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

[Bespin Copilot 9,396]

Inspired by Karol, since two days!

 

[HunterTech 1,471]

Mission: Impossible III (2006) - Michael Giacchino

 

Considering the mini-discourse regarding Gia a couple of posts prior, it's only appropriate I hear an effort of his that's most emblematic of his issues. Action writing that's too chaotic, themes not being greatly utilized, underscore that's too occupied with hitting the on screen beats, and stylistically too basic. The Ethan and Julia theme I'll still stand by, but it takes only something this mediocre to make me appreciate Balfe's Fallout a bit more. I definitely recommend one hear Ghost Protocol instead.

[Naïve Old Fart 11,256]

On 6/16/2020 at 7:56 PM, Jurassic Shark said:

Just stay away from Star Trek: TMP, Alien, and Total Recall.

...and this eejit.

[Jurassic Shark 14,537]

Hey, The Great Train Robbery is, uh... great!

[Naïve Old Fart 11,256]

Too little, too late.

[Tom Guernsey 3,061]

Having a "based on the themes of John Williams" kinda day...

 

Solo (John Powell) - Still find this the most overall satisfying of the recent Star Wars scores. Yeah, it's a bit more loud and busy than Williams' efforts, but the level of detail is amazing and the quality and use of the themes is terrific and thrilling. Williams has almost felt scared to overuse themes too much at times in the last trilogy and the prequels come to that. Powell just seems to take his thematic material and give it a proper workout throughout, but in a way that makes sense within the context of the film and the music. Much more sophisticated and interesting than Giacchino's Rogue One (which I still like, but the use of the original themes and writing is really clunky in comparison).

 

Jurassic Park III (Don Davis) - Having been reading the comments that JW didn't much care for Giacchino's Rogue One, I'm surprised at the indications that he didn't care for JPIII either. Davis' use of the original Williams is really interesting and, like Powell, he uses some of the more incidental motifs (not just the four note monster/raptor theme, but also the searching motif used at several points in the original, notably the opening, the visit to the Rex attack site and High Wire Stunts) in several places, working the in intelligently and without them sounding like random inserts. Plus Davis' writing generally is very sophisticated and combines Williams and his own style really quite impressively. I hope someone does enable an expanded release as this is easily the best of the non-JW JP scores (the first Jurrasic World score didn't do much for me, especially the cheesy park theme, although the OTT Fallen Kingdom is better, but like with most recent Giacchino it's a mixture of clunky and blunt... what happened to the guy who wrote complex action music for Medal of Hono(u)r or early Pixar films?!).

[crocodile 9,014]

Jaws (album)

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Far and Away

Jane Eyre

Heidi

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Jaws 2 (album)

 

Karol

[LSH 1,098]

THE FLOWERS OF WAR - QIGANG CHEN

 

Rather good, this.

[Bespin Copilot 9,396]

On 6/18/2020 at 7:55 PM, Bespin said:

Inspired by Karol, since two days!

 

 

And Dances with wolves Expanded!

[Brundlefly 2,400]

On 6/16/2020 at 8:56 PM, Jurassic Shark said:

Just stay away from Star Trek: TMP, Alien, and Total Recall.

That is a way to gather enemies.

[Jurassic Shark 14,537]

Some people here should practice taking things less seriously...

[Arpy 4,178]

James Newton Howard's King Kong. 

[bruce marshall 1,403]

15 hours ago, Bespin said:

 

And Dances with wolves Expanded!

Dear Sir,

 

I must object in the strongest possible way , to digital track listings. This is corrupting our youth!

[Edmilson 10,112]

Indiana Jones 4

 

It's a good score, without a doubt, but it suffers a little (specially in its complete form) with some uninteresting low suspense music. If the more subdued material was on par with Chamber of Secrets, Attack of the Clones or Minority Report, you would've had a great score that could sit proudly side by side with the other three Indys.

 

At least there's some great action music (the first version of Ugh, Vines is amazing) and some pretty epic material for the aliens at the end (was it aliens? I watched this a long time ago, and I don't plan revisiting it anytime soon).

[bruce marshall 1,403]

31 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

Indiana Jones 4

 

It's a good score, without a doubt, but it suffers a little (specially in its complete form) with some uninteresting low suspense music. If the more subdued material was on par with Chamber of Secrets, Attack of the Clones or Minority Report, you would've had a great score that could sit proudly side by side with the other three Indys.

 

At least there's some great action music (the first version of Ugh, Vines is amazing) and some pretty epic material for the aliens at the end (was it aliens? I watched this a long time ago, and I don't plan revisiting it anytime soon).

I bought the INDY BOX and sold off this one.

Did.nothing for me. Dull.

But, then again I'm one of the few who loved the FILM!

[LSH 1,098]

DA 5 BLOODS - TERENCE BLANCHARD

 

My favourite score of the year so far. Just gorgeous. It might even be my favourite Blanchard score, after When The Levees Broke.

 

I watched the film last night; it's corny as hell but I did enjoy it. Not quite as good as BlacKkKlansman but thoroughly engaging. It's great, too, that this lush score has such a presence in the film.

[bruce marshall 1,403]

RISE OF SKYWALKER

 

I'm sorry , but I find every post'-EMPIRE' score dull.

In fact, the only memorable theme is the ROS track 2( which I presume is a concert arrangement)

Disclaimer: I haven't seen the last three films but I did read the MAD MAGAZINE parodies.😜

[Jurassic Shark 14,537]

On 6/20/2020 at 7:44 PM, Edmilson said:

was it aliens

 

I'm not really sure, but I think it was Trump supporters.

[bruce marshall 1,403]

On 6/15/2020 at 2:42 PM, KK said:

 

I don't know if it's fair to say Gia hasn't done these things. You don't earn his kind of success and clout in an industry by just cruising along. He just doesn't have the chops to write the larger operatic scores you're describing. 

 

His big-band style and simple pop-ish harmony is better suited for the smaller and colourful Pixar films, which have easily produced his best work.

He wrote two of the best scores of the last decade .

You can find out their names in my " Favorite Scores 2010 - 2019" thread in GENERAL DISCUSSION

[Arpy 4,178]

On 6/16/2020 at 7:15 AM, Edmilson said:

 

Maybe the problem isn't with him personally, maybe it's more due to the fact that he does mostly the same action blockbusters which require a very specific type of music. He became so comfortable doing these action/adventure flicks that his style didn't mature enough. Great composers, from JW to JG, Horner, Elfman, JNH, etc., have worked on very different kinds of films, including those where it needs a more intimate, discrete scoring.

 

But then again when Gia is presented with this opportunity (eg. Jojo Rabbit), he brings back just the same combo of piano and strings from Lost.

I don't think that's fair to say, especially after you can hear his progression from Medal of Honor to The Incredibles to John Carter / Jupiter Ascending - if ever there was a project for Giacchino to go all-out it was for that dud of a film. It links to my next point too, that it seems like it's the type of project, how much musical freedom he has and what type of music the films require.

 

You've also got to think that the paired-down, minimalistic scores he's produced for Jojo Rabbit or Bad Times at the El Royale were what the directors/producers were looking for in the first place. We all hope for some catchy, expansive, detailed orchestral score, but the films he's writing for just don't demand them and to be honest, after watching those films, the music's role took a backseat compared to the bigger blockbusters where themes are interwoven and developed over two and half hours. 

 

Also, you're lumping all these prolific composers together all of whom have had as much or more success than Giacchino, who've been around for longer, are attached to projects where their music has been well received and followed for decades. It's a shame that Giacchino has been attached to a bunch of flops, but I feel as if we're yet to hear all there is from him in the coming years...

 

 

[crocodile 9,014]

 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

 

Karol

[Meredith McKay 7,544]

Krull - James Horner ;(

[SteveMc 2,678]

Some Horner to mark the day.

 

The Land Before Time -

Maybe his finest work. It's a stirring symphonic poem in 5 parts, not counting the end credits.  The writing is on the highest level.

 

Wolf Totem

A late work, but still a gem.  Sounds almost like what a Horner Lord of the Rings would have been like.  Again, some stirring lyrical moments.  But there is also a certain drive to many cues that makes me sad Horner's talents were not more widely called upon in his last years.  He was still relevant.  

[Romão 2,377]

8 minutes ago, SteveMc said:

Some Horner to mark the day.

 

The Land Before Time -

Maybe his finest work. It's a stirring symphonic poem in 5 parts, not counting the end credits.  The writing is on the highest level.

 

 

I agree. I hope it gets reissued soon. The sound quality was already stellar

[Incanus 5,849]

The Rocketeer (Intrada) by James Horner

 

War of the Worlds (complete) by John Williams

 

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (LLL) by John Williams

[Naïve Old Fart 11,256]

Another fine selection, Inky.

[Jurassic Shark 14,537]

But which Sibelius symphony did you listen to?

[Incanus 5,849]

Oh and I almost forgot:

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (complete) by John Williams

Just now, Jurassic Shark said:

But which Sibelius symphony did you listen to?

I prefer 4th and 2nd but this time I listened number 5 just for the opening horn tune.

[Naïve Old Fart 11,256]

What's the Sibelius symphony that's featured at the end of DIE HARD 2?

[Jurassic Shark 14,537]

5 minutes ago, Incanus said:

Oh and I almost forgot:

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (complete) by John Williams

I prefer 4th and 2nd but this time I listened number 5 just for the opening horn tune.

 

I've always found the final movement of the 2nd to be annoying. It sounds like it's gonna end several times, but it just keeps going. It's the musical equivalent of RotK.

 

Just now, Naïve Old Fart said:

What's the Sibelius symphony that's featured at the end of DIE HARD 2?

 

Finlandia is not a symphony.

[Incanus 5,849]

8 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

I've always found the final movement of the 2nd to be annoying. It sounds like it's gonna end several times, but it just keeps going. It's the musical equivalent of RotK.

Oh that is the best movement fake endings and all. There are numerous pieces in the orchestral repertoire where a piece has several endings but it still keeps going (for good or for evil ). 

 

And feels like Williams was inspired by the more sorrowful melodic idea in the movement for his Rebellion is Reborn suite in Last Jedi. There are no direct quotes or anything like that but the feel is similar.

[Jurassic Shark 14,537]

2 minutes ago, Incanus said:

Oh that is the best movement fake endings or not. Feels like Williams was inspired by the more sorrowful melodic idea for his Rebellion is Reborn suite in Last Jedi. There are no direct quotes or anything but the feel is similar.

 

My favourite Sibelius symphony movement is the first of the first. 

[Naïve Old Fart 11,256]

9 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Finlandia is not a symphony.

Finlandia! Ta, awfully.

My apologies for not knowing that it isn't a symphony.

[Incanus 5,849]

15 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Finlandia is not a symphony.

A fun fact: Finlandia was actually composed for a Finnish Press Celebration Day back in 1899 as part of a longer suite of historical pageant tableaux and the original version of the "Finland Awakes" (later known as Finlandia) finale is actually meant to symbolize a fast moving first locomotive train among other things.

[Jurassic Shark 14,537]

7 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

My apologies for not knowing that it isn't a symphony.

 

I'm sorry, but that's really unforgivable.

 

6 minutes ago, Incanus said:

It was actually composed a Finnish Press Celebration Day and the original version of the "Finland Awakes" (later known as Finlandia) finale is actually meant to symbolize a fast moving train among other things.

 

Indeed. Btw, what's your favourite recording of the Karelia suite? I love the work, but I've never found a recording I'm really satisfied with.

 

6 minutes ago, Incanus said:

Finland Awakes

 

Sounds like a bad Star Wars sequel.

[Incanus 5,849]

35 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Indeed. Btw, what's your favourite recording of the Karelia suite? I love the work, but I've never found a recording I'm really satisfied with.

That's a tough one. I own about 4 different versions and I am not really entirely happy with any of them. 

[Jurassic Shark 14,537]

11 minutes ago, Incanus said:

That's a tough one. I own about 4 different versions and I am not really entirely happy with any of them. 

 

So it's not just me then!

[Naïve Old Fart 11,256]

2 hours ago, Incanus said:

A fun fact: Finlandia...finale is actually meant to symbolize a fast moving first locomotive train among other things.

...and not a whole bunch of airplanes landing, while Bruce Willis shouts "Yippe ki-yay, muthafucka!"

[bruce marshall 1,403]

3 hours ago, Incanus said:

That's a tough one. I own about 4 different versions and I am not really entirely happy with any of them. 

 

The Nice Live at the Fillmore East

[crocodile 9,014]

 How To Train Your Dragon 1-3. I tend to listen to the three OST's as one long album these days. As the characters grow up the overall sounds matures too. Quite cool.

 

Karol

[Bespin Copilot 9,396]

Today I'm off because it's Québec's National Day! Oh yeah!

 

So it will be a Headphone journey, with expanded scores only.

 

Happy Anniversary to all these superb scores!

 

- John Barry - Dances with Wolves (30 years)

- John Williams - Home Alone (30 years) (Yes, Home Alone in summer!!!!)

- James Horner - Apollo 13 (25 years)

- John Williams - War of the Worlds (15 years)

- James Horner - Braveheart (25 years)

- John Williams - The Empire Strikes Back (SE, 40 years)

 

[Incanus 5,849]

Far & Away (LLL) by John Williams

 

The Book Thief (OST+FYC album combo) by John Williams

[Matt C 494]

Castle in the Sky - Joe Hisaishi

 

The 1998 re-recording in Seattle for the U.S. dub improves upon the original soundtrack. It hews closely to the original compositions but having the orchestra perform them gives it more power. Just having Hisaishi and Miyazaki oversee the re-recording itself is a mark of approval. Just beautiful.

 

 

[crocodile 9,014]

King Kong (Barry)

Wolf Totem

Cutthroat Island

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

 

 The Golden Compass

 

Karol

[Jurassic Shark 14,537]

Didn't Sibelius compose some film music?

[crocodile 9,014]

In a manner of speaking. James Horner used Sibelius software to write Avatar.  

 

 

Before that, he was using Prokofiev software (with Britten plug-ins) on his Star Trek scores.

 

Speaking of which...  Legends of the Fall

 

Karol

[Marian Schedenig 9,844]

On 6/23/2020 at 9:02 PM, Incanus said:

On 6/23/2020 at 8:25 PM, Jurassic Shark said:

Indeed. Btw, what's your favourite recording of the Karelia suite? I love the work, but I've never found a recording I'm really satisfied with.

That's a tough one. I own about 4 different versions and I am not really entirely happy with any of them. 

 

What do you think of Hans Rosbaud's version?

 

 

 

 

That Rosbaud DG Originals CD (the one shown in the second clip) was my first Sibelius, and while it's in (good) mono, it's still one of the best in my collection. Having not played it in a long time, the tempi in Karelia seem a bit unusual to me, a tad fast in the first two movements and surprisingly slow in the march, but Rosbaud still has moments that ooze more atmosphere than most other versions I've heard. Love the brass fanfares in the march.

 

Rosbaud's Festivo is still my favourite:

 

 

And his Finlandia packs a punch, too:

 

 

[crocodile 9,014]

The Mask of Zorro

The Legend of Zorro

Willow

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

 

Karol

[Incanus 5,849]

Rosewood by John Williams: While Williams' 1990's output was fantastically varied I wish he had scored more films in this vein.

 

Jaws (Intrada) by John Williams: In honor of 45th anniversary of the film. Still a masterpiece.

 

Spielberg/Williams Collaboration III: Terrific and we could certainly use Vol. IV.

[Jurassic Shark 14,537]

21 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

What do you think of Hans Rosbaud's version?

 

 

 

 

That Rosbaud DG Originals CD (the one shown in the second clip) was my first Sibelius, and while it's in (good) mono, it's still one of the best in my collection. Having not played it in a long time, the tempi in Karelia seem a bit unusual to me, a tad fast in the first two movements and surprisingly slow in the march, but Rosbaud still has moments that ooze more atmosphere than most other versions I've heard. Love the brass fanfares in the march.

 

Rosbaud's Festivo is still my favourite:

 

 

And his Finlandia packs a punch, too:

 

 

 

I'd say Rosbaud's Intermezzo is among the better ones, although the high tempo makes the brass playing too choppy, but the Alla Marchia is just too slow for me.

 

This is currently my favourite Intermezzo recording:

 

https://open.spotify.com/track/7fJpvKz1jkireJGFogtx1H?si=rm0NaMKQTXq8MFJTlEyZ2w