John Powell's HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 (2014) - 2022 Varese Deluxe Edition

[Arpy 4,099]

Received my copy today! So glad to have this set and that these companies are invested in producing them. Everything sounds so pristine and clear!

 

I reckon once people got a taste for the first score's deluxe edition, they jumped on this one with more fervour. Hopefully Disney are watching this.

[Tom Guernsey 1,965]

On 28/3/2022 at 1:01 PM, Jay said:

 

Of course

 

 

Here's the FYC track you can listen to as a reference for how to edit using the Deluxe

 

 

 

I knew there was a reason to keep the FYC in my library! Aside from anything, it’s a good excuse to be able to use more of the gorgeous custom artwork out there.

 

Is there anything else from all the various “custom” editions out there that are worth keeping? Unlike the first score, I kept the original album and FYC in my iTunes library but I slightly regret taking deleting the first film OST. It had some of the highest individual track plays of any soundtrack I own! See you tomorrow and test drive would be totally worn through if it were vinyl… think I’ll re-add it. If nothing else, it’s my one signed JP score when I met him a few years ago so has significant sentimental value even if on iTunes it’s just files.

 

Interesting that the one key alternate on both of the first two scores is the opening. I wonder if Powell composed two versions to let the director pick? I think I’d rather have had the full version of both alternates on both scores and Powell just chose the one he liked/felt fitted best in the main program with the other as an bonus track. Conversely to some, I find it less distracting on the first score than the sequel.

[Score 717]

4 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

2 is the better score. No competition. 1 has great ideas, but 2 is a much tighter listening experience.

 

Ooh, the HTTYD2 listening experience is TIGHT! 

[bollemanneke 3,070]

And super easy too, barely an inconvenience!

[Tallguy 2,171]

So... Why was the film version of the finale (Where No One Goes Reprise) left off of the original album? Wouldn't that have made a satisfying conclusion to the CD?

 

Unclear, sir!

 

OK!

[Bespin 7,566]

I received my two Dragons, now I have to encode train them!

[A. A. Ron 1,245]

 

15 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

2 is the better score. No competition. 1 has great ideas, but 2 is a much tighter listening experience.

1 feels more intimate and fantasy oriented. 2 is just a straight up balls-to-the-wall swashbuckler and as such has always been my favorite.

[Presto 4,285]

2 1 3

[Arpy 4,099]

5 hours ago, Power Windows said:

213

I didn't know there were that many films in the series...

[Jay 33,700]

Back in stock in the US store, buy immediately if you want one

 

https://www.varesesarabande.com/products/how-to-train-your-dragon-2-the-deluxe-edition-cd

[Jay 33,700]

So I haven't had much time to really listen to this new release yet due to a number of circumstances, but I am curious to see how little conversation this release has gotten here compared to the expansion of the first score.  Why is that?

 

Today I did take the shrinkwrap off my physical copy and listen to both discs all the way through.  The opening double-intro thing still bothers me just as much as it did on first listen and just as much as the HTTD1's expansion's same thing does.  The Jonsi song still doesn't work for me even with the Powell outro on the first one and Powell intro on the second one.  The demos don't do anything for me either.

But the score, the score is amazing!  There's so much choir and it all sounds so good! The constant juggling of themes is incredible, and especially how every theme from the first movie gets amazing new variations.  Damn, what a score.  I can't wait to really properly dig into it more when I have time, and to finally see the movie at some point!

 

I also can't wait to read the liner notes, which I'll do soon now that I've opened it.  I see that Lukas Kendall is credited for Production Assistance, I wonder what he did?

[Holko 8,626]

1 minute ago, Jay said:

and to finally see the movie at some point!

 

I also can't wait to read the liner notes, which I'll do soon now that I've opened it. 

Careful, spoilers!

[Jay 33,700]

I don't care about plot spoilers in a kids movie about dragons

[Yavar Moradi 1,995]

4 minutes ago, Jay said:

I don't care about plot spoilers in a kids movie about dragons

 

Why would spoilers matter any less? It's a great movie and doesn't deserve to be spoiled any more than a movie for adults.

 

Yavar

[Holko 8,626]

Ah, right, big old mature grown-up, stories intended to be able to be consumed by children too can't be emotionally affecting.

 

7 minutes ago, Jay said:

The Jonsi song still doesn't work for me even with the Powell outro on the first one and Powell intro on the second one.

And once again: it's not a Jónsi song with a Powell intro and outro: it's a Jónsi/Powell collaboration, a Jónsi song scored by Powell, a Powell piece with vocals by Jónsi, in multiple versions. It's even more apparent in these film versions with the orchestra a lot more prominent and less mixed out.

 

8 minutes ago, Jay said:

The demos don't do anything for me either.

At least they're better than the first one's ones - all of them have slight differences here and there, mostly still bigger ones than on some incorrect album takes Mike includes.

[Jay 33,700]

>shrug< it's been obvious since I first heard the OST album that Stoick dies, and reading whatever the liner notes of this score album say about the movie's plot is not going to dampen my enjoyment of the movie any less when I see it

[Presto 4,285]

1 hour ago, Holko said:

 

At least they're better than the first one's ones - all of them have slight differences here and there, mostly still bigger ones than on some incorrect album takes Mike includes.

Aside from the Timpani opening of Dragon Racing, what differences are there?

 

(I am still a little dissapointed JP didn't release some of the more significantly different demos we know are out there, such as the original HTTYD1 opening, See You Tomorrow alternate opening, the Drago's coming alt etc.)

[Tom Guernsey 1,965]

Funnily enough I was having a super crappy day at work and HTTYD scores are some of my happy place music choices and HTTYD2 definitely helped me through the rest of the working day.

 

I have bitten the bullet and relegated the alternate film version to bonus tracks. It definitely feels more of a false compared to the similar arrangement on the first score. However, as I've noted previously, I kinda wish JP had picked the version of the full cue he liked best for the main programme (even if it wasn't the final version) and put the other version as a bonus track, but as part of the full opening cue. I mean, it's quibbling, but that's what we're here for right?!

 

I'm amused by the fact that both the first two films have variants on the opening minute and a bit of the first cue. I wonder if he consciously wrote two versions for the filmmakers to pick?

 

 

 

[Presto 4,285]

Three in the case of HTTYD1

 

2 for HTTYD2

 

1 for THW?

[Tallguy 2,171]

1 minute ago, Tom Guernsey said:

I'm amused by the fact that both the first two films have variants on the opening minute and a bit of the first cue.

 

I had the same thought when I saw the film. "Seriously? Again?"

 

You know a score is good when you keep changing your mind about your favorite tracks. (At the moment it's Off to Valhalla.)

[Tom Guernsey 1,965]

6 minutes ago, Counterparts said:

Three in the case of HTTYD1

 

2 for HTTYD2

 

1 for THW?

Yeah I think the third one is just as it is, although who knows, the expanded score may reveal something new. The opening to the third is a bit more of just underscoring an opening scene than an introductory passage (if that makes any sense) so I guess it's more tied to the scene than the others.

4 minutes ago, Tallguy said:

 

I had the same thought when I saw the film. "Seriously? Again?"

 

You know a score is good when you keep changing your mind about your favorite tracks. (At the moment it's Off to Valhalla.)

Haha quite! It is an odd editorial choice... nice to hear them both, but that's what bonus track sections are for! That is a lovely cue, but it's am embaressment of riches really. I will always love Dragon Racing as a super condensed summary of the first score, Flying With Mother (obviously - although mysteriously absent from his HTTYD2 suite... surely that's a centrepiece cue?!) and Battle of the Bewilderbeast which might just be my favourite JP action cue ever (depending on the day. Or the tide. Or the weather. Or my mood.).

 

Oh and I really love Where No-one Goes... easily my favourite of the three HTTYD songs, but probably because of the almost effervescent wafting of JP's material in and out of it.

[Presto 4,285]

 

1. Where No One Goes

2. Sticks and Stones

3. Whatever the third song was called.

[Jay 33,700]

On 11/03/2022 at 10:51 AM, Jay said:

l download edition won't arrive until Friday May 13th:

https://ffm.to/d2deluxe

 

 

And now it's here in any country where it's already Friday

 

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/how-to-train-your-dragon-2-music-from-the-motion/1620625398

[Tallguy 2,171]

I'll go with an unpopular opinion: I think the double opening works! (Yes, I would rather have two complete tracks with one of them as a bonus.) The quieter film version crescendos into the big, bold original take.

 

This score is so good. Excuse me while I go play Where No One Goes Reprise very very loudly.

[Jay 33,700]

Anybody have any recent thoughts on this album?  I'm sort of waiting to see the film before I delve back into it, and haven't found time to do that yet

[Holko 8,626]

Had a listen this weekend with @Chewyand @crumbsand we all agreed we love the score even more than the first one, with its deeper emotional score - though my favourite single bit might still be the second half of Battling the Green Death. Powell's great at playing around with his old themes when he needs to but all the new ones are all awesome.

[Jay 33,700]

It is interesting that some sequel scores have great re-working of original themes but not that interesting new ideas, while other sequel scores have amazing new ideas but only evoke the original themes in settings very similar to how they were before.  This sequel score does BOTH great things, which is awesome!

[Tallguy 2,171]

8 minutes ago, Jay said:

Anybody have any recent thoughts on this album?  I'm sort of waiting to see the film before I delve back into it, and haven't found time to do that yet

 

It's amazing. It's Powell's Empire Strikes Back. 

 

Seeing the film: the first one is emotional and funny and exciting. The second one feels like a WORLD. (And they try to split the difference in the third one and miss on both counts.) 

 

The animation is a serious step up on every level. There is a strong Miyazaki influence and it shows. 

[MaxTheHouseelf 313]

It's one of those rare scores which is top notch from beginning to end. Saturated with melody, fantastic orchestration and emotion, bursting with excitement. The best adventure score I've heard in years. Listen to it almost daily since I've received the CD.

[Jay 33,700]

That's awesome, I listened to HTTYD1 DE almost daily when that first came out

[Holko 8,626]

Weirdly I haven't listened to it much. Maybe I overplayed 1. But it makes new listens feel more special!

[Princeling1987 17]

I know most aren't fans of him here but Christian Clemmensen made an indepth update to his lackluster original review. Great read.

 

https://www.filmtracks.com/titles/how_dragon2.html

 

I can't get enough of this scores, so many great variations of olds themes, wonderful new ones, constant thematical statements. Pure genius.

[Richard Penna 2,963]

I agree about the review, but Clemmenson displays his usual zero tolerance for non-traditional sounds, describing Where No One Goes as:

 

Quote

highly obnoxious blend of trance and new age trash that may reduce Powell's material to a drug-induced hallucinatory stupor for some

[Jurassic Shark 10,683]

He's a brave and honest voice that's sorely needed in the soundtrack community.

[bollemanneke 3,070]

But he often fails to realise some composers are just doing what stupid directors want.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,324]

5 hours ago, Richard Penna said:

I agree about the review, but Clemmenson displays his usual zero tolerance for non-traditional sounds, describing Where No One Goes as:

 

Soundtrack fans always have had a venomous hatred for whenever even one song is included on the album. 

 

Whereas I’m the guy that put Weird Al’s Jurassic Park at the end of my JP playlist. 

[Edmilson 5,703]

The film music world sorely lacks a middle ground between Broxton's "I love every Giacchino and Balfe scores!" and Clemmensen's "I hate everything that uses synths!".

[Jurassic Shark 10,683]

Does James Southall fit the bill?

[Edmilson 5,703]

He used to be harder on newer, RCP-style scores, but after being berated by Zimmer on social media for not wanting to listen to Junkie XL's 4-hour Justice League album, he... kinda gave up on film music reviews?

[Jurassic Shark 10,683]

Nobody should have to review (most of) new scores anyway.

[Yavar Moradi 1,995]

53 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

He used to be harder on newer, RCP-style scores, but after being berated by Zimmer on social media for not wanting to listen to Junkie XL's 4-hour Justice League album, he... kinda gave up on film music reviews?

 

He took a lengthy break, but he came back! (I wouldn't say he was berated, but bullied...)

 

1 hour ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Does James Southall fit the bill?

 

Indeed he does. My #1 favorite film music reviewer.  

 

Yavar

[bruce marshall 1,275]

Reviewing score albums is possibly the least interesting activity invented by humankind.

 

To quote a person in the news:.

" I. Will. Not. Do it"😉

6 minutes ago, Yavar Moradi said:

 

He took a lengthy break, but he came back! (I wouldn't say he was berated, but bullied...)

 

 

Indeed he does. My #1 favorite film music reviewer.  

 

Yavar

Low bar😉😜

[Yavar Moradi 1,995]

2 minutes ago, bruce marshall said:

Reviewing score albums is possibly the least interesting activity invented by humankind.

 

Nah, James makes it super interesting by including a lot of weird humor!

 

Yavar

[Kasey Kockroach 2,324]

Four notes.

[Richard Penna 2,963]

20 hours ago, Edmilson said:

The film music world sorely lacks a middle ground between Broxton's "I love every Giacchino and Balfe scores!" and Clemmensen's "I hate everything that uses synths!".

 

I find that middle ground in impartial analyses, which explore the score's themes and where they appear and any editorial notes, but refrain from preaching about whether the score is any good. Because I can usually tell within 15 minutes on Spotify whether I like a score, and a reviewer's opinion on whether it's a good score is irrelant to whether I enjoy it.

[bollemanneke 3,070]

Clemensen is the only one who goes to the trouble of explaining all the ridiculous album situations, though, and that's why I stick to him. I don't need anyone to tell me if something is good or bad anyway, I'm just interested in his opinion and will listen after that regardless.

[Edmilson 5,703]

19 hours ago, Yavar Moradi said:

(I wouldn't say he was berated, but bullied...)

Yeah, bullied is a more accurate description of what happened between him and Zimmer.

 

Still, I thought he gave up because I haven't seen his posts on social media. Good to know that he still updates his website.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,324]

I admit I don’t hear much of a difference between the original album and this release in terms of sound quality (whereas HTTYD1’s Deluxe was a much more apparent improvement), but happy for ya’ll anyhoo!

[MaxTheHouseelf 313]

HTTYD2 Full Score from Omni Music Publishing is now available from Schott Music (no super expensive shipping costs anymore)!

 

https://www.schott-music.com/en/how-to-train-your-dragon-2-no561933.html