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War Horse MUSIC Discussion Thread


Jay

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43 minutes ago, Incanus said:

I think it was once again the natural world that inspired Williams alongside the film. Spielberg mentions in the liner notes how Johnny had a copy of Wordsworth beside his piano when he wrote the score. Undoubtedly the nature poetry and the lovely images of Dartmoor among other things inspired JW.

 

You can definitely tell when JW writes a score with inspiration beyond the film itself, like Schindler's List being his tribute to the Holocast, or Saving Private Ryan his tribute to fallen heroes.

 

Even Across the Stars seems to be drawing upon something far more than the film itself. And then there's the love theme from Sabrina, though most know the story behind that.

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37 minutes ago, crumbs said:

And then there's the love theme from Sabrina, though most know the story behind that.

 

Are you talking about it being dedicated to his first wife?  Was that a confirmed story from a quote?

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I don't know whether this has been discussed before, but I just listened to the Dartmoor concert version and really think there's something strange about it.

 

On the OST, after the flute intro, we have three chords: D major, C major (well, the first note is an E), and F major. But in both the prom concert and on the Spielberg 3 album, that second chord becomes minor.

 

First of all, I think it's a really weird decision as it completely breaks the pstoral and soothing soundscape. But second, I'm wondering whether this isn't someone's careless mistake. I swear that on both recordings, this very chord is performed very tentatively, as if someone isn't quite sure whether it all adds up. Or is that just me?

 

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  • 11 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/8/2017 at 2:57 PM, bollemanneke said:

I don't know whether this has been discussed before, but I just listened to the Dartmoor concert version and really think there's something strange about it.

 

On the OST, after the flute intro, we have three chords: D major, C major (well, the first note is an E), and F major. But in both the prom concert and on the Spielberg 3 album, that second chord becomes minor.

 

First of all, I think it's a really weird decision as it completely breaks the pstoral and soothing soundscape. But second, I'm wondering whether this isn't someone's careless mistake. I swear that on both recordings, this very chord is performed very tentatively, as if someone isn't quite sure whether it all adds up. Or is that just me?

 

Yes, it has been discussed elsewhere.

In the film and album the second chord is a major.

But in the signature suite it's written as minor so i guess they're using that one for all subsequent recordings and performances.

Also in williams' original sketch it's written as minor.

So, maybe it was a podium change when they were recording the music for the film.

I like the major version myself.

 

By the way, I wanted to ask, is this cd OOP?

I see it's expensive everywhere...

(and I haven't bought it still....) 🤐

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  • 1 month later...
On 10/31/2018 at 6:26 PM, filmmusic said:

By the way, I wanted to ask, is this cd OOP?

I see it's expensive everywhere...

(and I haven't bought it still....) 🤐

 

Wow, nicely spotted.  Yes, it appears this OST CD is indeed OOP!  It's going for $50+ on Amazon

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LK8NSK/

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You can get them for cheap in used condition on Amazon.  I've purchased several used CDs, mostly from Goodwill stores that are selling through Amazon.  

 

There's currently a copy for $2.21 + $3.99 shipping!

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  • 5 months later...
On 11/6/2017 at 9:12 PM, crumbs said:

Across the Stars seems to be drawing upon something far more than the film itself

Yeah, I find it hard to believe that anakin and padme's 'romance' was really the inspiration behind Across the Stars.

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33 minutes ago, A Ghost From Highwood said:

Yeah, I find it hard to believe that anakin and padme's 'romance' was really the inspiration behind Across the Stars.

Indeed. Who could forget such inspirational utterances of sheer romance like "I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere. Not like here. Here everything is soft and smooth."

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Get it done Alby!  

Get it done...

 

6 hours ago, Marc said:

Couldn't resist playing that exquisite piano solo from the last cue on the horn :)

 

 

Great work as always.  One of Williams's best cues I'd say.  I particularly like how well the French horn blends with the trumpet at the end

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6 hours ago, Marc said:

Couldn't resist playing that exquisite piano solo from the last cue on the horn :)

 

 

Just lovely, Marc! Just lovely. I love this score and the ending has such tender warm writing, truly the music of homecoming. :) 

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  • 1 year later...

Don't know much where to post this:

 

War Horse - 2-LP coming Feb 19 2021.

 

https://www.amazon.fr/Horse-Williams-Vinyle-Couleur-Audiophile/dp/B08R4FR6S4/

 

180 gram audiophile vinyl / Gatefold sleeve / PVC PROTECTIVE SLEEVE / MUSIC COMPOSED BY ONE OF THE GREATEST FILM COMPOSERS OF ALL TIME, JOHN WILLIAMS (STAR WARS SAGA, JURASSIC PARK, SCHINDLER'S LIST) / 2011 AMERICAN WAR FILM DIRECTED AND CO-PRODUCED BY STEVEN SPIELBERG / NOMINATED FOR SIX ACADEMY AWARDS, TWO GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS AND FIVE BAFTAS STARRING EMILY WATSON, DAVID THEWLIS, PETER MULLAN, NIELS ARESTRUP AND JEREMY IRVINE / AVAILABLE ON VINYL FOR THE FIRST TIME / 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION ON SILVER BULLET COLOURED VINYL

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Interesting cover design

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006QCKNAS

 

 

I think i prefer this one for the trench warfare imagery

On 11/21/2011 at 11:47 AM, Jay said:

If that is true than I think the maestro definitely made good decisions when sequencing the OST. "Plowing" ends up being the climax of the first "act" of the album (tracks 1-6) so i am glad it was swapped with track 5 to be the end of the act. It bridges better to the second "act" (tracks 7-13) than "Seeding, and Horse Vs Car" would have. Likewise the two halves of No Man's Land combine together perfectly. When that dissonant first half of it appears we are ready for that feeling of isolation, and it leads great into the action second half, which wouldn't sound as good if it just started out of nowhere after track 12.

I wish this Jay were still around😞

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I've never once claimed the composer shouldn't be allowed to program their OST album any way they want. Bruce doesn't know what hes talking about 

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Right, and its not like all these releases are strictly chronological either, for instance Dracula, Close Encounters, PoA

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Yes.  Leaving each cue in the same order as they were intended for the film doesn't instantly mean an album is not listenable.  Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.  It all depends.

 

Likewise, changing the order around doesn't instantly make an album listenable.  Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't.  It all depends.

 

 

John Williams made a War Horse OST album that is mostly chronological, but makes a few changes to a pure chronological order and the ending result is one of the best OST albums of all time, in my opinion,


John Williams also made strange choices when deciding which cues to include, and which order to include them in (and which cues to crossfade over each other), when assembling the A.I. Artificial Intellgience OST album, and the result is one of the worse OST albums of his career.  In my opinion.

 

 

The main program of the recent expansions of Home Alone, Jurassic Park, Far and Away, and The Cowboys are 100% chronological and they work beautifully.  I wouldn't change the a thing!

 

The main program of the recent expansions of The Lost World, Dracula, Minority Report, are not, and the changes to the chronological improved things in my book!

 

It always depends on the score.

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When I make a custom playlist the default program is chrono.

Unless, it doesn't work; for example two consecutive tracks that are very similar I'll split up.

I never said my way was the only way.

 

48 minutes ago, Spider-Fal said:

They do.

 

 

You just have your own taste and preferences as to what is listenable.

Yes.

I am expressing my preference in hopes the LABELS will take it into their decision making.

The c and c model rules; I'm just part of a minority trying to make my/our voices heard

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2 hours ago, Jay said:

John Williams made a War Horse OST album that is mostly chronological, but makes a few changes to a pure chronological order and the ending result is one of the best OST albums of all time, in my opinion,

This!

 

2 hours ago, Jay said:

The main program of the recent expansions of The Lost World, Dracula, Minority Report, are not, and the changes to the chronological improved things in my book!

Which cues on the LLL Lost World make it non-chronological? I've always thought it was exactly C&C like Jurassic Park.

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That was a great decision. It works brilliantly as an overture and bookends nicely with the alternate version (and I was so used to it from the OST; opening with The Island's Voice just wouldn't be the same).

 

It crystalizes why the chronology of each score expansion should be approached on its own merits, rather than having a one-size-fits-all methodology.

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On 10/31/2018 at 11:26 PM, filmmusic said:

Yes, it has been discussed elsewhere.

In the film and album the second chord is a major.

But in the signature suite it's written as minor so i guess they're using that one for all subsequent recordings and performances.

Also in williams' original sketch it's written as minor.

So, maybe it was a podium change when they were recording the music for the film.

I like the major version myself.

 

By the way, I wanted to ask, is this cd OOP?

I see it's expensive everywhere...

(and I haven't bought it still....) 🤐

 

On 12/10/2018 at 3:05 PM, Jay said:

 

Wow, nicely spotted.  Yes, it appears this OST CD is indeed OOP!  It's going for $50+ on Amazon

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LK8NSK/

 

On 12/10/2018 at 3:09 PM, mstrox said:

Oh no....

 

WAR HORSE!!!!!!!!!

 

It's still in stock at ArkivMusic.

 

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=654694

 

They also got Tintin.

 

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=654695

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  • 1 year later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Thank you very much for sharing these OST & FYC breakdowns!

The most interesting new information for me is that both film and album track in a part of the end credits into the final reunion scene.  Really makes you want to hear his original intention for how the film was supposed to end!

 

Also it's just interesting how many various versions and inserts, etc there are in this score; Everything sounds so fluid if you listen to the OST or the FYC, you'd never guess how often the tracks are switching to different recordings.  

It looks like a future expanded edition will be quite lengthy!

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