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Best Composer under 50 years of age


David Coscina
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Best composer under 50  

31 members have voted

  1. 1. Best Under 50 composer

    • John Powell
      4
    • Alexander Desplat
      3
    • John Ottman
      0
    • Michael Giacchino
      16
    • Marco Beltrami
      1
    • Edward Shearmur
      0
    • Brian Tyler
      1
    • Tyler Bates
      0
    • Harry Gregson-Williams
      2
    • Dario Marianelli
      1
    • other (please specify)
      3


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So I chose 10 composers who seem to be in demand. For me, it would be a close tie between Desplat and Powell. Both have a lot of experience but I would probably have to go with Desplat by a small margin over Powell because he's been nominated several times and has displayed a lot of range but still retaining his own stylistic voice. Powell also has his own sound which, amazingly, does not sound like MV-RC as much as the other bottom feeders like Jablonsky or Djwadi (hence why they were not included on this list). Both Powell and Desplat demonstrate the ability to score things in unconventional ways, both like writing for woodwinds, both look outside the normal diatonic realm for harmonic choices, and both can write really energetic music (Desplat's use of repeated figures is amazing).

Giacchino came pretty close too because he can really nail some styles well. I love his take on Japanese kaiju music on ROAR! which is about as authentic sounding as I have heard from a gaijin. But I have somewhat cooled to him because it is hard for me to connect with much of his music without having seen the accompanying film/show first. The amazing thing about Desplat and Powell is that they write music that I can enjoy and that does impart a story on its own without having to rely on visual or narrative references. Some may say Giacchino shouldn't have to because he's a film composer but a really good composer has the faculties to exist on that dual plain. That's why Williams is such a genius.

So, whom do you fellas (and ladies) feel is a great under 50 composer?

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So I chose 10 composers who seem to be in demand. For me, it would be a close tie between Desplat and Powell. Both have a lot of experience but I would probably have to go with Desplat by a small margin over Powell because he's been nominated several times and has displayed a lot of range but still retaining his own stylistic voice. Powell also has his own sound which, amazingly, does not sound like MV-RC as much as the other bottom feeders like Jablonsky or Djwadi (hence why they were not included on this list). Both Powell and Desplat demonstrate the ability to score things in unconventional ways, both like writing for woodwinds, both look outside the normal diatonic realm for harmonic choices, and both can write really energetic music (Desplat's use of repeated figures is amazing).

Giacchino came pretty close too because he can really nail some styles well. I love his take on Japanese kaiju music on ROAR! which is about as authentic sounding as I have heard from a gaijin. But I have somewhat cooled to him because it is hard for me to connect with much of his music without having seen the accompanying film/show first. The amazing thing about Desplat and Powell is that they write music that I can enjoy and that does impart a story on its own without having to rely on visual or narrative references. Some may say Giacchino shouldn't have to because he's a film composer but a really good composer has the faculties to exist on that dual plain. That's why Williams is such a genius.

So, whom do you fellas (and ladies) feel is a great under 50 composer?

1) Brian Tyler

2) Edward Shearmur

3) Marc Shaiman

David Arnold also.

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No one cares about Harry Gregson Williams: the composer of Kingdom of Heaven, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, and Team America?

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As far as 'most accomplished,' I'm saying GIACCHINO. He was among the first composers to use a full orchestra in a video game (Medal of Honor), he scores multiple hit television shows (Lost, Alias, Fringe), and he's scored several hit movies (The Incredibles, Mission: Impossible 3) with another to come (Star Trek). I don't believe perfect, but he's certainly put out an amazing body of work so far.

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No one cares about Harry Gregson Williams: the composer of Kingdom of Heaven, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, and Team America?

Well, I still think Sinbad is a fantastic score, and Kingdom of Heaven and the first Narnia score are quite good too (in fact, I'd encourage anyone who's unfamiliar it to give Sinbad a listen and try to forget who composed it). But he's far too hit-and-miss for me to consider him anything more than a solid composer with occasional bouts of greatness.

Giacchino's my pick.

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No one cares about Harry Gregson Williams: the composer of Kingdom of Heaven, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, and Team America?

I do, but Giacchino and Powell are better than him. So is Thomas Newman, why isn't he on this list?

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No one cares about Harry Gregson Williams: the composer of Kingdom of Heaven, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, and Team America?

I do, but Giacchino and Powell are better than him. So is Thomas Newman, why isn't he on this list?

Because he is 53

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No one cares about Harry Gregson Williams: the composer of Kingdom of Heaven, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, and Team America?

I do, but Giacchino and Powell are better than him. So is Thomas Newman, why isn't he on this list?

Thomas Newman is 54 this year.

That's scary, I always pictured him a younger composer.

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I love his take on Japanese kaiju music on ROAR! which is about as authentic sounding as I have heard from a gaijin.

I don't think that foreigners are less capacitated to write music ala Ifukube. If many Japanese orchestral scores (especially the kaiju eigas) sound like him it's mostly because of the Ifukube school that has prevailed for decades in the Japanese entertainment industry. In my opinion, of course.

Mason Bates, Kevin Puts, Eric Whitacre, Thomas Adès, Olga Neuwirth... are some of my favorite young composers. Not writing for movies, unfortunately.

As for film composers under 50, I would choose Roque Baños as the most gifted one. Carles Cases is even better but he's turning 50 this year...

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