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


Ollie

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Five Europeans and one American.

 

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) - David Arnold 

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) - Wojciech Kilar

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) - Patrick Doyle

Amistad (1997) - John Williams

Arrival (2016) - Johánn Johánnsson

Black Panther (2018) - Ludwin Goränsson

 

 

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Mighty Joe Young- James Horner: Middle to lower shelf Horner score salvaged by one of my personal favorites cues in general, Windsong

Cinderella- Patrick Doyle: I remember nothing about the movie except being captivated by the score (the first time I had ever heard of this composer) to the point of rushing out and buying the CD as fast as I could.

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5 minutes ago, kaseykockroach said:

Mighty Joe Young- James Horner: Middle to lower shelf Horner score salvaged by one of my personal favorites cues in general, Windsong

 

All the big composers contributed a trendy "African" score in the 90s.

 

I don't know what the hell the vocals are saying in this one, but it just sounds like typical Horner vocal melodies adapted into Afrikan. It's not as cheesy as Williams' choir yelling "Africa!!"

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22 minutes ago, Philippe Roaché said:

 

All the big composers contributed a trendy "African" score in the 90s.

 

I don't know what the hell the vocals are saying in this one, but it just sounds like typical Horner vocal melodies adapted into Afrikan. It's not as cheesy as Williams' choir yelling "Africa!!"

 

Its "Afrikaans".

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The Land Before Time.

As symphonic as Horner ever got, really.  The melodies and structures are absolutely sublime.  Blows me away every time I hear it, especially The Great Migration and that rather Sibelius-esque melody in the brass a couple of minutes in.    

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Just now, Philippe Roaché said:

Great dynamic range. I like how the album is structured forcing you to listen through long tracks.

Not merely long tracks.  Symphonic movements, really, all working together in an overall dramatic arc.  Quite brilliant.

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22 minutes ago, Steve McQueen said:

Not merely long tracks.  Symphonic movements, really, all working together in an overall dramatic arc.  Quite brilliant.

 

See? That's what I'm talking about. That's how OST albums should be! But no, everyone else insists film score soundtracks need to be 60-odd 30-second tracks dumped on CD with no thought behind arrangement. Horner knew what he was doing.

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Some people just want to listen to music the way it was in the movie.

And saying its either long tracks or 30 second tracks is exaggeration to support your own opinion.

Both types of albums have their own positives.

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The Great Train Robbery - Jerry Goldsmith

 

Michael Crichton wanted to create a victorian period piece...or, in his own words, "My dream was that the historical world was going to be lovingly recreated, and then I was going to shoot French Connection inside it" in this story about a master criminal who plans to steal a shipment of gold from a moving train. After the icy, acidic 'Coma', this was his second call for Goldsmith (and the third Sean Connery movie Goldsmith was attached to, an actor increasingly dear to his heart), and as it turned out, probably their most lasting collaboration. For the rogue-ish tone, Goldsmith used the same sleight-of-hand as the movie's characters in that he turned to the buoyant russian idiom of Sergej Prokoviev instead of whatever tudorian lark might have seemed appropriate. 

 

The result is easily one of Goldsmith's most endearing and memorable themes, a powerhouse main theme built on the composer's characteristic brass riffs anchoring a blitheful string waltz courtesy of old Sergej (basically written for a helicopter shot of a speeding train). The tempo he requests from the National Philharmonic Orchestra is breathtaking and was never matched again by later recordings. The light tone, supported by harpsichord, is mostly kept save for a few more ominous moments like 'Street Attack', recalling 'Alien' of all things.

 

Apart from the expected virtuosity with which Goldsmith handles another new facet of his musical persona - probably the closest to Williams preferred mode of expression around that time - it's again a showcase for economy: a 64-piece orchestra, its sections at times almost handled soloistically, is more than enough to project either pomp or winks to the audience. The idiom was later reused by the composer in a comparably leaden style in his own 90's outings, 'Dennis The Menace' and 'Mom and Dad Save the World'.

 

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12 hours ago, kaseykockroach said:

Mighty Joe Young- James Horner: Middle to lower shelf Horner score salvaged by one of my personal favorites cues in general, Windsong

 

It's actually above his more pretentious *big* drama scores of the period as far as colour and variety goes (and certainly miles above the asinine Titanic). Windsong is imho the most cheesy ingredient.

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On 17.2.2018 at 2:29 AM, crocodile said:

:music: Black Panther by Ludwig Goransson. Giving it a second more careful listen which does reveal more themes and detail. I'm liking this more and more. It does sounds like something. It proves that Creed from the same composer was no accident. This fella knows what he's doing. The score might perhaps lack what you'd call a main superhero theme but it's stylistic choices are compelling enough for me not to be bored. One of the main is more a percussive idea and feels more like a ritualistic chant (and it is used in that context as well). That in itself is a big thing because the film is 96 minutes long and I'm not sure whether that isn't the entire score (must be very close to complete). The orchestral writing is strong and focused and the vocal material is also very inspired (both solo and choral).

 

100 minutes is surely elephantine but in between there's a delicate little plant that might grow to something stronger. Especially for dumb Marvel movies. The percussive element flip-flops between the pleasing world music beats of 'Power of One', 'Dinosaur' and 'Blood Diamond' (it's not distinctive enough to approach something like 'Ghost and the Darkness', the next level). But in tandem with the occasionally pleasing underscore that at times even recalls #typical film music, ca. Outbreak it's sure is another sign of better times ahead.

 

Oh, and who could hate a score making extensive use of Horner's danger motif? It's like carrying the torch.

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1 minute ago, publicist said:

 

100 minutes is surely elephantine but in between there's a delicate little plant that might grow to something stronger. Especially for dumb Marvel movies. The percussive element flip-flops between the pleasing world music beats of 'Power of One', 'Dinosaur' and 'Blood Diamond' (it's not distinctive enough to approach something like 'Ghost and the Darkness', the next level). But in tandem with the occasionally pleasing underscore that at times even recalls #typical film music, ca. Outbreak it's sure is another sign of better times ahead.

 

Oh, and who could hate a score making extensive use of Horner's danger motif? It's like carrying the torch.

That's it he's just done Avatar 2!

 

Karol

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having watched the movie Friday, revisited Logan's Run. 

 

Personally one of my favourite Goldsmith's from the opening to tracks like "On the Circuit", "Assignment" ("Question? No one has been renewed?"), "Terminated in Cathedral" (the steady build to when Francis fires on the runner) and the triumphant "The Sun". 

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M Squad by Count Basie, Stanley Wilson and others including Johnny Williams

 

Checkmate by Johnny Williams

7 hours ago, crocodile said:

I think @Incanus goes into anaphylactic shock as soon as the Windsong comes on.

 

Speaking of Mikko, I'm having a bit of a Rozsa mixtape on this morning.

 

Karol

Yeah I am not a big fan of the Windsong or the main theme. Some of the action material however is quite decent.

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Titanic: 20th Anniversary Edition

The Lost World: Jurassic Park complete score

 

These expanded versions are not a privilege, they're a gift. And you use them for the good of mankind. 1997 was a hell of a year.

 

:music: The Goonies

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Black Panther by Ludwig Gorannson - Nice mix of African music, orchestral themes, and funky music. A combination that never feels out of place. Like most modern albums, at times it runs a bit long, but there's a lot of good constant energy and it's got a lot of personality to boot. Good stuff. 

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4 hours ago, Koray Savas said:

@Incanus

What keeps your returning to MOH Frontline and Airborne over the other entries? Is it the more solemn tone? If I listen to one I find it hard not to just go through the whole set of them. Brilliant music, those scores. 

The two earlier scores are wonderful too but for some reason the later ones receive more listens, especially Frontline. To me it is the best of the four Giacchino scores, most well rounded listening experience and musical arc and contains the best combination of action and emotional pieces. It also feels somehow more unified than the two previous entries.

Airborne on the other hand is very relentless and heavy hitting experience action-wise so when the mood hits me I usually go for it for my quick MOH adrenaline fix.

 

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6 hours ago, Philippe Roaché said:

Titanic: 20th Anniversary Edition

The Lost World: Jurassic Park complete score

 

These expanded versions are not a privilege, they're a gift. And you use them for the good of mankind. 1997 was a hell of a year.

 

:music: The Goonies

 

1997 was the year I visited the cinema the most, a total of 16 movies. I've never topped that figure.

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The Magnificent Seven by Elmer Bernstein: A classic. The re-recording by James Sedares and the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra is quite excellent and the Hallelujah Trail Overture is a nice bonus at the end of the disc.

 

Seven Years in Tibet by John Williams: As gorgeous as ever.

 

 

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Black Panther by Ludwig Goransson

 

Some real good stuff here. A nice cocktail of Power of One and The Lion King meets your usual modern blockbuster fare. It might not boast the most memorable themes, but it makes up for it in its sheer energy and colour. Gorannsson uses talking drums, African percussive elements and various ethnic chants (one for the female warriors being particularly effective) to great effect. There is even some decent woodwind writing here, with the occasional Horner-esque contouring. As for the danger motif, it's fun hearing it against an 808. The action music is not always great, but there are some real moments here, especially when he amps up the 90s style Zimmer melodrama (think "Ancestral Plane"). A shorter album would probably serve the score well. In the end, it's probably the most distinctive Marvel, or even mainstream blockbuster score in some time. Goransson is clearly someone to look out for.

 

Black Gold by James Horner

 

This is just really solid film scoring. Nothing, from themes to action material, is particularly new or special. But given that I haven't played some good ol' Horner in some time, the craft and apparent sensibilities of an older generation composer here really hit me. I miss the guy.

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https://youtu.be/4L6I_c022qs
"One of my favorite Horner listening sessions is We're Back: A Dinosaur's Story" is a sentence I wish I could type and still retain some dignity. Ah well. It's a bouncy, playful old thing with classic James Horner sentimentality squeezed in here and there.

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Some of it is quite dissonant (Grand Demon Parade) though apparently it's one of those Don Davis things.

 

PS: Quartet has just released Georges Delerue's achingly beautiful 'Platoon' score - before he got rejected in favour of Barber's Adagio for Strings - and you can hear his version of this famous piece in the main titles. There's more dissonant stuff, too, but basically it's a soothing sorrowful affair from the master of such things. Blends well with the holy 1989 triumvirate of BOTFJ, Casualties of War and Glory.

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30 minutes ago, publicist said:

Some of it is quite dissonant (Grand Demon Parade) though apparently it's one of those Don Davis things.

 

PS: Quartet has just released Georges Delerue's achingly beautiful 'Platoon' score - before he got rejected in favour of Barber's Adagio for Strings - and you can hear his version of this famous piece in the main titles. There's more dissonant stuff, too, but basically it's a soothing sorrowful affair from the master of such things. Blends well with the holy 1989 triumvirate of BOTFJ, Casualties of War and Glory.

I'm not so sure about that one. Barber's piece is something I can't listen to anymore.

 

Kaorl

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1 hour ago, kaseykockroach said:


"One of my favorite Horner listening sessions is We're Back: A Dinosaur's Story" is a sentence I wish I could type and still retain some dignity. Ah well. It's a bouncy, playful old thing with classic James Horner sentimentality squeezed in here and there.

 

The melody featured below may very well be Horner's most purely beautiful.  Horner's cartoon scores do indeed contain some of his most joyful, heartfelt work.

 

 

 

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46 minutes ago, Steve McQueen said:

 

The melody featured below may very well be Horner's most purely beautiful.  Horner's cartoon scores do indeed contain some of his most joyful, heartfelt work.

 

 

 

Agreed. This is one of my pallet-cleansing scores, when I just want to listen to some Horner for the sake of it rather than the big favorites. Ya'll can have Lameheart or Legends of the Dull, Horner cartoon music is my tea. I think he's even better than Williams or Goldsmith in that aspect.

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Medal of Honor by Michael Giacchino

 

Medal of Honor Underground by Michael Giacchino

 

Abzû by Austin Wintory

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