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Alan Silvestri's Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey


Jay

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I'm not a Silvestri expert by far, but this is among the better stuff I've heard by him. Slight touches of Fenton's BBC documentary scores, but with a space aspect. Like the series, it has potential. We'll see what the next episodes will bring.

(I haven't heard the album yet)

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I'm not a Silvestri expert by far, but this is among the better stuff I've heard by him.

I feel the same way. I've never really been interested in much of Silvestri's work, but the music for COSMOS was great. Full of emotion and excitement.

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Volume 2 is coming out on Sunday March 30th according to Film Music Reporter: http://filmmusicreporter.com/2014/03/18/cosmos-a-spacetime-odyssey-volume-2-soundtrack-announced/

or Sunday April 6th according to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J2UVF9Y
Either way, the track listing is the same:
1. S.O.T.I. (1:31)
2. You and Me and Your Dog (2:28)
3. Interspecies Partnership (2:25)
4. Artificial Selection (3:10)
5. Living in an Ice Age (1:10)
6. Genetic Alphabet (2:44)
7. Natural Selection (3:06)
8. Family Tree (3:50)
9. The Eye (3:55)
10. Theory of Evolution (2:53)
11. The Permian Period (5:12)
12. Tartigrades (1:54)
13. Titan (2:59)
14. The Story of My Life (3:11)
15. 4 Billion Years of Evolution (1:05)

Can anyone who's seen episode 2 comment if those track titles refer to only scenes from Episode 2?

They said there are 4 volumes planned, yet there are 13 episodes of the season.... Maybe Silvestri is only scoring the first 4 episodes and then that will be tracked into the remaining 9? Or other composers are coming in?

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Maybe they'll release more than four volumes depending on the success of those four.

The samples from Volume 2 sound nice, much more electronics this time though, and some expansion of the themes from last volume. All in all, good stuff.

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I think the original approach was far superior. The original synthy theme and the Vangelis stuff sucks you into the world...and the reliance on some of human kinds best classical works is a perfect pairing with the universe.

Now with this one composer approach...I wonder what Jerry Goldsmith could have done here. Or John Williams.

Silvestri just doesn't do it. It's wonderful to have an orchestra, but an orchestra does not great music make.

Silvestri is a B-composer scoring an A-topic: the universe and science.

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Oscar Nominations:

John Williams = 49

Jerry Goldsmith = 18

Alan Silvestri = 2

Golden Globe Nominations:

John Williams = 24

Jerry Goldsmith = 9

Alan Silvestri = 2

Emmy Nominations:

Jerry Goldsmith = 7

John Williams = 6

Alan Silvestri = 0

John Williams counts might be off by one or two. But that's three different award bodies saying the same thing: John and Jerry are on another level from Silvestri.

I can list more awarding bodies if you'd like. But the story, from Oscars to BMI to Grammy to BAFTA to Saturn awards are the same. No fluke.

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This score was disappointing in context after the hype built around it. The thematic idea provides that sense of "wonder" on a very functional level, but aside from that offers very little.

As Blume said, for the great matters this show deals with, the music (despite its orchestral setting) comes off as stock music.

Even the main titles sequence, which is designed spectacularly, is supported by music that sounds like patchwork underscore. Underwhelming stuff. Although I'd rather they didn't go with that sound, Fenton would have been more suitable for this.

I'd love to see Williams tackle this. Or on a more interesting note, see what someone like Corigliano might come up for this.

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Oscar Nominations:

John Williams = 49

Jerry Goldsmith = 18

Alan Silvestri = 2

Vangelis = 1

Golden Globe Nominations:

John Williams = 24

Jerry Goldsmith = 9

Alan Silvestri = 2

Vangelis = 2

Emmy Nominations:

Jerry Goldsmith = 7

John Williams = 6

Alan Silvestri = 0

Vangelis = 0

So Vangelis was also a B composer?

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Nice work on the end there, Mr. Silvestri!

Definite development of themes in the third episode.

Also a lot of tracking.

Definite development of themes in the third episode.

Also a lot of tracking.

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Nice work on the end there, Mr. Silvestri!

It's nice music, as is most of the scores so far, but I still have to agree with you that the Vangelis approach of the original is unmatched. Silvestri's galaxy collision is beautiful and grand, but at the same time it sounds like a "romantic Hollywood score". Vangelis's cues combined an emotional sense of discovery and grandeur with an inherently scientific sound. It's 70s synth music, but at least to me the result is timeless. Silvestri's music, nice though it is, already sounds dated.

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  • 3 weeks later...

No, because no one is actually talking about the music. We knew they were coming out in relatively short amount of time.

What's wrong with you, Jason?

Karol

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I haven't listened to it yet, but I'm finding Silvestri's straight-up electronica (e.g., first part of "The Eye") more compelling than his orchestral stuff. Vol. 1 is stronger. But I'll reserve judgment until I listen to it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Volume 3 will be released on April 29

http://www.amazon.com/Cosmos-SpaceTime-Odyssey-Music-Original/dp/B00JYRCLNO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1398614086&sr=8-4&keywords=cosmos+alan+silvestri

1. "All That Is or Ever Was or Ever Will Be" (1:35)

2. Halley's Efforts (2:57)
3. The Speed of Light (3:01)
4. Physical State of the Stars (3:18)
5. Ibn Al-Haytham (2:10)
6. The Way We Live Now (3:04)
7. The Lead Hearing (3:34)
8. August, 1684 (3:31)
9. The Rules of Science (3:05)
10. Mo Tze (2:29)
11. He Broke Through the Walls of Heaven (2:51)
12. The Ultimate Green Power (4:51)
13. Endless Searching (4:01)
14. Halley's Comet (2:55)
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  • 2 weeks later...

I thought tonight's episode was lovely. Faraday has always been one of my scientific idols, and it was moving to see his massive influence on the modern world presented to a large audience, and through a medium that he is largely responsible for.

I've also enjoyed how the chorale-like theme (if you know which I mean) has evolved over the episodes. Very stirring stuff.

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Volume 4 will be released on May 27

http://www.amazon.com/Cosmos-SpaceTime-Odyssey-Music-Original/dp/B00KBNSQ7K/ref=sr_1_7?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1400071853&sr=1-7&keywords=alan+silvestri

1. The Pale Blue Bot (3:25)

2. Duck Soup? (3:55)
3. Pat Patterson (3:07)
4. 4.5 Billion Years Old (4:11)
5. Sifting the Stars (4:10)
6. Stellar Atmospheres (4:34)
7. What About Us? (2:23)
8. Adaptable Species (2:25)
9. Paris, 1878 (2:38)
10. Once There Was a World (3:56)
11. Islands of Light (2:01)
12. Sacred Searching (1:23)
13. Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey - DVD End Credits (2:30)
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  • 2 weeks later...

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