The Force Awakens London or Los Angeles for Star Wars VII score? [UPDATE: It's Los Angeles]

[Jilal 569]

It would certainly add to the novelty of the production.

[Marian Schedenig 8,175]

It will be either Murphy or Rhodes

Does Rhodes work in the US at all?

Oh I don't mind Murphy's sound either like some do, but I'd like to see as many new faces involved as possible.

Murphy's work for Williams has been mostly very fine since POA.

Which score did Williams give the musicians sheet music the day before so they could rehearse overnight?

He was worried about the complexity of what he wrote and whether they could pick it up on the day of the record. Tintin?

And if the LA musicians needed that much time to prepare, why would anyone expect the LSO to be quicker? The LA session players are doing this as their main job after all, whereas the LSO isn't primarily a recording orchestra.

[Jilal 569]

http://www.abbeyroad.com/News/Article/71/Engineer-Simon-Rhodes-delivers-film-score-with-James-Horner-for-highly-anticipated-film-Avatar

Abbey Road is happy to announce the safe return of engineer Simon Rhodes from 11 months in LA working on the must see sci-fi movie Avatar. Simon worked closely with composer James Horner to deliver the music to this much anticipated film.

[King Mark 3,626]

It will be either Murphy or Rhodes

Murphy is the most likely canditate, given the fact he's recorded all of Williams's scores since 2004.

I am sure the resulting CD will sound just find. LA musicians have performed amazing film scores in the past, and there's no reason to think they won't now. The important thing is that Williams is at the helm, getting re-takes until it sounds just right. And they are giving him months to do so.

Spared no expense!

I hope this means less edited music in the film.

And TRUCKLOADS of alternates we'll never hear

And it means a future expanded CD could have more fun alternates!

not in our lifetime

[Faleel 5,340]

We'll get a 2-Disc deluxe edition, with 1 disc of Willliams score, with the scond disc demos, source music, songs and instrumentals.

[Cerebral Cortex 3,357]

Glad it's going to be in LA. I think that recording environment could work out really well with a Star Wars score.

[Balahkay 627]

Who knows... maybe Williams will record with the LSO again for Episode VIII, either in LA or London (I know Williams hasn't been locked in Episode VIII, but I don't see why he wouldn't be willing). In any case, I thought the trailer music sounded great so I look forward to hearing the performance of the actual score.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Anal retentive SW freaks wanting everything to be uniform and go hysterical at the thought of an orchestra other than the LSO performimg the music.

They even claim they can hear a difference between the two!

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

They should reassemble the old Charles Gerhardt National Philharmonic Orchestra. Star Wars music only sounds right if it's played by British orchestras.

[Lewya 360]

I hope neither Murphy nor Rhodes (not that he'd have any reason to show up for it) are involved. Better to have a fresh sound.

John Kurlander?

[Wojo 2,453]

Star Wars music only sounds right if it's played by British orchestras.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

If the difference between LA and the LSO is undetectable then why do KOTCS and Tintin sound so much weaker than the prequel scores (mainly in the high brass section)? Is it more of a mixing thing?

Anyway, I'm just glad that this is happening at all. TFA is pretty much a bonus score considering how late in his career JW is.

[Dixon Hill 4,233]

It's got more to do with the room (which is why it's vital that someone exceedingly competent engineer this score) and how the music itself is composed. I don't hear those scores as being less engagingly performed, but less floridly written and orchestrated.

[Jay 37,305]

TFA is pretty much a bonus score considering how late in his career JW is.

I know, right? As fans of his work we are truly blessed, more so every year now

[Red 75]

Well, I would have preferred the LSO but I really can't complain about LA getting the gig. The difference in sound is minimal enough to be inconsequential.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

If the difference between LA and the LSO is undetectable then why do KOTCS and Tintin sound so much weaker than the prequel scores (mainly in the high brass section)? Is it more of a mixing thing?

Anyway, I'm just glad that this is happening at all. TFA is pretty much a bonus score considering how late in his career JW is.

I can't hear the difference. I used to think TOD and LC were done with the LSO years ago.

[Joe Brausam 214]

Every orchestra has a different sound, that's not a debatable thing. Music is created by human beings, and different human beings will perform music differently from other human beings. That's why a Beethoven symphony can stand having so many new recordings, the interpretation is in flux in every performance of a work of music.

The question is this - how is a different sound or interpretation more or less valid than another? And if one interpretation is more valid - are people aware that the LSO of 1983 is a different LSO than that of 1999? And that the LSO of 2015 is different from the LSO of 2005? Even if players stayed the same, their interpretations of music will change over time. That's the human aspect of music.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

They just care about the brand name. They're like little kids who "ugh yuck!" when they see their parents grab the generic no frills product off the shelf even though they taste the same.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

I wonder how prominent the role of the choir will be. Don't high choir re-use fees in the U.S discourage the album producers from including those sections of music on the CD? I recall something similar happening with JNH's The Last Airbender and possibly Godzilla (2014).

[KK 3,307]

That's never been a problem in past JW scores. Why should it be now?

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

That's never been a problem in past JW scores. Why should it be now?

True.

[crumbs 14,304]

This news is a little disheartening due to re-use union fees. We won't be seeing any expanded/complete releases for a good 20 years, so hopefully most of the unreleased music ends up in video games.

Not that being recorded by the LSO meant the prequels ever got treated so generously, but Disney will milk the property for all its worth (a great thing for us!)

[BloodBoal 7,538]

We'll get a 40 minutes long OST, tops

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

That's about all it will need.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Indeed!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Oh come on. We will get a 70+ minute CD. Regardless of where it was recorded.

[BuzzLightyear 143]

The best thing about scoring in LA is the fact, that Williams will conduct himself...

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

If it's not Williams himself waving the stick around, this endeavor is worthless!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

JJ and Pope together on the recording stage, making corrections to JW's music to better suit JJ's vision of star Wars.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Needs more Cappuccino.

[TownerFan 4,983]

I don't know anything, but from the way it's worded in the press release ("music will be recorded over several months while working in tandem with the film’s editorial and special effects teams"), it seems the post-production of the film is requiring a parallel job in editing, visual effects and music. We know that JW prefers to work on a more or less final assembly of the film, but I think in this case it's just not practical, hence I suppose he's writing the score in blocks, as he receives the final approved scenes over. This would also explain the choice of staying in LA for the recordings and also stepping back from Bridge of Spies (in addition, he has the upcoming concert work at Tanglewood in July as well... how much energy he still has??).

The thing I wonder, however, is the following: does the pace and stress of the current film industry still suit artistic personalities such as JW? We know that there is a tremendous pressure from many people around this movie and we also know how things are often changed, chopped, tweaked and even majorly overhauled during post-production in these kind of films (think of the allegedly last-minute "rescue" operated by Elfman for the new Avengers film). I very much hope Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy and the studio are putting JW adequately protected from this kind of madness so he can happily write his music without unnecessary extra work or the thousand absurd requests of "change this, keep that, do that, do this".

I hate to go wild on speculation, but I think the Maestro may finally be too old and "old fashioned" to keep up with this absurd way of creating movies. In the era of synth mock-ups, separate sections recording style, last-minute makeovers etc. an octogenarian who writes with pencil and paper at the piano for a multimillion-dollar blockbuster that probably is changing its shape every week or so looks really something out of time, except when there is someone like Spielberg around able to provide him all the comfort to write and record peacefully at his own pace.

That's why I also consider highly unlikely that Williams will write the music for the next two episodes (even though I very much hope he will, of course).

I'm just thinking out loud, of course.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

This is the kind of situation that leads toward heavy speculations from fans. We'll probably never know the real truth of what happened behind the scenes, so I suggest to stick to common sense and logic.

[TownerFan 4,983]

Busted

[Incanus 5,713]

OK just read the news that the score will be recorded in LA. Part of me is disappointed that it is not LSO in London doing the score but part of me is glad it was finally decided one way or the other and we can go on waiting for the score without the speculation on the scoring venue and orchestra.

It certainly won't be the same without LSO and it will sound different but I understand entirely the reasons behind these decisions. And LA studio musicians are talented people as countless soundtracks attest.

[Tom 4,640]

In terms of TownerFan's concern, it is somewhat legitimate, but this is not the first time it has happened to Williams. Most recently Tintin was recorded over the course of a year (I think it was that long). I think SW7 process is far superior to the OCD Lucas approach of the prequels in terms of what we will get.

[Richard Penna 3,673]

I very much hope Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy and the studio are putting JW adequately protected from this kind of madness so he can happily write his music without unnecessary extra work or the thousand absurd requests of "change this, keep that, do that, do this".

That 'madness' comes from the director and producers though, and that's Abrams and Kennedy, who I would imagine are the last people who would demand Williams rewrite the score overnight.

It may be that Abrams is used to hearing synth demos from Giacchino, and that could cause issues. But you don't bring Williams onto your film without thinking about that limitation.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

If he can't stand the heat, he better stay out of the kitchen.

[Marian Schedenig 8,175]

Abbey Road is happy to announce the safe return of engineer Simon Rhodes from 11 months in LA working on the must see sci-fi movie Avatar. Simon worked closely with composer James Horner to deliver the music to this much anticipated film.

Interesting, what with Horner also being a Murphy regular (and often with better results than Williams). Didn't know that.

They should reassemble the old Charles Gerhardt National Philharmonic Orchestra.

Wouldn't that still include a portion of the LSO? Probably one that's retired or deceased by now?

I hope neither Murphy nor Rhodes (not that he'd have any reason to show up for it) are involved. Better to have a fresh sound.

John Kurlander?

Iwataki or Sands!

[TownerFan 4,983]

It's gonna be Shawn Murphy.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

It's gonna be Shawn Murphy.

Is it one of these "It's gonna be the LSO." affirmations?

[Dixon Hill 4,233]

I don't think Williams is some helpless fish out of water who needs his hand held through the changing world of filmmaking. He'll manage.

[TownerFan 4,983]

I don't think Williams is some helpless fish out of water who needs his hand held through the changing world of filmmaking. He'll manage.

Of course he will, I didn't mean otherwise. He's the ultimate professional.

I was just asking myself how an artistic personality such as him is navigating through the inevitable madness typical of the post-production of these kind of films nowadays and how this could impact on his writing process (like it did on Shore for the Hobbit movies, for example).

[Balahkay 627]

Episode VIII is going back to the May release in 2017, so the production may be more "traditional" and along the lines of what Williams is used to doing.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Are we still hopeful he'll do VIII? Considering he's backed out of even Spielberg's latest film and we've got another composer attached to the first SW spinoff, I think we're nearing an official announcement of his retirement. I'm not trying to be pessimistic, just realistic.

[TownerFan 4,983]

I don't think he'll ever retire from music-making, until health and energy are with him of course. He may limit his film work even more perhaps, but I'm confident the pencil will keep moving.

[Balahkay 627]

Well, so far, he's still doing The BFG next year and who knows what else. I don't think Williams not doing the BOS and the first Star Wars spinoff is a sign of his retirement. He's done 10 scores since 2005 and the majority were with Spielberg. It seems the timing just wasn't working for the BOS, among other things. I'm still hopeful he will do Episode VIII.

[King Mark 3,626]

I don't think Williams is some helpless fish out of water who needs his hand held through the changing world of filmmaking. He'll manage.

Of course he will, I didn't mean otherwise. He's the ultimate professional.

I was just asking myself how an artistic personality such as him is navigating through the inevitable madness typical of the post-production of these kind of films nowadays and how this could impact on his writing process (like it did on Shore for the Hobbit movies, for example).

Well, if you look at the TESB documentary, it seems he was composing the music in chunks as the film was being completed and was on a pretty tight schedule

[indy4 155]

Here's just a few examples of the type of stuff that makes Hollywood orchestras less good than the LSO (or any regular orchestra). This is actually from a cue that I quite like - one of the best in Tintin IMO. Most of my problems are with the brass, which may have more to do with the fact that I play a brass instrument and thus have a sharper ear for brass.

2:38 - trombones and percussion are not in sync on the hits at the end of the glisses (trombone are dragging)

3:19 - low brass and low strings are not together on the triplet figures

3:32 - trumpets are early on the second hit

4:07 - trumpet intonation(?) on the high note

I'm sure the LSO and other established orchestras also make these types of mistakes, but thinking through the JW scores they've done in the last 15 years, I can't think of any off the top of my head. Note also that none of these mistakes are the fault of any individual player - they have more to do with problems of coordination. Which I think is because freelance players aren't constantly playing with the same people, so they are less able to anticipate how others will interpret the music than a group that always plays with the same people.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Nitpicking