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

[Jurassic Shark 12,033]

7 minutes ago, The Illustrious Jerry said:

It's impossible to pick a favourite out of these

 

That would be FotR, both film and score, for me.

[Bespin 8,480]

[Naïve Old Fart 9,507]

I like track 17

#Sail away, away. Ripples never come back# 

[Kasey Kockroach 2,343]

I think I re-named the track Nipples. 

[Faleel 5,340]

8 hours ago, Richard said:

I like track 17

#Sail away, away. Ripples never come back# 

Genesis?

 

Ah, no, a trick of the eye that's all.

[Bespin 8,480]

[Incanus 5,713]

15 hours ago, Richard said:

I like track 17

#Sail away, away. Ripples never come back# 

Williams' own cue title was originally Rialto Ripples, a nod to George Gerwshin's Rialto Ripples Rag.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,507]

8 hours ago, Faleel J.M. said:

Genesis?

 

Ah, no, a trick of the eye that's all.

There's two more references, right there!

[Bespin 8,480]

Hear that guit? 

 

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

The Post by John Williams

 

To begin, it's interesting to see the formats that soundtracks are released in. I bought The Post digitally when it came out (yes, woe is me). Of course, I prefer physical over digital, so I eventually made a little cardboard slipcase and burned the music to a disc, and I think it turned out nicely:

 

Anyways, The Post appears to be an enduring favourite for me. Since its release I've listened to it many times, and I always enjoy it. Beginning with The Papers, a low and brooding cue that even throws in some quiet retro synths. It feels like something that would work in a spy movie almost. Moving on to the pinnacle track, The Presses Roll embraces warm and vibrant string passages and an orchestral sound, and it even seems like it's about to leap into Rose's Theme from The Last Jedi at one point. Nixon's Order takes the energy down a little, and begins to usher in shades of Williams familiar Americana scoring style. The Oak Room, 1971 and Two Martini Lunch are two lovely piano pieces that are so welcoming. They almost say "kick back and relax on the sofa on a Sunday afternoon". Who can deny the energy and vigor of Setting the Type, which introduces an allegro con brio motif, which I feel had potential to be developed into something more stylistically fugal. It certainly bounces around the string section to great effect. Mother and Daughter is perhaps the most "Williams - Americana" track on the album, employing a lovely piano melody before bringing in the strings for a final passage. Scanning the Papers and Deciding to Publish make up another facet of the score's personality, one that includes a bit more suspense. It's really one of my favourite Williams cues of this nature. Spielberg had some comments himself on Williams writing for the Let's Publish scene. You can feel the weight of the decision being made. That brings us to the finale, The Court's Decision and End Credits, which is an appropriately arranged culmination of the score, although I believe the End Credits are just edited segments from other cues. 

 

The Post has been one of my most frequently listened to scores of the last year. Williams writing for the string section, the rest of the orchestra (as Tom Hanks said when he visited the recording sessions, "More French horns, John."), and the piano make the album very relistenable. 

[Jurassic Shark 12,033]

Lovely review, Jerry!

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

Thanks man!

[Jurassic Shark 12,033]

The Post is probably my favourite JW score from recent years, especially the tracks The Presses Roll and Mother and Daughter. The former is really fun to play on the piano!

[Kasey Kockroach 2,343]

Needs a more interesting title. Why not, I don't know, The Post of Perpetual Peril? It's hard to get excited to listen to a score called The Post. 

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

26 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

The former is really fun to play on the piano!

And the organ!

[Jurassic Shark 12,033]

8 minutes ago, The Illustrious Jerry said:

And the organ!

 

Do you play from the official sheet music, or make your own arrangement?

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

Mother and Daughter by John Williams (arr. The Illustrious Jerry)

[Disco Stu 15,495]

5 minutes ago, The Illustrious Jerry said:

Mother and Daughter by John Williams (arr. The Illustrious Jerry)

 

Copyright infringement!  I'm alerting Williams' legal team!

[Bespin 8,480]

[Kasey Kockroach 2,343]

Sure do love it when iTunes gets the covers mixed up. Not awkward at all.

[Incanus 5,713]

The Departed by Howard Shore: Few would have thought to score a film about a cop infiltrating Boston Irish mob with a tango but Scorsese and Shore chose it to illustrate the constant deadly dance of identities as the main protagonist and antagonist slowly circle around each other throughout the film. Shore's score is written mainly for guitars and orchestra starting with the quirky forcefully rhythmic tango tune that functions as the main theme and forms the backbone of the entire work and most of the music is indeed comprised of acoustic and electric guitar work that is often simple but very effective and establishes a distinct mood from the get-go. And while the main theme would have certainly been enough for this kind of short score, Shore introduces additional material exemplified by the lyrical and almost mournful Spanish flavoured Madolyn and quietly anguished Billy's Theme that appear throughout the album. One of my favourite Shore scores outside his Middle-earth fare and as far as possible from that particular sound and with a perfectly compiled album listening experience.

 

The Amazing Spider-Man by James Horner: This is a really terrific superhero score which has actually gotten better with time.

 

Rebecca by Christopher Gunning: Such a beautiful old-fashioned orchestral score oozing class and boasting some of Gunning's most lyrical dramatic themes.

[crocodile 7,988]

 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

 

Karol

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

Dances With Wolves by John Barry (OST)

Probably John Barry's best score, and he's really solidified himself as one of my favourite film composers. Dances With Wolves is so different compared to, say, Out of Africa and the Bond series, so it's certainly an eye opening (and ear opening!) experience. Buffalo Hunt is some next level work, and there are many memorable themes.

 

Diamonds Are Forever by John Barry (With Bonus Tracks)

As I try to get in as much Barry as I can these past few months using the local library's repertoire, Diamonds Are Forever doesn't do anything that sets it apart from the other 007 scores in a way that Thunderball and On Her Majesty's Secret Service do, but I must say that the additional and alternate cues, as well as the source music, had me dancing a little. Otherwise, the best moments remain as the pre-existing themes. 

 

The Pillars of the Earth by Trevor Jones

Pretty much sounds like your typical "epic" television score, but perhaps with a little more variety. Not entirely captivating.

 

E.T. the Extra Terrestrial by John Williams (La La Land Records) (CD 1: The Film Score Presentation)

Yep. Still a practically perfect score and an A+ release. Once more, The Rescue and Bike Chase, The Departure and the End Credits is the greatest back-to back-to back finale in film score history.

 

Robin Hood by Geogre Bruns (Walt Disney Records Legacy Collection)

Charming, in a classic Bruns sort of way. Perhaps the best way to put it is "ooh da lally!". There was a neat little fanfare for King Richard, I believe, and a hilariously, um, childish/cute/innocent (in a good way) overture. And of course, there's an overarching medieval sound that I feel Bruns really got down. Great expansion.

 

The Book Thief by John Williams 

The concert suite propels this score into excellence, and it's wonderfully classical at times, with Williams embracing some very unique moods. It's a real gem of a score, and it reminds me of what a heck of a decade it's been for Williams, especially in the early years with Lincoln, War Horse, The Adventures of Tintin, and The Book Thief, just to name a few. One of Williams best timespans. The Book Thief is a reflection of this.

[Jurassic Shark 12,033]

10 minutes ago, The Illustrious Jerry said:

Dances With Wolves by John Barry (OST)

Probably John Barry's best score, and he's really solidified himself as one of my favourite film composers. Dances With Wolves is so different compared to, say, Out of Africa and the Bond series, so it's certainly an eye opening (and ear opening!) experience. Buffalo Hunt is some next level work, and there are many memorable themes.

 

It's a great score. IMO it has strong similarities with Out of Africa.

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

I suppose, but at the same time I feel it's so much more daring. Does anyone know if the LLL expanded set is a good release (not that I doubt it)?

[Bespin 8,480]

Powell - Solo

 

[Jurassic Shark 12,033]

44 minutes ago, The Illustrious Jerry said:

I suppose, but at the same time I feel it's so much more daring. Does anyone know if the LLL expanded set is a good release (not that I doubt it)?

 

I only know that the earlier expansion, with the same cover art as the OST, contains more than enough music and is quite inexpensive.

[Jay 37,320]

46 minutes ago, The Illustrious Jerry said:

I suppose, but at the same time I feel it's so much more daring. Does anyone know if the LLL expanded set is a good release (not that I doubt it)?

 

The LLL edition of Dances with Wolves is a must-have, IMO.  The main program is amazing from start to finish, and there's a super comprehensive selection of bonus tracks afterwards that are nice to have (though, I don't personally listen to them that often, other than the album version of Buffalo Hunt)

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

Thanks!

 

I agree, the album version of Buffalo Hunt is well worth relistening to!

[publicist 4,643]

1 hour ago, The Illustrious Jerry said:

I suppose, but at the same time I feel it's so much more daring. 

 

Wut?

[Bespin 8,480]

I know, every people in this forum will say they did'nt love that movie.

 

I did love this movie and also the soundtrack.

 

So f*** you!!!
 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I enjoy the movie quite a bit.  Some real janky parts, but it's an enjoyable ride.  The nuclear test site scene is legitimately great!

[Bespin 8,480]

[Kasey Kockroach 2,343]

Needs more Jarvis Cocker.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

6 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

I enjoy the movie quite a bit.  Some real janky parts, but it's an enjoyable ride.  The nuclear test site scene is legitimately great!

 

I enjoyed that time when there was an Indiana Jones forum on JWFan with a massive sprawling multi-thread discussion of the box set. I might be able to revisit the movie someday and enjoy it strictly out of nostalgia for that period.

[crocodile 7,988]

Dracula

The Fury

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

Lincoln

The Witches of Eastwick

 

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

 

I got Intrada's old version of 'Son of the Morning Star' dirt-cheap, so i bagged it and happen to enjoy it quite a lot. The elegy approach (Safan must have had Vaughan-Williams on rotation prior to writing it) seems, remarkably enough, to anticipate many later mournful big drama scores by Williams, Horner, Zimmer et al. (it was written in 1991). It's a very attractive piece of writing, not overly complicated but assured in its handling of the big string section. Recommended.

[crocodile 7,988]

How does the original programme play as compared to the new expanded set?

 

Thanks for recommending this, by the way. I'm really enjoying it.

 

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

I have nothing to compare it to, but 52 minutes seem to be quite sufficient. Here's what i kept:

 

[Incanus 5,713]

Always by Williams: A small and mostly very intimate Williams score with surprisingly subdued themes and atmosphere of romance and splendid impressionistic evocations of flight of which Among the Clouds is my favourite with those gorgeous horn solos by James Thatcher. 

 

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull by John Williams: I love this one. The 1950's sci-fi feel of the Crystal Skull theme is deliciously over-the-top and menacing as is the equally wonderful film noir creation of Irina's theme (oh how I wish he had recorded a concertized version of this for the album or even subsequently) and I even love Mutt's theme, half-way between the Adventures of Robin Hood styled swashbuckle and Indy's theme to denote the heritage. Williams is clearly having fun with all these genre nods and even injects this humour into piece like A Whirl Through the Academe with it's Brahms quotation. The complete score fleshes out many of the lighter touches and the balletic action music while the OST has quite a bit of the ominous lugubrious mystery scoring ala Minority Report and War of the Worlds but Williams usually anchors even that material to the eerie Crystal Skull theme so it is highly palatable. 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,507]

In an unusual way, the ascending three-note motif for the skull, kind of mirrors the descending three-note motif, for The Ark.

[Incanus 5,713]

48 minutes ago, Richard said:

In an unusual way, the ascending three-note motif for the skull, kind of mirrors the descending three-note motif, for The Ark.

The Skull theme has three elements really (listen to the Call of the Crystal concert suite below), the repeating "Call of the Crystal" three-note pulse (0:00-0:17), the main melody which is an ominous McGuffin theme (very B-movie sci-fi feeling!) (0:18-1:14) and the third (1:21-2:26) which is a lyrical more wistful theme usually voiced by the woodwinds that seems to speak of the otherworldly beauty or eerie wonder or ancient civilization which also feels a lot like the Medallion theme that is connected and complemented to the Ark theme. McGuffin's have clearly their own musical language in Williams' ears.  

 

 

 

[crocodile 7,988]

5 minutes ago, Incanus said:

The Skull theme has three elements really, the repeating "Call of the Crystal" three-note pulse, the main melody which is an ominous McGuffin theme (very B-movie sci-fi feeling!) and the third which is a lyrical more wistful theme usually voiced by the woodwinds that seems to speak of the otherworldly beauty or ancient civilization which also feels a lot like the Medallion theme that is connected and complemented to the Ark theme. McGuffin's have clearly their own musical language in Williams' ears.  

The skull theme (or themes), while not exactly an earworm like Ark's theme, is probably a single most impressively developed thematic element in any Indy score. It's fantastic stuff.

 

Karol

[Bespin 8,480]

Coffee and James Horner this morning.

 

 

[Bespin 8,480]

A selection from the Long Goodbye

 

[Holko 9,499]

The Short Goodbye

[Bespin 8,480]

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

[crocodile 7,988]

 Mission: Impossible by Danny Elfman. This album just never gets old. This score is a stroke of genius and a most colourful way to reimagine what could be perceived a bit of a genre cliché. Now this is how you do it - it is both exactly what you'd expect and absolutely nothing like it and the same time.

 

Karol

[Naïve Old Fart 9,507]

On 5/15/2019 at 11:27 AM, Bespin said:

Coffee and James Horner this morning.

 

 

Nothing from BRAINSTORM? Nothing from THE NAME OF THE ROSE? Rubbish! Do it again, laddie!