowingly good. So many themes, in so many different variations. It's incredible.

Hope McCreary scores the next MotU series as well.

[Knight of Ren 785]

I think he already announced he was going to do the second season of Kevin Smith's MotU, but I don't know about the other shows.

 

And yeah, the For Eternia tracks are wonderful in how they incorporate all the themes from the show into many different amazing variations!

[Jay 37,287]

Bear has another new track arriving Friday - a single called "Svartalfheim" from God of War: Ragnarok

 

It was briefly listed here before being removed for going up early

 

https://www.kkbox.com/jp/en/album/Cr8lYi9pyWtoiUeqK_

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

Indeed.

2 singles released this friday, Svartelfheim and a title track.

 

Full album next week. Around 2 hours.

 

I saw something but that was also taken down.

[Jay 37,287]

The man is a workaholic!

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I'm more excited for Ragnarok than I was for ROP.  I loved that God of War OST a lot.

[DangerMotif 1,037]

What's up with the brass in Masters Of The Universe? Sounds like samples

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Well at least in this video there are very alive and human brass players!  But perhaps there are underscore cues where they used samples for budget reasons (it is an animated series after all).

 

 

[Knight of Ren 785]

The two singles for God of War: Ragnarok are already on YouTube and they're fantastic!

 

This is mostly a new arrangement on the Kratos theme, with the cool addition of the Memories of Mother theme midway through!

 

And this seems to be entirely new material, with a cool catchy new theme heard through!

 

I cannot wait to listen to the full score, since the first one is one of my favorite McCreary scores!

[dylanskie 104]

I missed Eivør!

[Holko 9,499]

Dammit I kinda wanted to ignore everything about this game until it also comes out on PC, even if it may take years, I managed it for the first one... but I might have to make an exception for the score.

[crocodile 7,984]

Nice, I really enjoyed the previous score.

 

Karol

[Disco Stu 15,495]

That new theme is good.  Unmistakably Bear.

[Jay 37,287]

The 2 singles are up everywhere now including @ 24/48

 

https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/god-of-war-ragnarok-svartalfheim-bear-mccreary/ak16t0ibdi1uc

https://tidal.com/browse/album/256040923

https://music.apple.com/us/album/god-of-war-ragnarök-svartalfheim-single/1651267507

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n3uubun_Sl8j-ajHgoyK_ZZLEE4gJJTAo

https://open.spotify.com/album/0QqigrkIqIlzIz2Vk6mnhQ?si=ZWguAZ1XRSOlOxTcpc23dA

https://soundcloud.com/bear-mccreary/sets/god-of-war-ragnaroek-1

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

Is the Kratos theme from Bear?

[Disco Stu 15,495]

19 minutes ago, TheUlyssesian said:

Is the Kratos theme from Bear?

 

Yes, of course.

 

As always, there's an excellent blog post!  https://bearmccreary.com/god-of-war/

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

I'll be honest. There is the vaguest feel of an RCP sound. I think it is inevitable in video game scores. Bear is also very prolific. His work still needs to reach a standard of refinement of say Williams or JNH or Shore where it has a very finished sound. He's on the path though with ROP certainly. 

[Jay 37,287]

"needs" ??

 

For who?  For what?

[Disco Stu 15,495]

The sound/feel you're describing as RCP-ish I would ascribe to the influence of heavy metal which is present in much of Bear's music.  JW retains influences of the jazz he loved growing up in much the same manner.

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

7 hours ago, Jay said:

"needs" ??

 

For who?  For what?

For me.
 

To sound.. I don’t know .. more sophisticated. His music yet doesn’t have that dense texture I admire in say Williams. Bear’s possessed of talent and great skill but is yet untouched by genius.

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

 

[mstrox 6,647]

Lol

[crocodile 7,984]

Two-hour long soundtrack album is out today:

 

Karol

[crocodile 7,984]

Looks like some sort of physical release is forthcoming. Fingers crossed for a CD release!

 

Karol

[Jay 37,287]

I listened to the first track of this on my ride into work this morning.  It sounded straight out of Rings of Power, like really no different from the Sauron/Dwarf material in that score.

But maybe on subsequent listens they will differentiate more for me