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John Powell kicks ass


Morlock

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And it's from a guy i would have least expected it from. Btw, from the 04:50 mark, it goes quite its own way, leaving the obvious role models aside. It may sound too emotional 'direct' for dedicated concertgoers but it works for me...

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He (or more likely: his PR-person) also recently replied to a question I asked in response to him posting the sheet music of Flying with Mother from How to Train Your Dragon 2. Such honor. Much wow.

 

Intriguing answer, too. :)

 

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I just noticed that Powell is listed as the composer for the upcoming Pixar film Coco.  Has anyone heard anything about this?  I'm certainly not aware of any official announcement to that effect.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2380307/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm

 

It would be pretty exciting for Powell to begin a relationship with Pixar!

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IIRC users can add credits to films that aren't out yet, so it could be total garbage.

 

Some quick googling doesn't present me any press releases or anything that say anything about a composer, the trailer and posters don't list a composer, etc

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Wow, just read the first part about scoring Face Off and its already a great read.  Cheers for posting!

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As usual, Powell makes for great interview material. It says a lot about his music and personality.

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I get the feeling he follows a similar ethos to Williams of being a "composer" first and foremost. It's interesting to hear a rather honest view on the Hollywood scoring, temp-track industry.

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11 hours ago, KK said:

The website is utter shit though. Ads after every three sentences. 

 

Doesn't have completely new info but it was nice to get some anecdotes. 

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On 08/07/2017 at 10:38 AM, Omen II said:

John Powell attended a concert I went to yesterday evening with the BBC Singers at Milton Court in London, where his Requiem Addendum received its world premiere.  It was pretty cool to see five of the composers whose works were featured come up on stage at the end - Eric Whitacre (who was conducting), John Mackey, Jonathan Newman, Steven Bryant and John Powell.

 

The Requiem Addendum was sung in Latin and had some very poignant text for those of you who can read it.  This was the first verse:

 

Requiem addendum.

Adiuva me!

Ne moriatur Dea mea!

Tene eam et sustine;

Office ei miraculum,

Signum vitae.

 

Eric Whitacre did not mention John Powell's late wife when introducing the piece, so I wonder how many of the audience realised the context.  Good news is that the concert was being recorded for radio broadcast on BBC Radio 3 this Friday 14th July from 2 p.m. in the Afternoon on 3 programme.  I will try to find a link to post, as it was a fantastic concert.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08xcw8j

 

 

Just listened to this piece. Really lovely work.

 

The segments starts at 1:12:50 (for anybody interested)

 

Karol

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2 hours ago, crocodile said:

Also came across this excerpt...

 

 

Karol

This is very fine music.  I can't wait to hear the work in its entirety.

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This is a new interview, right?

 

 

According to a Filmtracks poster (I haven't had time to listen to it):

 

Quote

Powell did a recent interview with BAFTA, and I though it was pretty cool. The Q&A section is especially interesting, as he talks to a degree about the composer/orchestrator/arranger dynamic.

 

Sounds interesting! 

 

EDIT: Around 40:30, Powell says his album of choral music will come out around the end of the year. (However, at least from the bits I've heard, he doesn't say whether the requiem will be on it.) Then around 41:30, he said he plans to put out an album of concert music every year! At 43:30, he begins a discussion of the composer/orchestrator/arranger dynamic. (He is very upfront about having a "team," but also notes that much of what they're doing is mock-ups.) Near the end he makes a comment about most film music now sounding the same. 

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I was in the audience for this. This took place on the 5th of July, so before anybody knew that he would be scoring the Han Solo film. The requiem will almost certainly be on the choral CD, along with a piece for gospel + orchestra ("The Prize is Mine" or something like that) and probably the Requiem Addendum.

 

But yeah, it was a great night! I don't know if Powell realized that there were a few children in the audience, or he may have cut down on the profanity a bit. :D 

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I completely agree with you. What you've written describes accurately the kind of love I have for Jerry Goldsmith's music. I do love a number of other living composers, but since Jerry left us, Powell is the single composer who stands out making me feel that way no matter the assignment. Not even the great JW has that distinction.

 

Yavar

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11 hours ago, kaseykockroach said:

 

I really wish I could analyze as to why Powell's music has always made me emotional...

 

He simply has a gift in communicating with music. Everything he writes sounds so natural...even those "oom-pahs" that he uses everywhere in his animated scores. His writing is crystal clear, just like Williams', and not as contrived. It's genuinely funny sometimes. I have listened to a fair share of living film composers and I'm pretty confident that Powell stands near the top.

 

And yes, the Prussian Requiem is totally different from his film work but equally as impressive. The final movement is chilling; at the premiere you could hear a pin drop after the end. His gospel piece "The Prize is Still Mine" is wonderful too.

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They even have the same first name!....though really, there's way too many Johns in the film music world.

Giacchino's got the heart, but he doesn't have the muscle. Powell? He's got the heart and the muscle. And the bladder.

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On 2/24/2018 at 3:05 AM, kaseykockroach said:

Just bumping this thread as I think I'm currently experiencing the realization that he's my favorite living composer. If I've expressed this before, I guess I've experienced a reminder. 

There's just...something about even a lot of his 'lesser middle-drawer' works that make me feel alive and energetic and passionate. 

I never really thought about him being assigned to Solo until now and what a marvelous task that is for him. For Powell to be considered worthy of Star Wars of all things? That just...warms my heart, man. 

I mean, believe me, I was on a Giacchino kick recently and enjoying revisiting some favorites of his work and scores I hadn't heard before...but upon casually putting on a Powell work on a whim? My ears perked up, my eyes widening and I just felt...giddy. I was bouncing and dancing goofily around the damn house. He makes a busy day of deliveries feel like a technicolor roller-coaster ride.  He blows so many other composers out of the water for me. 

I really wish I could analyze as to why Powell's music has always made me emotional, but I've always been atrocious at analyzing music (and well, analysis in general of course). I can't articulate, yet at least, why Horton Hears a Who, How to Train Your Dragon 2 or Chicken Run and whatnot make me truly happy to be a film music fan. They just do. I don't care what kiddie flick he's scoring, I'll be there. He can do whatever he wants. I don't need him to score live-action dramas or Hollywood blockbusters. If he's happy composing music for pacifistic bulls, that's A-okay with me. 

For me, it’s his unique blend of orchestra and electronics, plus his command of instrumentation and percussion that gives his music an energetic and colorful edge over any other composer. Horton Hears A Who! is probably my favorite score of his, yet stuff as menial as Pluto Nash and Knight And Day have incredible scores that I revisit over and over. 

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Revisiting Hancock in the other thread, I remembered I also used to listen the shit out of Bolt -and in particular this lovely Copland-esque theme!

 

 

 

So much joy! Also this

 

 

And this badassery (it shows up again at 3:00)

 

 

Very underrated Powell score. May not be his best, but there's plenty of stuff to love

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15 hours ago, kaseykockroach said:

D'aw.

 

I love Powell's public remarks :)

 

He does this sort of thing in his video interviews too - a very humorous view of everything and rarely shying away from telling it like it is. What other composer would make a statement like that about Hollywood in their liners?

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On 2/24/2018 at 10:32 AM, publicist said:

Still waiting for that Prussian Requiem.

 

It will be performed live in Prague on June 16th. John Powell will be present. 

 

http://filmmusicprague.com/program/?lang=en#hollywood-meets-classics-john-powell

 

John Powell will be visiting Europe three times: Prague, Hamburg, and Malaga. I plan to attend all three :-)

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1 hour ago, publicist said:

Hamburg for me, though it's bloody expensive.

 

You can forget about Hamburg I am afraid. It is in the Elphilharmonic. And everything sells out in the Elphilharmonic, not because of the music, but because of the venue. This results in not so fun audience from time to time.

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I love both. The sequel retreads some area from the first, but I love the new themes and flavours, and how they're integrated into basically reprised action sequences. The first one may be more tightly and coherently constructed, but the second one offers some really emotional moments in the finale. Although, if looking for individual pieces, Forbidden Friendship and Test Drive blow Flying with Mother out on the water.

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