Remasters of the First 6 Star Wars Soundtracks now available (Shawn Murphy / Disney Records 2018)

[Bespin 8,472]

As I recall the "stereo" default in "Heroics of Luke and Han" on the new set, I remember that a track, a Yoda related track (Yoda and the force, or Training or Magic tree, I don't remember exactly) had the same kind of default on the Anthology boxset.

 

There's a curse on the ESB score. 

[Jay 37,268]

ESB is my favorite film score of all time.  I can't wait to own a definitive and good-sounding all the way through sounding version one day.   One day...

[phbart 609]

ESB and ToD are the best JW sequels ever and both are in desperate need of a better sounding release.

[Richard Penna 3,667]

First time I've properly listened to some of these tracks, and I headed for The Asteroid Field first.

 

Well, the instrumentation itself is definitely clearer than the last recent release on spotify. However, it feels like a large wall is separating me from the orchestra and I'm holding something against my right ear. Wow.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Sith is my favorite one. Nice to hear it so dynamic and punchy this time around.

[Quppa 117]

On 13/05/2018 at 1:19 AM, crumbs said:

Fuck I hate David Yates. He was clearly out to sabotage Williams' attempts at scoring DHP2 as far back as the P1 scoring sessions.

 

His Potter films are lifeless, soulless pieces of shit as well. Fantastic Beasts was mediocrity personified. He wishes he had half the talent of barely-talented directors like Paul W.S. Anderson.

 

So stick that in your pipe, David, you twat.

 

At the risk of dragging this thread back off topic, it's interesting listening to this podcast interview with Yates having read the above. He gushes praise about James Newton Howard's work for Fantastic Beasts and mentions that the studio wanted more Hedwig's Theme and he wanted less.

[artguy360 1,842]

Yates took the darker, moodier tone that Cuaron set for the HP franchise and translated it into boring. Despite plenty of special effects, there's almost no magic in any of his HP films. 

[Drew 590]

3 hours ago, Quppa said:

 

At the risk of dragging this thread back off topic, it's interesting listening to this podcast interview with Yates having read the above. He gushes praise about James Newton Howard's work for Fantastic Beasts and mentions that the studio wanted more Hedwig's Theme and he wanted less.

 

He also interfered with some of JNH's original cues. The "A Man and His Beasts" theme was originally going to play in the beginning but Yates rejected it and had JHN replace it with the generic "conspiracy" "theme" or whatever it is called. I have no idea how Desplat got away with such a thematically vibrant score for DH 1 under Yates. It must have been his great talent at subtlety. Anyway, the studio should have taken the step further and demanded more John Williams right from the start of Yates' musically illiterate tenure.

 

8 hours ago, phbart said:

ESB and ToD are the best JW sequels ever and both are in desperate need of a better sounding release.

 

Can someone enlighten me on why the Raiders and Temple of Doom remasters supposedly sound bad? I think they sound pretty good (I have not heard the OST releases at all). The Last Crusade sounds bad-ish, which is to be expected of anything recorded by Dan Wallin.

[Faleel 5,326]

Too much Reverb on TOD apparently, there is the speed/pitch issue too, Raiders actually sounds a lot like ROTJ OST/Anthology, but you wouldn't know it from the Concord.
 

 

[Holko 9,491]

Yes, I was very surprised on my last listen, though it's closer in timeframe to Empire, certain segments sound exactly like Jedi.

 

Clarification: Not only the sound, but the writing itself, too.

[TownerFan 4,983]

I think it's the recording stage. TESB sessions were done at Anvil Denham Studios for the most part, while Raiders and ROTJ were mostly recorded at Abbey Road (a few sessions of TESB were also recorded at Abbey Road. Also, a couple of sessions of ROTJ were done at Olympic Studios in Barnes, London).

[publicist 4,643]

Still, 'Raiders' sounds somewhat flat and especially the drums-and-percussion section as if they badly need some reverb (those piccolo drums! ROTJ sounds much deeper). TOD sounds brighter in that 80's-compact-disc-treble up-way but that's totally OK (not counting the god-awful opening to 'Short Round Helps' and ome other of the movie cues obviously not taken from an album master which sound really bad). I find 'Last Crusade' actually nicely old-fashioned sounding, it's a stately recording that may not sound 'brilliant' but kinda cushy.

 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

What is it with that dry Williams/LSO sound in that era.

[Maglorfin 196]

Sooo ... Somebody, anybody, let's have some bottom line please!  I'm sorry to say I don't have the time right now to read all 31 pages of this topic but should I (or, for that matter, anybody) buy these remasters? All of 'em? I gather that the noticeably improved sound quality is strong enough argument to warrant purchase?

[Jay 37,268]

Just skip them and wait for proper editions that actually contain the entire scores in the future.

if you like JW's original OST album arrangements, the existing releases of them already sound fine.

[Taikomochi 1,136]

I would say no because, even though some elements have improved sound quality, there are many more issues that supersede that like the left-weighted stereo throughout ESB or the many editing errors existing throughout all the albums.

[Maglorfin 196]

3 minutes ago, Jay said:

Just skip them and wait for proper editions that actually contain the entire scores in the future.

 

Well yeah, the "only" problem is that the "future" you mention is totally unforeseeable! It could happen in 2035 for all we know! 

[Jay 37,268]

Right, but if you want to listen to the complete scores now, you can buy the 1997 sets for the OT and download fan edits for the PT. These new remasters existing don't change anything to do with that.

 

If you want to listen to JW's OST album arrangements, and not complete scores, then like I said just get the old editions, not these new ones.

[mstrox 6,637]

I picked up the ROTS disc to fill out an Amazon order that had an add-on item.  Seems like the most interesting one to get, with the added drum overlays.

[Trent B 337]

3 minutes ago, mstrox said:

I picked up the ROTS disc to fill out an Amazon order that had an add-on item.  Seems like the most interesting one to get, with the added drum overlays.

 

It's a shame you're not into fan edits.  A fan edit for a near complete version (missing maybe 15 min) for the Prequels and ROTS in general is a lot more enjoyable.

[Maglorfin 196]

13 minutes ago, Jay said:

Right, but if you want to listen to the complete scores now, you can buy the 1997 sets for the OT and download fan edits for the PT. These new remasters existing don't change anything to do with that.

 

I've already bought all 1997 sets 18 or so years ago, and I have several excellent fan edits so I'm set up pretty well in that regard. OK, so it seems I can save some money with these remasters. Thanks for the input! 

[mstrox 6,637]

9 minutes ago, Trent B said:

 

It's a shame you're not into fan edits.  A fan edit for a near complete version (missing maybe 15 min) for the Prequels and ROTS in general is a lot more enjoyable.

 

Eh, I don't like them for several reasons.  One is for the same reason I don't download sessions, leaks, boots, etc.  I'm more of the FSM mindset than the JWFan mindset as far as the impact of such things on the industry.

 

Also, in my opinion, when I finally spend $30 on a legit, complete release, and I have far more than just 15 minutes of unheard music, it will be much more exciting for me than, say, Close Encounters or E.T. which (while they sound great and are arranged nicely) really didn't offer much in the way of "new."

[Drew 590]

2 hours ago, Maglorfin said:

Sooo ... Somebody, anybody, let's have some bottom line please!  I'm sorry to say I don't have the time right now to read all 31 pages of this topic but should I (or, for that matter, anybody) buy these remasters? All of 'em? I gather that the noticeably improved sound quality is strong enough argument to warrant purchase?

 

If I were to recommend only three, then get ANH and ROTJ for not sounding horrible, and get ROTS for the added percussion in some cues.

[phbart 609]

I really don't see any problems with RoTJ. The sound quality is for me the best it ever sounded. I'd classify it as a "slightly improved 93 Anthology". Yes, it has more hiss the SW and (yuck!) ESB, but I prefer it that way rather than irresponsibly applied noise reduction that sucks the life out of the music.

[Pellaeon 593]

 

Okay, now I see why they did the covers this way.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

On 5/15/2018 at 1:19 PM, phbart said:

I really don't see any problems with RoTJ. The sound quality is for me the best it ever sounded. I'd classify it as a "slightly improved 93 Anthology". Yes, it has more hiss the SW and (yuck!) ESB, but I prefer it that way rather than irresponsibly applied noise reduction that sucks the life out of the music.

 

The original CD release still sounds the best. You can't improve on perfection.

[Manakin Skywalker 4,889]

I tried fixing "Superstructure Chase" again... Any thoughts this time? Too high-end? Too hissy? (Hiss can't be removed without severe distortion)

 

 

 

[Bespin 8,472]

TBD

 

[deleted account 108]

On 5/15/2018 at 3:08 AM, Stefancos said:

What is it with that dry Williams/LSO sound in that era.

 

In those days, movies were still mixed for large theaters that added 2 seconds or more of reverb to the sound.  So they mixed everything dry knowing the theater itself would add reverb when the film was projected.  Small multiplex theaters/home theaters weren't a consideration yet

 

[Brundlefly 2,385]

On 14.5.2018 at 10:05 PM, Jay said:

ESB is my favorite film score of all time.  I can't wait to own a definitive and good-sounding all the way through sounding version one day.   One day...

 

On 14.5.2018 at 11:49 PM, phbart said:

ESB and ToD are the best JW sequels ever and both are in desperate need of a better sounding release.

 

I have like a list with my favourite JW scores in my head that I can't wait to see completed by the special labels:

1. The Lost World
2. The Prisoner of Azkaban (HP)
3. The Temple of Doom (IJ)
4. Jurassic Park
5. A.I. - Artificial Intelligence
6. Amistad
7. JFK
8. The Empire Strikes Back (SW)
9. Empire of the Sun
10. War of the Worlds

[Bespin 8,472]

Usually when I acquire a "remastered" version of an album (read "remixed"), I usually get the original mix too.

 

So I want to let you know, that I've added the FLACs of the 2015 Sony Ultimate versions of the old Trilogy on my SD cards too...

 

So I will have choice. 

 

It's good to have choice, no? 

[Arpy 4,145]

I've been picking up these remasters in a haphazard way, some I've purchased such as the prequels, others I've downloaded still deciding whether it's worth purchasing them.

 

Just listened to Empire...

 

...what happened?

 

 

 

It just sounds so off, so distant and dare I say it, old. I spent a majority of last week on my commute to university listening to the 2004 Sony 2 disc edition and that has heft, it has a punch and prominence to it - it's by no means perfect or the best sounding of the three, but it sounds bright and forefront and still feels powerful.

 

The biggest grievance I have with this 'remaster' is the complete degradation of one of my favourite musical sequences, The Battle of Hoth, with many amazing individual passages that are just buried in the mix, or buried by reverb and white noise fuzz - something best described as a ghost orgy, where it sounds dated and the opposite of a remaster.

 

Hearing this remastered set pains me that it's 2018 and we're getting sub-par re-releases instead of fully-fledged deluxe archival editions that pay respect to the originals, provide all of the available recordings and most importantly deliver them sounding as good as is currently possible.

 

I don't understand how these sets have been handled when we have other examples of Shawn Murphy's work which demonstrates a great ability to mix a good sounding score. Was it a bad transfer, were the tapes damaged, was this rushed out for Star Wars Day, is this a placeholder for future releases just for Disney to flex their commercial powers to try and rid people's conscience of the sony sets? Who knows?

[Bespin 8,472]

"Degradation", it's our lot in life!

 

[Richard Penna 3,667]

Thing is, most casual fans won't notice (and I barely did) that this is the first physical release under a different rights holder. That's a really subtle detail. To the masses I suspect that this is just another re-release.

 

Hence I think that those wondering why we get these instead of proper expansions are asking a reasonable question.

[Arpy 4,145]

Obviously casual fans and listeners aren't going to care, but to someone who regularly lives and breathes the scores, the remasters are imposters!

[Manakin Skywalker 4,889]

Not to mention most casuals don't seem to know what "remastered" means. I've had at least a dozen people ask me on YouTube why it says "remastered" but doesn't contain any new music. I had to explain to them the difference between "remastered" and "expanded".

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

What did they think "remastered" meant?

[Manakin Skywalker 4,889]

Expanded.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Interesting.

[rough cut 1,714]

I’m not defending this debacle by any means, but remastered doesn’t equal better by default.

 

There are lots of instances where labels remastered classic, best selling material, slapped a “remastered” sticker on the cover and sold “old milk as new.”

 

But the remasters might end up sounding worse than the old releases!

 

There’s been some Marvin Gaye compilations that has had this problem. Also, MJ’s Bad 25 comes to mind.

 

But I guess there’s a difference... because for those releases, it sounds as if the producers actually tried to make it better - but failed due to... ... different preferences, maybe?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Often those different preferences are "make it louder" influenced by tin ears and no taste. I've sought out old, first press CD releases just because it's less likely the sound has been tampered with.

[rough cut 1,714]

Yes. Also, hiss is removed at the expense of depth.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

2 hours ago, rough cut said:

But I guess there’s a difference... because for those releases, it sounds as if the producers actually tried to make it better - but failed due to... ... different preferences, maybe?

 

Its not about making something sound better, its about making it sound different.

[Arpy 4,145]

18 minutes ago, Stefancos said:

 

Its not about making something sound better, its about making it sound different.

Why not both?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Not always feasible i guess. 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Why try to make it sound different if it can't be improved?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Sales.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Just make it sound the same, which saves them from having to pay someone to remaster it.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The Prequels are worth it. OT is pointless because they already sound good as released by Sony and they retain the real edits.

 

This is the first remaster of music from II and III and they sound punchier and more dynamic. The alternate mixes are interesting even if they may not exactly be done correctly. 

 

Empire and Jedi sound best on the RSO OSTs. SW is debatable I guess.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The RSO of ROTJ is all you need!