What Is The Last Score You Listened To? (older scores)

[crocodile 8,033]

Impressions of America by Patrick Doyle

Probably the most enjoyable Patrick Doyle album since .. well... forever. It's nice to hear something more traditional from him again. Some Newman-isms pop-up here and there and the whole work is a tribute to American tradition of writing so we all know exactly what it sounds like. Not the most ambitious thing ever, but nevertheless 43 minutes well spent. If George Fenton ever gets to write a score to BBC wildlife documentary that revolved entirely around North America, it will probably sound something like this.

Metropolis Symphony by Michael Daugherty

Karol

[Koray Savas 2,251]

The Forbidden Kingdom - David Buckley

The Chinese instruments -- paired with simple but harmonic orchestral writing -- make this RC/MV score very enjoyable. It doesn't have that sheer power of Badelt's The Promise (partly due to the smaller orchestra), but in its own way it's more broadly appealing. The score is at its best when it's in its mystic dramatic mode, especially in "Her Destiny Was Written" and "The Seeker of the Prophecy"... and the final cue "As One Tale Ends" is a great finish to the album.

Fun stuff.

Yeah it's what initially got me to keep my eye on Buckley. Love the little bits of Morricone influence in there too.

[Brónach 1,302]

El corazón del guerrero (Heart of the Warrior) - Roque Baños.

Very entertaining and mysterious adventure score with nods to the sounds I love. Cool.

[Jonesy 55]

And those Poledouris references are terrific.

[Marian Schedenig 8,239]

Impressions of America by Patrick Doyle

Probably the most enjoyable Patrick Doyle album since .. well... forever. It's nice to hear something more traditional from him again. Some Newman-isms pop-up here and there and the whole work is a tribute to American tradition of writing so we all know exactly what it sounds like. Not the most ambitious thing ever, but nevertheless 43 minutes well spent. If George Fenton ever gets to write a score to BBC wildlife documentary that revolved entirely around North America, it will probably sound something like this.

I wouldn't say since forever, but it's certainly nice. I also made the Fenton connection in some cues, and I like the minimalistic Americana Doyle uses throughout.

[alicebrallice 134]

love love love this score.

[Jay 37,456]

Indepedence Day by David Arnold

The OST! It was the only thing Spotify had. One of my favorite scores of all time. It's definitely a very good album - if you don't think about what wasn't included, its just a good hour long CD full of great music and no filler. Of course, the complete score is amazing, with the revised end battle pieces being among the best parts of the whole score.

[ZackR 95]

Independence Day Is wonderful. One of the most memorable scores from my teen years.

[Brónach 1,302]

This again!

[Faleel 5,400]

Eh.

[Incanus 5,723]

The Hobbit An Unexpected Journey by Howard Shore

Journey by Austin Wintory

[crocodile 8,033]

This again!

Hey, this indeed sounds like Conan. Is there a CD release?

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

I found THIS.

It's on the second disc.

[Brónach 1,302]

Yes. You can listen to it here on the side.

Spotify has a suite which I don't remember if it's the same as in that video or not.

[Jonesy 55]

I think that album is out of print.

[Brónach 1,302]

Fuck.

[crocodile 8,033]

The Mummy by Jerry Goldsmith

I completely forgot this score exists. What's interesting to note that it is very different from the most typical late 90's action writing Goldsmith served us. The score is full of melody and colours. It's actually much better than I remember it. I guess, what wasn't good enough for me in 1999 is priceless now.

The Mummy Returns by Alan Silvestri

Arguably one of the very best from this composer and can easily hold a candle to the previous outing. I like how you can hear some Goldsmith nods here and there. The recording is great as well.

Karol

[Brónach 1,302]

The raw power of the score for The Mummy is insane.

[Jay 37,456]

Star Trek Into Darkness

Both via watching the film last night in the theater, but also when I came home, my OST had arrived from Amazon. So I listened to that (well the first 30 minutes) on my way to work today. Having seen the film twice now I think I appreciate the OST more now - now that I know what scenes all the tracks go with, I can re-live the emotions of the scene while enjoying the music.

Anyways, i really only played the CD to make sure it worked before it will get ripped and then sit on my shelf forever, likely never played again. Does anybody besides me want to own all your scores on physical CDs, and want the CD to never die, net only listens to scores via electronic files now (be they on a portable player or at your computer). Weird, that.

[Marian Schedenig 8,239]

Anyways, i really only played the CD to make sure it worked before it will get ripped and then sit on my shelf forever, likely never played again. Does anybody besides me want to own all your scores on physical CDs, and want the CD to never die, net only listens to scores via electronic files now (be they on a portable player or at your computer). Weird, that.

Yes. I appreciate the upcoming end of the era of physical media as it makes much more sense than continually waste resources on items we don't need... but I'll still keep buying stuff on CD as long as possible, simply to put it in my shelf.

I just saw the film. Liked the score a lot. Now the question is: How well is it represented by the CD? Should I get it, or wait and hope for the expansion?

The Mummy by Jerry Goldsmith

I completely forgot this score exists. What's interesting to note that it is very different from the most typical late 90's action writing Goldsmith served us. The score is full of melody and colours. It's actually much better than I remember it. I guess, what wasn't good enough for me in 1999 is priceless now.

It's easily among my favourite Goldsmith scores. Great sweeping themes, classic Goldsmith action tracks, awesome rhythmic writing (My Favourite Plague), and an awful lot of sheer elegance - The Caravan with its slow contrapuntal buildup is just beautiful (and something I only started consciously appreciating after years of listening to the album).

The Mummy Returns by Alan Silvestri

Arguably one of the very best from this composer and can easily hold a candle to the previous outing. I like how you can hear some Goldsmith nods here and there. The recording is great as well.

I like the final cue. But the score as a whole couldn't really hold my interest.

[Jay 37,456]

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Made a playlist of the disc 2 and disc 5 material on spotify, in as close to chronological as I could get. Man it's annoying that they released the set like this, with a cue meant to flow into the next abruptly ending, fading out, pause, next cue abruptly opens - instead of them properly segued together. Someday, hopefully, a proper album producer can get their hands on these scores and do them all the justice they deserve!

This is one of hte best action adventure scores of all time, hands down. Love it all, every second of every cue is great

[Faleel 5,400]

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Someday, hopefully, a proper album producer can get their hands on these scores and remove the endings and combine them into cool 17 minute mega-suites!

[Incanus 5,723]

The Mummy by Jerry Goldsmith

I completely forgot this score exists. What's interesting to note that it is very different from the most typical late 90's action writing Goldsmith served us. The score is full of melody and colours. It's actually much better than I remember it. I guess, what wasn't good enough for me in 1999 is priceless now.

It's easily among my favourite Goldsmith scores. Great sweeping themes, classic Goldsmith action tracks, awesome rhythmic writing (My Favourite Plague), and an awful lot of sheer elegance - The Caravan with its slow contrapuntal buildup is just beautiful (and something I only started consciously appreciating after years of listening to the album).

The Mummy took quite a while to grow on me although bought album back in 1999. It is a wonderful score that has really gotten better with age.

Silvestri's work is something I return a bit less but it still has some of his best material but the album gets a bit bogged down by suspense filler at some points. But the action writing is fun and energetic and the music has a great sense of a fun popcorn adventure flick.

[publicist 4,643]

HIDALGO - James Newton Howard

All i ever heard of this was the 2004 album with a rather satisfying 45 minute cut. After listening to the complete score, i was flabberghasted how much high adventure music JNH composed for this. This is a massive 2 hour plus score full of robust and colorful cues making it the closest call to a JNH INDIANA JONES or THE MUMMY score. The journey from a civil war setting to more exotic eastern locales provides a fertile playing ground and Newton Howard responds with a mixture of elegant americana for Mortensen's character (think a more refined version of WYATT EARP) and orchestrally pimped ethnic writing that finds its action highlights in grandstanding cues concerning shoot outs and sword fights in the custom Williams-cum-Goldsmith melange (though JNH still lacks the discipline to develop a stringent approach to long action cues, often dropping cool rhythmic stuff as soon as it were introduced resulting in a somewhat cluttered ostinati puzzle).

The abundance of substantially developed cues not unlike his best 90's writing like WATERWORLD (LOCUST/MONTAGE with its eastern chanting plays out like HIDALGO's SWIMMING) makes for a very compelling listening experience and even surpasses that in a more refined writing style. Sadly, his compositional approach radically changed after this making HIDALGO the last fullblooded orchestral score JNH did. This one has it all, the sweeps, the bursting fanfares, the seductive eastern instrumentation.

[crocodile 8,033]

It's a nice little score. I like it. Apparently there's some substantial stuff missing from the OST.

Star Trek Into Darkness

The Matrix - The Deluxe Edition (which I finally got today)

Munich

Karol

[Brónach 1,302]

Never listened to Hidalgo other than the ost but I liked the snippets there. Very JNHish.

This track is a sort of guilty pleasure of mine.

[crocodile 8,033]

Empire of the Sun

A.I.

Witches of Eastwick

Heartwood by John Williams (One of my favourite pieces from his concert repertoire. Sublime stuff.)

Karol

[Incanus 5,723]

Empire of the Sun

A.I.

Witches of Eastwick

Heartwood by John Williams (One of my favourite pieces from his concert repertoire. Sublime stuff.)

Karol

I just listened to Heartwood yesterday and was thinking the same thing. It is not a flashy piece but evokes such range of moods and colours. Subtle yet sublime.

Oh and that list above isn't half had either.

[Jay 37,456]

Jaws

The Decca CD re-arranged into chrono order. Fun stuff, but not great work listening. Dynamic range was pretty wide, so I'd have the volume up for the quiet bits, then a shark attack would just pierce through the room Anyway, I forget sometimes how fun the music is for our heroes setting out to sea

[Incanus 5,723]

Jaws

The Decca CD re-arranged into chrono order. Fun stuff, but not great work listening. Dynamic range was pretty wide, so I'd have the volume up for the quiet bits, then a shark attack would just pierce through the room Anyway, I forget sometimes how fun the music is for our heroes setting out to sea

Ah a good reminder to listen to Jaws and Jaws 2 after quite a while.

[Jay 37,456]

Yea, I need to listen to Jaws 2 more. One of the few Williams OSTs I don't have, really hoping someone can re-issue it

[crocodile 8,033]

I don't have that CD. I want someone to re-release it.

In the meantime, I've listened to The Empire Strikes Back after a loooooong time. God, it still works. Wonderful. I love every single cue.

Karol

[Incanus 5,723]

Jaws (the OST album) by John Williams: A thoroughly engaging and well rounded listening experience of this wonderful score.

Jaws 2

[crocodile 8,033]

Heidi by John Williams

A very nice, sweet little score. Lush and pastoral, almost like Mahler on a cheerful day (Williams himself apparently sees the connection). Something that is a nice companion to Jane Eyre (directed by the same guy, by the way). For only 40 minutes of running time, it's a pretty rich and varied music, beautifully crafted with great attention to detail. I particularly love the woodwind writing in the finale track which soon morphs into an almost orgasmic string section katharsis. I also like the song, the arrangement is great. Overall, a very warm and relaxing work, even though, the main theme reminds me of Poltergeist, of all things (or the other way around, actually). Really ironic, given the fact Goldsmith was supposed to score it originally. I enjoyed reading detailed notes by John Takis as well. Good buy, definitely, and something that I see myself revisiting.

Passion by Pino Donaggio

Can't say I'm really familiar with Donaggio's output, so can't comment on how does it compare to his other works. It's a very European music, not completely unlike Ennio Morricone's drama works. I rather like it, it's definitely a very strong score - elegant and suspensful. Not necessarily original or new, but I like it. The Debussy piece flows well with the rest of the music.

Karol

[Marian Schedenig 8,239]

I particularly love the woodwind writing in the finale track which soon morphs into an almost orgasmic string section katharsis.

The Miracle is fantastic. Always reminds me of RVW.

Can't say I'm really familiar with Donaggio's output, so can't comment on how does it compare to his other works. It's a very European music, not completely unlike Ennio Morricone's drama works. I rather like it, it's definitely a very strong score - elegant and suspensful. Not necessarily original or new, but I like it.

I don't know too much Donaggio, but some bits are very similar in sound and style to Dressed to Kill. Which make me quite excited for the movie.

[Matt C 456]

Lifeforce - Henry Mancini

It's such a terrific score, propelled by a terrific and propulsive main theme. I love how the brass plays in counterpoint to itself later on in the theme, but there's so much more to it. The main body of the underscore isn't overplayed, but rather subtle and refined to maximize its impact... cues like "Web of Destiny" and "Exploration" really embody this multi-layered and engrossing score. The main theme is great, can't get enough of that.

[Incanus 5,723]

Heidi by John Williams: The new release by the Quartet Records finally brings this lovely and welcome addition to my collection. The score is, as mentioned in the liner notes, a sort of early indication of what Williams' career would rise up to, the music containing some of his more famous later (or should I say early) stylings and a keen sense of drama. After the jubilant opening fanfares the score calms down considerably to become a sort of pastoral meditation on the Alpine setting and poetic small ensemble exploration of the story's different facets from the lively and innocent joys of childhood

to the both somber and lyrical meditations of the adulthood and love. The music is for the most part intimate, lyrical and affecting with the main theme appearing in different permutations throughout with a secondary love theme and smaller motifs forming a strong narrative support for the arc of the drama. I feel that this is sort of a musical sibling of Jane Eyre (made for the same director and company), which would follow a few years later, where Williams' gift for melody was allowed to bloom even grander than in this score, where he is still stretching his musical wings. The soundquality is reasonably good for the recording of the period although it might lack a certain full-bodied force but the score sounds crisp and clean. A small gem from Williams' career before he was elevated to the stature of a super star of film music. Highly recommended.

[crocodile 8,033]

Rosewood by John Williams

The complete soundtrack is an interesting experience, as it reveals a previously unheard half of Williams score. It's surprisingly rich thematic development can be now appreciated. Don't expect to be swept away by it, though. It's an 80 minutes of very low-key music and that isn't necessarily the most exciting album to listen to. If the 1997 album's musical twin of sorts would be Schindler's List, thanks to its sensible ethnic elements and film's themes, the full score release puts it closer to the Sleepers territory. And that is not something most John Williams fans would want. I really like the opening track, which gives us a nice string version of the main theme not found on the original album. And Look Down Lord theme gets also some nice variations, especially in the track 11 where it is played by solo cello. For me personally the songs are the definite highlight of this work. I'm not a fan of gospel, but Williams did a great job with those. Overall, it's a dark work and very restrained at that, so the album might need more time in order to get the most out of it. The original disc is an easier recommendation if you have only a fleeting interest in it.

The Hobbit by Howard Shore

Definitely a high-point of 2012. I can understand why so many people are disappointed with this work and there are a great many people like that (which I find really shocking) - the score expands upon a well known sound as opposed to creating something uniquely its own. But, to be honest, that was to be expected. The film itself doesn't really allow for a lot of memorable new material and also it clearly plays on the Lord of the Rings film nostalgia. Quite unfortunate, because there is absolutely no need for that. I myself enjoy this new score very much, the execution of both new and old material is nearly flawless (love how Sauron theme can't find it's resolution and seems to end with this sort of a musical question mark). I am definitely excited for the next entry, which seems like it can offer a more exciting canvas for Howard Shore's talents.

Vertigo by Bernard Herrmann

One of the best scores in cinema history, no question in my mind. Both an excellent music and vital part of the film. If not for this music, it probably would have been a much more typical mystery thriller. The score adds to its sense of mystery and elevates it to almost the status of mythic tale. Whenever I see a glimpse of it, I notice how prevalent it is (like in the Scotty following Madeleine sequence). The McNeely recording is one of my favorite discs of all time. While there are now many great recordings, this one is both a sonic wonder and a truly magical experience. A perfect balance of romance, suspense, with a tiny slice of terror.

Epic by Danny Elfman - I randomly grabbed it today off HMV (later I realized it's also Danny Elfman's 60th birthday today)

Karol

[Jay 37,456]

I can't wait to dig into Rosewood. Haven't even had time to take the shrinkwrap off mine yet!

I agree that An Unexpected Journey is the highlight of 2012 in film scores. It's a strange score that is over-appreciated by some, under-appreciated by some, and seemingly ignored by many. I think this is in large point due to the film being a disappointment to most. I too agree that Desolation of Smaug should be a better score (and film) and give Shore more to do.

Epic is fun!

And yes it threw me for a loop when I saw that Danny Elfman turned 60 today.... crazy.

[crocodile 8,033]

Epic is fine, but I much prefer Oz, Promised Land and Hitchcock to this. There's nothing wrong with it. but very is something un-Elfman about it.

Karol

[Jay 37,456]

Yes, it's very un-Elfman like I agree. I'm not saying its a great work, but it's very fun! Most modern film music I find to not be that fun...

[crocodile 8,033]

Yes, I agree with that.

I'm now listening to Promised Land and it's probably his best work (next to Oz, but that's for different reasons). A nice blend of his Big Fish-like small town Americana sound with corporate mechanical sound of Standard Operating Procedure. It's a very nice combination for it does give you a texture very appropriate for this story. The thematic material is quite subtle as is the whole score. Clearly a more small budget score but one that stayed with me the longest of his 2012 works. It also helps that the album is quite brief so the music doesn't outstay its welcome.

Overall, I think Elfman is kind of reaching a point where he needs to decide what to do next. A next leap in his style, like it happened with Serenada Schizophrana. At the moment he's producing a lot of respectable work, but not exemplary. He needs to do something else. A period drama would be nice.

One more score I revisited was Life of Pi. It gets stronger as the time goes by, really. Not something that strikes you upon first listen, but there is some intelligence to be found in there. I also adore the main title song.

Hitchcock by Danny Elfman

Karol

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Brónach 1,302]

I wonder if we're actually get complete versions of the half themes in the second score or this is it and they're just relatively unmemorable motifs.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,400]

I just hope Shore writes new stuff if an Extended Edition is produced (unless some of the bonus cues in the soundtrack are Extended Edition cues....), that may expand the score a bit.

[Brónach 1,302]

Yeah, I'm wondering about that, too. Will Thorin's theme develop into something longer in the next films, or did we get "the whole thing" with the first film? What about Erebor's theme?

About Gandalf's theme: I already said it in another thread, but I believe that what people call Gandalf's secondary theme (heard for example in Radagast The Brown, sung by the boys' choir at the beginning of the track) is actually the second phrase of his one and only theme (because it always appear right after his "primary theme). If it is indeed the second phrase, then it is a really great theme, and it doesn't feel like half-a-theme (as I said above).

Ah, that. I didn't know that. I basically lost interest in the whole film+score, but these days I think I would enjoy a well done complete-ish score and indications of themes for the sake of it.

About what you say on the nature of the score. The way The Hobbit sounded in my head for years was like The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain. It just SCREAMS "Bilbo following the dwarves doing whatever".

[Marian Schedenig 8,239]

I love this score (and film). It never made me think of Tolkien though.

[Faleel 5,400]

Schindler's List - John Williams

good, but I think I prefer Angela's Ashes...

[chuck 155]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y2ZYWHHgzY