artguy360 1,843 Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 As a big JW fan, I am particularly a fan of how he uses the percussion section of the orchestra. But I can't say I'm actually all that familiar with cues that use a lot of percussion or feature percussion in interesting ways. So I hope this thread can be a place where we share personal favorites or just cues where JW features cool percussion. One cue that does come to mind is the chase from AOTC: It's got a lot of different drums in there along with some nice drum solos. Really fun piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Sharkissimo 1,973 Posted July 21, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted July 21, 2016 The Rooftops of the Hanamachi from Memoirs. Remembering that the percussion section also includes pitched percussion (marimbas, temple bowls, tuned gongs etc.), I think this is a pretty impressive display of a more textural approach. Almost chamber-like at moments. KK, publicist, Dixon Hill and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Fabulous piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Psycho Pianist 216 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 The classic Forest Battle from ROTJ comes to mind immediately. Saw this performed live and my God did the percussion section have a workout. I've still no idea, having never seen the score, what the huge wooden mallet percussion instrument is actually called - just that it looks impressive performed at that speed, especially when in unison with xylophone and glockenspiel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datameister 2,044 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Land of the Sand People comes to mind, as does the chess game from HPSS. Both put percussion in the spotlight with some neat support from the rest of the orchestra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Muad'Dib 1,802 Posted July 22, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted July 22, 2016 Disco Stu, Gruesome Son of a Bitch, Jilal and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 75 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 "Buckbeak's Flight" is an obvious one. Cerebral Cortex 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 "Images" is very strong with percussion, but it's not for the fainthearted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Docteur Qui 1,544 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Brilliant use of both pitched and non-pitched percussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,506 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 What about the sacrifice cue in TEMPLE OF DOOM? Gruesome Son of a Bitch and Loert 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karelm 2,913 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 The most obvious ones are also the best ones. SW Main Titles, Superman March etc etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,506 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 I'd love to see John Williams do a percussion concerto one day. It's about the only instrument he's not written a concerto for. For all the percussion talent that runs in his family (his father and two brothers, for one), surely he must have inherited some of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artguy360 1,843 Posted July 22, 2016 Author Share Posted July 22, 2016 19 minutes ago, Thor said: I'd love to see John Williams do a percussion concerto one day. It's about the only instrument he's not written a concerto for. For all the percussion talent that runs in his family (his father and two brothers, for one), surely he must have inherited some of it. God yes. I think I even said so in another thread. The concert suite for Catch Me If You Can which features a ton of vibraphone made me even more curious about what JW could do with a percussion concerto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karelm 2,913 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 3 hours ago, Thor said: I'd love to see John Williams do a percussion concerto one day. It's about the only instrument he's not written a concerto for. For all the percussion talent that runs in his family (his father and two brothers, for one), surely he must have inherited some of it. Has he written a concerto for the trombone? I know the tuba concerto is also arranged for trombone but sharing a concerto isn't the same and the trombone was one of his instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corellian2019 386 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Adding to the repertoire: "The Scroll/To Pankot Palace" Loert 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,193 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Not to forget his fabulous timpani solos, like the one in The Battle of Yavin. And the antiphonal timpanis in War of the Worlds. 3 hours ago, Thor said: I'd love to see John Williams do a percussion concerto one day. It's about the only instrument he's not written a concerto for. Aside from the obvious one: The piano. Jilal 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,506 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Ha! True; weird that we never think of the piano as a percussion instrument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 2,274 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 War of the Worlds does have some terrific writing for the Timpani Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loert 2,511 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 0:18 - 2:24 - Not a flamboyant showcase by any means, but the build-up is very effective (just like the percussion interlude in "To Pankot Palace" as Corellian2019 already mentioned, as well as the sacrifice scene mentioned by Thor). It also reminds me of another cue I like a lot, "Ewok's Feast" from ROTJ. I especially like the (barely audible) sliding timpani starting at 0:49, which initially only supports the rest of the instruments periodically, but by the end becomes a constant texture heard in the background, sliding up and down in an almost dizzying manner. It returns at 4:51 in a wilder context. 2:54-3:00 is awesome as well. Another good one is Grave Robbers: Sharkissimo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,367 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Damn now I want to listen to the TOD score. What a powerhouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Shame about the legato passages, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Psycho Pianist 216 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 The Happy Birthday variations contains a fantastic variation on percussion (35 seconds in), with timpani/chimes taking the melody supplemented by snare/piatti - leads into a glorious harp passage, followed by a classic Williams-sounding passage on glockenspiel/mallet percussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 I reckon his concert music gives percussion a more extensive workout than most of his scores do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loert 2,511 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Ooo, that reminds me! Listen to the percussion from 2:24 here: I just love the way all those clicks and clacks support the piano! And check out 6:17 too - hilarious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 8 hours ago, Thor said: I'd love to see John Williams do a percussion concerto one day. It's about the only instrument he's not written a concerto for. For all the percussion talent that runs in his family (his father and two brothers, for one), surely he must have inherited some of it. JW always said that "Images" is a percussion concerto, with chamber orchestra. 4 hours ago, Romão said: War of the Worlds does have some terrific writing for the Timpani Especially the city escape cue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muad'Dib 1,802 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Marian Schedenig 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joni Wiljami 1,206 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 7 hours ago, TheWhiteRider said: Shame about the legato passages, though. What?????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,193 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 9 hours ago, Thor said: Ha! True; weird that we never think of the piano as a percussion instrument. While I didn't actually mention the piano in relation to the thread topic above, I love it when Williams uses it as a percussion instrument, e.g. the "piano slam" in Lost World's The Hunt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bespin 8,483 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 This thread is very strange, you list all the cues I hate the most. It's like telekinesia! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joni Wiljami 1,206 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 No!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 1 hour ago, hornist said: What?????? I was quoting an odd post someone else made a few days ago. I'm as baffled as you are by it. Joni Wiljami 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 5 hours ago, TheWhiteRider said: I was quoting an odd post someone else made a few days ago. I'm as baffled as you are by it. Hey, man, what does "baffled" mean? 6 hours ago, Bespin said: This thread is very strange, you list all the cues I hate the most. It's like telekinesia! Back the hard drive up a bit. You hate "Images"??!! It is against the law for any JWfaner to hate " Images ". Sharkissimo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex 2,835 Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 I love the timpani *boing* near the end of "Frolic" from The BFG haha Will 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkissimo 1,973 Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 16 hours ago, TheWhiteRider said: I reckon his concert music gives percussion a more extensive workout than most of his scores do. I wonder why that is. Maybe It's to do with sound effects occupying a lot of the frequency spectrum that percussion normally does. White, pink noise etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bespin 8,483 Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 5 hours ago, Richard said: It is against the law for any JWfaner to hate " Images ". If I can freely translate the passage of a well-known Georges Brassens song: "The plural is worth nothing to the man And as soon as we are more of four we are a bunch of idiots. Stand apart, hell's teeth! It is my rule and I hold it. Among the shouts of wolves we do not hear mine." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488 Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 5:55-end is better than everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 6 hours ago, Bespin said: If I can freely translate the passage of a well-known Georges Brassens song: "The plural is worth nothing to the man And as soon as we are more of four we are a bunch of idiots. Stand apart, hell's teeth! It is my rule and I hold it. Among the shouts of wolves we do not hear mine." A whaaaat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Buckbeaks flight! Naïve Old Fart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Oooh! That's a good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon McBride 113 Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 I like how in the raider's march the glockenspiel plays the melody on the last time it's played. Brightens it up a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkissimo 1,973 Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 20 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said: While I didn't actually mention the piano in relation to the thread topic above, I love it when Williams uses it as a percussion instrument, e.g. the "piano slam" in Lost World's The Hunt. Ah, yes Johnny's piano clusters. Love this nerve-jangling bit in JP. Donkey's jawbone + "huge bass drum" + "lowest cluster" + small triangle = instant win. Dixon Hill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muad'Dib 1,802 Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 The movement from his Viola Concerto where the Timpani and the Viola have that "family arguments" duel is fan-flipping-tastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 Also Werewolf Scene in PoA Marian Schedenig 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artguy360 1,843 Posted July 24, 2016 Author Share Posted July 24, 2016 49 minutes ago, king mark said: Also Werewolf Scene in PoA Oh that's another good one. Thanks for the great suggestions so far everyone! I think I totally forgot about all the percussion featured in TLW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingPin 201 Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 I've always enjoyed his use of traditional Irish percussion instruments in Far and Away, particularly in The Fighting Donnellys cue. And the percussion section is quite fleshed out in concert version of The Knight Bus from PoA, more so in my opinion than on the OST. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 There's great percussion stuff in Treesong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,506 Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 15 hours ago, Stefancos said: Buckbeaks flight! Mentioned by Red early on in the thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post SzPeti42 49 Posted July 24, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted July 24, 2016 Interesting thread, love the examples! General Grievous from RotS is what came to my mind the first time I read the title. I just love the raw power and rhythmic nature of this cue, it's nothing he's ever done for Star Wars before and since. (Zam would have been my number 2 choice, it's a shame both are heavily edited or differently arranged in the movies themselves) Romão, Incanus, eitam and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 2,274 Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 Oh, good one, I love that track Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now