tpigeon 3 Posted May 3, 2003 Share Posted May 3, 2003 If there is one score by John Williams that is least talked about on this Board, it very well may be Nixon. I've only heard small samples of the score. From what I've hear it reminds me of JFK, whose theme I love but is another score which I do not have of his that I wish I did. Recently I ordered Nixon from amazon.com and I'm interested to know what Williams' most loyal fans think about it before it arrives at my house.Ted, expecting a somewhat dark and solemn score Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker 5 Posted May 3, 2003 Share Posted May 3, 2003 Expect lots of high praise for "The Turbulent Years" and deservedly so.Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scissorhands 16 Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 You are right, Nixon is not commented here very much (though we talked about it yesterday in the chatroom!!! ).The Turbulent Years is a vivid track with a couple of (astonishing) themes.Growing Up In Winter is the contrary: relaxed, very nice cue with Tim Morrison's trumpet, pure Williams of the 90's (you'll listen to this same theme in the also calm "Makiing a Comeback).And you also have the JFK/JP/Sleepers-like action tracks (can't say if it's really action, as I never saw the film): "The Ellsberg Break-in and Watergate" and "Love Field".And, finally, Miami Convention and Farewell Scene have both great endings.This score really deserved the nomination. Like ALL his 90's scores, it's a masterpiece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eplicon 53 Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 Williams did a fun in-joke for the film, quoting a quick bit of JFK in a scene where Nixon and his men are discussing Kennedy's impending arrival in Dallas."The Turbulent Years" is primarily the music written for the long trailer, with its 40 second opening actually being the prologue of the film (the big brassy motifs before it segues to the chimes, high strings, and piano bit).When I had reviewed the album several years ago for FSM, I noted that "The Farewell Scene" was a bit like "Fanfare for the Common Man" in some ways, since it underscores Nixon's final speech and his return to civilian life. Stone did show a lot of the dark side of Nixon, and did try to have a sympathetic portroyal all the same given Nixon's humble beginnings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris ChrusherComix 46 Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 The Meeting With Mao is a STUNNING and BEAUTIFUL cue. Turbulent Years is a masterpiece. It's an underrated score. Couldn't sit through the movie though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanticStrings 10 Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 It's kind of funny, but I just bought that soundtrack a few days ago in Italy. I love it. It seems to me a mix of JP, The Lost World, The Patriot, and other things, but it is very good (although, if it reminds me of those scores, then it must be good, IMHO). It was a good investment of 13,40 EUR (15.0603 USD).~Conor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 Turbulent Years=Imperial March.I bought this score from the used rack back in December and it's slowly growing on me. (It's funny how I find some of my favorite scores on the used rack. I found Air Force One there and I listen to it daily.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue_Leader 2 Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 You gotta wonder what kind of messed up political views JW has on Nixon when he uses the "Imperial March" in the Nixon score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 Why wouldn't they be Stone's messed up political views? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam 1 Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 The first three notes of the main theme are the same as the Imperial March but it is in a much higher register with a more complicated 6/4 rythem and the notes that follow aren't similar. Therefore, I don't think they are that closely related. The music for the Miami Convention is incredible, especially if hear with the film. Its the one goosebump moment in the movie for me althought the entire score is effective. I'd like to hear again the Turbulent Years with the Nixon trailer with which it was written for. The couple times JW has written trailer music its been amazing.- Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 I think Turbulent Years would have made a great SW action cue,too bad it's wasted on another movies trailer .it's more similar to The Droid Battle from TPM than Imperial MarchK.M.tired of re-loading the page and re-writing his posts because he gets Invalid Session all the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam 1 Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 The Turbulent Years was perfect for the trailer. It creates the sense of the dark, brooding Nixon as well as creating the feeling of a high-stakes political caper which ratchets up the anticipation level higher and higher... If anything it makes the film seem a lot better than it is, which is I guess what trailers are supposed to do. If only TPM could have allowed for that kind of dramatic writing...The Droid Battle? Don't really hear that connection, IMHO.- Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 It's more similar to the British Dragoons motif in The Patriot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris ChrusherComix 46 Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 I do think that Williams did waste that theme on that film. What little I saw of the movie (before I blacked out), that theme seemed totally out of place. It's like a dramatic and powerful "attack" action cue, not something for a president getting on Air Force One or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam 1 Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 The theme was written for the trailer and used very sparingly in the film. Its not really used for the character of Nixon in the film. Mostly it is used for the flashbacks of the 1960s, with protesters getting beat up by the police. Thus the name, The Turbulent Years. Had JW used the theme for Nixon getting on Airforce One, of course it would be inappropriate. But he didn't. And again I think it works fine in the film and spectacularly in the trailer, IMHO. - Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpigeon 3 Posted May 13, 2003 Author Share Posted May 13, 2003 I just got the cd today and it is amazing! I absolutely love The Turbulent Years. It being the first track and all, it knocked my socks. And I was surprised with the score as a whole. Once again, Williams has amazed me.Ted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,346 Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 tpigeon wrote:If there is one score by John Williams that is least talked about on this Board, it very well may be Nixon. I've only heard small samples of the score. From what I've hear it reminds me of JFK, whose theme I love but is another score which I do not have of his that I wish I did. Funny how opinions can be different. For me, JFK is the real masterpiece here. I even like the synths he used in some of the tracks. I wouldn't compare Nixon with JFK except that they are both directed by Stone. Nixon brings a whole other atmosphere that I leave for you to discover.For what it's worth, the music of Nixon('95) is written in the same period as Sabrina('95) and Sleepers('96), the post Schindler's List area. They are all part of his so-called retirement comeback period which I not too fond of. Do yourself a favor, get JFK ASAP! ----------------Alex Cremers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpigeon 3 Posted May 13, 2003 Author Share Posted May 13, 2003 I wish I could, it's out of print.Ted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 Chris is right about Meeting with Mao. When he first posted that, I hadn't really heard it. Then it came up on my playlist (that thing's a lot like a radio) one day and it really stunned me. That four-note motif and the orchestration are so perfect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpigeon 3 Posted May 30, 2003 Author Share Posted May 30, 2003 Has anyone noticed that the first track sounds a lot like Across the Stars?Ted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 Oh no...not again...Stefancos- who doesn't hear it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpigeon 3 Posted May 30, 2003 Author Share Posted May 30, 2003 Steef, listen to the segment from 2:58 to 3:05. It's just a brass driven version of Across the Stars. It shows up again from 3:34 to 3:40. and then again at 3:51.Ted, who thinks those parts sound exactly like Across the Stars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 Oh yes that, it sounds a bit similar (are they the same notes), but i don't find it disturbing in any way.Both themes have a completely different feel to if, and i doubt the similarities are intentional.To me The Love Theme from AOTC still sounds more like the Main Theme from Star Wars then anything else.Stefancos- who had to remove a lot of dust from his Nixon CD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpigeon 3 Posted May 30, 2003 Author Share Posted May 30, 2003 Oh yes that, it sounds a bit similar (are they the same notes), but i don't find it disturbing in any way.Both themes have a completely different feel to if, and i doubt the similarities are intentional.To me The Love Theme from AOTC still sounds more like the Main Theme from Star Wars then anything else.Stefancos- who had to remove a lot of dust from his Nixon CD. I feel the exact same way. I notice it every time I hear it, but it doesn't bother me all that much for the reasons you pointed out. And I've always felt that Across the Stars was derived from the main title rather than a rip off of Hook.Ted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trumpeteer 302 Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 To me The Love Theme from AOTC still sounds more like the Main Theme from Star Wars then anything else.I feel the exact same way. ...I've always felt that Across the Stars was derived from the main title rather than a rip off of Hook.TedThe love theme is a variation on Luke and Leia's separate themes. At least that's my interpretation.Jeff -- whose Nixon CD always gets a healthy play now and then (trying to get back on topic) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Coscina 3 Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 One of the cues not represented on the disc is the music where Richard is speaking to his mom after his older brother's funeral. The string elegy is so moving. And Williams moves into his secondary theme beautifully (the five chord string progression that epitomizes Nixon's character). I wish Williams could have included that on the soundtrack in favor of some of the darker dense material.As it stands, I love "Meeting with Mao". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trumpeteer 302 Posted June 2, 2003 Share Posted June 2, 2003 That secondary theme you are referring to is not really a theme for Nixon. It's a theme for the Nixon family, primarily. You hear it mostly in the flashbacks to Richard Nixon living in Whittier. Its best use is in "Losing a Brother." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue_Leader 2 Posted June 4, 2003 Share Posted June 4, 2003 Why wouldn't they be Stone's messed up political views?Well Stone didn't do the score. That is Williams' turf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hlao-roo 389 Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 I'm wondering when Williams will work with Oliver Stone again.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scissorhands 16 Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Alexander the Great?Hope so!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hlao-roo 389 Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Alexander the Great?Hope so!!!!Me too. Alexander is so different from any of the assignments Williams has tackled for Stone, or, indeed, anything he has tackled before. But given that Williams hasn't worked with Stone in eight years and that he's already committed to the next Harry Potter film and, of course, the next Spielberg film, Alexander doesn't seem a likely 2004 scoring project for Williams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock 11 Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Also, it seems Stone's Alexander isn't going to be a historical epic, or have need for a big dramatic theme. It seems that Stone is doing a movie about the personal life of Alexander, talking about split personality, Oediphul (SP) complex and homo sexuality. Yipee. Luhrman seems to be doing a more traditinal movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hlao-roo 389 Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Also, it seems Stone's Alexander isn't going to be a historical epic, or have need for a big dramatic theme. It seems that Stone is doing a movie about the personal life of Alexander, talking about split personality, Oediphul (SP) complex and homo sexuality. Yipee.Kinda like Nixon (in which case I guess it wouldn't be so different such a different kind of movie for Williams to score). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Lewis 6 Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Luhrman seems to be doing a more traditinal movie.That is a statement I never thought I'd hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morn 8 Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Williams always uses a big theme, hehe, I'm hoping for several in Alexander. Plus some military marches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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