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John Powell's HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (2010) - 2020 Varese 2CD Deluxe Edition


Smaug The Iron

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Now that this is available fairly cheaply on digital, I ended up picking this up.  Given everyone's love for this one (and based on what I've read here, based on the more natural sound of this release), I'm excited to give this score another chance and see if it does something for me.

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I watched the film for a second time with my kid a month or two ago.  Shrug.  Haven't rewatched the second movie yet, but I recall that being even worse.  Never bothered watching the third.

 

Heartbeatwise, my Fitbit shows it was somewhere around here.  Snooze-o-Rama.  7C57C28B-BEDD-422F-B40C-2F9060B30FB7.jpeg

 

Don't mean to be a downer - like I said, I'm hoping I'll get more out of the score on this listen!

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15 minutes ago, mstrox said:

I watched the film for a second time with my kid a month or two ago.  Shrug.  Haven't rewatched the second movie yet, but I recall that being even worse.  Never bothered watching the third.

 

Heartbeatwise, my Fitbit shows it was somewhere around here.  Snooze-o-Rama.  7C57C28B-BEDD-422F-B40C-2F9060B30FB7.jpeg

 

Don't mean to be a downer - like I said, I'm hoping I'll get more out of the score on this listen!

 

What happened after the film?!?

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  • 2 weeks later...

The album.

I created new track titles to better represent the scenes.

 

This is a score that can only be fully appreciated with the film.

 

Enjoy!

20201227_121741.jpg

TotaI time: 60 minutes

 

Note: track numbers are from the DELUXE edition

disc one. Last five tracks are disc two.

 

 

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On 10/17/2020 at 6:30 PM, Spider-Fal said:

I think that is a Viking Warrior variation.

1:49, not entirely sure, probably a B section of one of the themes, or it was overlooked.

BTW here is a mastering comparison of the Final battle track:
 

0Ewupm.png

Can you explain what I'm looking at and describe the differences?

Thanks!

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It's a visual display of the literal volume of the audio (in decibels), with one row representing one channel of audio.

 

So the top 2 rows are the left and right channel of a particular OST album track, the bottom two rows are the left and right channel of the same cue on the DE album.

 

You can tell just by looking that they boosted the volume of the OST album, pushing most of the track towards the same max volume level.  Then if you look at the DE track rows, you can see that the volume is not boosted there, it's more natural, with many small peaks of loudness (as the musicians naturally reached it), rather than the "wall of loudness" look the same recording has on the OST track.

 

Basically it's a visual representation how one recording can be mastered in two different ways, at least as volume levels are concerned.

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Compressing the LOUDEST and QUIETEST moments can sometimes make sense in an symphonic recording e.g " The Unanswered Question".

But, it's a terrible practice in general.

The ost of HTTYD was universally criticized - and not just by audiophiles.

It also was poorly mixed- individual parts lacked clarifty.

But , it does prove one thing:

Great music shines through and sound quality is secondary in importance ( though it is important).😁

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  • 4 weeks later...

Has anyone drawn up a list of which tracks contain previously unreleased music?  My initial sense is that every new cue is less than a minute long.  Is that right?

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  • 4 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...
On 6/30/2021 at 12:38 PM, Jay said:

I decided to listen to this album today and in doing so realized there was a bunch of mistakes & omissions in my old theme list, so I updated it

 

In order of first appearance,

 

Hiccup and Toothless / Flight / Main Theme

  • 01 This Is Berk (Revised Intro) 0:04, 0:42 {B}
  • 02 This Is Berk 0:44 {B}
  • 08 Wounded 0:15, 0:50 {B}, 1:07
  • 09 The Dragon Book 0:00
  • 12 Forbidden Friendship 2:01
  • 16 See You Tomorrow 0:08, 2:20
  • 17 Test Drive 0:22, 0:40 {B}, 1:03, 2:01 {B}
  • 18 Not So Fireproof 0:54
  • 24 Let's Find Dad 0:05
  • 25 Kill Ring / Stop The Fight 3:20
  • 27 Ready / Confront 0:35 {B}, 4:57
  • 29 Over / Less Okay 4:30, 4:46 {B}, 5:08, 5:55 {B}
  • 32 Where's Hiccup 1:20, 1:43 {B}, 2:14
  • 33 Coming Back Around 1:17, 1:34 {B}, 2:02, 2:19 {B}

    Viking Fun Theme

    • 01 This Is Berk (Revised Intro) 0:25
    • 02 This is Berk 0:28, 1:12, 1:35, 2:10
    • 03 Anybody See That? 0:51
    • 13 New Tail 2:02
    • 19 This Time For Sure 0:09, 0:35
    • 21 Astrid Goes for a Spin 0:00, 0:30

    Viking Warrior Theme

    • 02 This Is Berk 0:00, 1:28, 2:26 {B}, 2:42
    • 03 Anybody See That? 0:31
    • 04 War Room 0:00, 0:09
    • 05 Training Out There 0:22, 2:58, 3:16
    • 07 Dragon Training 0:00, 2:02
    • 09 The Dragon Book 1:40
    • 10 Hiccup Focus 0:52, 1:10
    • 16 See You Tomorrow 3:20
    • 19 This Time For Sure 0:28
    • 26 Not A Viking 1:17
    • 27 Ready / Confront 0:06, 1:05
    • 28 Relax / Stroke / Hell 0:50
    • 30 Wings 0:25

    Viking Aspirational Tune / Enlightenment / Winds of Change

    • 02 This is Berk 1:50 {male choir variant}, 3:18
    • 03 Anybody See That? 0:22
    • 04 War Room 0:06
    • 05 Training Out There 0:48
    • 25 Kill Ring / Stop The Fight 0:06
    • 27 Ready / Confront 2:20
    • 29 Over / Less Okay 1:37, 1:52 {male choir variant}, 2:23
    • 31 Counter Attack 1:05
    • 35 The Vikings Have Their Tea 0:00, 0:50 {B}, 1:28
    • 36 The Vikings Have Their Tea (Alternate) 0:00, 0:50 {B}, 1:24

    Love Theme

    • 02 This Is Berk 3:01
    • 22 Romantic Flight 0:00, 1:13
    • 24 Let's Find Dad 0:32
    • 33 Coming Back Around 0:05, 0:40

      Dragon Theme

      • 02 This Is Berk 4:22
      • 06 Hiccup Comes Home 0:02
      • 07 Dragon Training 2:23
      • 09 The Dragon Book 0:38
      • 10 Hiccup Focus 0:02
      • 23 Dragon's Den 1:20, 2:15
      • 25 Kill Ring / Stop The Fight 1:10, 2:30, 3:45
      • 26 Not A Viking 0:09
      • 27 Ready / Confront 2:55, 3:45
      • 29 Over / Less Okay 0:15, 3:30
      • 30 Wings 0:06
      • 31 Counter Attack 0:44

      Friendship Arpeggio

      • 05 Training Out There 0:07, 3:07, 4:07
      • 09 The Dragon Book 1:08
      • 10 Hiccup Focus 0:40
      • 12 Forbidden Friendship 0:20, 1:15, 2:20
      • 16 See You Tomorrow 0:08, 2:17
      • 17 Test Drive 0:04, 1:54, 2:23
      • 20 Astrid Finds Toothless 0:06
      • 22 Romantic Flight 0:50
      • 25 Kill Ring / Stop The Fight 0:16, 4:00
      • 26 Not A Viking 0:34
      • 29 Over / Less Okay 3:58, 4:16, 5:51
      • 31 Counter Attack 0:03
      • 32 Where's Hiccup 0:50, 2:39
      • 33 Coming Back Around 0:30, 1:08

      Fate Theme / Hope For The Future

      • 05 Training Out There 1:04
      • 13 New Tail 0:16
      • 16 See You Tomorrow 0:30, 1:25, 2:32
      • 27 Ready / Confront 1:35

       

      Is there one of these on here for the other two Dragon scores?

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      I don't think so, but I'll make one when I eventually get to those scores!

       

      I mean, I've heard them before, but not many times.  Right now, I'm still loving this deluxe edition so much, I keep listening to it over and over again!  So, I haven't yet wanted to move onto the sequels scores yet because I keep being drawn to just listen to this again.

       

      I'm also kind of hoping Deluxe Editions of them get announced soon, but if now, I'll make a theme list for the their OST albums at some point.

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      • 2 weeks later...
      1 hour ago, Anthony said:

       

      Lost by Giacchino.

       

      Unfortunately I have tried many times to get into Gia music especially since his output is so numerous (Jupiter Ascending, Tomorrowland, John Carter). But I just dont like his themes, orchestrations and very dry sound mix.

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      He eventually got a better sound recorder/mixer when Dan Wallin retired, and he started using Joel Iwataki. 

       

      Though LOST is purposely a dry mix because it's a smaller orchestra. It's full of amazing themes though, Anthony is absolutely right - great recommendation for what you're looking for. If you're only familiar with his theatrical film scores, is is different. It's his masterwork. 

       

       

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      12 hours ago, Jay said:

      He eventually got a better sound recorder/mixer when Dan Wallin retired, and he started using Joel Iwataki. 

       

      Though LOST is purposely a dry mix because it's a smaller orchestra. It's full of amazing themes though, Anthony is absolutely right - great recommendation for what you're looking for. If you're only familiar with his theatrical film scores, is is different. It's his masterwork. 

       

       

       

      Thank you, I will give it a try especially since I loved the show. Any other score for a film as thematical as HTTYD/SW/LOTR?

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      I honestly can't think of any other film scores on that level, no.


      With LOST, he just kept adding and adding to his catalog of themes as the show went on, by the final season he's just constantly jumping from one to another - while simultaneously introducing new themes, including many of the best of the entire series.  It's an impressive work!

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      In terms of quantity, The Ten Commandments has like a bajillion themes, but its a golden age score (quite a few of these, especially those by Rozsa, have a decent amount of themes and motifs), so the sound quality and style could be barrier along with availability.

       

       

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      2 hours ago, Princeling1987 said:

      Any other score for a film as thematical as HTTYD/SW/LOTR?

      I love SW but I wouldn't even count it among the other two. Too inconsistent as a series.

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      8 minutes ago, Holko said:

      I love SW but I wouldn't even count it among the other two. Too inconsistent as a series.

      I don't know if he was taking that aspect into consideration, just quantity and memorability.

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      On 7/30/2021 at 2:16 PM, Holko said:

      I love SW but I wouldn't even count it among the other two. Too inconsistent as a series.

       

      I dont mind inconsistency since most of the time it is due to director's meddling with the composer's vision. I only want the themes of a score to be numerous and used in a multitude of arrangements.

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      I definitely would not call Star Wars inconsistent. Just because it isn't as immediately recognizable as Powell's Dragon work, the thematic development is much more subtle and complex. Not as user-friendly but far more satisfying in the long run.

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      6 hours ago, blondheim said:

      I definitely would not call Star Wars inconsistent.

      Why do the droids have a motif in 5, but not in any of the other films?

       

      Why does Anakin only have a theme in Episode 1?

       

      Why does Vader have two different themes between 4 and 5?

       

      Why doesn't Boba Fetts motif show up in 6? (and/or 2 if you stretch it)

       

      Why does the Dark Side/Emperor have different themes/motifs between 5 and 6?

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      44 minutes ago, Permanent Waves said:

      Why does Vader have two different themes between 4

      And why doesn't that one show up again?

      They're also inconsistently applied with ever widening associations: Leia, Luke, the Force, the Rebel Fanfare...

      It's mostly all good and developed when you look at just individual films, not when you look at them as a hypothetical whole.

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      39 minutes ago, Permanent Waves said:

      Why do the droids have a motif in 5, but not in any of the other films?

       

      Why does Anakin only have a theme in Episode 1?

       

      Why does Vader have two different themes between 4 and 5?

       

      Why doesn't Boba Fetts motif show up in 6? (and/or 2 if you stretch it)

       

      Why does the Dark Side/Emperor have different themes/motifs between 5 and 6?

       

      There are lots of carry-over structures in a lot of these that you mention. Inversions of themes, similar chord patterns and structures, etc. which was my original point. Jabba's Theme in Anakin Defeats Sebulba is just the beginning. Star Wars main theme inversions being the entire basis of the Rise of Skywalker theme. The little moment when Vader plucks Leia out of Luke's mind in Return of the Jedi appearing in Revenge of the Sith, if I'm not mistaken. The scores are chock full of these. More skilled musicologists would be able to offer more examples. John Williams wrote nine space operas, each with different dramatic needs and fulfilling each marvelously.

       

       

      I also would like to say that I don't think constant recognizable thematic statements are the standards by which we should judge all massive scores. Filmtracks has a tendency to blast reviews of sequel scores that don't use previous franchise themes and while sometimes that argument has merit, sometimes I think it comes across as lounge-chair coaching. "If I were the offensive coordinator, I would have... That man doesn't know what he's doing...." I think having a new theme for a new movie is as legitimate a musical trajectory as continuing to evolve the same theme

       

       

       

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      15 hours ago, Permanent Waves said:

      Why does Anakin only have a theme in Episode 1?

       

       

      To be fair this theme really only represents kid Anakin, and even has hints of the Imperial March, which obviously superseded his Ep. 1 theme

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      5 hours ago, Chewy said:

      A theme that appears in AotC and RotS too if I'm not mistaken.

      That has cameos in AOTC and ROTS yes.

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      • 6 months later...

      The demos aren't really for me so I wasn't fussed about them only including a handful.

       

      However I agree as well about the opening cue ordering - it doesn't bother me enough to actually change it, but it's not a choice I'd have made.

       

      I thought #2 was supposed to be coming out early 2022 :|

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