NEW - THE DARK CRYSTAL: EXPANDED LIMITED EDITION (3-CD SET) - LLL

[Holko 11,343]

1 hour ago, blondheim said:

It would be like having the complete score to The Empire Strikes Back finally released where Hyperspace was only on the remastered album on Disc 3.

Nitpicking a bit but Hyperspace is the finale of the entire setpiece. Something like TIE Fighter Attack or the first half of Battle of Yavin might be a better analogy.

[Tallguy 5,607]

3 minutes ago, Holko said:

Nitpicking a bit but Hyperspace is the finale of the entire setpiece. Something like TIE Fighter Attack or the first half of Battle of Yavin might be a better analogy.

 

Aren't we talking about the finale of TDC?

[Holko 11,343]

Do you know the score or not? Don't question me you self-confessed normie!

 

(Not quite, the missing cue is for the love interest dying and the hero doing the thing to save the world, but after that there's a few minutes of action chaos and the proper climax for order being restored and then more for the love interest being resurrected etc)

[Tallguy 5,607]

3 minutes ago, Holko said:

Do you know the score or not? Don't question me you self-confessed normie!

 

(Not quite, the missing cue is for the love interest dying and the hero doing the thing to save the world, but after that there's a few minutes of action chaos and the proper climax for order being restored and then more for the love interest being resurrected etc)

 

I NEED A SPREADSHEET!

 

(And @Holko: applause!)

[blondheim 1,224]

1 hour ago, Holko said:

Nitpicking a bit but Hyperspace is the finale of the entire setpiece. Something like TIE Fighter Attack or the first half of Battle of Yavin might be a better analogy.

You’re right. I almost wrote Carbon Freeze but it wasn’t in the original album of TESB so I picked a part of the finale was. Perhaps The Duel would have been a better choice.

[Tallguy 5,607]

BTW, I've started actually reading the liner notes and my apologies for my earlier libel: All of the text is on a very readable background and none of it is super tiny. I'll read it tonight and report back.

 

 

[thestat 496]

So happy to see this official affirmation of Jones not being a dick. I met the man at the London Fan event in 2017-ish (?) where I was expecting him to behave like his reputation. What I encountered was precisely the same as above - a massively friendly (and tall) guy who appreciated the fan love, endless patience with pictures, obsessing over hours of missing music from Merlin, no sense of ego etc.

 

I think Jones has worked with some of the hardest directors out there in terms of their score demands - I mean, Alan Parker, Michael Mann, Renny Harlin, Alex Proyas, and frigging Geoff Murphy. All people with very precise ideas about music. The fallout of the Extraordinary League of Gentlemen can't have been pretty - not his fault in any way. But he is probably guarded, for a very good reason.

[thestat 496]

I really love this particular Jones sound when he combines synths with sax and orchestra:

 

He lets the orchestra emerge from the synths - so unique. In Freejack, the saxophone and strings do that. In Mohicans. the synth snare underpins all but the aggressive main strings are striking

 

[danbeck 128]

Not very familiar with the movie, but I made an edit to include the first part of the album's "The Great Conjuction" (first 2:38) and then joined full Disc 2 track 13 "The Great Conjunction and The Arrival Of The Mystics", resulting in a 7:32 track.

 

Not sure if it is the most accurate way to add the missing part of The Great Conjunction in the score program as there's lots of edits in the film.

[Holko 11,343]

4 hours ago, danbeck said:

 

Not sure if it is the most accurate way to add the missing part of The Great Conjunction in the score program as there's lots of edits in the film.

I got about the same length too. The workprint shows there's supposed to be an additional drum roll in there to connect them. The OST track fo course doesn't have a clean ending or the drum roll and the main program track sounds like it starts with a quick fadein so unless we want to include the connecting bit from a 10th generation awful VHS, this is the best we're gonna have I think.

[D_A_R_T_H 26]

is there a table comparing the different versions?

[Meredith McKay 7,843]

3 hours ago, Holko said:

 unless we want to include the connecting bit from a 10th generation awfu VHS,

MVsep drums + DeNoise + EQ?

[Holko 11,343]

It'll still be mono and warbly and awfully mixed and awful.

[Meredith McKay 7,843]

16 minutes ago, Holko said:

It'll still be mono

Super short imperceptible reverb will fix that.

[Holko 11,343]

OK, here's a complete breakdown then:

 

Film edit (from the Numenorian): uses different music, not helpful here specifically

 

Workprint: awful sound, extra drum roll connects the two parts

 

Workprint cleaned up as much as I could:

 

The closest we can get purely with what's on the LLL set (first part doesn't have a clean ending, second part's opening doesn't have the extra drum)

 

Approximation of workprint version from purely the LLL by separating out the strings and drum and adding an extra loop to the start of the second part:

 

Using faked reverb to extend the OST ending so it can be a more natural handover instead of a crossfade that removes material:

 

Also editorialising a bit to make the winds enter slightly earlier to make it sound not as staggered and joining them at a point that feels better:

 

This turned out a lot better than expected and than my previous attempt!

[crocodile 9,168]

The resourcefulness of JWFans never ceases to amaze me. 😃

 

Karol

[Frank Vincent 260]

@Holko That sounds great. What software did you use to do that?

[Holko 11,343]

http://x-minus.pro/ai for AI removal, Reaper for editing, ReaVerbrate plugin for the reverb.

[Jon Turner 21]

Is there a link to the fixed track?  I wouldn't mind having it.

[Holko 11,343]

So. The time has come.

 

This set looks incredible. One of my favourite Goldwassers. Love the booklet, especially its cover, the pattern on the borders, the high quality images including even BTS shots like the weird recording setup. Love the font choices, the Skeksis and Mystic-patterns on the discs, how the back tray images fit the colour of their discs, the dark purple spine.

 

The liner notes are fantastic. Great background info and context, lots of technical details straight from the horse's mouth. Really comes through how much he liked this score and working on it.

 

The score is fantastic. The OST presents a very skewed view of it with most of the dark material missing, but there's so much more to it! I love extended orchestras, inventive unusual added sounds and I'm an absolute sucker for period/ethnic instruments and this presents a great coherent blend with a very unique otherworldly soundscape. Fits perfectly into the 80s post-SW fantasy revival wave of neoromantic/contemporary fusion scores. It'll sit very proudly among Dragonslayer, Krull, Legend, Willow, and one day Neverending Story too on my shelf.

 

I started comparing it to the workprint and final film, but halfway through I... gave up. There's a lot of messing around, tracking, partial use, dialing out of layers and all that. I just don't have it in me to actually properly attempt to document all that. The main program for the most part works really well, no matter what may actually be slightly out of order. I did go through them deep enough to confirm that the only actually significant missing elements are the Great Conjunction we already know from the OST, and the revised more dire film version of the cue after it. I also missed the cue for the Emperor's death in the main program but turns out it's just tracked from Power Ceremony/Main Title in both cuts.

 

I may try doing an iso score one day but so far all I got is the OST breakdown:

 

1. Overture 
   • Actually the biggest question mark. Consists of 3 sections that sound like Jen's Journey, Landstriders Introduction, and Finale, but actually it's all different takes and different tempos. Could be an assembly of alternates? Could be an alternate for the credits since those also include Landstriders Introduction? It's also the same length as Pod Dance (Reprise) And Finale. Could be an album-specific recording that puts these 3 cues together?
2. The Power Ceremony 
   • 1-01 Power Ceremony And Main Title with 1:59-2:38 removed
3. The Storm
   • 1-02 Jen Plays Pipes And Mystic Master Dies [1:08-2:07]
4. The Mystic Master Dies 
   • 1-02 Jen Plays Pipes And Mystic Master Dies [2:07-end]
5. The Funerals; Jen’s Journey
   • 1-03 Skeksis Funeral Ceremony
   • 1-04 Mystics Funeral Ceremony (About 40 seconds shorter; mix, overlay and possible take differences
   • 1-05 Jen’s Journey And Council Chamber [0:00-0:49]
6. The Skeksis’ Duel
   • 1-06 Skeksis Fight Duel with 0:00-1:17, 1:42-2:10 removed
7. The Pod Dance
   • 1-15 Introduction And Pod Dance [0:26-end] (Note: all 4 appearances of the Pod Dance are the same take)
8. Love Theme
   • 2-02 Jen & Kira Love Theme with 1:50-2:46 removed; possibly different takes
9. Gelfling Song
   • 1-14 Jen & Kira Duet with an alternate vocal, possibly alternate mix of other weird elements (film and LLL use a higher pitched singer with a "la-la-laaa" voicing, album uses lower pitched singer with "aah-aaah-aaaaah" voicing
10. The Gelfling Ruins
    • 2-03 In The Ruins Of The Gelfling Village with 0:20-0:37, 2:30-3:23 removed
11. The Landstrider Journey
    • 2-04 Landstriders Introduction And Journey [1:02-end]
12. The Great Conjunction
    • Cue missing from between 2-12 and 2-13
    • Revised ending of 2-13 (rest of 2-13's revision not on the set)
13. Finale
    • 2-14 The Mystics And Skeksis Fuse To Become The UrSkeks with 1:55-2:04 removed, male voices at the beginning dialed out
    • 2-15 Pod Dance (Reprise) And Finale 0:58-end (main program version is an edit of Pod Dance transitioning into FInale, OST version is cut down even shorter)

[Chris Shaneyfelt 8]

Amazing work, Holko - thank you!

[Holko 11,343]

Oh yeah, and the musicians list curse in booklets continues - for Amistad the male choir was left out, for Mummy Returns one of the two recording orchestras was left out, here the brass section was left out! At least this is LSO, not AFM so technically it shouldn't cause trouble, but still.

[Tallguy 5,607]

Thank you @Holko!

 

This is a presentation that really needed (OK, I wanted) a more detailed breakdown of what is on these three discs. The liner notes are nicely written and it's a compelling enough story about the making of the film and the score. But it just doesn't really explain why we got what we got.

 

That said, it's AMAZING to listen to.

[GerateWohl 5,918]

2 hours ago, Holko said:

Overture 

• Actually the biggest question mark. Consists of 3 sections that sound like Jen's Journey, Landstriders Introduction, and Finale, but actually it's all different takes and different tempos. Could be an assembly of alternates? Could be an alternate for the credits since those also include Landstriders Introduction? It's also the same length as Pod Dance (Reprise) And Finale. Could be an album-specific recording that puts these 3 cues together?

Why not simply having an actual Overture written to be played before the movie starts? Happened at that time. When I watched The Black Hole at that time in the cinema for example the Overture was played before, too.

[Holko 11,343]

Barely any movies had overtures after the 70s.

[Gojira 46]

This set is a dream come true. The more I listen to it, the better it gets. All those expansions and variations add to the already broad musical canvas that we knew from the former release by Numenorian Music (which was a huge disappointement for me). I fell in love with the music for The Dark Crystal when I got the LP after seeing the film in 1982. And now, after all this years, this new release of LLL makes me fall in love with the music of The Dark Crystal all over again.

A true contender for the release of the year.

[blondheim 1,224]

I love the release, don’t get me wrong. But with the finale cue missing from the main program I would not call it the release of the year. Especially when we just got The Patriot, which has better sound, a slew of alternates nicely arranged in a program and all the source music.

 

I’m glad we got this release but it’s not the release of the year, let’s be honest.

[Meredith McKay 7,843]

1 hour ago, blondheim said:

I love the release, don’t get me wrong. But with the finale cue missing from the main program I would not call it the release of the year. Especially when we just got The Patriot, which has better sound, a slew of alternates nicely arranged in a program and all the source music.

 

I’m glad we got this release but it’s not the release of the year, let’s be honest.

[HunterTech 1,502]

Better sound is not fair to note for a score that is almost 20 years older (unless you were the guy on Squid that was insisting the release actually sounded inferior to the previous editions).

 

I would sooner complain about the inefficient use of disc space, but then the artwork probably wouldn't have looked as nice or something.

[Holko 11,343]

This assembly works so well I barely changed anything for my edit. I made the cover's paper art part a bit warmer, it looked just a little anemic on my phone. Also changed many of the titles to be a little less unwieldy.

 

• I lowered the volume of Skeksis Funeral Ceremony.
• I switched the two halves of 1-09 Mystics 9-Tone Chant And The Observatory At Night around - this is the one part where nonchronology bothered me, we get the entry into and reveal of the Observatory second, and stuff happening inside the Observatory first. I think.
• The Great Conjunction - yeah there's no defending this and I way overdid it so I'll just say I made two versions, one approximating the workprint with OST+LLL, and one approximating the film with OST+LLL+Numenorian. Then I tried to find ways to combine them into one to keep as much unique material in one track as possible.
• I took Pod Dance Reprise out and connected Finale into the previous track for a one-track flowing credits.

[Holko 11,343]

I love all those cues in and around the castle, so many different ways of creating tension, resolving it, sneaky music, dramatic music, a bit of comedic music, full of one-off melodies and varied orchestration! All competely left off the OST

[Gojira 46]

The LLL set is constantly on my headphones and I just cant get enough of it. It's been some time since I got absorbed in an expanded release like now with The Dark Crystal. Trevor Jones' composition is a musical world that totally mirrors the rich, fantastic world that Henson created for the movie. And on top of it, Jones wrote beautiful melodies, full of longing and (almost acheing) beauty. 

 

[Holko 11,343]

So, a little writeup. 

 

In The Dark Crystal, the world of Thra was occupied by Gelflings until the etherial, proud and inquisitive UrSkeks arrived. In their crystal castle they researched the Crystal of Truth, but one day as the Great Conjunction of the three suns happened, they split themselves into two halves of a whole - the gentle and passive Urra (Mystics) and the greedy and vain Skeksis, still metaphysicaly connected. The Crystal was also split and a shard was lost, the Mystics went into hiding while the Skeksis retained the castle and ruled, eventually turning the Crystal dark with their experiments to extend their lives and killing all Gelfling in fear of a prophecy that one of them would reunite the Crystal and the two kinds.

The score has 5 core main themes.

• One is for the Skeksis on paper, but gets used for the Crystal and as a main theme in general a lot. A grand fanfare based around the devil's interval for the vulture-like creatures who represent the UrSkeks' ego, cover up their physical weakness with lavish clothing and a thin facade of grandeur.
• One is for the Mystics, the Urskeks' selfless half, a Dies Irae-like mysterious repeating motif.
• One is a sweeping melody for strings used for stages of Jen's journey.
• One is a somewhat melancholy love theme for Jen and Kira, as far as they know the only remaining members of their kind.
• One for the Garthim, the giant crab-like creatures the Skeksis use as enforcers, the most direct sources of threat for most of the journey. Their material has multiple parts including a fanfare, descending percussion tuns and a repeating wide 2-note interval of wild string or wind stabs.

To support the themes of restored unity and connected parts of a whole, the themes slot together into what is known best as the formal statement - the Mystics' theme wraps around the Skeksis' theme and supports it as a countermelody, showing through in the gaps between phrases, and also revealing the Skeksis theme had a bit of it incorporated all along, at the end of the first and third phrase. The Journey theme gets added as a B section, often leading to an A-B-A structure.

 

The score opens on dark textures for the reveal and move into the Skeksis' castle where they're about to have their Power Ceremony. We get a good look at their wretched taste in clothing and interior design, but as we refocus onto the Dark Crystal, a held note resolves into the Skeksis/Crystal/Main theme to support the title card. Strings build up to the three suns shining in and the Crystal splits their light (to a harp pluck), which the Skeksis draw power from. The dark mood with churning strings and percussion effects returns for the Main Title over closeups, leading to a string melody for a final wide shot for the directors' credit. The mood lightens slightly (with another Skeksis echoing) as we transition across multiple landscapes to a beautiful grove where Jen the Gelfling is having a swim.

 

The last of his kind, an orphan raised sheltered from the world by the Mystics, Jen Plays Pipes in his spare time, represented by the double flageolet. His idyll is interrupted, though, as a Mystic warns him of the coming storm and he rushes home to a perfect orchestral representation of the same, rising string and wind figures growing louder, melding with the Mystics' theme first on harp, then brass. After saying some final words to his young friend, which only confuse him (and the test audience), The Mystic Master Dies, supported by shimmering textures and the Mystics' theme.

 

The Skeksis also lose their leader at this moment, since the split Skeksis-Mystic pairs are still connected. Unlike the sad but accepting Master, the hateful Emperor clings to life until the last second, scored by a tracked segment of the Main Title. The following duo of cues showcases the two halves' differences perfectly: The Skeksis Funeral Ceremony is a grand bombastic baroque organ horror procession, while the Mystics Funeral Ceremony is a beautiful but meandering sound collage, with only Jen's pipes and a single recurring phrase offering any real melodic material.

 

Spurned on by his Master's vague words, Jen’s Journey begins as he sets out looking for Aughra and a crystal shard, and we get our first fusion version of the themes, Skeksis+Mystics on brass and Journey on sweeping strings. Then we transition back to the Council Chamber where the already known dark textures return for the schemes of succession. The conniving Chamberlain makes his move for the Emperor's sceptre, but the General challenges him, and the two Skeksis Fight a Duel - a Trial By Stone, taking turns trying to chop a stone column in half with great swords. The score supports the reveal of the instruments with a grand Skeksis fanfare, then scores the formal but violent proceedings with a macabre dance, emphasizing every strike.

 

After losing the Trial, the Chamberlain Is Disrobed and banished - the familiar dark textures build up to grim unison brass chords and another Skeksis fanfare as the General celebrates his victory. The synth call from the Main Title returns quickly, though, as the Crystal calls and shows them a vision of Jen on his way. A rising buildup passes from section to section, eventually climaxing and transitioning to Garthim material (as the Skeksis, frightened of the prophecy, send out their enforcers), which loops and rings out as the Garthim Pursues Jen (sic).

 

A low cello bed gives way to harp, synth and sampled winds as Jen becomes more comfortable with the strange landscapes, Jen Encounters Aughra, the strange oracle, Keeper of Secrets, through getting caught in a trap.

 

Jen follows Aughra through a tunnel, arriving in her observatory dominated by a giant Orrery. The set seems to present two versions of this cue back to back in The Observatory At Night, one starting on twinkly textures, quickly taken over by a soft warm Journey, then ending up on an uncharacteristically happy Skeksis/Crystal/Main theme for the reveal, while the second, film version, scores the buildup with harp and synth sounds, uses a quiet synth Skeksis/Main by the middle, and scores the reveal with a grand sweeping Journey.

 

As Aughra gives Jen a pile of crystal shards to choose from, after some underscore featuring the Mystics' theme and a flute line, he remembers the Mystics 9-Tone Chant (which appears multiple times in the film but is only represented here), and plays two tones on his pipes to make the correct shard glow.

 

But right after the shard is found, the Garthim Attack the Observatory, scored by their theme. Jen uses the great orrery to escape, his roll down the hill scored by an extended descending section. Percussion strikes familiar from the Skeksis cues score the Chamberlain coming into frame - he's been following and scheming. Feeling that the time is right, the Mystics Leave their Valley, their theme giving a basis to the cue, with a dialogue between flute and brass growing into a sweeping string melody for the wide landscape view. Jen has escaped successfully and trudges through a wild forest full of all kinds of strange flora and fauna, scored by an unused cue based around bubbly synth and sampled (?) winds. As a perceived threat looms, rising strings start to dominate, ending on another Skeksis percussion bit as the shard shows Jen a glimpse of how it was broken off.

 

There is no actual threat yet - only a chance encounter of Jen And Kira In the Forest. Kira's another Gelfling orphan who also thought she was the last of her kind as she was raised by the diminutive Podlings. The love theme plays gently on strings, surrounded by harp and winds, for their first interaction.

 

As they touch hands, they begin to Dreamfast (using their Mindspeech abilities to see each other's thoughts and memories) and catch up on each other's past. The collage jumps back and forth between the two, and the score follows suit, using the Garthim's theme for traumatic destruction, the Mystics' theme for Jen's childhood among them, warm lush strings and gentle flutes for found love in their adoptive families. The love theme comes back as they part their hands, and slightly comedic touches score Jen's encounter with a frightening but docile Nebrie, leading to a love theme variation, then another love theme on strings as Kira introduces Jen to her pet/friend, the wild but fuzzy and loyal Fizzgig and the three of them set off together. The cue shifts to less pleasant textures as we fade from the Nebrie family to... a roast baby Nebrie being served at the Skeksis castle.

 

The Skeksis Celebratory Banquet is a grotesque affair, and the music is appropriately mocking - a slow comedic march with a dialogue for bassoon and flute. A runaway bug spices up the tempo with xylophone hits, then the Garthim enter, carrying their Gelfling prisoner... who turns out to be Aughra! Disappointed with their giant henchmen, the Skeksis send out their other allies, the Crystal Bats, who still inherit elements of their larger companions' material. We then briefly cut away to show The Mystics Journey is still in progress, to a higher pitched statement of their theme.

 

Going down the river, Jen & Kira perform a Duet, with Kira singing (a different performance of this can be found on the OST), Jen accompanying her on his pipes, and a synthesized chorus of frogs, birds etc. subtly providing texture. They're quickly found by a Crystal Bat and the Garthim material returns, but with her slingshot Kira Brings Down The Bat-Bird, accompanied by a low crash. The Gelfling Song's melody is reprised on winds for their short discussion, but the Garthim material continues for the still alive Bat watching them.

 

Kira introduces Jen to the Podlings, who welcome them with a big party and feast. The unused Introduction is a short simulated tuning session, then the Pod Dance joyously begins on all sorts of period instruments.

The Garthim follow quickly, though, and Attack the Pod Village, taking most of the population prisoner. Their theme accompanies the chaos, with a short interlude for the Mystics' theme as they feel and react to Jen trying to use the crystal shard as a weapon. A synth twinkle punctuated the moment where one of the creatures spots the hiding Gelflings, but the Chamberlain steps in to stop it with a brass scream.

 

Jen was hurt in the attack, but Kira takes care of the wound to a formal presentation of the Jen & Kira Love Theme A brief cut to the Mystics (with their theme coming in) shows the passing of the night, and the morning finds the heroes waking in an idyllic forest in each other's arms.

 

They soon find themselves In The Ruins Of The Gelfling Village, where the prophecy and the goal of their quest is finally revealed: When single shines the triple sun What was sundered and undone Shall be whole, the two made one By Gelfling hand or else by none. The score skirts around the Mystics' theme, leveraging it for a mysterioso feel, then the Skeksis/Crystal theme comes in and develops gently on oboe and bassoon for the discovery of the mural and the prophecy. A small buildup seems to lead to a resolution, but the Chamberlain enters to descending string and wind runs and offers peace, requesting the Gelflings to come to the castle with him. The unused uneasy strings betray his treacherous scheming, and Jen ultimately refuses and runs away to a playful phrase.

 

Kira calls another set of her animal friends - the Landstriders Introduction is another gorgeous offshoot of the love theme. The long-legged beasts set off quickly, with a spirited galloping Main theme scoring the Journey.

 

Meanwhile, the Skeksis scientist is working in the Chamber Of Life - on draining the essence from a captured Podling (turning it into a brainwashed slave in the process) in order for the new Emperor to consume it to regain some lifeforce. The score underplays the experiment with dark and unsettling textures, then Main Title is reprised for the buildup to the results - wind runs, twinkling textures, brass and churning strings build up as the Emperor seems to regain some health and celebrates, but oboe and strings descend instantly as the effects are short-lived.

 

At the entrance to the castle, Jen and Kira come across the village-raiding party, and so the Landstriders Battle With the Garthim, the villainous material clashing with a new heroic fanfare related to Journey. The heroes eventually jump into the chasm, slowly gliding down on Kira's wings, accompanied by descending synth, and a short love theme for the landing. The Garthim material stays quietly in the background for their short trek to a secret entrance, the sewer gate, its reveal punctuated by a huge bell-like synth strike. The Skeksis percussion once again comes back for the Chamberlain looking on, and the Mystics' theme caps the cue off as we see The Second Mystics Journey, slowly approaching the castle.

 

The heroes trudge through caves In The Sewer Of The Castle to ominous synth and harp textures. The Skeksis theme looms as the Chamberlain confronts them. Jen cuts his hand with the shard, and the Mystics' theme plays for the cutaway showing his other half's hand also bleeding.

 

Kira is Removed To The Council Chamber, where the Emperor chooses to drain her too, and accepts the Chamberlain back. The cue frames the familiar dark Skeksis textured with a new motif for entering and leaving the Chamber.

 

The next cue starts out with mourning winds as Fizzgig guards Jen under the rubble the Chamberlain brought down, then we cut to Kira In The Chamber Of Life. Dread slowly builds up as she's strapped in and the machine starts working. More Skeksis textures transform into racing strings and eventually semi-comedic writing as Aughra, also kept in the Chamber of Life, begs Kira to resist and use her gift to talk to the various animals kept there. As they start escaping, the cue is briefly triumphant, but it turns more chaotic as they start attacking the scientist, eventually causing him to stumble backwards into the firepit below the Crystal Chamber to descending phrases from the entire orchestra. We cut to the Mystics again (so their theme plays) and see one of them suddenly incinerate, just like his other half, to another stinger.

 

The animals help and, though weakened, Kira Is Freed. Tension is kept up, though, with a new Star of Betlehem-like motif on oboe, as Aughra explains they may already be too late, since the Great Conjunction of the three suns is already starting, scored by twinkling synth figures and another Mystics statement (they're really near the castle now.) Meanwhile, Jen has woken up and wanders around the caves accompanied by a hushed Crystal/Main theme. He soon finds himself in over his head, the Garthim theme returns for Jen In The Garthim Lair - but he of course escapes, right into the fire pit shaft under the Crystal.

 

Comedic scoring briefly comes in for Fizzgig, but more serious scoring supports Jen And Aughra In The Chamber Of Life, including a brief Main theme variation. The mystics have arrived at the gate and their theme confronts the Garthim - but as are their ways, they quickly solve the situation without shedding blood.

 

Another brief Fizzgig interlude leads to a quick string buildup to the biggest Crystal theme statement yet for the reveal of Jen In The Crystal Chamber. Another, smaller one accompanies him climbing down to a balcony near the Crystal, while Skeksis material plays for the villains approaching and Kira sneaking around. Eventually the Skeksis gather around the Crystal for another Power Ceremony (represented by swirling synths and another quiet Skeksis/Crystal) while the Gelflings look on from two balconies on opposite ends of the room. Unfortunately, over comedic scoring, Fizzgig happily finds Kira and calls the Chamberlain's attention. The score reprises the motif from Kira Removed To The Council Chamber for the Skeksis Panicked By the Gelfling.

 

The Great Conjunction is now at hand, 1000 years after the last one that split the world. Panicked strings build up as the Skeksis call in the Garthim to secure the room, but only small fragments of their theme makes it in, the Skeksis percussion is more prominent. Jen jumps onto the Crystal but loses the shard, which falls onto the precipice of the fire pit. The Skeksis try to grab it, but Fizzgig jumps in - ending up thrown into the pit to a dramatic low brass chord. A harp run mimics Kira floating down, then she grabs the shard to a harp Crystal theme. A cut to the suns, time running out, motivates the Mystics' theme entering to keep the tension rising, building to more harp runs as Kira throws the shard to Jen, but also two brass stabs as it lands but Kira is stabbed in the back by the Skeksis. Shocked strings keep building up, an oboe love theme variation plays , and the Mystic theme once again raises tension as Jen raises the shard and waits for the right moment... then suddenly the Crystal theme erupts in a high register on brass as the suns shine down, he slots the shard into its place and is thrown off.

 

The next cue scores far more than The Arrival Of The Mystics - Jen approaching Kira's body and holding it among the chaos is scored by tragic love theme variations, Aughra finding Fizzgig and running with him to the Crystal Chamber is scored with small comedic interludes, but the central idea is a violent motif on shrieking high winds and low brass, slowly building up and returning in multiple variations as the Skeksis panic, the brainwashed Podling slaves are turned back to normal, and the castle's stone walls seem to be collapsing, but actually revealing the original pure crystal structure underneath. True to the title, the Mystics eventually enter, with their theme uncharacteristically only briefly appearing on muted brass. Finally they all get into position, pairing up with their Skeksis halves (who are fighting as hard as they can), and to a mystical reprise of Power Ceremony, the Crystal draws them inwards. The Skeksis and Mystic themes play together, then Strings build and swirl upwards, scoring the fusion of the halves - what was sundered and undone is now whole, the two made one. The Journey theme plays for the climax of the cue, and of the titular journey itself too. The revised film version of the cue ups the anti, substitutes Journey for the love theme, replaces the comedic Fizzgig interludes with dire rising escape/action music, but keeps the shrieking central motif of the cue, giving it new variations.

 

The Mystics And Skeksis Fuse To Become The UrSkeks to low male voices recalling the Mystics' chant, but their appearance in the clear crystal castle is scored by twinkling strings, harp and synth supported by female voices singing a melody that seems to forge aspects of most of the themes together as they explain the plot to Jen. They then resurrect Kira to a glorious lush string Love theme variation and leave them to this now healed world together, their ascension supported by rising brass, and celebrated by a reading of the fused Skeksis+Mystics theme and Journey. The credits start with a formal statement of the love theme, followed by an assembly of Garthim elements, which are quickly done away with by a rearrangement of the gorgeous love theme variation from Landstriders Introduction. This leads into the Pod Dance (Reprise), which then transitions to the Finale, giving us more grand satisfying statements of the full combination of the Skeksis+Mystic fusion and the Journey theme.

 

 

[Holko 11,343]

More dryly, here's an attempt at a chrono order, going primarily by the score preview workprint (apart from some anomalies, like the workprint missing Skeksis Celebratory Banquet, and of course those finale cues):

• 1-01 Power Ceremony And Main Title
• 1-02 Jen Plays Pipes And Mystic Master Dies
• 1-03 Skeksis Funeral Ceremony
• 1-04 Mystics Funeral Ceremony
• 1-05 Jen’s Journey And Council Chamber
• 1-06 Skeksis Fight Duel
• 1-07 Chamberlain Is Disrobed And Garthim Pursues Jen
• 1-08 Jen Encounters Aughra
• 1-09 Mystics 9-Tone Chant And The Observatory At Night [1:51-end] (film version)
• 1-09 Mystics 9-Tone Chant And The Observatory At Night [0:00-1:05]
• 1-10 Garthim Attack Observatory And Mystics Leave Valley (2:02-end unused)
• 1-11 Jen And Kira In Forest [0:00-0:51]
• 1-12 Mindspeech, Nebrie And Mystics Journey [0:00-3:18] (roughly 1:20-3:07 unused)
• 1-13 Skeksis Celebratory Banquet
• 1-12 Mindspeech, Nebrie And Mystics Journey [3:18-end]
• 1-14 Jen & Kira Duet
• 2-01 Kira Brings Down The Bat-Bird And Garthim Attack Pod Village [0:00-0:44]
• 1-15 Introduction And Pod Dance
• 2-01 Kira Brings Down The Bat-Bird And Garthim Attack Pod Village [0:44-end]
• 1-11 Jen And Kira In Forest [0:51-end]
• 2-03 In The Ruins Of The Gelfling Village
• 2-04 Landstriders Introduction And Journey
• 2-05 Chamber Of Life
• 2-06 Landstriders Battle With Garthim And The Second Mystics Journey
• 2-07 In The Sewer Of The Castle
• 2-08 Kira Removed To The Council Chamber
• 2-09 Kira In The Chamber Of Life
• 2-10 Kira Is Freed And Jen In The Garthim Lair
• 2-11 Jen And Aughra In The Chamber Of Life
• 2-12 Skeksis Panicked By Gelfling And Jen In The Crystal Chamber [0:23-end]
• 2-12 Skeksis Panicked By Gelfling And Jen In The Crystal Chamber [0:00-0:23]
• 3-12 The Great Conjunction [0:00-2:40] (cue not in LLL main program)
• [Numenorean] 2-28 Gelfling Frightens The Skeksis , The Crystal Made Whole , Mystics And Skeksis Fuse , Finale , End Credits [5:16-7:18] (film version of cue)
• 3-12 The Great Conjunction [2:40-end] (more complete version of the film ending of previous cue than the final film edit as present on the Numenorean)
• 2-14 The Mystics And Skeksis Fuse To Become The UrSkeks
• 2-15 Pod Dance (Reprise) And Finale

 

Extras

• 3-01 Overture (Alternate takes/rerecordings of 3 cues/segments as stated above in OST breakdown)
• 1-09 Mystics 9-Tone Chant And The Observatory At Night [1:05-1:51] (alternate of 1:51-end?)
• 3-09 Gelfling Song (Alternate vocals and mix)
• 2-02 Jen & Kira Love Theme (long formal version of theme, could either be a formal album piece or an early very long version of 1-11 Jen And Kira In Forest [0:51-end]. Sounds worse than anything else on the set so could still be an Abbey Road recording perhaps?)
• 3-08 Love Theme (shorter version of the previous, in better sound).
• 2-13 The Great Conjunction And The Arrival Of The Mystics (alternate version of the cue including original ending)

[Gojira 46]

@Holko Thank you very much for all the work you put into your "little" writeup and everything else. I dig the booklet of the set but your last two posts are a great add-on/upgrade. Cool stuff

[Holko 11,343]

OK now that I have a better overall grasp I went back to trying to compare against the Numenorean. Some of the discoveries:

• Jen Encounters Aughra is an alternate, the film version, less overpoweringly synthy, less whimsical and more uneasy, related to in the Ruins of the Gelfling Village, with a much bigger ending, is not on the LLL (Jen On Aughra's Mountain)
• Garthim Attack Observatory seems to have extra synth elements not on the LLL (Observatory Destroyed).
• Mindspeech is an alternate, the film version not on the LLL (Dreamfast) is almost all based on the love theme, much more restrained, not too reactive at all
• Garthim Attack Pod Village has extra synths not on the LLL (Destruction of Pod Village)
• The short playful material for Fizzgig in Jen in the Crystal Chamber is an alternate, the film version not on the LLL (Jen Discovers Crystal Chamber) amplifies and echoes the percussion and the orchestra is just barely present low support

Some copium: if we completely disregard the fact that all of these should be included on a proper expansion, to be honest the only one out of these that I actually think has interesting material and I actually miss is the film Jen Encounters Aughra.

[Holko 11,343]

Next update: workprint/LLL have a take of the gelfling song with a higher range woman singing "laa-laa-laaa", film/OST have a lower range woman singing "aah-aaah-aaah". The World of the Dark Crystal docu has bits of a third version that was apparently the onset playback, featuring the lower range woman singing "laa-laa-laaa", without the fabricated musical nature sounds!

[Davis 3,949]

Where on earth do you find the time to do all this, man?  Are you on Unicum or what?  (unique more like it)

[ragoz350 495]

2 hours ago, Holko said:

film/workprint/LLL have a take of the gelfling song with a higher range woman singing "laa-laa-laaa"

Doesn't the final film use the OST version, though? Sounds like an odd directorial preference (maybe someone got used to the voice on the demo and wanted to bring that performer back?)

[Frank Vincent 260]

18 minutes ago, ragoz350 said:

Doesn't the final film use the OST version, though?

 

Yes, it does.

[Holko 11,343]

19 minutes ago, ragoz350 said:

Doesn't the final film use the OST version, though? Sounds like an odd directorial preference (maybe someone got used to the voice on the demo and wanted to bring that performer back?)

Oh wow yes you're right, how did that get mixed up in my head?

[Frank Vincent 260]

2 hours ago, Holko said:

The World of the Dark Crystal docu has bits of a third version that was apparently the onset playback, featuring the lower range woman singing "laa-laa-laaa", without the fabricated musical nature sounds!

 

Interesting, time to watch that documentary again.

[Jay 42,358]

@Maestro was just on a podcast about this release

 

https://darkcrystalpodcast.podbean.com/e/from-abbey-road-to-thra-the-journey-of-the-dark-crystal-s-expanded-soundtrack/

[Tallguy 5,607]

Also

 

 

[QuartalHarmony 802]

Just ordered. Been demurring for a while now, but the 20% off sale tipped me over. As it happens, the discount almost exactly covered the cost of postage, but still worth it, I'm sure.

 

Just need Sugarland and POTA box set to come back in stock and I can start waiting for the next sale!

 

Mark

[ragoz350 495]

I stumbled upon a presentation from 2016(!) about the Trevor Jones Archive at the University of Leeds. The talk was about the history of the Pod Dance versions from The Dark Crystal.

Unfortunately, the text of the talk is unavailable, but the presentation has a table describing the different versions and mixes. Excluding alternate mixes, there were three versions, all recorded before filming began (the names in all caps are archival identifiers).

 

The presentation also includes scans of 3 track sheets, which also give an idea of the early versions of the Funerals (it's noticeable that the Skeksis' Funeral had a version without(?) synths).

Spoiler

 

26th March (first version of Pod Dance; first(?) of Mystic's Funeral)

 

7th April (second version of Pod Dance; second(?) of Skeksis' Funeral)

 

May (thrid version of Pod Dance)

 

 

The slides are available in PDF here.

 

P.S. I'd love to hear the 2nd version with the orchestral strings. Still, it's great that all this material was saved.

[QuartalHarmony 802]

Arrived. Just listened to CD1 and read @Maestro ‘s excellent booklet notes. What a great score - better than I’ve ever realised from watching the film, which I’ve done many times, even with DVD iso score years ago.

 

Slightly regret the extra cost caused by the decision to go for a 3CD release when it could have been fitted on two, but what’s done is done.

 

Mark