Alan Silvestri scoring Captain America: The First Avenger

[Joe Brausam 214]

Wow, this sounds really awesome. They're doing everything right with this film, good on them! I can't wait for this album, AND the film!

[David Coscina 3]

This is solid meaty stuff that does recall Silvestri's seminal works like Predator, some of that dymamism of action music from Back to the Future and Roger Rabbit except more muscular. Lots of pedal point piano string work with some really ballsy brass writing. The action writing to my ears is some of the best I've heard in years. There's a lot of diversity in the cues but they still are glued together by that main theme which also didn't grab me immediately but man it sounds great in the variations Silvestri puts them through. Totally looking forward to hearing this on CD (yeah, no crappy iTunes DL for me- CD all the way).

Honeslty, the movie actually looks good to me. I grew up reading Cap America and it looks faithful. Not a big fan of Chris Evans but I like the tone that Joe Johnston sets even in the trailers. It looks earnest not contemporary and silly like so many comic book movies fall into the trap of being.

I believe you can hear it here:

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/MarvelFreshman/news/?a=40899&t=Preview_iCaptain_America_The_First_Avengeris_Heroic_Musical_Composition

Or here:

http://www.wqxr.org/programs/movies/2011/jul/

(On that last link it starts at 29:30 aprox)

It sounds freaking amazing. Words cannot describe how good it sounds

I agree Michael. Although I love Desplat. Silvestri is a juggernaut when it comes to action writing. Probably one of the best composers for this kind of kinetic writing. Lots of colorful orchestration with different sections highlighted throughout. I would be surprised if Silvestri composed this using a DAW. It sounds like he wrote it all out because there's just so much variation going on. Thumbs way up. Love his brass voicings too. Solid.

[David Coscina 3]

Wow, this sounds really awesome. They're doing everything right with this film, good on them! I can't wait for this album, AND the film!

Very true. Too bad they didn't release it on July 4th!

[Joe Brausam 214]

Haha, yes, that would have been quite appropriate! Completely honest though, this may be the first superhero film I've looked forward to since Superman Returns.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

The Dark Knight?

[Joe Brausam 214]

To be honest I'm not really a Batman fan, haha. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed The Dark Knight, but I'm just not into Batman too much.

[King Mark 3,631]

Real themes, action cues that don't sound like RC...is that possible?

[Joe Brausam 214]

Real themes, action cues that don't sound like RC...is that possible?

[David Coscina 3]

This level of writing for action pieces is really on the Goldsmith/Williams level. I would dare say Silvestri can still deliver the goods. I hope this score knocks my socks off. The samples have done so thus far. Really looking forward to the film too!

[Koray Savas 2,251]

There's one action motif I really liked, but it sounds like it's straight from Star Trek. I'll probably buy it, but from the samples I'm listening to, it's slightly better than usual yet still generic Silvestri scoring.

I hear no themes other than the main one.

[King Mark 3,631]

This level of writing for action pieces is really on the Goldsmith/Williams level.

Lets not get ahead of ourselves, but it does sound promising

[Joe Brausam 214]

This level of writing for action pieces is really on the Goldsmith/Williams level. I would dare say Silvestri can still deliver the goods. I hope this score knocks my socks off. The samples have done so thus far. Really looking forward to the film too!

It's very clear writing. It's nice to hear action music that uses the orchestra LIKE an orchestra rather than as a wall of sound.

[Ollie 1,059]

This level of writing for action pieces is really on the Goldsmith/Williams level.

Lets not get ahead of ourselves, but it does sound promising

Yes, let's apply that to the War Horse thread as well shall we.

Just listened to the clips, there's the Silvestri I knew still existed. I knew Joe Johnston would bring the classic Silvestri out.

[David Coscina 3]

This level of writing for action pieces is really on the Goldsmith/Williams level.

Lets not get ahead of ourselves, but it does sound promising

It's not a matter of getting ahead of myself. From the 10 minutes or whatever, it's clear that his writing chops are as solid as Williams' or the late Goldsmith's in that he creates a lot of ostinati but meshes them with fragments of his thematic material in the same deft manner. It's not slap and paste or cellular writing that is so prevalent in today's majority of scores where you don't have the melodicism or some repeating motivic idea to keep the music interesting. Also, he's using the orchestra to its full capacity never staying static in his orchestral colors. The action pieces balance the string choir with the brass choir and he refreshingly uses percussion as an accent rather than drum loops that carry the burden of communicating the propulsive forward momentum.

If you want to invalidate my observations go ahead though. Your opinion of my assessment doesn't negate what is plain to hear.

This level of writing for action pieces is really on the Goldsmith/Williams level.

Lets not get ahead of ourselves, but it does sound promising

Yes, let's apply that to the War Horse thread as well shall we.

Just listened to the clips, there's the Silvestri I knew still existed. I knew Joe Johnston would bring the classic Silvestri out.

Well put Mark!

[Demondm810 399]

Well this sounds exactly how I wanted it to! My god, that man can get power from an orchestra.

[Incanus 5,715]

I like what I am hearing. Shades of his best action writing and robust full orchestral approach. The main theme is appropriately Americana and super heroically fanfarish, perhaps more so than any recent ones. Reminds me of Elmer Bernstein's Westerns and Silvestri's own sensibilities in its contours for some reason. Joe Johnston obviously wanted Silvestri to write good old fashioned score for the film to complement the time period but also the spirit of uncynical and unabashed heroism of the main character.

I hope the rest of the score is as entertaining as those few selections on that radio show.

[publicist 4,643]

It sounds like THE MUMMY RETURNS. The only thing that bothers me is that it seems to start/stop ever so often without developing a clear direction.

[Incanus 5,715]

It sounds like THE MUMMY RETURNS. The only thing that bothers me is that it seems to start/stop ever so often without developing a clear direction.

I did note the same thing at some points but I thought he kept his music going pretty well.

And yes The Mummy Returns came to mind as a comparison, but in a good way.

[Trent B 337]

Listening to the samples for the first time posted on the last page. Yup Mark is right the old Silvestri has returned. I think he just needed to be with a director that would allow free reign on how to compose the score. When old composers such as Silvestri and Williams are given such freedom they generally can turn out some pretty kick ass scores. I think I'll be picking up the OST for this.

Edit: I too hear a bit of The Mummy Returns writing style but that doesn't bother me one bit.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

That bold, melodic, brassy, chauvanistic theme has been on repeat on my computer all day. This and Super 8 make it feel like the 80s again. Joe Johnston obviously still has taste.

[crocodile 8,018]

Told you I got a good vibe from the 20 second clip.

I'm not exactly sure we're getting a masterpiece here, but it definitely sounds like the one good track on A-Team, which is good enough for me. Let's hope the score receives a good feedback from the audience. It might be then a sign of good things to come. There's still hope they could save The Avengers. But then this film is a period piece and it has Joe Johnston as a director, who actually lets composers do their thing.

Anyway, for convenience's sake:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oDrB7agzhM

Karol - who's buying this

[Jonesy 55]

The score is amazing

[crumbs 14,319]

But then this film is a period piece and it has Joe Johnston as a director, who actually lets composers do their thing.

Tell that to Danny Elfman after his Wolfman experience.

[TownerFan 4,983]

Good stuff, I like what I'm hearing.

[crocodile 8,018]

But then this film is a period piece and it has Joe Johnston as a director, who actually lets composers do their thing.

Tell that to Danny Elfman after his Wolfman experience.

But he did let him do his thing. Then the studio took over and demanded recutting and re-doing the score. To the disastrous effect. The music as written by Elfman is amazing. Johnston litererally let him loose and do what he wanted to do. The Kilar thing is completely Elfman's idea. The director was actually very proud of the score.

And Elfman holds no hard feelings too.

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

But he did let him do his thing. Then the studio took over and demanded recutting and re-doing the score. To the disastrous effect. The music as written by Elfman is amazing. Johnston litererally let him loose and do what he wanted to do. The Kilar thing is completely Elfman's idea. The director was actually very proud of the score.

And Elfman holds no hard feelings too.

Now, if we only knew what kind of fallout Johnston had with Horner on JUMANJI. It seems strange that someone as sympathetic to bold filmmusic like JJ would let Horner go without serious reason.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Johnston lets Silvestri do his thing but Zemeckis doesn't? That... doesn't make sense.

[Richard Penna 3,694]

That's some nice action music. Doesn't have too much stop-and-start, which is one of the things that puts me off a lot of Silvestri's work.

But it doesn't entirely surprise me that he's been allowed to do this - Christmas Carol was a traditional score; wasn't really until A-Team and GI Joe that he seemed to be forced into a modern style.

Not too keen on that theme at the start - has a lack of 'punch', and it definitely is reminiscent of Lennertz' MoH theme.

[Delorean90 42]

The reason it sounds similar to the Lennertz theme is because they're both meant to be going off of the Copland lead.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Copland? that's a pretty good Howard Shore score, but it sounds nothing like Captain America.

[Ollie 1,059]

[ymenard 54]

That theme feels like Giacchino's MoH theme

[Ollie 1,059]

But he did let him do his thing. Then the studio took over and demanded recutting and re-doing the score. To the disastrous effect. The music as written by Elfman is amazing. Johnston litererally let him loose and do what he wanted to do. The Kilar thing is completely Elfman's idea. The director was actually very proud of the score.

And Elfman holds no hard feelings too.

Now, if we only knew what kind of fallout Johnston had with Horner on JUMANJI. It seems strange that someone as sympathetic to bold filmmusic like JJ would let Horner go without serious reason.

I didn't know there was a falling out, all I know is Jumanji was a rather disappointing score.

[gkgyver 1,645]

That short heroic chord Silvestri uses for, I assume, the theme, is more recognisable than anything in DH part 2.

Pardon me, but I can't help but compare summer blockbuster scores.

[crocodile 8,018]

I like what I'm hearing in these clips. But I don't remember the fanfare. I know there is one, but I can't remember it.

The last recognizable heroic theme that I could instantly remember was this one:

As derivative as it was... In fact I can remember 3 more themes from that score. Whatever happened to this guy?

Karol

[King Mark 3,631]

I dunno,Sky Captain was pretty great

[crocodile 8,018]

Is that not what I just said?

Karol

[Ollie 1,059]

I found it rather bland.

[King Mark 3,631]

I like Sky Captain better than any Silvestri (or Debney) action score

[Matt C 455]

Wow, this sounds really awesome. They're doing everything right with this film, good on them! I can't wait for this album, AND the film!

Very true. Too bad they didn't release it on July 4th!

I'm wondering since Paramount Pictures released both Transformers 3 and Captain America, why they didn't swap dates. My guess is that Paramount wants to keep its behemoth franchise in the late June/early July spot and is positioning Captain America as counter-programming for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2's second weekend.

Perhaps if Captain gets a sequel, Disney will slate the release date for July 4, 2014. That's on a Friday as well.

[David Coscina 3]

I also think Shearmur is a wasted commodity. The guy has chops and between REIGN OF FIRE and Sky Captain, he's got some range.

[gkgyver 1,645]

That's why he isn't working anymore.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

He's actually working quite a lot, with 3 films this year alone. They're just really bad films.

[David Coscina 3]

Odd rationale- Shearmur isn't working anymore so he must stink. Perhaps he's not getting choice projects because his style isn't the same junk that passes for 80% of all film music these days.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Odd rationale- Shearmur isn't working anymore so he must stink. Perhaps he's not getting choice projects because his style isn't the same junk that passes for 80% of all film music these days.

I never said anything about the quality of his music, just the quality of the films he composes. Are you willing to say Furry Vengeance and Epic Movie are anything more than giant piles of shit?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I really want to see Captain America.

The music sounds promising.

[David Coscina 3]

Koray I was responding to gkgyver's post not yours.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Ah, gotcha.

[gkgyver 1,645]

Odd rationale- Shearmur isn't working anymore so he must stink. Perhaps he's not getting choice projects because his style isn't the same junk that passes for 80% of all film music these days.

That was my point.

My post was meant to be cruel irony.

Producers' attitude seems to be "You've got range? You should go see a doctor".

[Jay 37,373]

I like Sky Captain better than any Silvestri (or Debney) action score

Sky Captain is better than Predator, Back To The Future, and The Abyss?