Azkaban soundrack first online review

[fommes 154]

You see Lotman, they just refuse to see it.

Hehe, theory proven!

[ChrisAfonso 188]

No, it isn't. The only thing that is slightly similar is the fact that both have triplets at the begining of 2 consecutive bars. If this is your criterium, then many other pieces also sound like Luke's theme.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Hey, don't trow your fancy music terms around.

Just cause you do not think they are similar does not mean they aren't.

But ultimatly we are gonna need Alexcremers opinion on this, just to settle it once and for all.

[Rogue_Leader 2]

I still want to see how this music plays with the music.

That is also a very important thing you need to know in order to properly judge a score.

[ymenard 54]

I was just listening to "Brainstorm" by Horner yesterday. Great score, for his early days in 1983. But gosh that DA-DA-DA-DUUUUNNNH!!!! is found everywhere in that score. It's also in ST2, so basically he's been using that same friggin identical 4-note danger theme for TWENTY YEARS.

[nja 0]

For me Across The Stars still sounds like Luke's theme re-orchestrated into a epic theme.

Of course if Horner would have done the same it would have been heavily critisized.

But when Williams takes an easy short cut it's called "ingenious"  :roll:  

For what it?s worth, I think JW is sometimes more subtle than we give him credit for. I don?t know how anyone can deny that Across the Stars has similarities to the title music, but he will often relate themes in the same film or series. For example, some of the harmonies and melodic patterns in Double Trouble are slightly reminiscent of Hedwig?s theme. A shortcut? I don?t think so.

Across the Stars represents a decision that will ultimately bring down the whole Star Wars universe- that?s why it?s such a dark love theme. In some ways, it?s beautiful, in other ways tragic because you know what the result will be. I think it?s hard to deny that the Anakin/Padme marriage ranks as one of the watershed events in the new films- second only perhaps to Anakin?s succumbing to the dark side.

It?s one thing to claim borrowing between themes in different films. In the same film- I have trouble thinking it wasn?t on purpose. JW?s no dummy. When he writes something that noticeable, it?s may just be because he wants you to notice it.

And yes, if Horner did that- I would wonder out loud whether or not it was a shortcut.

But ultimatly we are gonna need Alexcremers opinion on this, just to settle it once and for all.

LOL

[Jeshopk 8]

Having listened to Williams since I was born in 75, always owning his cds, I always found it funny that Hook became the "best" Williams score in many ears. Harry Potter was a welcome return to his late 70's style, moreso than The Phantom Menace. Although the album had a few too many repetitions of Hedwig's motif in the first half, there was much to make up for it. I especially liked the use of small groupings. Very descriptive and classical in approach. This new Potter CD has me thinking of the riches an expanded score might bring.

[Morlock 11]

SS is a far superiour soundtrack.

CoS is OK, but feels awfully rushed.

I think CoS is also great, but it does indeed feel rushed. The underscore is not nearly as strong, and neither are the themes, save Fawkes, which is as good or superior to any of the themes.

And I'm trying, but I don't hear the Luke/ATS connection. The Augie/Emperor's I hear very clearly though. To me, my first new JW soundtrack (AoTC) was ruined by track two, when I heard the opening to ATS was identical to Hook.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

I'm just still upset at how awfully the Chamber theme was treated on the album release. Two quotes of the theme, and the concert suite of it. I recall at least five more times in the actual film, one highlight being "The Writing on the Wall" which has the choir wailing it out, like the "Arrival at Hogwarts" chorals. The secondary part of the Chamber theme was also used for dramatic parts in the film (like when the students fill up the corridors around the wall) and sounds great. Alas, not all releases can be well thought-through and given time. I also (off-topic sort of) wonder if the music would have been much different had Williams conducted it instead of Ross.

[Morlock 11]

Yeah, the music when the kids fill up the corridors would really add a lot to the CD.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I also (off-topic sort of) wonder if the music would have been much different had Williams conducted it instead of Ross.

I really do not hear any difference between Ross conducting and Williams.

Hell, Harry's Wondrous World from CoS sounds virtually identical to the Harry's Wondrous World from the first score.

[Morlock 11]

Yeah, sounds like Williams. Are we sure it's not the same recording of HWW? I never listen to it on the CoS CD.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

It is exactly the same recording, except there is an extra three seconds about halfway into it (i'll try to find the track time) and the ending is alternate. If you listen on a discman (unfortunately that's my only way to listen to CD's; no hi-fi for me) you can hear the difference between them. The acoustics sound very different, and as it's performed by an entirely different orchestra and conducted by someone else this is understandable. I wish they did record it again. Not that I want it again now, but it would have been nice for the CoS release.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

magical me is correct it's the same recording with a 3 second segment looped once, for unknown reasons, and a tagged on ending.

That makes 2 films in a single year were Williams re-used music from the previous installment.

[nja 0]

For me Across The Stars still sounds like Luke's theme re-orchestrated into a epic theme.

Of course if Horner would have done the same it would have been heavily critisized.

But when Williams takes an easy short cut it's called "ingenious"  :roll:  

For what it?s worth, I think JW is sometimes more subtle than we give him credit for. I don?t know how anyone can deny that Across the Stars has similarities to the title music, but he will often relate themes in the same film or series. For example, some of the harmonies and melodic patterns in Double Trouble are slightly reminiscent of Hedwig?s theme. A shortcut? I don?t think so.

Across the Stars represents a decision that will ultimately bring down the whole Star Wars universe- that?s why it?s such a dark love theme. In some ways, it?s beautiful, in other ways tragic because you know what the result will be. I think it?s hard to deny that the Anakin/Padme marriage ranks as one of the watershed events in the new films- second only perhaps to Anakin?s succumbing to the dark side.

It?s one thing to claim borrowing between themes in different films. In the same film- I have trouble thinking it wasn?t on purpose. JW?s no dummy. When he writes something that noticeable, it?s may just be because he wants you to notice it.

And yes, if Horner did that- I would wonder out loud whether or not it was a shortcut.

Now I'm quoting myself- (great).

One other important example of this I forgot to mention is at the end of Anakin's theme where there's that ever-so-subtle allusion to Darth Vader's theme or the Imperial March (or whatever).

Instances like that indicate an incredible level of subtlety that is going on in JW's compositional thought processes and make it hard to think that Across the Stars/ SW theme similarities are careless mistakes.

[Hlao-roo 389]

Sometimes I agree with Clemmensen's reviews, sometimes I don't. Sometimes he gets his facts wrong, sometimes they're accurate. Without touching on his personality, which we got a slice of when he went public trying to distance himself from and discredit JWFAN's webmaster a few years back, I don't think there's anything particularly egregious (or spectacular) about his reviews. If you find them bereft of insight or competence, then just don't read them.

Anyhow, I thought I'd point out a second online review at All Music Guide by James Christopher Monger. He gives it four and a half stars.

For the first two Harry Potter films [John Williams] employed an instantly memorable theme augmented by a series of elegant, yet uninspired action motifs that while effortless were, like the films themselves, merely adequate. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban finds the Oscar winning composer swelled with a creative giddiness that hasn't been present for some time, resulting in a piece of work that' s both fully realized and endlessly unpredictable.

[King Mark 3,631]

Early reviews seem to indicates that when Williams bases a score on Home Alone and Hook,he is on auto-pilot re-threading the same music only slightly altered,but when he revisits Indiana Jones and Close Encounters,he is fresh and inspired.

K.M.

[A24 4,369]

When did he revisit CE3K?

[King Mark 3,631]

You haven't heard The Dementors Converge?

K.M.

[A24 4,369]

I don't know, but there's a difference in revisiting a style or composing themes that sound familiar in both melody and orchestration. That was kinda new for some fans and reviewers.

----------------

Alex Cremers

[King Mark 3,631]

I think for casual fans who don't own all of Williams scores,it is more difficult to see which scores are "re-visited" in style,except when it's Hook for some reason.

Also,I find the cue Secrets of the Castle is similar in style to some cues on Images(Old Ruins and Ponies or whatever it's called),but hardly anyone would remember.

K.M.

[Morlock 11]

From the credits of the All Music Guide's review:

John 'Buddy' Williams - Conductor, Producer

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Without touching on his personality, which we got a slice of when he went public trying to distance himself from and discredit JWFAN's webmaster a few years back, I don't think there's anything particularly egregious (or spectacular) about his reviews.

What exactly happened and why did he try to do that?

[ChrisAfonso 188]

Just cause you do not think they are similar does not mean they aren't.

Just because you think they are simlilar does not mean they are.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Without touching on his personality, which we got a slice of when he went public trying to distance himself from and discredit JWFAN's webmaster a few years back, I don't think there's anything particularly egregious (or spectacular) about his reviews.

What exactly happened and why did he try to do that?

Same question.

Ray Barnsbury

[King Mark 3,631]

We do not speaketh of the MB Wars.

K.M.

[King Mark 3,631]

The more I listen to this the more i think this sounds 70's Williams,Agressive strings and brass that lead the underscore like the days of Superman and ESB and Raiders,listen to "The Werewolf Scene".A lot different from the action music trend of The Lost Word i think.

K.M.