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

[Thor 7,465]

 

I'm a sucker for Bye's cautious, tentative landscapes - bathed in Nordic melancholy. Along with FARO (2013), this 2016 score is my fav of his.

 

And while I was at it (the albums are less than 30 minutes), now directly on to:

 

[Bespin 8,476]

14 hours ago, Tallguy said:

I got The Rocketeer. Wait... Was that just LAST summer?

 

It was reprinted this year, but reissued last year.

 

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,429]

An American Tail (Intrada) by James Horner

Currently visiting the animated Horner's scores and after Balto this one looked like an interesting listening experience. Well after a first listening it just blown my mind. What a great score! Emotional and epic with swift action cues, Horner just keep mesmerising me (even from beyond)

 

Two of the songs made me laughed a bit:

• The are no Cats in America for its similarity with Williams Tradition from Jay's favourite score
• Somewhere Out There. As I've never seen this movie (I know it's a shame) I only known this song from Community where the characters try to find a mouse, making the scene even funnier

 

[Thor 7,465]

 

While I've heard a great deal of Umebayashi over the years (both in and out of the movies), the only thing I've owned in my collection is A SINGLE MAN (which was mostly Korzeniowski anyway) and a few cues here and there on various compilations. So this will work as a great sampler for me untill I get some of the individual albums. The release is brand new (and would as such qualify for the 2021 thread), but the selections are obviously "older". Kinda hard to know where to put these types of albums.

[bruce marshall 1,314]

[Thor 7,465]

 

Also a brand new (upcoming) release. As opposed to Umebayashi, I have many Danna soundtracks already; always been big fan. That being said, I'm a) not that thrilled with the selection here, in and of itself, and b) many of his scores don't translate well to a purely orchestral idiom, as the synth/ethnic elements often carry his music -- this gets lost here. Like THE ICE STORM, for example. But hey -- it's all good music, and beautifully performed, as always with Brussels & Dirk.

[Thor 7,465]

 

The third and last of the three new WSA/Ghent CDs that are coming out soon. This is a pretty massive enterprise -- two whole CDs covering the best of Yared's career. But then Yared has always been a WSA favourite. The composer has always been a bit hit/miss to me, but the selections here showcase his old-fashioned style (often with a more 'sober' or stark European aesthetic) that is fairly easy to like. Could be without the opera stuff.

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,429]

The Land before Time by James Horner

A nice score less interesting than Balto and An American Tail but with a very nice flow to it

[Edmilson 7,385]

TLBT might be my favorite animated score from Horner. Balto is in a close second place.

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,429]

Well I thought it was a bit too uniform like very long suite, lovely for sure but with less flavour than Balto. It's perhaps also due to the fact that I prefer one movie over another 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,495]

6 hours ago, Thor said:

 

Is there a track listing for this, Thor? Does it include MONSOON WEDDING, or THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS?

[Thor 7,465]

MONSOON, yes. PARNASSUS, no. Again with the odd selection. I would much rather have had a selection from PARNASSUS than, say, the borefest MONEYBALL, which gets a full 7 minutes of chugging strings here.

 

Track listing here.

[Bespin 8,476]

I once again fell asleep on a 4 hour playlist, music playing outloud in my bedroom.

 

Why I keep doing this???

 

My husband go to sleep and he just closes my door!

 

Recreating the abducting scene from CE3K.

 

[Jules 59]

On 30/10/2021 at 10:17 PM, Thor said:

 

 

 

Lovely score. Some cues remind me a lot of Ólafur Arnolds' BROADCHURCH.

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

On 31/10/2021 at 10:12 PM, Thor said:

 

While I've heard a great deal of Umebayashi over the years (both in and out of the movies), the only thing I've owned in my collection is A SINGLE MAN (which was mostly Korzeniowski anyway) and a few cues here and there on various compilations. So this will work as a great sampler for me untill I get some of the individual albums. The release is brand new (and would as such qualify for the 2021 thread), but the selections are obviously "older". Kinda hard to know where to put these types of albums.

His 5 part suite for the game Ghost of Tsushima is very good. Beautifully orchestral with ethnic instruments. Highly recommended

[Thor 7,465]

3 hours ago, Jules said:

Lovely score. Some cues remind me a lot of Ólafur Arnolds' BROADCHURCH.

 

Yes, that is an apt comparison.

[Thor 7,465]

 

Such a lovely score (no pun intended) for an underrated movie, but one of these days, I will have to boil the insane 1 hour and 44-minute running time into something listenable. Maybe around the 40-50-minute mark.

[bollemanneke 3,337]

It's November, so... IT'S HOME ALONE!

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,429]

2 hours ago, Thor said:

 

Such a lovely score (no pun intended) for an underrated movie, but one of these days, I will have to boil the insane 1 hour and 44-minute running time into something listenable. Maybe around the 40-50-minute mark.

I really should listen to it one day, I recalled loving in this little Jackson's masterpiece

 

The Pagemaster by James Horner

While so I continue to discover new Horner's gems everyday. This one is truly magical remembering me sometimes his Casper. The main title is breathtaking, the action cues are full of energy and the more quite moments are sweetly scored with the lightness so specific to Horner

[Jay 37,283]

9 hours ago, Bespin said:

I once again fell asleep on a 4 hour playlist, music playing outloud in my bedroom.

 

Why I keep doing this???

 

My husband go to sleep and he just closes my door!

 

You guys each have your own bedroom?

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I heard a podcast just the other week about happy healthy couples choosing to have separate beds/bedrooms.  Apparently it's getting more common! (again)

[Naïve Old Fart 9,495]

Oh, yeah. For the past 30 years, I've had a bedroom that's been seperate from everyone in the entire world.

 

 

Don't fret none, @Disco Stu. My life is; no more, no less. Besides, I'm used to it.

[Bespin 8,476]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

 

You guys each have your own bedroom?

 

Of course!

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Little Women (1994) - Thomas Newman

 

contented sigh

 

 

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,429]

Commando by James Horner

An unusual score for him that didn't do much for me after this first listening. Maybe it will gain to be listened again.

[Jurassic Shark 12,025]

47 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

Little Women (1994) - Thomas Newman

 

contented sigh

 

 

 

But why are these women so little?

[Marian Schedenig 8,172]

Because they've been kept in the fridge for too long.

[Bespin 8,476]

[bruce marshall 1,314]

[Thor 7,465]

 

I didn't "ask for" this TV score, I basically got it as a bonus back when I bought the THE GHOSTBREAKER/JERICHO CD from FSM years ago (I bought it for the Williams, of course). I think I've played it something like twice since then, so decided to give it a whirl now. Old-school television music isn't something I'm normally attracted to (unless it's Williams), but Goldsmith & co's take on the angular long hair sound of the period isn't too bad.

[Thor 7,465]

 

From 2016, this is Morricone's last great score....well, it is also his last feature fiction film. Part lofty rock ambiance with electric guitar solos that send associations to Dave Gilmour and Terje Rypdal (amazingly "hip" for an 88-year-old composer), part ethereal textures, part quasi-classical elegance.

[publicist 4,643]

 

The Big Band de Canarias, a rare guest in the film music sphere, recorded in 2015 pristine and infecting pieces from Elmer Bernstein's rich jazz oeuvre. Under conductor Kike Perdomo we get fresh and ballsy performances, always informed by a deep understanding of jazz and Bernstein's long love affair with the genre (the pieces here range from 1955 to 1995). I love it!

[Thor 7,465]

Hmmm, intriguing. They should get them to perform at the Tenerife film music festival (if they haven't already).

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Lionheart - Jerry Goldsmith (2021 edition)

Giant - Dimitri Tiomkin (OST re-created using LLL edition)

 

[Jay 37,283]

Danny Elfman - The Corpse Bride (OST album)

 

Spooktober may be over, but I still had a pile of Spooktober CDs in my car I didn't get to in October (probably because Sleepy Hollow ate up an entire week of work commutes practically...) so I listened to this one on Monday.

 

Wow!  It's super fun!  I liked the songs and the score.  There's so much harpsicord!  Is this the most Danny has used it?  The bonus tracks after the end credits are OK; I'm glad they were included but the main program is the highlight.  Already looking forward to listening to again!

[Thor 7,465]

 

Yeah, man!

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,429]

Howard the Duck by John Barry

The only good memories I had from this movie was the opening credits scene with all its references and the score.

Well I don't regret to have listen to this one, it's fun with some sensual moments (reminding the craziness of the movie)

[Tom Guernsey 2,280]

The Haunted Mansion (Mark Mancina) - I remember being quite excited for this when it was released, but was disappointed and only listened to it once. Revisiting it, I can't say my opinion has really changed and it all just feels a bit underwhelming. It's thematically not that interesting (surprising as Mancina has written some decent tunes in his career) and it isn't particularly spooky, quirky or fun. Compare it to something like Casper, which has several very memorable themes, and artfully blends spooky, fun and really very poignant, The Haunted Mansion is just 80 something minutes of going through the motions.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

The Rat Race - Elmer Bernstein

 

With every passing year I become a bigger fan of Elmer Bernstein in his 50s/60s heyday.  The Rat Race is perhaps not among his greatest scores, but it's a lovely little sweet comedy score.

 

I highly recommend giving the theme below a listen, it's gorgeous.  Elmer was especially good at structuring a love theme for emotional impact.

 

 

[Tom Guernsey 2,280]

26 minutes ago, Tom Guernsey said:

The Haunted Mansion (Mark Mancina) - I remember being quite excited for this when it was released, but was disappointed and only listened to it once. Revisiting it, I can't say my opinion has really changed and it all just feels a bit underwhelming. It's thematically not that interesting (surprising as Mancina has written some decent tunes in his career) and it isn't particularly spooky, quirky or fun. Compare it to something like Casper, which has several very memorable themes, and artfully blends spooky, fun and really very poignant, The Haunted Mansion is just 80 something minutes of going through the motions.

 

...and to prove you don't have to just unfairly compare something to a top class James Horner score, now listening to Haunted Honeymoon by John Morris which is terrific. Wildly over the top in places, but in the best possible way. Lots of great tunes and typically fine playing from the LSO (really!).

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Love John Morris!  Haunted Honeymoon and Clue make a great pairing.

[Tom Guernsey 2,280]

1 minute ago, Disco Stu said:

Love John Morris!  Haunted Honeymoon and Clue make a great pairing.

Agreed! Such great fun scores.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,495]

They're both great scores, but my favourite Morris, is, still, THE ELEPHANT MAN.

[Jay 37,283]

Elmer Bernstein - Ghostbusters (Sony score album)

 

Took the shrinkwrap off and listened this week.  I am not enough of an expert on the minutiae of this score to listen and know in my brain what cues it's skipping past, or how its sound quality compares to the Varese edition.  I just listened to this album as it is, and enjoyed it quite a bit!

 

The main, Dana, and Zuul themes all appear throughout the program at well paced intervals, there's so much other interesting and funny ideas at play, and it all wraps up nicely in "Finish".  Having the Zuul concert arrangement play after that instead of the end credits Bernstein recorded was a bad move though, I can say that much.  If they didn't want to include his end credits, they should have moved the Zuul concert arrangement to somewhere earlier in the album to let "Finish" end things.

 

I was not wowwed by the sound quality, though don't remember how the Varese sounded in comparison.  In general it seems like either the proper 1st gen elements have not been found, or have deteriorated.  And the expertise and tech used by whoever did the work on the Varese and on the Sony was not anywhere near a Chris Malone level, and the mastering they went with of that less-than-ideal element  on each album doesn't seem like the best choices made either.  I could hear everything going on, and it wasn't hissy or anything, it just felt "lifeless" at times, like something was missing, like it just wasn't the best it could be.

A shame the specialty labels will probably never get a crack at it, and this is the best we'll ever have

 

But still, the music is what matters, and I enjoy what Bernstein wrote quite a bit!  Comedy scores are fun, especially with a spooky level on top like this.

[Tom Guernsey 2,280]

1 hour ago, Jay said:

Elmer Bernstein - Ghostbusters (Sony score album)

 

Took the shrinkwrap off and listened this week.  I am not enough of an expert on the minutiae of this score to listen and know in my brain what cues it's skipping past, or how its sound quality compares to the Varese edition.  I just listened to this album as it is, and enjoyed it quite a bit!

 

The main, Dana, and Zuul themes all appear throughout the program at well paced intervals, there's so much other interesting and funny ideas at play, and it all wraps up nicely in "Finish".  Having the Zuul concert arrangement play after that instead of the end credits Bernstein recorded was a bad move though, I can say that much.  If they didn't want to include his end credits, they should have moved the Zuul concert arrangement to somewhere earlier in the album to let "Finish" end things.

 

I was not wowwed by the sound quality, though don't remember how the Varese sounded in comparison.  In general it seems like either the proper 1st gen elements have not been found, or have deteriorated.  And the expertise and tech used by whoever did the work on the Varese and on the Sony was not anywhere near a Chris Malone level, and the mastering they went with of that less-than-ideal element  on each album doesn't seem like the best choices made either.  I could hear everything going on, and it wasn't hissy or anything, it just felt "lifeless" at times, like something was missing, like it just wasn't the best it could be.

A shame the specialty labels will probably never get a crack at it, and this is the best we'll ever have

 

But still, the music is what matters, and I enjoy what Bernstein wrote quite a bit!  Comedy scores are fun, especially with a spooky level on top like this.

I didn't pick up the new version of this, but listening to the Varese release, the sound quality seems pretty decent to me, albeit not wowed either! Having said that, more than sufficient clarity. Fun though it is, I always find the main theme to sound a bit hokey, but the rest of the score is great. 

[Jay 37,283]

It's hokey, but really fits Bill Murray's character.  I love it, it's so much fun, and so catchy!

[Tom Guernsey 2,280]

5 minutes ago, Jay said:

It's hokey, but really fits Bill Murray's character.  I love it, it's so much fun, and so catchy!

Oh for sure, although I'll have to watch the film again... for me it works better when it's arranged a bit more assertively such as in Get Her! where it has a bit more dynamism. Perhaps better as a character theme rather than the main theme (although to be fair it's hard not to think of the song instead of Bernstein's melody as the "main" theme).

[Jay 37,283]

Yea it's more of a character theme than a main theme I'd say

[Tallguy 3,365]

3 hours ago, Tom Guernsey said:

The Haunted Mansion (Mark Mancina) - I remember being quite excited for this when it was released, but was disappointed and only listened to it once. Revisiting it, I can't say my opinion has really changed and it all just feels a bit underwhelming. It's thematically not that interesting (surprising as Mancina has written some decent tunes in his career) and it isn't particularly spooky, quirky or fun. Compare it to something like Casper, which has several very memorable themes, and artfully blends spooky, fun and really very poignant, The Haunted Mansion is just 80 something minutes of going through the motions.

 

It doesn't stack up to John Debney's Phantom Manor.

[Edmilson 7,385]

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Patrick Doyle)

 

My first time listening to the OST album in about 10 years. And now I can understand why @bollemanneke likes this score so much: it's a rousing, epic score with an excellent performance by the LSO. The new additions to the franchise are great, specially Harry's heroic theme and Voldemort's new theme. It has some thrilling action music, engaging suspense and some really touching moments like Death of Cedric and Hogwarts' Hymn.