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

[Incanus 5,713]

7 minutes ago, crocodile said:

Tadlow. I don't listen to the originals. Like, ever.

 

Karol

Same here actually. A lot of these Tadlow re-recordings have become my go-to versions for e.g. many Rózsa scores but I would include the two Poledouris ones to that list as well.

[crocodile 7,990]

Speaking of Rozsa and Tadlow...

 

 Sodom and Gomorrah. Oddly, this is only my second listen to this album. It must have been one of those things I bought and then put away on the shelf. I sort of forgot about it.

 

Karol

[Jurassic Shark 12,033]

9 minutes ago, crocodile said:

Speaking of Rozsa and Tadlow...

 

 Sodom and Gomorrah. Oddly, this is only my second listen to this album. It must have been one of those things I bought and then put away on the shelf. I sort of forgot about it.

 

Karol

 

So do you like it?

[crocodile 7,990]

It feels more like a fantasy score than most of his other epics. He knew a thing or two about writing music.

 

Karol

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

Currently jamming, hep cats!

[Romão 2,274]

3 hours ago, crocodile said:

It feels more like a fantasy score than most of his other epics. He knew a thing or two about writing music.

 

Karol

 

I love the victory march. It's hardly ever heard in the original album

[publicist 4,643]

7 hours ago, crocodile said:

It feels more like a fantasy score than most of his other epics. He knew a thing or two about writing music.

 

For this, Ivanhoe and El Cid, Rózsa wrote these indelible long-lined epic/romantic tunes that somehow define the 'golden' in Golden Age.

 

 

[Incanus 5,713]

Indeed. He lavished Sodom and Gomorrah with two absolutely gorgeous love themes. The whole score is a mammoth which might in its epic scope be sometimes even too much on the ears. The whole 15 minute battle sequence in the middle in particular.

 

Saving Private Ryan (20th Anniversary Limited Edition) by John Williams: The release is the very definition of a bottle cap in film music collecting but I love the score. The additional film versions of High School Teacher and The Last Battle add less than two minutes of material but the latter has subtle little changes that actually give the piece a bit more emotional heft.

[publicist 4,643]

I mostly cut out the 'action' music of MR, it's too much. But even when you reduce it to hymnal/romantic/ceremonial/uplifting etc. you still have hours of music to surrender to.

[crocodile 7,990]

Of Rozsa's action music I only really like Chariot Chase from Quo Vadis and Battle Preparations from El Cid. Everything else feels bit... overeager.

 

Karol

[Incanus 5,713]

17 minutes ago, crocodile said:

Of Rozsa's action music I only really like Chariot Chase from Quo Vadis and Battle Preparations from El Cid. Everything else feels bit... overeager.

 

Karol

Rózsa didn't compose in half-measures when it came to the action music (or anything else for that matter) which makes his big action sequences, and he scored a lot of them, both loud but also very frenetic which requires at least from me a very specific frame of mind to listen to for extended periods of time. I love most of these big sequences but they can be overpowering. 

[crocodile 7,990]

And that is why I only listen to Rozsa scores in smaller chunks. I only managed to get through CD1 last night. 😂

 

Karol

[Holko 9,499]

I really only know Ben-Hur's Sea Battle off the top of my head, but I like that one. How it always returns ot the rower motif in different instrumentations and levels of franticness, then just when it would devolve into minutes of semi-generic chaos, he throws in Judah's theme a couple of times unexpectedly.

[KK 3,307]

 

Visitors by Philip Glass

 

Stumbled onto this surprise while Spotify-hunting. This is quite good, for late-career Glass, that is. Glass' familiar structures have a more trance-like energy and rhythm than some of his less inspired or gaudier late-2000s work for film. More Kundun-esque than Illusionist-type fare. The opening with the fifths is good stuff.

 

 

[Lewya 360]

Gone Girl - Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross

 

Listening to this again. I really dig the none abrasive/industrial parts of the score in particular.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,508]

On 9/23/2018 at 2:18 AM, Lewya said:

Solaris - Cliff Martinez

 

Fantastic, the best electronic film score of the last 20+ years. I love this score.

 

Drive - Cliff Martinez

 

I hope this one will grow on me on my upcoming listen. I remember liking it, but nowhere near my love for Solaris.

Lewya, don't you listen to the mean old Publicist. I absolutely love SOLARIS!

The film was my favourite of 2002.

The score doesn't quite reach the heights of TRAFFIC (not only my favourite film of 2000, but also my favourite film this century), but it's a great score, and easily my second favourite Martinez.

[Jurassic Shark 12,033]

2 hours ago, KK said:

 

Visitors by Philip Glass

 

Stumbled onto this surprise while Spotify-hunting. This is quite good, for late-career Glass, that is. Glass' familiar structures have a more trance-like energy and rhythm than some of his less inspired or gaudier late-2000s work for film. More Kundun-esque than Illusionist-type fare. The opening with the fifths is good stuff.

 

 

 

An ok score, but nothing new. Btw, are you implying that you find Kundun is superior to The Illusionist?

[crocodile 7,990]

 Dragonslayer

 

Karol

[SteveMc 2,674]

Violin Concerto by James Newton Howard.

Don't know about you guys, but I found it a solid work.  A bit unadventurous, perhaps, and a tad too overtly cinematic in spots, but mostly an agreeable listen.  

Can't say I'm too interested in listening to it again, though.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,508]

3 hours ago, crocodile said:

 Dragonslayer

 

Karol

Class. Pure fucking class.

[KK 3,307]

11 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

An ok score, but nothing new. Btw, are you implying that you find Kundun is superior to The Illusionist?

 

Has he really written anything new in the last decade or so? And is it reasonable to expect him to have done so? This one presents a more engaging arrangement of his familiar vices.

 

And yes, I find Kundun the superior work. The Illusionist is fine, but I never found Glass to be very good at the whole large-scale, full-blown orchestral film music thing. It often comes off as overstuffed, gaudy and a bit vapid.

 

Glass is best at his more minimalist chamber work or the more wondrous mysticism of his operas and eclectic Philip Glass Ensemble material (with sopranos, synthesizers and all). Kundun is a nice cocktail of those flavours.

 

Now you've got me in a mood:

 

 

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

Runaway by Jerry Goldsmith

Hook by John Williams

[Dixon Hill 4,233]

3 hours ago, KK said:

 

Has he really written anything new in the last decade or so? And is it reasonable to expect him to have done so? This one presents a more engaging arrangement of his familiar vices.

 

And yes, I find Kundun the superior work. The Illusionist is fine, but I never found Glass to be very good at the whole large-scale, full-blown orchestral film music thing. It often comes off as overstuffed, gaudy and a bit vapid.

 

Glass is best at his more minimalist chamber work or the more wondrous mysticism of his operas and Philip Glass Ensemble material (with sopranos, synthesizers and all). Kundun is an ideal cocktail of both those worlds.

 

Now you've got me in a mood:

 

 

 

I have a soft spot for The Illusionist but yeah. 

[publicist 4,643]

4 hours ago, KK said:

Glass is best at his more minimalist chamber work or the more wondrous mysticism of his operas and eclectic Philip Glass Ensemble material (with sopranos, synthesizers and all). Kundun is a nice cocktail of those flavours.

 

I prefer the more agile Nyman.

 

 

 

[KK 3,307]

It's why his symphonies are so hit-and-miss for me. The appeal of his language doesn't translate as well to the traditional full orchestra format. 

 

One major exception for me is Notes on a Scandal, where I think he tapped into a very particular sound. Familiar, yes, but wildly entertaining because you rarely get to hear Glass sustain such a dark edge, and with such vigor for a whole album's length. His tired ostinati and vices boast a sharper wit with this one.

 

31 minutes ago, publicist said:

 

I prefer the more agile Nyman.

 

 

 

 

If by agile, less restricted by "minimalist" structures, yea I'd agree.  But while MGV is real good stuff, the bulk of his work still stays within his usual harmonic and rhythmic parameters. I like Nyman, but I find a lot of his stuff rather limited too.

 

I'd argue there's more diversity (perhaps by sheer prolificity) in Glass' earlier stuff. One just needs to look outside of all The Hours/Glassworks-esque stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

[publicist 4,643]

35 minutes ago, KK said:

I'd argue there's more diversity (perhaps by sheer prolificity) in Glass' earlier stuff.

 

There's more diversity in anyone's earlier stuff.

[KK 3,307]

Sure. I guess my point was that on a rainy day, there's more for me to draw from Glass' body of work than Nyman's.

[publicist 4,643]

I prefer Malcolm Arnold's 'The Inn of Sixth Happiness'

 

[Jurassic Shark 12,033]

6 hours ago, KK said:

And yes, I find Kundun the superior work. The Illusionist is fine, but I never found Glass to be very good at the whole large-scale, full-blown orchestral film music thing. It often comes off as overstuffed, gaudy and a bit vapid.

 

To me, Kundun sounds like a rough first draft - I wouldn't be surprised if he was cut short on time.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,508]

3 hours ago, kaseykockroach said:

Runaway by Jerry Goldsmith

Hook by John Williams

One of those is brilliant.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

25 minutes ago, Richard said:

One of those is brilliant. The other isn't top-tier, but really fun anyhow!

Agreed, friend!

[Incanus 5,713]

The Cowboys (Varese Deluxe Edition) by John Williams: Wonderful youthful Americana from the Maestro. The Varese release with its pristine sound and insightful liner notes (again by the masterful Mike Matessino) is the quintessential presentation of this music. 

[Bespin 8,480]

John Williams - The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing (1973)

👍

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

Another morning where I'm awakened by a hungry cat and can't fall back asleep after feeding her. So, to start off the day as I begin the very slow process of getting out of bed...

Willow by James Horner 

The River Wild by Jerry Goldsmith

[Jay 37,322]

More catching up:

 

John Williams - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

 

I love every single cue in this brilliant score!

 

Lena Raine - Celeste

 

One of the best scores of the year (maybe the best), and I am so excited for Lena's next score

 

David Arnold - Stargate

 

Hadn't listened to this in a  while!  I love it and hope it's gets its due for a proper, fully complete expansion with any alternates that might exist, some day.  A fine, fine score.

 

 

Ira Newborn - Ferris Bueller

 

Super fun!  Probably only enjoyable if you've seen and like the movie, though.  It's a bit all over the place.

 

James Horner - Honey, I Shrunk The Kid!

 

Also a lot of fun, I hope Intrada re-releases it in complete form now that their sort of OST-style version is OOP

 

John Williams - The Cowboys

 

I never really listened to this score before the MM expansion, and now its part of my regular rotation at work.  I LOVE how many themes it has, and how the whole score just keeps varying all of them, overlapping them, playing them off each other.  Very nice.  Good length, too.

[Incanus 5,713]

X-Men: The Last Stand by John Powell: Not bad, not bad at all.

[Jay 37,322]

I should check that one again.  I think I only listened to the OST once

[crocodile 7,990]

It's one of the better superhero scores out there in this certainly. Up there with Unbreakable, Spider-Man 3 and Hellboy.

 

Karol

[Incanus 5,713]

I recommend it. One the earliest large scale scores I noticed from Powell. I love the Dark Phoenix theme.

[crocodile 7,990]

4 minutes ago, Incanus said:

I recommend it. One the earliest large scale scores I noticed from Powell. I love the Dark Phoenix theme.

True, although whenever I try to hum this melody it always turns into the theme from Borodin's Prince Igor. 😄

 

Karol

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

I need to figure out which cues need to be combined with which one of these days, since it's one of those "separate cues that have choir to save on fees" turmoils.

[Incanus 5,713]

How to Train Your Dragon 2 by John Powell: This is perhaps my favourite Powell score. The first score was like Vaughan Williams on steroids with rollicking folk song styled themes and the sequel just takes it all up several notches and adds new material and themes but has a decidedly more emotional edge to it as the story takes a dramatic and unexpected personal turn for Hiccup. Powell also turns down the frenetic layering of elements from the first score and the new one feels much more clear lined, busy but more palatably so. There is just such joy and verve in this music from the first notes it is hard not to grin with glee at all this orchestral and choral enthusiasm, colour and energy. 

[publicist 4,643]

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

49 minutes ago, Incanus said:

How to Train Your Dragon 2 by John Powell: This is perhaps my favourite Powell score. The first score was like Vaughan Williams on steroids with rollicking folk song styled themes and the sequel just takes it all up several notches and adds new material and themes but has a decidedly more emotional edge to it as the story takes a dramatic and unexpected personal turn for Hiccup. Powell also turns down the frenetic layering of elements from the first score and the new one feels much more clear lined, busy but more palatably so. There is just such joy and verve in this music from the first notes it is hard not to grin with glee at all this orchestral and choral enthusiasm, colour and energy. 

It's literally better than everything. Maybe even better than Bryce Dallas Howard's hips. Maybe. 

[Nick Parker 3,040]

1 hour ago, publicist said:

 

How is Mr. Wallfisch?

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

59 minutes ago, Nick Parker said:

How is Mr. Wallfisch?

Probably helping Hans with something...

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

2 hours ago, kaseykockroach said:

It's literally better than everything. Maybe even better than Bryce Dallas Howard's hips. Maybe. 

 

Really...

 

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

....Eh, nevermind. No reason to instigate competition here. BDH's hips, Powell's Dragon music, Kingdom Hearts 3, Pizza Hutt accidentally sent me two large pizzas instead of one and I got to keep the other for free, the weather's absolutely perfect today...life's okay. I wish I had a girlfriend to share this bliss with, but what the hey, it's a process to slowly accept that I'm intensely undesirable.  

[Jay 37,322]

John Williams - Attack of the Clones

 

I dig this score a lot.  It's almost a blessing that GL didn't have his shit together enough to have a complete cut to present to Williams so he could have scored everything.  As a result we have no filler music, just great stuff all the way through.  I've also been listening to a mini-playlist of just the action cues lately and liking that a lot.

 

John Williams - The Lost World (LLL)

 

LOVE THIS

 

Daniel Pemberton - Ocean's 8

 

I dig this score a lot!!  It kind of came out of nowhere to really surprise me.  The film was garbage but the music is full of fun!

 

 

John Williams - Close Encounters of the Third Kind (C&C playlist version of LLL edition)

 

The more I listen to this score... the more I'm sure it's one of the best scores ever composed.  Thank god this restoration came out and presents what was recorded in such brilliant sound quality.

 

 

Trevor Jones - Cliffhanger (LLL)

 

You know, I swear I used to like this score.  I probably would have included it as one of my favorites of the 90s.  But now I just can't get into it.  It's REALLY long, and REALLY drags.  That opening main title cue is still gorgeous, and sure, some of the action music is nice.  But bloody hell, it goes on, and on, and on...

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

1 minute ago, Jay said:

 

 

Trevor Jones - Cliffhanger (LLL)

 

You know, I swear I used to like this score.  I probably would have included it as one of my favorites of the 90s.  But now I just can't get into it.  It's REALLY long, and REALLY drags.  That opening main title cue is still gorgeous, and sure, some of the action music is nice.  But bloody hell, it goes on, and on, and on...

Psssst....there's an album. It's shorter.