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Main Title from Star Trek-The Motion Picture. Film Version vs Album Version (Poll)


SyncMan

Main Title from Star Trek-The Motion Picture. Film Version vs Album Version (Poll)  

18 members have voted

  1. 1. Which version of the main title cue from Star Trek: The Motion Picture do you prefer?

    • Album version with the timpani in the pick-up measure
      5
    • Film version with the snare drum in the pick-up measure
      13


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The LLL CD set gave us two slightly different versions of the main title cue from ST:TMP.  The only difference is in the pick-up measure (or ‘anacrusis’ measure)--the incomplete measure just before the first full measure in a score.

The first sound from this cue that we hear in the pick-up measure is from one instrument-the percussion.

In the film version of the main tile, conducted by Lionel Newman, the percussion in the pick-up measure was a snare drum.  In the album version, conducted by Goldsmith, the percussion was a timpani.

My first Goldsmtih album was ST:TMP and I was listening to it years before I would see the film for the first time via ABC-TV’s network television premiere airing.

I prefer the film version of the main title because the booming-ness of the snare drum gets your attention.

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Same.  The album version is a bit muddier, less crisp and military.

 

I LOVE all the raw takes on the LLL CD.  So fun to hear it evolve.

 

James Horner likes the album version better, and decided to start Battle Beyond the Stars identically.

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Always refreshing to think of Trek in times when we are being bombarded with Wars. :D

 

I helped myself to a LD rip of the TPM “Special Longer Version”. Really looking forward to watching it! I listen to the LLL set so much, but it has been years since I’ve seen the movie.

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  • 1 year later...

Film version definitely. Just love the forceful, military sound of the snares, and of course the remastered audio in the La La Land release doesn't hurt. 

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Yay, old threads. I like both...I guess I might have a slight preference for the film version as far as the percussion goes. Performance-wise, I prefer the album take overall. But the percussion question is like asking whether the Star Wars main title sounds better with or without the snare drum...I don't find the timpani-only recordings to be lacking anything, but the addition of the snare after the first film adds something cool too.

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6 hours ago, superultramegaa said:

Just love the forceful, military sound of the snares

 

Which exactly describes why it's a doubtful opening choice for Roddenberry's gentle vision.

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8 hours ago, publicist said:

 

Which exactly describes why it's a doubtful opening choice for Roddenberry's gentle vision.

That doesn't have to apply to every aspect though. Star Trek TNG Season 1 was "part of Roddenberry's gentle vision", and guess what? It sucked. Not to mention that the military sound is just that, a sound.

 

In fact it's perfect as a theme for Star Trek / the federation. Fun, mostly light-hearted, strong adventure theme with a hint of military. 

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Makes no difference to me (which alas wasn't a poll option). I've never been into this 'different versions' thing. I have the Sony release, which is fine.

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The film version is just an obviously better performance and the snares have a lot more impact. So that.

26 minutes ago, Thor said:

Makes no difference to me (which alas wasn't a poll option). I've never been into this 'different versions' thing.

I'm going to regret this, but...

 

Why even enter such a thread to look at such a poll and why want your opinion to be heard so badly when your opinion... is that you don't have an opinion? :lol:

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38 minutes ago, Thor said:

Because I wanted to. Sometimes, indifference is a statement too.


Yeah but it’s got to the stage where we all is you’re going to be indifferent about anything that isn’t the OST and what’s on the OST. 

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1 hour ago, Holko said:

The film version is just an obviously better performance and the snares have a lot more impact. So that.

I'm going to regret this, but...

 

Why even enter such a thread to look at such a poll and why want your opinion to be heard so badly when your opinion... is that you don't have an opinion? :lol:

 

Because it's @Thor. I mean, sure, we all know exactly what his opinions are on any recording that doesn't make it onto an OST...but imagine if someone new stumbled across the forum and didn't know that film composers are wasting their time with those recordings! ;)

 

(Here's my usual disclaimer that I think album sequencing does matter and there actually is a lot of value in creating an abridged program. But I arrived at that conclusion in spite of Thor's extremism, not because of it.)

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Can't believe I didn't know about this difference before, which is weird as I read the liner notes and ST:TMP is easily one of my favourite scores. But definitely, prefer the snare version. Although I have to say that the STV:TFF onwards version with the Courage fanfare is probably my favourite.

 

I still wish I could get to the bottom of the slight orchestration changes between the TMP version of the theme and the STV version onwards. It may just be the ways it's performed but the version from TMP is definitely slightly different from those used in the later movies.

 

I will reiterate my minority view that TMP would have been better starting with the V'Ger music to give the opening a more mysterious tone... the credits could have appeared over a star field as the V'Ger cloud appeared into view, segueing into the Klingon Battle as the Klingon ships appeared after the credits had finished.

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I'm not sure why some of you are bringing the ol' 'complete & chronological' discussion into this. What has that got to do with the price of tea in China?

 

This was about different versions of themes, something that's never really been a point of interest for me - whether it's album vs. film versions (like in this case), or various rerecorded album versions. Hearing a different version can sometimes hold academic interest, I'll give you that, but if there's one I like, I'll stick with that. It's usually whatever is put on the OST.

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I didn't know you've moved to China.

 

14 hours ago, publicist said:

 

Which exactly describes why it's a doubtful opening choice for Roddenberry's gentle vision.

 

I'm sure Morricone hated that version.

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20 minutes ago, The Big Man said:

What the hell is Steve responding to?

I responded to a Thor opinion from a different thread here because I conflated all things together.  

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1 minute ago, SteveMc said:

I responded to a Thor opinion from a different thread here because I conflated all things together.  

 

See? See?! This is what I mean. Everyone here thinks he's the OST guy, and everything he says is informed by that ideology, no matter how tenuous or remote!

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  • 10 months later...

A tidbit from Mike M. regarding the selecting of a take from 'Main Title' for the 2001 'Director's Edition':

Quote

Jerry asked if we would use the album take of the main title, not Bob. I think it's because he conducted it as opposed to the '79 film version, which was conducted by Lionel. 

https://filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=146921&forumID=1&archive=0&pageID=3&r=331#bottom

 

When asked what take would be used in the 2022 'Director's Edition'...

Quote

I'm not programmed to respond in that area. You'll hear when the movie starts!

In the meantime, maybe start a wager?

 

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  • 8 months later...

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