Andy 4,000 Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Heartbeeps gets my vote. Recorded without synth. It's woefully misunderstood and misjudged. It's got proto-E.T. style material, and an achingly beautiful love theme that people can't seem to appreciate because of the synths and the film to which it is attached. Williams was having fun, and it comes through in a smaller score sandwiched between Raiders and E.T. in his chronology. I usually don't care for re-recordings because I think art is a one and done deal. Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,385 Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 6 minutes ago, Hedji said: Heartbeeps gets my vote. Recorded without synth. No, the synths should be there. They are perfect. A product of its time, but done carefully. HEARTBEEPS gets a bad rap, but it's a nice score, warts included. mahler3 and Andy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy 4,000 Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 I agree with you, Thor. I adore the synth, and wish the Varese notes gave more information about how it was done and recorded, and what was used. The first few seconds of the Main Title sound like Johns Williams and Carpenter had a baby. I just feel it doesn't get the love it deserves. As I said in my post, I think it's perfect, but I think listeners have difficulty hearing the quality of the writing through the style. I don't need a re-recording of anything. But an all acoustic Heartbeeps would be a fun experiment. We get expansions or chronologic changes to cues that cause fans to "re-assess". Imagine what an orchestral version of Heartbeeps could do to elevate the score's reputation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,085 Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 On 10/21/2020 at 1:05 PM, Tom Guernsey said: I always thought the Gerhardt recording was quite well regarded? For some reason it is, but I still think it's the only Gerhardt film music recording that doesn't live up to his usual high standards. On 10/21/2020 at 9:21 PM, Thor said: I'm more talking group psychology here. I just find it fascinating that such a super-well-represented score tops the lists of JW scores people would like to have rerecorded. 1. The SW OT scores are perennial favourites of many (me included), often with a special emotional connection for being our entry point to the world of film music. 2. They don't sound as good as they could. 3. They're among the most "symphonic" of scores, even from Williams' blockbuster catalogue, and as such lend themselves better than most for being re-recorded. Their entire make up is closer to that of symphonic concert music than that of most other film music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbellamy 6,235 Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 On 10/21/2020 at 1:30 PM, Edmilson said: I want the Star Wars scores to be re-recorded with fart and burp sounds manipulated electronically. RC could be responsible for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 11,956 Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 3 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said: For some reason it is, but I still think it's the only Gerhardt film music recording that doesn't live up to his usual high standards. I place it above his Jedi re-recording. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,385 Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 10 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said: 1. The SW OT scores are perennial favourites of many (me included), often with a special emotional connection for being our entry point to the world of film music. 2. They don't sound as good as they could. 3. They're among the most "symphonic" of scores, even from Williams' blockbuster catalogue, and as such lend themselves better than most for being re-recorded. Their entire make up is closer to that of symphonic concert music than that of most other film music. There's some logic to that, I suppose -- even though I do not share this particular craving. Guess I'm just extra concerned with getting all the completely unreleased titles out there, first and foremost. Original tracks if possible, re-recorded if not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 11,956 Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 What about completely unreleased tracks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,385 Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 As long as they're part of completely unreleased film TITLES, sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GerateWohl 4,280 Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 I like Bespins proposal of getting a recording of the arrangements for the life to screen arrangements for the OT. Or having a collected recording of all the orchestra suites of the nine star wars films as far as they exist, including the new Han Solo and the Princess arrangement, the adagio from The Force Awakens and this Jabber the Hutt Tuba piece from Return of the Jedi. By the way, one of my favourite star wars tracks unfortunately never gets performed in concert halls: "The little people work". Why? WHY? It's so great. Bespin and Tom Guernsey 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 11,956 Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 Too much work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,085 Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 8 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said: I place it above his Jedi re-recording. I consider Gerhardt's takes on Approaching the Death Star, Into the Trap, and the orchestral Ewok Celebration essential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 11,956 Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 To me, his entire Empire album is essential. It was one of my very first soundtrack purchases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Guernsey 2,223 Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 13 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said: For some reason it is, but I still think it's the only Gerhardt film music recording that doesn't live up to his usual high standards. 1. The SW OT scores are perennial favourites of many (me included), often with a special emotional connection for being our entry point to the world of film music. 2. They don't sound as good as they could. 3. They're among the most "symphonic" of scores, even from Williams' blockbuster catalogue, and as such lend themselves better than most for being re-recorded. Their entire make up is closer to that of symphonic concert music than that of most other film music. I have to admit that, having given it another spin recently, some of the Gerhardt album is a bit more hit and miss than I remember. Perhaps I was more willing to overlook some of the weaker parts of the performance but there are clearly a couple of moments when the brass struggle a bit. Surprising given how well the same (or broadly the same) forces perform some of the fiendishly complex Korngold brass writing on those albums. Having said that, still an enjoyable disc on the whole and a great tone poem style arrangement of the Empire score (even if it's not in order). Although of their three Star Wars discs, the music I actually enjoy the most is their extended Close Encounters suite from the Star Wars album, shame that this longer suite doesn't make it to concerts as it's a more balanced distillation of the score (again, functioning brilliantly as a self contained tone poem). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,085 Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 50 minutes ago, Tom Guernsey said: their extended Close Encounters suite from the Star Wars album, shame that this longer suite doesn't make it to concerts as it's a more balanced distillation of the score (again, functioning brilliantly as a self contained tone poem). What I've been saying for 20 years. The Gerhardt SW might not be a flawless performance, but I still give it highest marks for musicality. It's got a "classical music" approach to tempo and dynamics that feels entirely organic without completely disregarding Williams' "correct" tempi*, something that Williams himself has only fully achieved in recent years I think (and don't get me started on Mehta's odd circus interludes). *) Except for the Death Star destruction moment, but I like that. Perhaps just because for a long time it's the only version I had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now