The Book Thief (2013) - New Williams film score!

[Tom 4,651]

http://www.gofobo.com/movie/the_book_thief_2013/movie_review/16106481?gaq=14915361-8703596

an extremely positive review of the movie with a several positive lines devoted to the score.

[King Mark 3,631]

Hmm, if this gets a 90%+ on RT , Williams may have a shot at best score

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

I wouldn't get too excited. It's only a user-review.

[karelm 2,912]

Book Thief Samples!

It sounds gorgeous! Reminds me a bit of Angela's Ashes and A.I. . Beautifully lyrical stuff.

Sounds great! Congratulations to JW on his 50th oscar nomination!!

[mrbellamy 6,276]

It would be 49, actually

[JoeinAR 1,949]

sounds quite pretty in little bits and pieces

[Incanus 5,714]

I can't wait to hear the Book Thief suite at the end of the album. I am expecting an equally beautiful summation of the score as Homecoming was in War Horse.

I also wonder how much music Williams recorded for the film. I get the idea from the reviews that the music might be sparsely spotted for the 125 minutes running time.

'Beauty' is not particularly a word I'd use to describe either, actually.

'Tragic' certainly, but it feels more like Williams is shouting 'feel sad now!' and laying on the strings. I just don't get it.

Indeed to each his own but surely on the album such considerations don't matter. I for one prefer that the music communicates the feelings rather than being non-descript. But I know that you are allergic to this style of writing from Williams on album and in the movies.

I don't actually say one way or the other about how unique the score is but it is one brand of Williams' writing I really like. And this score is full of quite lovely Williamsisms style wise. I bet people would be equally disappointed if the music didn't sound like Williams at all. If it was performed on a single harmonica and using a dead rodent as a percussion instrument, quite inventive and original I admit, it would cause a great disturbance at JWFan, more so than Williams using his own compositional voice so distinctly as he does here.

[Luke Skywalker 1,794]

the last track reminded me of pressumed innocent. but without the syth...

[Thor 7,490]

the last track reminded me of pressumed innocent. but without the syth...

As several of us have mentioned already, there are many shades of PRESUMED INNOCENT here -- especially in the piano motif -- and not only in the last track.

[Omen II 1,235]

For me, a track like "Rudy is Taken" (the little I could glean from it) is why I am a Williams fan in the first place.

Trust Williams to reserve his most poignant writing for the nail-biting scene where the girl steals the Nazis' prized Jerry Goldsmith CD collection!

I like what I hear of these samples. Does anyone else hear a nice Mitteleuropa thing going on in a few of the tracks, not a million miles away from The Eiger Sanction?

[ChrisAfonso 186]

Melodic comparison of Book thief theme (its first part anyway) and Angela's Ashes theme:

It looks even more similar if you switch the 1st and 2nd (or 3rd and 4th) phrases of AA

From listening to the samples I really like the sound, classic Williams. The theme is nicely simple and memorable. However, there's not much here that's really new (as was already pointed out)... let's wait for the whole score before declaring the next masterpiece

[crocodile 8,000]

Well, there was nothing all that new about neither War Horse nor Tin-Tin and that didn't stop me to enjoy the hell out of them. I've listened to both last night, actually.

Gave those samples another listen. Yep, it sounds like the score will be right up my alley.

Karol

[Incanus 5,714]

Well, there was nothing all that new about neither War Horse nor Tin-Tin and that didn't stop me to enjoy the hell out of them. I've listened to both last night, actually.

Gave those samples another listen. Yep, it sounds like the score will be right up my alley.

Karol

It's Tintin Karol! You should know that by now!

I enjoy both of the 2011 JW scores immensely as well for their quite different qualities.

[crocodile 8,000]

I refuse to acknowledge this mainstream propaganda!

Karol

[Incanus 5,714]

I refuse to acknowledge this mainstream propaganda!

Karol

Hipster!

[publicist 4,643]

After listening to the samples i say nice, but it's really just more of the same. But after LINCOLN it would have been foolish to expect 'more' as in 'fresh ideas'.

[crocodile 8,000]

Ha! I said that when he did Star Wars!

(No, I didn't)

Karol

[TheUlyssesian 2,476]

I think Tintin was a very ambitious score and extremely complicated with literally a dozen themes swirling around the orchestra at various points and sometimes many at a time in harmony or counterpoint.

I would imagine it was a very challenging score to play because of its pace and the sheer density of the orchestration and the number of notes.

So that wasn't a usual score for me, that was a modern masterpiece and had a distinct European sheen to it. THAT was a score no other composer could even dream of much less write.

[publicist 4,643]

I think Tintin was a very ambitious score and extremely complicated with literally a dozen themes swirling around the orchestra at various points and sometimes many at a time in harmony or counterpoint.

I would imagine it was a very challenging score to play because of its pace and the sheer density of the orchestration and the number of notes.

So that wasn't a usual score for me, that was a modern masterpiece and had a distinct European sheen to it. THAT was a score no other composer could even dream of much less write.

I don't know, TINTIN is a great score, but this is just not true - it is rather transparently orchestrated, nothing in the sheer scope and ambition of his 80's scores (say TOD).

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

The recordings and performances of those earlier scores play large a part in their intensity.

[crocodile 8,000]

And Angela Morley.

Karol

[Incanus 5,714]

And Angela Morley.

Karol

Hipster!

[Joe Brausam 214]

I'm not necessarily looking for new or fresh ideas from Williams..he's writing what he enjoys. Not every new piece from Strauss, or Schubert, or Liszt was breaking new ground. Not every work has to. It's enough to just have new music to enjoy from one of my favorite composers, no matter whether it treads old ground or not.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

It's just the peculiarly Western obsession with novelty. If it's not innovative it's redundant.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

If it was performed on a single harmonica and using a dead rodent as a percussion instrument

Don't give Zimmer ideas!

David Arnold used goat's testicles in CASINO ROYALE.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Ludwig 1,120]

Melodic comparison of Book thief theme (its first part anyway) and Angela's Ashes theme:

Which clip is the top line from exactly?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Getting a huge Presumed Innocent vibe from some of this.

And yeah, the "Himmel Street" track has a very PRESUMED INNOCENT vibe.

I also think it has a "Memoirs of a Geisha" vibe.

Yes there is also a bit of that Memoirs of a Geisha vibe here.

Kinda SCHINDLER'S LIST.

Perhaps it's just a JW vibe?

I don't know why I still expect sensibility around here regarding JW anymore.

[mrbellamy 6,276]

Melodic comparison of Book thief theme (its first part anyway) and Angela's Ashes theme:

Which clip is the top line from exactly?

I don't think the whole line is in any one track. The first two phrases are heard in "The Book Thief" and the last two are in "One Small Fact," I think filmmusic just combined them since they most likely go together.

[Incanus 5,714]

Getting a huge Presumed Innocent vibe from some of this.

And yeah, the "Himmel Street" track has a very PRESUMED INNOCENT vibe.

I also think it has a "Memoirs of a Geisha" vibe.

Yes there is also a bit of that Memoirs of a Geisha vibe here.

Kinda SCHINDLER'S LIST.

Perhaps it's just a JW vibe?

I don't know why I still expect sensibility around here regarding JW anymore.

Yeah JW vibe but we wanted to express what scores it reminds us of stylistically. What is your problem with that Koray?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Only the first sentence was in response to the vibes. My second sentence is in regards to everyone hailing this as a masterpiece... after listening to 30 second samples...

[Faleel 5,345]

Greatness is easily recognized.

[Incanus 5,714]

Only the first sentence was in response to the vibes. My second sentence is in regards to everyone hailing this as a masterpiece... after listening to 30 second samples...

It is the normal ritual we go through every time a JW score is released, you should know that.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Only the first sentence was in response to the vibes. My second sentence is in regards to everyone hailing this as a masterpiece... after listening to 30 second samples...

It is the normal ritual we go through every time a JW score is released, you should know that.

I know, that's why I said I don't know why I continuously expect sensible responses

[Incanus 5,714]

Only the first sentence was in response to the vibes. My second sentence is in regards to everyone hailing this as a masterpiece... after listening to 30 second samples...

It is the normal ritual we go through every time a JW score is released, you should know that.

I know, that's why I said I don't know why I continuously expect sensible responses

You have publicist on that side of the fence, always.

[filmmusic 1,825]

Melodic comparison of Book thief theme (its first part anyway) and Angela's Ashes theme:

Which clip is the top line from exactly?

It's from track 16.

I believe this is the first part of the theme and the second part is the one in track 1 (it starts with the 3rd and 4th phrase that I've notated here, and continues to conclude)

(note to Ludwig: again it seems to be a sentence (with the presentation notated above), and the continuation based exclusively on the basic idea, retaining the same rhythmic patterns. if the theme is indeed like this, i think it would need a bit of more variety in the rhythm towards the end to be more interesting. The Angela's Ashes theme is more varied. )

Getting a huge Presumed Innocent vibe from some of this.

And yeah, the "Himmel Street" track has a very PRESUMED INNOCENT vibe.

I also think it has a "Memoirs of a Geisha" vibe.

Yes there is also a bit of that Memoirs of a Geisha vibe here.

Kinda SCHINDLER'S LIST.

Perhaps it's just a JW vibe?

I don't know why I still expect sensibility around here regarding JW anymore.

Koray even from these brief samples, the influence from other scores is evident.

But I perfectly agree with you, that we need to be restrained before we declare this the best music Williams has ever written!

[publicist 4,643]

And we don't even have entered the dreaded 'BOOK THIEF was robbed at the Oscars!!!' phase...

[Incanus 5,714]

And we don't even have entered the dreaded 'BOOK THIEF was robbed at the Oscars!!!' phase...

That will come in time. It's part of the JWFan's circle of life!

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Followed by the phase where The Book Thief is never mentioned again.

[SF1_freeze 131]

After listening to the samples i say nice, but it's really just more of the same. But after LINCOLN it would have been foolish to expect 'more' as in 'fresh ideas'.

Agreed, i like it but it is hard to judge just by the samples. I never expected this score to be as fresh and great as War Horse or Prisoner of Azkaban... those expectations are reserved for Starwars VII

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Samples sound gorgeous. Looking forward to this one.

[Ludwig 1,120]

It's from track 16.

I believe this is the first part of the theme and the second part is the one in track 1 (it starts with the 3rd and 4th phrase that I've notated here, and continues to conclude)

(note to Ludwig: again it seems to be a sentence (with the presentation notated above), and the continuation based exclusively on the basic idea, retaining the same rhythmic patterns. if the theme is indeed like this, i think it would need a bit of more variety in the rhythm towards the end to be more interesting. The Angela's Ashes theme is more varied. )

Ah yes, thank you. One does have to piece the theme together from different clips as they are. And yes, it is basically a sentence, though what I've called a developing sentence to be more specific since the second two bars are a varied (and not direct) repetition of the first two bars. Though there still is something strange about the second half of the sentence (not shown in your sketch above) - as so often in Williams, we have essentially four statements of the same idea. There's no fragmentation as is typical of sentences, but there is harmonic acceleration, as is most evident by the change of bass off the pedal of the first four bars.

All this is to say that I think there's an intersection between a sentence and another type of theme with four similar ideas in a row (which as yet has no name, nor has it even been recognized) since sentences never have this kind of fourfold statement of an idea. (In other words, it would be a sentence/new theme type). This is different from, say, the Imperial March, which is much more sentence-like due to its fragmentation in the second half.

[filmmusic 1,825]

It's from track 16.

I believe this is the first part of the theme and the second part is the one in track 1 (it starts with the 3rd and 4th phrase that I've notated here, and continues to conclude)

(note to Ludwig: again it seems to be a sentence (with the presentation notated above), and the continuation based exclusively on the basic idea, retaining the same rhythmic patterns. if the theme is indeed like this, i think it would need a bit of more variety in the rhythm towards the end to be more interesting. The Angela's Ashes theme is more varied. )

Ah yes, thank you. One does have to piece the theme together from different clips as they are. And yes, it is basically a sentence, though what I've called a developing sentence to be more specific since the second two bars are a varied (and not direct) repetition of the first two bars. Though there still is something strange about the second half of the sentence (not shown in your sketch above) - as so often in Williams, we have essentially four statements of the same idea. There's no fragmentation as is typical of sentences, but there is harmonic acceleration, as is most evident by the change of bass off the pedal of the first four bars.

All this is to say that I think there's an intersection between a sentence and another type of theme with four similar ideas in a row (which as yet has no name, nor has it even been recognized) since sentences never have this kind of fourfold statement of an idea. (In other words, it would be a sentence/new theme type). This is different from, say, the Imperial March, which is much more sentence-like due to its fragmentation in the second half.

I've been meaning to ask you (maybe i have already) (though I should probably do it in private, but maybe anyone else is interested)

You have studied and you are teaching about Beethoven.

You haven't come across a single instance of a theme like that?

[Jay 37,338]

I listened to the samples again, and don't think I'll be listening again. It's too disjointed to hear all these great pieces developing and then get cut off. Bah!

I really like the piano work that I've heard so far

Can't wait to get the whole CD!

[nightscape94 965]

I've just listened through the samples one times. Overall, nice sounding score, very much what I would have expected. That is not meant to sound like a negative statement. I reserve final comments until I hear the whole thing.

[Ludwig 1,120]

It's from track 16.

I believe this is the first part of the theme and the second part is the one in track 1 (it starts with the 3rd and 4th phrase that I've notated here, and continues to conclude)

(note to Ludwig: again it seems to be a sentence (with the presentation notated above), and the continuation based exclusively on the basic idea, retaining the same rhythmic patterns. if the theme is indeed like this, i think it would need a bit of more variety in the rhythm towards the end to be more interesting. The Angela's Ashes theme is more varied. )

Ah yes, thank you. One does have to piece the theme together from different clips as they are. And yes, it is basically a sentence, though what I've called a developing sentence to be more specific since the second two bars are a varied (and not direct) repetition of the first two bars. Though there still is something strange about the second half of the sentence (not shown in your sketch above) - as so often in Williams, we have essentially four statements of the same idea. There's no fragmentation as is typical of sentences, but there is harmonic acceleration, as is most evident by the change of bass off the pedal of the first four bars.

All this is to say that I think there's an intersection between a sentence and another type of theme with four similar ideas in a row (which as yet has no name, nor has it even been recognized) since sentences never have this kind of fourfold statement of an idea. (In other words, it would be a sentence/new theme type). This is different from, say, the Imperial March, which is much more sentence-like due to its fragmentation in the second half.

I've been meaning to ask you (maybe i have already) (though I should probably do it in private, but maybe anyone else is interested)

You have studied and you are teaching about Beethoven.

You haven't come across a single instance of a theme like that?

That's correct. In the classical approach to theme writing, the function of each musical unit as a beginning or ending is generally made exceedingly clear. For example, the repetition of an opening idea will usually signal that the beginning is ongoing. Then the theme will move on to a cadential progression or some kind of acceleration, both of which signal an upcoming ending. If an idea were to be repeated to the theme's end, this would confuse matters as the beginning seems to also be the end.

So in classical music, a normal sentence would go (by the way, for those who aren't familiar with the term, a "sentence" is a musical theme type that with a model 8-bar form that has the following structure):

Opening Idea (2 bars) - Opening Idea (2 bars) - Acceleration (1 + 1 bar) - Cadence (2 bars)

But in The Book Thief theme, we have:

Opening Idea (2 bars) - Varied Opening Idea (2 bars) - Varied Opening Idea (2 bars) - Varied Opening Idea (2 bars)

(Acceleration - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -)

So there's still a sentence structure underneath, but it's united with four statements of the same idea, and since that's so atypical of the way we generally analyze 8-bar themes, I would say it's an important feature that deserves to be described in the name of the theme type. But again, since this four-idea theme does not occur in classical music (not that I know of, anyway), it hasn't been given a name.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

Edit

[Incanus 5,714]

Well the theme from track 1 has been playing in my head ever since I heard the clips, which I take as a sign of a quite a memorable and direct main theme.

[King Mark 3,631]

I listened to the sample once and will wait for the whole c.d. now