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Jeremy Soule on "Hook"


Dixon Hill

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I totally agree with Jeremy Soule.

I'm also thrilled to be part of the performance of The Flight to Neverland next month. For the first time in my life.

Explain! Explain! Where in Finland are you performing it?!!!!

4th of April, my Band. All the classics from Herrman to Morricone, from Gone with the Wind to Out of Africa. Three pieces by Johnny.

Great program.

And ....one piece from... a "Pirate Movie" :bash::shakehead::pukeface::pukeface::pukeface:

I completely missed this! As John Williams said "I'll try" to get there on the 4th! :)

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No, he really can't. Like I said, he's um... limited that way. But it's not his fault!

I should learn from you...just redeclaring vanilla musings as delicious bonmots five posts later.

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"Probably the finest 6 minutes of technical writing in Zimmer's, sorry Badelt's career." - Jeremy Soule

No, he really can't. Like I said, he's um... limited that way. But it's not his fault!

I should learn from you...just redeclaring vanilla musings as delicious bonmots five posts later.

You can't really blame him. He's one of those who thinks he's a sophisticate with evolved tastes because he is devoted Breaking Bad fan, just like MILLIONs and MILLIONS of others with the exact same sophisticated and evolved tastes...

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On a positive note, i just relistened to HOOK while doing my dreaded sunday-evening marathon of answering work-related emails and there is only one moment i would call 'sublime' (as in imaginative and unique to HOOK in mood and content and not derivative or self-derivative) and that is the middle part of FAREWELL NEVERLAND (roughly 02:20 - 06:00). I really like that part.

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Yes. That part is surely BRILLIANT!

My favourite cue (and the one I can still listen to with utter glee is Hook-Napped. Followed by the concert arrangement of The Banquet, with its career best opening fanfare.

"Probably the finest 6 minutes of technical writing in Zimmer's, sorry Badelt's career." - Jeremy Soule

No, he really can't. Like I said, he's um... limited that way. But it's not his fault!

I should learn from you...just redeclaring vanilla musings as delicious bonmots five posts later.

You can't really blame him. He's one of those who thinks he's a sophisticate with evolved tastes because he is devoted Breaking Bad fan, just like MILLIONs and MILLIONS of others with the exact same sophisticated and evolved tastes...

I see the BB inferiority complex thing you've had going on for some time now is still raging hard and dominating your every thought. Good stuff!

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I have a litany of pretentious, bullshit alternatives to "composer" that I use with certain types of people when they ask me what I do. I've featured a few as my member title.

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'Chromaticism, counterpoint and the scherzo orchestration textures'

Lol. Sounds like a GCSE student.

Agreed.

You're too kind.

Soule isn't without talent. A hack in my book is someone who produces nothing by half-decent, mediocre work. That's not so bad by itself, but when it's coupled with an overinflated ego (i.e. Soule calling himself a 'symphonist', whatever that means)-- that's when it's a bit hard to stomach.

Just my two pence.

Which of his scores are you familiar with? Let's see if we can't change that opinion.

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'Chromaticism, counterpoint and the scherzo orchestration textures'

Lol. Sounds like a GCSE student.

Agreed.

You're too kind.

Soule isn't without talent. A hack in my book is someone who produces nothing by half-decent, mediocre work. That's not so bad by itself, but when it's coupled with an overinflated ego (i.e. Soule calling himself a 'symphonist', whatever that means)-- that's when it's a bit hard to stomach.

Just my two pence.

Which of his scores are you familiar with? Let's see if we can't change that opinion.

KOTOR I and II, Elder Scrolls IV and V, MGS: PW, Guild Wars 2, Company of Heroes games, Supreme Commander, Total Annihilation etc.

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I've never been too taken with his non-Elder Scrolls stuff. It seems like most of those scores do have some sense of retread, if for no other reason than that's what the game developers wanted from him - either sticking with an existing style, or carrying on in the style of a franchise's earlier composer (Williams for the SW and Potter stuff).

But Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim are where I think you hear his most genuine voice. They're good examples of the continuing viability of primarily tonal writing in a standalone context (meaning they are self-contained pieces and not cues written and timed to picture). Surprised that the second and third don't do anything for you, but give Morrowind a try; it's less pastoral, a bit difficult to categorize.

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Which of his scores are you familiar with? Let's see if we can't change that opinion.

KOTOR I and II, Elder Scrolls IV and V, MGS: PW, Guild Wars 2, Company of Heroes games, Supreme Commander, Total Annihilation etc.

Really? I didn't realise you were such a prolific gamer.

I call more BS. Where does it end, Promo?

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By the way, Sharky... you'll note I'm talking about the music only, and not even mentioning Soule's personality... quirks, or his, errr, business approach/accountability (his symphony was funded through Kickstarter and he's like... way overdue with it; seems like people who put up money are rightfully annoyed). Ok I guess now I'm mentioning it.

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You don't need to play games to listen to music.

This. Just like you don't need to watch the film to listen to its score.

By the way, Sharky... you'll note I'm talking about the music only, and not even mentioning Soule's personality... quirks, or his, errr, business approach/accountability (his symphony was funded through Kickstarter and he's like... way overdue with it; seems like people who put up money are rightfully annoyed). Ok I guess now I'm mentioning it.

Funding a symphony with Kickstarter eh? Hmm....

I've only heard Skyrim, and I didn't like it at first, but definitely warmed up to it.

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You don't need to play games to listen to music.

This. Just like you don't need to watch the film to listen to its score.

By the way, Sharky... you'll note I'm talking about the music only, and not even mentioning Soule's personality... quirks, or his, errr, business approach/accountability (his symphony was funded through Kickstarter and he's like... way overdue with it; seems like people who put up money are rightfully annoyed). Ok I guess now I'm mentioning it.

Funding a symphony with Kickstarter eh? Hmm....

I've only heard Skyrim, and I didn't like it at first, but definitely warmed up to it.

And he acquired some fat stacks for it, let me tell you. Supposedly it was all to go towards the recording venue/ensemble.

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Yeah, I'm not a big gamer, although I have an X Box 360. FIFA 14 and GTAV are fine for me.

With the exemption of Total Annihilation and Supreme Commander, I haven't played any of those games, nor do I have much interest in doing so. RPGs and MMOGs aren't my cup of tea.

BTW. I really enjoyed that Morrowind cue you posted, Grey. Maybe I've underestimated Soule's musical chops.

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You don't need to play games to listen to music.

If there's even more of a niche pastime than listening to film scores it's listening to game music without playing the games. And no, that doesn't mean Gia's high profile MoH scores, sigh.

I'm completely unconvinced by Feargal's claims, and he knows why.

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BTW. I really enjoyed that Morrowind cue you posted, Grey. Maybe I've underestimated Soule's musical chops.

Ah well I'm glad to hear it. Like I said it's a little more unique than the two sequel scores, in the same way that the game is: more "alien" than traditional fantasy. The whole score is only about 45 minutes, and it's on Youtube.

You don't need to play games to listen to music.

If there's even more of a niche pastime than listening to film scores it's listening to game music without playing the games. And no, that doesn't mean Gia's high profile MoH scores, sigh.

I'm completely unconvinced by Feargal's claims, and he knows why.

Actually I'd say that game scores might be more listenable away from the source than film scores are. Like I said before, they usually consist of standalone pieces of music rather than cues that are scored to perfectly sync up with picture.

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Soule's a hack, and his tastes in Williams are equally dire.

'Chromaticism, counterpoint and the scherzo orchestration textures'

Lol. Sounds like a GCSE student.

OK, just to be a complete dick (but I think you deserve it once you start calling people "hacks"):

What is your net contribution to the world of music?

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You don't need to play games to listen to music.

This. Just like you don't need to watch the film to listen to its score.

By the way, Sharky... you'll note I'm talking about the music only, and not even mentioning Soule's personality... quirks, or his, errr, business approach/accountability (his symphony was funded through Kickstarter and he's like... way overdue with it; seems like people who put up money are rightfully annoyed). Ok I guess now I'm mentioning it.

Funding a symphony with Kickstarter eh? Hmm....

I've only heard Skyrim, and I didn't like it at first, but definitely warmed up to it.

And he acquired some fat stacks for it, let me tell you. Supposedly it was all to go towards the recording venue/ensemble.

Really?

Maybe I should get on this whole Kickstarter thing for my own work...

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Soule's a hack, and his tastes in Williams are equally dire.

'Chromaticism, counterpoint and the scherzo orchestration textures'

Lol. Sounds like a GCSE student.

OK, just to be a complete dick (but I think you deserve it once you start calling people "hacks"):

What is your net contribution to the world of music?

Good question. And I would also like to hear some of it.

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So criticisms must now be backed up by one's own artistic achievements?

This board would lose about 80% of its posts!

I'm just flabbergasted that 'grown men' still throw down challenges like this .....on the fucking internet for God's sake :banghead:

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