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James Newton Howard's Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them


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1 minute ago, BloodBoal said:

 

I'm not sure how that goes against the reasons for album sequencing. Why would that make them suddenly care if the music is in chronological order or not?

 

Why gobtobthe bother of editing it if people are going to make their mind up from the samples?

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3 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

I don't think people really listen to albums in that way anymore. It's the iTunes model now, they listen to the samples and download just the tracks they like.

 

In that case fair enough, but then you should inform people like Williams, because I doubt he's aware of the new listening habits of the ADHD generation. I'm not even sure he knows what iTunes is.

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9 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

I don't think people really listen to albums in that way anymore. It's the iTunes model now, they listen to the samples and download just the tracks they like.

 

Is what I was talking about.

 

5 minutes ago, BloodBoal said:

 

In that case fair enough, but then you should inform people like Williams, because I doubt he's aware of the new listening habits of the ADHD generation. I'm not even sure he knows what iTunes is.

 

Which cycles back to Jay's point that it's becoming less and less common. 

 

Off the top top of my head TFA was the most chronological of Star Wars oats and BFG was largely chronological?

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1 minute ago, Jay said:

The BFG OST is EXTREMELY out of film order, actually

 

 

 

Fair enough. I haven't seen it so was going off (an obviously erroneous) memory of a chronological listing. 

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I think from the Golden Age through the 90s more OSTs were out of order than in film order, but within the last 15 years more OSTs are more or less in film order than wildly out of it, though of course there will always be both kinds every year

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1 hour ago, mrbellamy said:

 

I think I've sorted out this confusing issue...compare 0:19 and 1:23

 

 

Same rhythmic idea. When Grindelwald appears at the end, it's the 1:23 version (missing from the OST, probably tracked from the prologue). So I'd say it's basically a general "danger motif" which by extension doubles in the film as an identity for Grindelwald. 

 

I agree. its both a Grindlewald motif as well as a general danger motif. i seem to recall other uses of it in the film even away from grindlewald though technically everything was kinda being manipulated by grindlewald so you could say it almost always could be representing him. 

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Just finished my first listen. What is all this DE disc 2 material doing in bonus section? This is the A side material, better than much of the disc 1 stuff (which isn't bad in all fairness).

 

Karol

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Financial question: I want to ask the OST for Christmas just to complete my physical collection of HP OSTs, but also because I'd like to support JNH. Someone on another forum claims that JNH doesn't receive a penny from OST sales, which I find really very hard to believe. Can anyone confirm this?

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On 11/23/2016 at 5:49 AM, Will said:

The only difference with mine is that I put A Man and His Beasts after Kowalski Rag because I think there needs to be a break after the second end credits part since that covers the same theme with similar orchestration.

I've put these two concert suites after Blind Pig in my playlist. Replicates the Star Wars original trilogy 2-disc releases where the source cues (Cantina Band, Jedi Rocks) would end disc 1, and the character theme concert arrangements (Leia, Imperial March, etc.) would start disc 2. Have always been a fan of that sequencing.

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2 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

Financial question: I want to ask the OST for Christmas just to complete my physical collection of HP OSTs, but also because I'd like to support JNH. Someone on another forum claims that JNH doesn't receive a penny from OST sales, which I find really very hard to believe. Can anyone confirm this?

Of course composers make money from OST sales. What a ridiculous statement. 

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1 hour ago, aviazn said:

I've put these two concert suites after Blind Pig in my playlist. Replicates the Star Wars original trilogy 2-disc releases where the source cues (Cantina Band, Jedi Rocks) would end disc 1, and the character theme concert arrangements (Leia, Imperial March, etc.) would start disc 2. Have always been a fan of that sequencing.

 

Ah, interesting. I think @Fennel Ka does that as well on his edits, with the rational that it's like a break/entr'acte (like you'd get at a live to projection concert). 

 

There's also an argument to be made for putting Blind Pig as the last track since it's source music. But I like it in the main program. Fits in well with the score and one of my goals is to try to recreate the film experience anyway. 

 

-----------------------

 

I did end up seeing the film again this afternoon -- this time in 3D and Atmos!

 

Not quite as good as the first time, of course, but still great. Love that rain scene at the end! :wub:

 

And the moment Queenie kisses Jacob and then slowly backs out of the frame, with the rain streaming down as Jacob looks up at the sky over a sustained musical note... Gorgeous. 

 

Possible spoilers follow in a discussion of one of the themes:

 

Spoiler

I have a feeling that the material sounding very similar to 1:23 - 1:34 here that plays as Grindelwald is revealed late in the film might be tracked from the main title (or somewhere else that's similar?). After all, it's not on the OST (meaning it's either an insert, or the OST is an alternate, or it's tracked, or the OST is microedited, although JNH doesn't do microedits right?). I believe it plays in the film from the times corresponding to 1:47 - 2:08 (somewhere in there) in  this OST track

 

@mrbellamy, what do you think?

 

If that bit is indeed tracked, then I think there's no reason to assume that shows it's Grindelwald's theme. The director might not care about keeping thematic consistency when they're tracking!

 

In any case, I've always suggested that that theme feels more like a general danger theme than for anything specific. I mean, I'm not sure if anyone noticed this but it's actually used when Tina walks up to Newt after the bank incident and zaps him away with her. Assuming that's not tracked, I think that's evidence that it's more for mystery/danger/suspense than Grindelwald. Furthermore, while many of its uses suggest that it's for the Obscurus, remember that that's not present yet in the story during the prologue. 

 

Anyway, if it is for Grindelwald, it seems to be very ambiguously applied. 

 

What there's no ambiguity about is that the main theme is this...

 

 

It plays during the MACUSA entrance, and, lo and behold, here's what JNH had to say in an interview (https://www.pottermore.com/news/pottermore-officially-debuts-main-theme-from-fantastic-beasts-soundtrack):

 

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‘You hear the main theme song of the movie play when the main crew arrive at the MACUSA the first time and various other times,’ he tells me. ‘You hear this haunting kind of theme. If you had to say what is the theme for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them for now and in the future, it would be that theme. I wrote it on my piano because I believe that if that kind of thing is going to be good, it should be done that simply.’

 

The article has some other info, but it's very ambiguous. The person writing it is very sloppy.

 

They say...

 

Quote

For this particular track (referring to the "Main Titles"), as well as Newt Scamander’s theme, he sat down at his piano and just played until it came.

 

I'd presume the writer mixed up "main title" and "main theme," and that the two themes he came up with at the piano were the MACUSA intro one (main) and something else...(Newt's). But what?

 

It could be this:

 

 

This seems to be associated with Newt -- it plays softly as he steps out of the case about to be arrested in MACUSA (not sure if it's released). 

 

... or this ...

 

 

Or maybe they are both part of his theme? Who knows.

 

Anyway, really loved the swashbuckling action material in context. In Atmos "The Erumpet" actually sounds fine (or maybe it was just my head filling in the gaps). Awesome cue. 

 

I'd agree with the earlier idea that the soaring theme heard over the rain sequence is just a general "sadness, goodbye, resolution" theme. 

 

The third Hedwig's Theme is nothing special. Low brass, very straightforward.

 

JW gets a credit for "Hedwig's Theme by John Williams."

 

Apparently the London Voices worked on this. Plus it was recorded at Abbey Road (partially, rest at Air Lyndhurst). Cool! 

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Has this been shared?

 

https://www.pottermore.com/news/interview-with-fantastic-beasts-composer-james-newton-howard

 

Some confirmation about various themes, but also some additional confusion. I'll let you make of it what you will. 

 

 

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A couple interesting quotes (but read the whole thing!):

 

Quote

 ‘I think I wrote 43 versions of the Niffler’s song over seven months.'

 

Holy crap!!!!! :pat: He must have been about ready to sock Yates in the jaw. 

 

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‘Newt has two primary themes in my mind. He has his very Newt, slightly Charlie Chaplin-esque, absent-minded professor kind of bumbling around, where he’s got this warm and sweet kind of personality,’ James says. ‘And then when he gets into a situation where he needs to perform heroically, he has what we call the “Newt as a Hero” theme and that’s kind of the big, muscular hero theme – you know, thinking about Newt as Indiana Jones or Newt as some other heroic character because once that happens you see him transform from being a bumbling professor into this genius action hero.'

 

Confused about what that first Newt theme would be (of course it's obvious what the second one is). 

 

EDIT: Oh wait, could the "bumbling around" be referring to the bouncing ostinato before the soaring "wonder and awe" theme (as heard in the second half of the main title). If I knew Newt had two themes I would guess that ostinato/soaring statement was the second one. 

 

Also, this is interesting too...

 

http://consequenceofsound.net/2016/11/fantastic-beasts-composer-james-newton-howard-on-his-personal-favorite-scores/

 

Quote

Working with David Yates was totally different than anything I’d ever done before. It was very collaborative and went on for a long period of time. I was writing for that movie for six or seven months. David would often steer me in a direction that, when I first would hear the idea, I would say, “That’s not going to work.” But then I would try it and find that it very often did work. It took me down a different path and a successful path.

 

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21 hours ago, Will said:

And the moment Queenie kisses Jacob and then slowly backs out of the frame, with the rain streaming down as Jacob looks up at the sky over a sustained musical note... Gorgeous. 

 

 

That bit goes into a jazzy Kowalski's Rag rendition as he makes sense of his surroundings following the obliviation effects, right? I liked that transition a lot.

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32 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

 

That bit goes into a jazzy Kowalski's Rag rendition as he makes sense of his surroundings following the obliviation effects, right? I liked that transition a lot.

 

Yeah. That was great. 

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18 minutes ago, BloodBoal said:

Disc 1 - 06. Inside The Case

 

03'03 - 03'15: Unknown Theme C (some creature's theme?)

 

Disc 1 - 15. Relieve Him Of His Wand - Newt Releases The Thunderbird - Jacob's Farewell

02'53 - 03'20: Unknown Theme O

 

I notice these two are the same, though like you I'm not sure it represents anything specific. I think it's just sort of a warm transitional idea, used the first time as they're touring around the case, obviously, and the second time was (I think?) when they're all discussing what to do after Grindelwald's capture. I guess "safety" is one way to describe it? Or "teamwork"?

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35 minutes ago, BloodBoal said:

Disc 1 - 04. Pie Or Strudel - Escaping Queenie And Tina's Place: 00'05 - 00'22

 

This is easily my favorite performance of the main theme on the OST.  It's a cryin' shame he doesn't play around with that melody on celeste more.

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Glad to see JNH say that the theme over the title will be developed more in the next film:

 

Quote

There is an opening fanfare (which Howard says was written quite late in the process and will be exploited more in the next film)

http://variety.com/2016/film/spotlight/fantastic-beasts-bfg-john-williams-1201930763/

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I like it too! (at least in its version over the title, not so much at other times)

 

The very interesting thing is this:

 

Quote

There is an opening fanfare (which Howard says was written quite late in the process and will be exploited more in the next film)

 

I think this might confirm the ideas of those who didn't like the main title and thought it sounded like it was done very late and quickly. 

 

It also seems to suggest that this theme isn't really related to any particular character or idea. 

 

Also, regarding other themes...

 

Quote

a mystery-filled “Fantastic Beasts” theme, two themes for Eddie Redmayne’s eccentric Newt (one somewhat lighthearted — “Newt can be quite a Chaplinesque character” — and another more heroic)

 

I'm assuming that the prevailing notion about what these themes are is correct. 

 

Meaning that the "Fantastic Beasts" theme is the one heard over the grand shots of MACUSA early in the film, and Newt's first theme has two connected parts, the "stepping" lighthearted ostinato and the sweet soaring melody. And then his heroic theme is the one heard when they're escaping MACUSA, near the start of the end credits, etc.

 

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On 11/27/2016 at 11:28 PM, BloodBoal said:

 

Disc 1 - 13. The Obscurus - Rooftop Chase

00'00 - 01'09: The Obscurus' Theme?

 

Disc 1 - 14. He's Listening To You, Tina

00'38 - 01'44: Unknown Theme N

 

 

 

These are the same theme. 

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