What is the last score you listened to?

[Wojo 2,453]

Arlen, Harburg, Stothart - The Wizard of Oz (2-disc Rhino)

The gapless prowess of the iPod is very apparent with an album like this. Without stitching any tracks together, 82 tracks comprise the two discs. The Munchinkland sequence is made of many short tracks about a minute in length. Before owning an iPod, like the two-disc Ben-Hur, stitching the tracks together makes sense, because the nine-track "Sea Battle" track loses momentum with the gaps in there and is best enjoyed as one complete piece. But stitching the tracks in The Wizard of Oz together never made sense, because each track is its own song, making it an album I never listened to away from Winamp. And this is one of the most thematically rich and enjoyable soundtracks/scores/musicals of all time.

[gkgyver 1,645]

Die Unendliche Geschichte

Alice again.

I must say, it grows on me like nobody's business!

[John Crichton 4]

Nobuo Uematsu - Final Fantasy IV

I just absolutely love everything about this score. It's my favorite video game of all time and listening to the music always gives me a wave of nostalgia. I only have the Original Sound Version; What are peoples opinions on the Piano Version and Celtic Version?

I don't know about those, but one of the early Orchestral Game Concerts has a few pieces from IV that are good, and there's a killer version of the Love Theme on the 200220022000202 concert I think.

The OSV of IV has been on my list for a while. It doesn't reach the heights of Uematsu's peak of VI-IX, but there's still good stuff in there.

[Joe Brausam 215]

I listened to several scores in their entirety today, purposefully picking ones that I normally don't listen to. The one that made the biggest impression? Victor Young's The Tall Men. It is a beautiful Western scores, and if I remember correctly, pioneered the "Native American" sound for Westerns. The only other Victor Young scores I'm familiar with are The Quiet Man and Around the World in 80 Days (and you can certainly hear Giacchino's inspiration for Up in that score) and I enjoy them quite a bit. Perhaps I'll look into more of his music.

[Datameister 2,044]

James Horner - Avatar 3CD "promo"

Alright, just like Joe, I have to admit.... I'm liking this score far more than I would have expected Even though its not the most original score out there.... I dunno, everything he is doing just *works* for me. This was the first time I've listened to the 3CD version, and damn, what an awful listening experience it is. All the additional music is great, but there's just SO MUCH silence before and/or after the music in each track its terrible. And there's a bunch of tracks that are really just filler, or too similar to other tracks. I need to work on an ultimate 2CD edit of this set and the OST.

Weird, isn't it? I almost feel bad enjoying it as much as I do...but not really. Your comment about the listening experience is interesting, though...although the repeated material and excess "dead time" are rather bothersome, I actually find the...ah...footwarmer...to be a shorter and more concise listening experience than I expected. I could actually stomach a longer release - which I'm sure it would be if it contained everything.

[Jay 37,374]

Well I think just taking out all the silence before and after a lot of the tracks would help immensely. I also don't need to hear stuff like the 10 second chants while trying to enjoy the score. Or two versions of Scorched Earth back to back

[indy4 155]

Braveheart:

Good score by Horner. I think I heard some Bicentennial Man in it, but for the most part I haven't heard the score before.

Stepmom:

I must say, this is kinda dull. There are some very good moments, and I think that as a whole the score will probably grow on me quite a bit. As great a song as "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is, it really doesn't fit well with the rest of the score.

[Morlock 11]

Braveheart is one of Horner's very best, my own personal favorite. The best Horner scores are the ones that, despite the Hornerisms, create their own compelling musical world, and that one is one of the best examples- there is no Horner scores in which the Hornerisms bother me less.

[QMM 4]

John Powell's How to Train Your Dragon

Really good work here. The ethnic stuff that Powell works in is great, and if anything, I wish there was more of it. Get tiny whiffs of Chicken Run and David Arnold which was surprising.

Always nice to hear Powell cut loose near the end of the score with the themes and go all out. Really sounds like he had fun with this one.

[Trent Hoyt 13]

Back to the Future III. Alan Silvestri

I forgot how pretty the love theme is.

[Demondm810 399]

John Powell's How to Train Your Dragon

Really good work here. The ethnic stuff that Powell works in is great, and if anything, I wish there was more of it. Get tiny whiffs of Chicken Run and David Arnold which was surprising.

Always nice to hear Powell cut loose near the end of the score with the themes and go all out. Really sounds like he had fun with this one.

Agreed. I've been listening to this for 2 days straight. Fantastic.

[QMM 4]

My enthusiasm for it has only gone up in my repeated listening. There's just an excitement here that's lacking in something like, say, Elfman's Alice.

[crocodile 8,020]

My enthusiasm for it has only gone up in my repeated listening. There's just an excitement here that's lacking in something like, say, Elfman's Alice.

Listening to it right now. While fantasy/animated don't excite me the way they used to (I simply like other things more now), this one is pretty strong one. Nice to have a bit more cohesive music from Powell. This (and maybe Happy Feet) might be his best work on animation yet.

Karol

[OneBuckFilms 324]

Jerry Goldsmith - Alien (original 1979 LP, from the Intrada CD disc 2)

Hadn't listened to this too many times.... Mostly I just listen to Disc 1 when I want to listen to this score. Its a nice 35 summation of the complete score, but the complete score is still the best way to enjoy the score. As was just pointed out above, the presentation of this release is top notch. I ended up pulling the CD off the shelf and re-reading all the liner notes again while listening.

I could not agree more. As an experiment, I created a playlist of the score replacing the original versions with the revised/rescored versions of the cues, and the film version of the main titles.

What's interesting, is that the revised cues, with the original cues as written, would have worked pretty much perfectly in the movie.

Definately one of my favorite Goldsmiths, and I was not expecting it to be when I got the CD, due to the dark and atonal nature of the movie.

Since a large chunk of the score wasn't actually in the movie, I had no real idea as to the complete picture.

ROAR!

So awesome.

I suspect it would be fun to get the DVD of the movie, and track parts of the piece into a score for the film in general, to see how it would play.

One of my favorite Giacchino pieces.

[Jay 37,374]

So I was driving around the other day and Cinderella Liberty by John Williams came on Cinemagic. OMG! I absolutely LOVED what I heard! It was unlike any John Williams score I had heard before, and was unlike anything I normally listen to... but I thought it was great! Will definitely be picking this up in my next moviemusic.com batch!

Listening to film scores in the car again (instead of podcasts all the time) inspired me to bring some film score CDs into the car with me.... It was great, as I got to hear more than when I listen at home, which is almost always while I'm working or doing other stuff on the computer, so can never devote full attention to the music. Gonna do this more often. So far I've listened to:

Dave Grusin - The Goonies

Third listen now and still love it. Love it more each time actually. First time I thought to myself "this is great, but I betcha I could make a killer 45 minute version that would be better". Now after 3 times I have no idea what I'd cut, its all great lol

Michael Giacchino - Lost Season 1

Yay! This is the first time I actually noticed a bunch of themes! I noticed the Island Theme in track 2, then again a couple tracks later, and also in the last track. Noticed Locke's Theme. Noticed that Life and Death plays in 3 or 4 different tracks. Of course the Traveling Theme that would take over the Season 3 finale. Great, well put together CD. Looking forward to revisiting the Season 2 OST in the car

[Red 75]

Michael Giacchino - Lost Season 1

Of course the Traveling Theme that would take over the Season 3 finale.

It's kind of become a tradition to have that theme in full force in season finales.

[Jay 37,374]

Oooh yea, I love it's performance on the Season 4 OST

[John Crichton 4]

Back to the Future II & III

The more I listen to them the more underrated I think they are, especially II. III is more original, but II is just more enjoyable.

Far & Away

You know, Ray spent years telling me and everyone else how great this score is. I wish he was still around so I could finally tell him he was right.

[Trent B 337]

Back to the Future II & III

The more I listen to them the more underrated I think they are, especially II. III is more original, but II is just more enjoyable.

I agree with you John, those two scores are definitely underrated especially Part 2.

I've listened to all three complete scores in a row...while it's a big project to do and can be a bit repetitive but it's also awesome to hear each score grow and have their own style.

[Diego 21]

Far & Away

Heh, I just listened to it yesterday.

[Trent B 337]

Fantastic 4: Rise Of The Silver Surfer (Complete Score)

Awesome score from start to finish. I find this one more enjoyable than the first Fantastic 4 score.

[crocodile 8,020]

Fantastic 4: Rise Of The Silver Surfer (Complete Score)

I find this one more enjoyable than the first Fantastic 4 score.

That much is certain.

The Fly by Howard Shore and The Shawshank Redemption by Thomas Newmon

Karol

[Richard Penna 3,695]

Back to the Future II & III

The more I listen to them the more underrated I think they are, especially II. III is more original, but II is just more enjoyable.

I agree with you John, those two scores are definitely underrated especially Part 2.

I've listened to all three complete scores in a row...while it's a big project to do and can be a bit repetitive but it's also awesome to hear each score grow and have their own style.

Unfortunately 2 and 3 don't do for me what the first score does.

I love the new themes but they're longer scores, very fragmented and Silvestri has a very action-specific way of scoring things and it doesn't make a good prolonged listening experience for me.

[Incanus 5,716]

Angels in America by Thomas Newman

Lion in Winter by Richard Hartley

Presumed Innocent by John Williams

[Richard Penna 3,695]

I find it very hard to listen to full albums these days. My attention span seems to have gotten worse lately.

And I just heard the AF1 theme used in a bread advert over here.

[Jay 37,374]

Danny Elfman - Alice In Wonderland

Finally got a chance to listen to this. I enjoyed it, but nothing really grabbed me and made me pay close attention. The chorus is fairly catchy (Alice.... please..... Alice) but I can't say I remember anything about any other aspects of the score. I need to see the film to find out what the hell all this music underscores

John Williams - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (shitewanker's "definitive" version)

Ugh. I thought this guy knew his stuff, but he screwed up a lot of stuff.... replacing original versions with partially complete film versions riddled with sound effects, adding spaces between cues when there aren't supposed to be any, no EQing at all to make some of the stuff from rear channels blend in better, etc. I need to find time to finish my edit...

Anyway listening to all this great music mostly just made me want to watch the film again

Nobuo Uematsu - Final Fantasy IV (Piano Collection)

This was pretty cool! I've never heard a whole album of music I'm very familiar with done over for piano like this before. I liked it. It's nothing I need to own, or will probably listen to more than once in a great while, but while it was on it was cool.

[Richard Penna 3,695]

I've listened to all of How to Train Your Dragon in far more detail now and I'm safely addicted to it. The 3 primary themes were spinning in my head all day today.

Also, Horner's The Life Before Her Eyes. Don't even remember where I found this, but it's a very relaxing (probably partially synth) score in the House of Sand and Fog vein. Lots of quiet, reflective piano work.

[Morlock 11]

There's a theme in it I like (IIRC the track is called 'Becoming Friends').

[Koray Savas 2,251]

You mean "Forbidden Friendship"?

I've been listening to the score non-stop for the past few days. "Coming Back Around" is one of Powell's best cues. Amazing theme underscored with his classic percussion.

[Ollie 1,059]

Prophecy - Leonard Rosenman

Dragonslayer - Alex North

[Jay 37,374]

And, your thoughts?

[Ollie 1,059]

Fantastic.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Mancini's NIGHTWING. I don't know what I was expecting really, but it never really grabbed me. I'll have to give it another listen at some point. The Native American motif was interesting, though.

[gkgyver 1,645]

Lawrence Of Arabia

Since listening to El Cid, I sort of have my Golden Age addiction.

[Wojo 2,453]

Episode I. A masterpiece presentation of a non-masterpiece score makes it a masterpiece.

[Richard Penna 3,695]

Mancini's NIGHTWING. I don't know what I was expecting really, but it never really grabbed me. I'll have to give it another listen at some point. The Native American motif was interesting, though.

I got Nightwing based on the samples and it's one I play quite a lot now. The sound just clicks. However, I also tend to form very strong associations with music and places, and I was researching Yellowstone NP and the American West for a possible visit around the time I first got this, and now the amazing landscapes come to mind whenever I listen to this score.

I can enjoy golden/silver age - it just has to 'click' by some criteria that only my inner mind knows and won't divulge.

Finished listening to Eraser. It's an ok score, but I would say in this case that for me the OST distillation was right for the score. There's a lot of not particularly interesting underscore that was edited out, but the motifs and 90s guitar influence save the score.

[Morlock 11]

You mean "Forbidden Friendship"?

No, I was refering to the Horner score.

[Datameister 2,044]

Episode I. A non-masterpiece presentation of a masterpiece score doesn't make it a non-masterpiece.

I agree. (Sorry, fixed your typo.)

[gkgyver 1,645]

How to Train Your Dragon

I'm sorry, I can't understand the hype.

[Morlock 11]

You and me both. Though it's still is the only thing I've been listening to in the past few days. It's not bad.

[John Crichton 4]

Episode I. A non-masterpiece presentation of a masterpiece score doesn't make it a non-masterpiece.

I agree. (Sorry, fixed your typo.)

You beat me to it.

[Wojo 2,453]

Episode I. A non-masterpiece presentation of a masterpiece score doesn't make it a non-masterpiece.

I agree. (Sorry, fixed your typo.)

You beat me to it.

No, since I never meant for my statement to be interpreted as fact, I'm pretty sure I had it correct the first time in my first post.

My hat's off to the guy who had the patience to do all that work, to turn two lousy albums and dozens of (japor?) snippets of material into something nearly without equal. Therein lies the masterpiece.

The score itself? It's good but it's not the first three, it'll never be the first three, and comparing it to the first three is...I digress.

[Andy 4,141]

How to Train Your Dragon

I'm sorry, I can't understand the hype.

Well I guess I will add to it, then...

This score is a lot of fun. I'm glad so many recommended it, because I've been enjoying it for the past couple of days. My absolute favorite track is "See You Tomorrow". It works so well as a montage piece, the only shortcoming being a slightly lacking conclusion. But there are some real moments of joy in that cue.

At times, the score suffers from (what I'm assuming to be) poor orchestration. (Forgive me if I don't articulate this well, but) Some of the action cues seem to favor a muddy booming sound in lieu of clarity. Those are the times when I disconnect slightly, and even reach for the volume knob.

But no matter, this is a real spirit lifter, and I'm glad to know it better.

DRAGONSLAYER -

Wowee!

This score has so much personality. There is a lot to chew on with this one. The layers of music, sometimes competing with each other, are so incredibly dense. I know some reviewers have criticized North for obscuring his themes, so this is a bit of a challenge, and admittedly not for everyone. But I am loving it. I'm glad the LaLa Land sound quality is so crisp. It really helps sell the composition. What a great release.

Having said that...

How the HELL did this score NOT get rejected? I can't believe there wasn't a suit at Disney or Paramount that didn't throw a flag and say, "no way!" North's approach is so unconventional... Audiences at that time were used to genre scores like Star Wars, Superman, The Black Hole, The Empire Strikes Back, Star Trek TMP. You would expect something more like Krull or Dark Crystal, but North delivers this completely unique and almost alien textured score. North had balls of steel as far as I'm concerned. After re-watching the film, I can't say it fits like a glove. I know there was some creative differences with the director, as some scenes were tracked with other music. Were they OK with the rest of it, or were they desperate, or out of time/money? I wonder what the original reaction of the studio was to this. I just can't believe this didn't suffer the same fate as North's 2001.

- Hedji, who admires Powell's Dragon-riding music more than Horner's Dragon-riding music from Avatar.

[Incanus 5,716]

How to Train You Dragon by John Powell: This score sounds like Vaughan Williams on steroids for the most part and then some John Powell animation scoring thrown into the mix. Not bad. Not bad at all. Simply good fun from start to finish.

[Wojo 2,453]

Will How to Train Your Dragon not be sold in stores? I am unable to order any more soundtracks online at the moment, and am waiting for something else to be released before I bundle it with Dragonslayer, the only other recent release I'm interested in.

[Demondm810 399]

Will How to Train Your Dragon not be sold in stores? I am unable to order any more soundtracks online at the moment, and am waiting for something else to be released before I bundle it with Dragonslayer, the only other recent release I'm interested in.

Yes, I picked it up at Best Buy.

[John Crichton 4]

The Blue Max

This is the first Jerry I've gotten in a while that would challenge to make my top tier of favorites from him, it's just superb. Too bad the sound quality doesn't match up, but for a mid-60s score I guess we can't complain too much.

[gkgyver 1,645]

Pan's Labyrinth on a constant loop.

Amazing, mysterious, morbid, alluring, spectacul - icious!

[Ollie 1,059]

High Road To China - John Barry

Amazing Grace - David Arnold

Philadelphia Experiment / Mother Lode - Kenneth Wannberg

A Whale for The Killing / Wind - Basil Poledouris

I already had Wind from its original release.

I'm really enjoying Rosenman's Prophecy, the blaster beam riffs are just pure wicked and evil sounding compared to how Goldsmith employed them in TMP. I had forgotten how good Rosenman's music was for the film. Actually the film isn't too bad either but that's for the intellects in the JWFan movie thread to argue over.

I almost wonder if it would be possible for Craig Hundley's Jaws inspired score for Aliigator, another blaster beam score, to see a release.

[Jay 37,374]

How many blaster beam scores are there?