Harry Potter 7CD Collection - SAMPLES and clips discussion

[Disco Stu 15,495]

18 minutes ago, King Mark said:

 

yeah but I don' t get it. Full chronological order was the accepted way  to go for the past several expansions and now we start seeing start combined cues in the wrong order like Williams does for his OST's and we've complained about that for years.

 

Why make it 99% chronological the change the order of 1 or 2 cues ..Kind of sticks out and not fitting with the rest if you ask me

 

 

 

Matessino in his latest interview with David W. Collins for The Soundtrack Show specifically says that he's been moving more towards accounting for "listening experience" while also making sure releases are complete recently.

[King Mark 3,631]

But on scores we've tried painstakingly to recreate with edits (like the Star Wars Prequels) , it might be heartbreaking and very jarring  to have a few cues out of order in the official release

[Holko 9,526]

In this Potter tracklist, at first I was semi-baffled to see so many sessions cues separated that I've grown to know as one from the most prominent fanedit(s), and work quite well when joined, so weirdly it'll be more of a move back to that session form from the listening experience. Oh well, I'll see what it's like.

[redishere 697]

I kinda agree with @King Mark: sure, it's not a major issue, and as I said, I like how those two cues work together if switched. "The Library" is overall a tense cue, while "Transformation Class" starts with a lighter tone before going full creepy, so this way you have a tonally dark-light-dark track. But I really don't think the listening experience would've changed that much if they stuck with the chronological order. I didn't check the rest of the tracklist for this boxset, but if this is the only track with switched cues, two opposite thoughts come to my mind:

1) It's not that big of a deal
2)  …but were there just two cues that needed to be switched to grant a better listening experience? 

As King Mark said, why make it 99% chronological? 
It's like they like messing with my OCD 😂

[Holko 9,526]

There's switching around of some basically unknown cues in Azkaban, but that's all I've noticed.

 

[Once 605]

If every cue has a clean start and ending I don’t care about the order.

[redishere 697]

3 minutes ago, Holko said:

dark-light-dark, you mean?

 

Yeah, fixed it: the wait for the HP collection is slowly damaging my mind  

[Bilbo 3,709]

5 minutes ago, redishere said:

I kinda agree with @King Mark: sure, it's not a major issue, and as I said, I like how those two cues work together if switched. "The Library" is overall a tense cue, while "Transformation Class" starts with a lighter tone before going full creepy, so this way you have a tonally dark-light-light track. But I really don't think the listening experience would've changed that much if they stuck with the chronological order. I didn't check the rest of the tracklist for this boxset, but if this is the only track with switched cues, two opposite thoughts come to my mind:

1) It's not that big of a deal
2)  …but were there just two cues that needed to be switched to grant a better listening experience? 

As King Mark said, why make it 99% chronological? 
It's like they like messing with my OCD 😂

 

Its baffling. The same thing happened with Titanic last year. I hate this “listening experience” shite. Does that mean the listening experience in the film isn’t what it could be? The composer made a mistake? We have OSTs for listening experience. 

[TSMefford 1,509]

5 minutes ago, Once said:

If every cue has a clean start and ending I don’t care about the order.

 

Agreed.

[redishere 697]

12 minutes ago, TSMefford said:

 

Agreed.

 

Yeah the two I mentioned could easily be cut apart and switched again, I think.

[Holko 9,526]

Just looking over the tracklist for the order when I see The Train Station and The Flying Car! Hell yeah, transition recreated. Aragog could've been merged with Spiders Attack, though. And mabe with Follow the Spiders while we're at that. And some other CoS pairs.

[Pieter Boelen 740]

44 minutes ago, King Mark said:

Could you imagine  Neil (formely Indysolo) if they released Superman or Raiders with even 1 cue in the wrong order

Don't know him well enough for that.

But when I'm mentioning purely my own preferences here, I see no need to consider what others want.

 

Have to admit though that it's interesting to see people here who are more OCD than me.

 

21 minutes ago, Bilbo said:

 

Its baffling. The same thing happened with Titanic last year. I hate this “listening experience” shite. Does that mean the listening experience in the film isn’t what it could be? The composer made a mistake? We have OSTs for listening experience. 

Films aren't made with listening experience in mind and the composer serves the film.

But that doesn't mean that the film order is necessarily musically the best order.

It's got nothing to do with the composer making a mistake. As composed, it was right for the film. But it can be even better.

 

So who's going to make the poll on this subject?

[Mr. Who 919]

5 minutes ago, Holko said:

Just looking over the tracklist for the order when I see The Train Station and The Flying Car! Hell yeah, transition recreated. Aragog could've been merged with Spiders Attack, though. And mabe with Follow the Spiders while we're at that. And some other CoS pairs.

Yes this is a nice film edit, how the rising melody goes into the flying car cue in the movie.

 

I don't really care about combined tracks as long as they don't cross fade cues, however I always prefer to listen to scores in chronological order, makes more sense thematically (but a cue here and there doesn't really matter).

4 minutes ago, Pieter_Boelen said:

Don't know him well enough for that.

But when I'm mentioning purely my own preferences here, I see no need to consider what others want.

 

Have to admit though that it's interesting to see people here who are more OCD than me.

 

Films aren't made with listening experience in mind and the composer serves the film.

But that doesn't mean that the film order is necessarily musically the best order.

 It's got nothing to do with the composer making a mistake. As composed, it was right for the film. But it can be even better.

 

So who's going to make the poll on this subject?

But if you listen to the Lord of the Rings complete recordings, doesn't it make much more sense thematically to listen in chronological order?

[Holko 9,526]

I can barely even think of the LotR scores as cues in some order, it's a breathing fabric of melody and texture and it just is the way it is. Only one or two necessary evils dent it in RotK.

[Josh500 1,615]

22 minutes ago, Pieter_Boelen said:

So who's going to make the poll on this subject?

 

I would, except that's one topic I don't care about one bit.

 

If anything, my opinion is, the composer should have all the freedom to decide the order in which to present their score (within reason). If some people don't like that, why, they should just rewatch the movie! There they have the score in full chronological order. Hell, they act as if they can't make their own edit of the album.... Nothing easier than that! Sheesh! 

 

For me, the two most important things are (1) that the score is complete, i.e. all the cues are there, and (2) the sound quality. That's it.

[Brundlefly 2,385]

Why are so many people longing for these freakin' clean starts and endings? What's the purpose of all that? Sure, if a bunch of cues that doesn't really fit together has badly done transitions, that is one thing (greetings from The Sum of All Fears at this point). However, if we have all the music and, even better, a musical flow that exceeds the stop-motion-effect of the painstakingly complete and chronological presentation, what is the point then? You are supposed to listen to an album. It is about the music, not about... whatever some of you think it is all about. I have to admit I prefer that album producer's new mentality over the C&C mentality. Intrada's The Mummy was C&C and it was still far away from a great release. If you instead want these film edit compromises as long as it's C&C then that's your problem. So be happy about the Harry Potter set or [what publicist said].

[publicist 4,643]

In this very case, all the score releases had the right length, give or take 10 minutes - just not the best material chosen. That's if i go for listening purposes, which is as far from the OCD mentality on display here you can get. But a bit of a reality check is in order here: when i really have nothing better to do in life than yammering and handwringing over minor film score cues shuffled around a bit - and that's my biggest contribution in a thread devoted to *MUSIC* i supposedly have a deep affection for, that's a pretty sad state of affairs. 

[Alan 689]

Chronological just doesn't bother me too much any more.

 

From these special releases I want the best possible presentation of the music. The music is what matters here and if someone with the ear, skill and experience of Mike Matessino decides that two cues sound better in a different order I am more than happy to accept that. We still get all the music - does it really matter if it plays in a usually very slightly different order than it does in the final film edit?

[redishere 697]

5 minutes ago, publicist said:

In this very case, all the score releases had the right length, give or take 10 minutes - just not the best material chosen. That's if i go for listening purposes, which is as far from the OCD mentality on display here you can get. But a bit of a reality check is in order here: when i really have nothing better to do in life than yammering and handwringing over minor film score cues shuffled around a bit - and that's my biggest contribution in a thread devoted to *MUSIC* i supposedly have a deep affection for, that's a pretty sad state of affairs. 

 

Nah, it’s not a big deal. The set is perfect. I was just wondering why they made some choices, but I’m far from unhappy or angry! Ordered a pizza, watching CoS for the 394th time. It’s a great time to be a JWFan. 👌🏼

[mstrox 6,651]

Excellent pizza box!

[bollemanneke 3,348]

Okay, so more people are bothered by chronology than a handful of written POA cues that don't appear here. Fine.

[Josh500 1,615]

@redishere Never seen such a pizza box! Which city in which country do you live?

2 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

Okay, so more people are bothered by chronology than a handful of written POA cues that don't appear here. Fine.

 

Which cues don't appear in the set again? 

[bollemanneke 3,348]

Particularly everything containing the alternate window to the past theme.

[publicist 4,643]

3 minutes ago, Alan said:

The music is what matters here and if someone with the ear, skill and experience of Mike Matessino decides that two cues sound better in a different order I am more than happy to accept that. 

 

Or...John Williams, for that matter. Who has a mixed track record, for sure, but still, he obviously can watch a movie scene ten times and still knows that you can't just present a 150 minute score without editorializing the content at least in some way.

[Alan 689]

We don't even know how many of the POA alternates were recorded. We've been told that nothing of note has been left off the set.

[Josh500 1,615]

2 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

Particularly everything containing the alternate window to the past theme.

 

The cues are all there! It's just about the alternates! For me, the alternates don't matter so much. 

 

I don't need all the alternates recorded. They had to make some choices. They can't possibly include everything recorded. Then we'd have a 14 CD set rather than 7 CDs.

 

 

[bollemanneke 3,348]

What? I mean each cue that was recorded, not each take.

[publicist 4,643]

There is the concert piece with the different string bridge but it was obviously written after the score. This would be a notable omission, i don't think Williams wrote long spectacular alternates for those cues as i. e. in Empire of the Sun.

[Josh500 1,615]

2 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

What? I mean each cue that was recorded, not each take.

 

But each cue that was used in the movie is on the set! 

 

The alternates are just different versions /slight variations of certain cues. And I don't need to have all of those! Just the especially interesting ones.

[bollemanneke 3,348]

There are a number of full alternates in the sheet music for REmembering Mother, Harry and Sirius etc.

[publicist 4,643]

And you have read them and can confirm that these are what you are claiming? Notable alternates containing different musical approaches?

[bollemanneke 3,348]

Yes, they are different.

[Once 605]

They feature a completely different theme. We don’t know for sure if they were recorded, though. And Williams might not want them released, if he finds them inferior to the final theme/tracks.

[mrbellamy 6,287]

 

This is my mock-up of the Remembering Mother (Lupin/Harry on bridge) alternate. The leaked sheet music also does indeed have different cues for Harry/Sirius looking at the castle and I believe Harry/Lupin in the forest that don’t feature the final Past theme. But again, no clues as to whether these were recorded.

[Josh500 1,615]

I consider alternates, in general, as bonuses. 

 

It's like the bloopers on the DVD special features. It's fun to have them, but these scenes (takes) were not used or discarded for a reason. It's fun to have them sometimes, and they sometimes give us insights into the creative processes, but we don't have any right to them.

[Once 605]

Of course we don’t have any right to them. I’d never argue that we do.

I would just love to listen to them.

[Josh500 1,615]

Well, some things we'll never be able to get, and that's okay. This is one of those things.

 

Really, just the fact that we're getting the complete scores on CD, in perfect quality, makes me happy beyond words. I don't need (or even want) all the unused and/or discarded alternates as well.

[Once 605]

I hope you don’t think I’m complaining. This 7-disc box set is more than I could ever dream of. I’m 110% satisfied with and excited about the Potter scores getting this careful treatment.

 

At the same time I would love to listen to the alternates Williams wrote for Azkaban. It doesn’t take any excitement away from me that they probably aren’t included in the set, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to be curious about these alternates. They are vastly different from the final result, after all.

[redishere 697]

13 minutes ago, Josh500 said:

I consider alternates, in general, as bonuses. 

 

It's like the bloopers on the DVD special features. It's fun to have them, but these scenes (takes) were not used or discarded for a reason. It's fun to have them sometimes, and they sometimes give us insights into the creative processes, but we don't have any right to them.

 

Speaking of bonus content: tried to rewatch the ultimate edition for HP1 and 2.
The editing is awful, and actually made me realize I prefer the movies without the extended/deleted scenes.
Anyone knows if the soundtrack they put in those scenes is all tracked?

[Once 605]

It’s hard to judge wether the scenes even work because the editing is so amateurish.

[Holko 9,526]

Yes, it's all tracked as far as I remember, some puzzling choices.

[mrbellamy 6,287]

2 minutes ago, Once said:

I hope you don’t think I’m complaining. This 7-disc box set is more than I could ever dream of. I’m 110% satisfied with and excited about the Potter scores getting this careful treatment.

 

At the same time I would love to listen to the alternates Williams wrote for Azkaban. It doesn’t take any excitement away from me that they probably aren’t included in the set, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to be curious about these alternates. They are vastly different from the final result, after all.

 

Yes, plus the extra fun of the alternates is getting “new” John Williams Harry Potter music after all these years. 

[Jay 37,364]

5 minutes ago, redishere said:

 

Speaking of bonus content: tried to rewatch the ultimate edition for HP1 and 2.
The editing is awful, and actually made me realize I prefer the movies without the extended/deleted scenes.
Anyone knows if the soundtrack they put in those scenes is all tracked?

 

It's not all tracked.  For example, the bird/whomping willow one restores JW's intentions.

The extended Christmas scene from HPCOS restores the full length cue (debuting on the new set)

 

Doesn't the Sir Cadogan deleted scene use the Sir Cadogan cue too?

[Pieter Boelen 740]

1 hour ago, Mr. Who said:

But if you listen to the Lord of the Rings complete recordings, doesn't it make much more sense thematically to listen in chronological order?

I barely listen to those, but of course I should.

Of course virtually always chronological will be the way to go and I'm not advocating throwing it all way out of whack.

But in some cases, once in a while, an alternative approach here and there can improve things further.

[Once 605]

I think it’s only PS and CoS that’s been released as extended editions, though.

[TSMefford 1,509]

37 minutes ago, Once said:

I think it’s only PS and CoS that’s been released as extended editions, though.

 

Azkaban has had one air on Television, but they have not released it on disc

 

EDIT: Forgot the NOT. Pretty important.

[bollemanneke 3,348]

43 minutes ago, Holko said:

Yes, it's all tracked as far as I remember, some puzzling choices.

Yeah, Dobby and his cake get Dumbledore's office and for some reason the Hedwig's theme statement just before the Mandrake class has the wrong pitch while HP2's Christmas cue is repeated twice in two minutes. You can just tell they didn't give a damn when putting them together, I wonder why they bothered in the first place and then didn't do 3-8 (the ABC releases aren't approved by directors or WB, I think).

[TSMefford 1,509]

25 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

Yeah, Dobby and his cake get Dumbledore's office and for some reason the Hedwig's theme statement just before the Mandrake class has the wrong pitch while HP2's Christmas cue is repeated twice in two minutes. You can just tell they didn't give a damn when putting them together, I wonder why they bothered in the first place and then didn't do 3-8 (the ABC releases aren't approved by directors or WB, I think).

 

They did do 3, 4, and 5 just never released it. 6-8 do not have them.

 

EDIT: Actually Goblet of Fire was also extended for TV broadcast as well.

EDIT 2: 3 and 4 were done oddly though. Not all scenes are included. Just some of them.

 

Also I assume the extended cuts are approved by WB since they included 1 and 2 with numerous official releases.

 

EDIT 3: More research shows that they did also extend 5 as well.

[crumbs 14,316]

5 hours ago, Datameister said:

Both versions of Train to Hogwarts were recorded; one was heard in the film, and the other was heard somewhere in the DVDs - a menu or special feature or something. Can't remember. But regardless, it'll be wonderful to have both of them clean...both versions are truly chilling, in the best way. It's a rare case where I can't pick which version of the cue I prefer!

 

Sadly, at this stage we have no confirmation it's been included... but hopefully it's hidden in there somewhere (it sounds amazing!)

 

In MM we trust!

[redishere 697]

Rewatching HP2 was weird ‘cause I didn’t remember how low the soundtrack is mixed: another reason why this boxset will be a treat. Even if one’s familiar with the movies, it’ll be like discovering some music all over again!

 

3 hours ago, mstrox said:

Excellent pizza box!

 

It’s so hideous it’s actually hilarious 😂

Italy has some pretty disturbing pizza boxes - there’s even a FB page collecting the worst ones

3 hours ago, Josh500 said:

@redishere Never seen such a pizza box! Which city in which country do you live?

 

I’m in Tuscany, Italy, but pizza boxes are horribly creative pretty much everywhere here 😀