David Coscina 4 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 John Williams is the top of my favorite film composers list. Always has been, probably always will be. Aside from him, who do you listen the most too?I would say the composers I most listen to (sorry this is going to contradict my Giacchino post as he's not on the list at the moment)Living Composers:James Newton Howard (a lot lately with The Water Horse and I AM Legend)Alexandre DesplatDario MarienelliJohn Powell (yikes! a former MV guy!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 I also listen to Horner, Goldsmith, Zimmer, Shore, Newman, Howard, Elfman and even some Jablonsky. Though just how interesting some of them are is debatable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry B 50 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Video game composers. Koji Kondo, Nobuo Uematasu, Jeremy Soule, Mark Griskey, James Hannigan, Kelly Bailey... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock 11 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Desplat, Powell, Zimmer, Thomas Newman are probably the ones most often on my MP3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hlao-roo 389 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 I think John Powell was, well, born to score the Bourne films. His work on the second and third films is stellar. I haven't been as satisfied with his work outside these films. As for Desplat and Marianelli, I'm still yet to truly appreciate their appeal, but I think they're among the more promising composers of the younger generation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beowulf 4 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Newish film-composers for me:- Danny Elfman- John Powell- Eliot Goldenthal- Philip Glass (although I prefer his non-film music)- Hans Zimmer (yes, he has some good stuff!)- JNHAnd quite a few others I can't think of now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Coscina 4 Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 Interesting to see John Powell showing up a lot. I think he's got some good chops although some of his scores suffer from that motoristic effect due to his predominant use of sequencers (i,e unchanging tempi).I have gone back to listening to Horner thanks to The Spiderwick Chronicles and I'm knocked out by how much variety he achieves in the textures. He might not the most original guy writing but he certainly is one of the best in terms of understanding the orchestra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Oops, this about newer composers only. My bad.Well he's not really new, but Thomas Newman is definitely my fave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Crichton 4 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Video game composers. Koji Kondo, Nobuo Uematasu, Jeremy Soule, Mark Griskey, James Hannigan, Kelly Bailey...Yes, there are a lot of really good composers working in games right now (or in Uematu's and Kondo's cases, for years). Another one I just recently discovered is Jared Emerson-Johnson, who's written some wonderful stuff for the new Sam & Max games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scissorhands 16 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 As I barely hear these days' soundtracks, I'll give my list of what I most listen to nowadays (and considering JW is a classical composer too, this should be a valid answer):John Adams, John Corigliano, Christopher Rouse, Richard Danielpour, Tan Dun, Elliot Goldenthal, William Bolcom, Peteris Vasks, Arvo Pärt, Frank Ticheli, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Michael Daugherty, Thomas Adès, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Brett Dean, Toshio Hosokawa, Takashi Yoshimatsu, Chen Yi, Unsuk Chin, Steven Stucky, Steven MacKey, Osvaldo Golijov, James MacMillan, Gareth Farr... and a lot more.Some or young, others are a bit older, but they're some of the best composers of our time. Along with John Williams, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieter Boelen 740 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 James Newton Howard, John Debney, Harry Gregson-Williams, John Powell and Brian Tyler all have several pretty good scores to their name. Even Hans Zimmer writes something good every now and then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 3,749 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 JNH, Tom Newman, Shore (LotR at least), Murray Gold, Zimmer, Gregson-Williams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 David Arnold is probably the most promising actually. He just needs to leave that pop career alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpigeon 3 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 James Newton Howard is the most interesting "new" composer, I think. I'd place him slightly above the new bloods like Marionelli, Desplat, and Giacchino, but only because he's been around longer. Arnold has had plenty of time to establish himself as a foremost composer, but outside of Independence Day and Bond, he hasn't really realized that. Part of that is the films they're scoring, and Marianelli, Desplat, and Giacchino are immersing themselves in different kinds of films and are seeing a lot more opportunities, whereas Arnold seems content with Bond.Ted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beowulf 4 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 David Arnold is probably the most promising actually. He just needs to leave that pop career alone.Maybe (and hopefully) Arnold will break away from his diversions and learn from them to develop his style.Besides, where would we be if John Williams had left his "Jazz Career" alone (which is what i'm sure music purists thought at the time)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Crichton 4 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Arnold does have the third Narnia movie coming up, hopefully he can rediscover the magic with that.Murray GoldYes, he's written some very nice stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLUMENKOHL 1,070 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 New New (as in not the experience JNH class): Mark McKenzie, Bear McCreary, Michael Giacchino, Frederic Talgorn, Kevin Riepl, Edward Shearmur, Elliot Goldenthal, Alexandre Desplat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 3,749 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 I wouldn't say Goldenthal was very 'new' - he's been around for over a decade.Although I wouldn't consider JNH new either (scoring since the 80's), I really do consider him one of the most interesting composers working today. Ok, I'm very biased because he is hands down my favourite composer, but it's his sheer versatility that I think makes him so good. He has done every single genre in film - drama, action, animation, comedy, western, independent and manages to inject each of them with his quirks whilst making them different.People here have said it before, but if he just slows down and spends the time he spends on a Shyamalan score on a high profile blockbuster, he could really produce something amazing. I actually think King Kong could have been that with more time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Agree 100% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Coscina 4 Posted January 31, 2008 Author Share Posted January 31, 2008 I wouldn't say Goldenthal was very 'new' - he's been around for over a decade.Although I wouldn't consider JNH new either (scoring since the 80's), I really do consider him one of the most interesting composers working today. Ok, I'm very biased because he is hands down my favourite composer, but it's his sheer versatility that I think makes him so good. He has done every single genre in film - drama, action, animation, comedy, western, independent and manages to inject each of them with his quirks whilst making them different.People here have said it before, but if he just slows down and spends the time he spends on a Shyamalan score on a high profile blockbuster, he could really produce something amazing. I actually think King Kong could have been that with more time.I love the track Beautiful from King Kong. It's an amazing cue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Newest film composer I listen to? Probably Marc Streitenfeld, there really is no one else. I would say Giacchino, but considering I've been listening to him for about a decade, I don't consider him new.Composers I mainly listen to: John Williams, Ennio Morricone, James Newton Howard, Michael Giacchino, Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson-Williams, John Powell, Danny Elfman.Composers I occasionally listen to: Thomas Newman and any other Hans-related composer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indy4 155 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Apart from JW, my favorite composers are (in order from favorite to least) Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, and James Newton Howard. But I have a feeling that the latter will eventually come above DE and HZ (I already have more CDs by JNH than I do Elfman and Zimmer). Other composers I listen to include Alan Silvestri, Harry Gregson-Williams, James Horner, and John Debney. I also have a few scores by Powell, Giacchino, Ottman, Arnold, and more random composers, but I don't listen to those as often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 1,064 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 I actually think King Kong could have been that with more time.Not according to JNH. I guess Giacchino would be the only "new" composer that interests me. John Powell is ok.Most of the other composers listed have been around for awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Coscina 4 Posted January 31, 2008 Author Share Posted January 31, 2008 I think Theodore Shapiro is promising if he can get away from scoring those stupid Will Ferrell films. He's got a lot of stylistic breadth and has actually had a chance to score some of these silly films in fairly interesting ways.Giacchino of course is getting a lot of choice projects, deservedly so. that definitely is part of it. I have no interest in obtaining Johnny Williams' '60s comedy scores because...well, I'm just not interested. likewise, if someone like Theodore Shapiro landed a Star Trek film or AVP, I'm sure he would do some really interesting stuff.p.s. what in the heck happened to Edward Shearmur??? I love his Sky Captain score. In fact. I think his main theme would have made a damned great Superman Returns theme!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 p.s. what in the heck happened to Edward Shearmur??? I love his Sky Captain score. In fact. I think his main theme would have made a damned great Superman Returns theme!!!I only have Johnny English and K-Pax. Considering no one really knows him and since he's not a very good composer, he probably gets little to no work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeshopk 8 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Re; Fiery Angels initial list, it's a good list and if I were still collecting albums, I'd probably give them a try. As it is I've either seen their movies or have listened to clips of their scores, which I know can't do it justice, yet nothing I heard said to me - YOU MUST BUY THAT NOW! That has happened for me, though, like when I caught a few notes of non-thematic underscore music from Chris Gordon's Moby Dick, it was love at first hear. The whole score turned out great. It just has not happened in so long. I did enjoy Christopher Young's new themes in Spiderman 3, though. I think his contribution was underrated. Still not enough to make me purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Ed Sheamur :i hope he does another one as good as Sky CaptainDesplat:While not blown away by Golden Compass,it's promisingJavier Navarrete:If he can do another score as good as Pans Labirinth,I'll be a fanGiacchino:We'll see.Can't wait to hear his Star Trek score Could be his Big Break and proove himself as the guy to go to for sci-fi fantasy films Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,991 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 I like very much Danny Elfman, James Newton Howard, Howard Shore, Tom Newman and Elliot Goldenthal, but I wouldn't call them "new composers", since they're all on the film music scene at least since 20+ years. They're almost veterans now. Still younger than JW, btw.Michael Giacchino, Alexandre Desplat are my own favourite of the new emerging group. Dario Marianelli hasn't clicked on me so far, but after listening to Atonement I'm changing my mind: it's a brilliant score that shows he's able to write real music. John Powell wrote some very good scores so far and I'm interested in seeing where he will go in the future. He surely has some good chops that elevate him up above most his former MV colleagues.Don Davis also is a very good composer, but he seems to have disappeared completely from the film music scene. Joel McNeely is capable of doing interesting things and surely has some great skills. He would deserve some good project to show even more his talents and especially directors and producers who don't ask him to sound like John Williams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 OT? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Coscina 4 Posted January 31, 2008 Author Share Posted January 31, 2008 OT?Well from the standpoint that this thread has nothing to do with Williams and it's a Williams forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Yet there have been so many of those lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 3,749 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 The problem with a lot of the newer composers; Davis, McNeely, Shearmur, is that they keep accepting smaller assignments, like hasn't McNeely recently been doing some direct-to-DVD Disney sequels? He's a million miles better than them... maybe he enjoys doing them more than bigger movies?I love Shearmur's score to Johnny English, and I liked his theme to Sky Captain so I think he's got promise - just needs to find the right project.I'm not into the Matrix scores, but what I've heard from other people is that they're really complex and surely up to Williams' standard of orchestration. He has been working on the opera Rio de Sangre recently, and he has a few small film credits on IMDB - maybe that's why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,991 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 I love the track Beautiful from King Kong. It's an amazing cue.It's really one of the best moments in that score, I agree. However, did anyone else notice a similarity between this cue and Williams' "Cinque's Theme" from Amistad? I'm not speaking about the melody or the theme, but imho there's more than a resemblance in terms of atmosphere, orchestration and mood. My bet is they temped the scene with that cue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 I love the track Beautiful from King Kong. It's an amazing cue.It's really one of the best moments in that score, I agree. However, did anyone else notice a similarity between this cue and Williams' "Cinque's Theme" from Amistad? I'm not speaking about the melody or the theme, but imho there's more than a resemblance in terms of atmosphere, orchestration and mood. My bet is they temped the scene with that cue.?? There may be pieces which are more apart from another, like i. e. 'Yellow Rose of Texas' and the Can-Can, but a lot it ain't.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,991 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 I was talking about a resemblance, not a direct lift. But probably it's just me, doesn't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carnifex 5 Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 I must add Ryan Shore (Howard Shore's nephew), I cannot but listen to his Rex Steele: Nazi Smasher- score every now and then. One of the freshest score I have listened to some time. He has some mp3s in his official homepage.PS. He really is younger than most composers mentioned here. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morn 8 Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Don Davis - Matrix scores were simply brilliant masterpieces. But he has limited ranged and doesn't seem at all good at melody.Michael Giacchino - of course, there's a whole thread on him.John Adams - great modern composer of concert music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPebpMGV8h0 Isn't this great? also the music is exceptionally psychological, repetitive and strong scoring the state of mind of officials of state worried and deeply concerned about an on going conference...Marco Beltrami - Get flight of the phoenix, excellent and original music. http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/...sam_wma_001_001John Corigliano - The Red Violin is simply brilliant, modernist composer with strong emotional depth.Christopher Gordon - Moby Dick and On the beach are great scores Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock 11 Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 I would be interested in hearing more from Davis....The Matrix is quite fun in it's 'What if John Adams scored this thing?' fashion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neimoidian 14 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I must add Ryan Shore (Howard Shore's nephew), I cannot but listen to his Rex Steele: Nazi Smasher- score every now and then. One of the freshest score I have listened to some time. He has some mp3s in his official homepage.PS. He really is younger than most composers mentioned here. :-)I didn't know Shore has a nephew who also composes music... Talented family, isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSM 126 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Brian Tyler of course.Edward Shearmur.Tan Dun.David Arnold.A handful of Hans Zimmer tracks I must admit (not because of the artistic qualities but because of the emotional effect they can have). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel Andrade 1,267 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I really can't say about new composers...So here's a listing of the most heard, along with Johnny Williams:Michael TorkeWilliam BolcomJoe HisaishiBruce BroughtonIgor StravinskyBela BartokWilliam SchumanRoy HarrisAaron Coplandand more...but those are on top of my mind rigth now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morn 8 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Ohh yes Joe Hisaishi, shouldn't have forgotten him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus 390 Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 As I barely hear these days' soundtracks, I'll give my list of what I most listen to nowadays (and considering JW is a classical composer too, this should be a valid answer):John Adams, John Corigliano, Christopher Rouse, Richard Danielpour, Tan Dun, Elliot Goldenthal, William Bolcom, Peteris Vasks, Arvo Pärt, Frank Ticheli, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Michael Daugherty, Thomas Adès, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Brett Dean, Toshio Hosokawa, Takashi Yoshimatsu, Chen Yi, Unsuk Chin, Steven Stucky, Steven MacKey, Osvaldo Golijov, James MacMillan, Gareth Farr... and a lot more.Some or young, others are a bit older, but they're some of the best composers of our time. Along with John Williams, of course.Nice to see two of my old teachers on that list! (Richard Danielpour and Corigliano. I was actually Danielpour's assistant in 2004, and hepled during the latter stages of the production of "Margaret Garner". Which I know by heart, but still haven't seen, outside of a Detroit workshop of it. Which is strange.)Rodion Shchedrin, anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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