Discovering Goldsmith

[Sandor 797]

After some comments have been made on this board about Goldsmith's Star Trek The Motion Picture score being so great (even better than the best Williams scores) I had to check it out (again).

First; I watched the Director's Cut Edition of the film and I was blown away! Not only seemed the film so much better than I remembered, but paying special attention to the score was truly a moment well spend. Years ago mr. S send me a copy of the (almost) complete TMP score and it has been in my CD player for days now. I truly discovered a gem in my collection that I before only regarded as simply a 'good score'.

Also I took out all my Goldsmith scores (I didn't even realize I had so many!) and have been listening to selections on a daily basis. Mr. S send me a recording that he made in London back in 2001 I think and it's great! I love the suite from Rudy! Tryouts is one of my favorite pieces of music! And the Love Theme from Supergirl.... AMAZING!!

Goldsmith and Williams truly were exceptional during the mid-'70's until the early-'70's writing arguably the best film music in history.

Roald

[stewdog1 50]

I just love going to back to albums that I thought were ok, only to realize that they are really outstanding after not listening to them for a while. It's like they need time to marinate in your brain.

One often overlooked work of Goldsmith is Medicine Man. The Trees from that album is just simply gorgeous. But the entire album is highly recommended.

[Marian Schedenig 8,191]

And the Love Theme from Supergirl.... AMAZING!!

It's the main theme actually. And that 2001 recording is the best recording ever. Well, actually, the encore of the 2003 concert was even better, but someone's MD recorder stopped after the first 30 seconds...

Marian - :cry:

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

First; I watched the Director's Cut Edition of the film and I was blown away! Not only seemed the film so much better than I remembered, but paying special attention to the score was truly a moment well spend. Years ago mr. S send me a copy of the (almost) complete TMP score and it has been in my CD player for days now. I truly discovered a gem in my collection that I before only regarded as simply a 'good score'.

Took you that long to fully appriciate my gift?

Of course my (new) COMPLETE copy of the TMP score is even better

Also I took out all my Goldsmith scores (I didn't even realize I had so many!) and have been listening to selections on a daily basis. Mr. S send me a recording that he made in London back in 2001 I think and it's great! I love the suite from Rudy! Tryouts is one of my favorite pieces of music! And the Love Theme from Supergirl.... AMAZING!!

What Goldsmith scores do you have anyway?

It sounds like you are only just discovering the brilliance that is Goldsmith.

I'm glad i realized this and managed to see him conduct before he passed away.

Goldsmith and Williams truly were exceptional during the mid-'70's until the early-'70's writing arguably the best film music in history.

Roald

As good as that period might have been, I still think Goldsmith's 1985 - 2003 periods is just as strong, just a different style, more streamlined perhaps, more "clear line".

Also, after Goldsmith death and listening to so many of my Goldsmith Cd's because of it, I discovered this:

While John Williams has arguably composed a greater number of "brilliant" scores that I really love, I find that I hardly ever feel the need to listen to what are pretty much considered to be "average" Williams scores.

With Jerry Goldsmith, I can listen to his "average" scores and find great enjoyment in them.

I hardly ever listen to mid-range Williams scores Amistad, Saving Private Ryan, The Patriot, Spacecamp or Minority Report.

I have listened to mid-range Goldsmith scores like Star Trek: First Contact, Gremlins II: The New Batch, The Edge, Nemesis, Mulan, The 13th Warrior or Timeline many, many times and will continue to do so.

[Sandor 797]

Stefan, I will send you a list of my Goldsmith collection, ok?

I really understand what you say about the mid-range scores. I mean, I listen to First Contact occasionaly (the main theme is gorgeous), but uh, is THAT just mid-range for Goldsmith?! Then I have much more to discover!

Roald

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Stefan, I will send you a list of my Goldsmith collection, ok?

Okily dokily....

I really understand what you say about the mid-range scores. I mean, I listen to First Contact occasionaly (the main theme is gorgeous), but uh, is THAT just mid-range for Goldsmith?! Then I have much more to discover!

Roald

Definatly, the Main Theme is the best aspect of the score, which is damn good considering he only had 3 weeks to compose it, but it is nowere near his best. (overall his other 3 week efforts Air Force one is a stronger, more focused score)

Favortite GREAT Goldsmith scores:

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (possible the best score I have ever heard)

Rambo: First Blood: Part II (the MOTHER of modern action scores)

Basic Instinct (if possible try making love with "Pillow Talk" playing in the back ground, I have and it's great

Poltergeist

The Omen

Total Recall

Masada (not very well known perhaps, this is what I like to call Goldsmith's Conan the Barbarian)

Air Force One (OK not a deep or moving listening experience, but every note has a relentless and single mindedly effective drive to it, perhaps the archetype 90's Goldsmith action score)

Favorite Mid Range Goldsmith scores:

Timeline (the last score he was able to complete, since Debney finished up on Looney Tunes, several great themes, kickass action music and the reason why I bought an SACD player )

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

The 13th Warrior

Star Trek :Nemesis (a score that seems simplistic at first, but grows complexrer once you pay attention to it's details, having the extended bootleg helps, btw)

The Ghost and the Darkness (Starts out with a catchy jig and just grown more darkler and savage with each cue)

Gremlins II: The New Batch

Star Trek: Insurrection (the action music may grow tedious in the last few tracks and the action theme is basically the theme from US Marshalls played slightly different, but the romantic music is really wonderfull, New Sights kicks Suite From The Inner Lights ass!)

[Marian Schedenig 8,191]

Final Conflict

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It is very good, but not a masterpiece. (parts of it are though)

[fommes 153]

Under Fire is, in my opinion and in my modest collection of top Goldsmith stuff, his very, very best.

[John Crichton 4]

Star Trek :Nemesis (a score that seems simplistic at first, but grows complexrer once you pay attention to it's details, having the extended bootleg helps, btw)

I agree totally. I like both First Contact and Insurrection, but I've listened to Nemesis more than both of them combined already, and every time I am freshly amazed at just how damn good it is. A wonderful accomplishment.

[stewdog1 50]

Nemesis is a very very good score. It is most certainly one that takes time to appreciate.

One score I think Stefancos missed in his mid-range scores is First Knight. A score that is so over the top that it somehow works very well. The OST does not do it justice though. Get you hands on the bootleg version for a wonderful delight.

[TheRuleOfThirds 0]

Yeah, FK rocks.

One score I listened to last night that's mid-range, but was really enjoyable was Leviathan. The last time I listened to it, it literally put me to sleep. It's not one I've listened to all that much in the 4 years I've had it.

Another excellent mid-range is Forever Young. It's got great action writing, great romantic writing, and a pretty dramatic ending.

Other nice mid-ranges:

Outland

Dennis the Menace

Capricorn One

The 'Burbs

Really, Jerry's a mid-range composer. His biggest scores were for movies that weren't that big themselves. Horner and Williams can count the big successes they've scored that people remember seeing. Most people remember seeing their mid-range scores. When you ask people if they've seen movies Jerry scored...they give you a blank look. "The 'burbs?" "The Blue Max? Is that like The Yellow Submarine?" So really, every Goldsmith score is mid-range except for probably Patton, Alien, TMP, Planet of the Apes and Chinatown. And (seemingly) how many hundreds of scores are still left?

[jgraves 0]

Am I the only one who also loves The Edge? What great minor-mode atmosphere! And the love theme from The Mummy makes me want to cry like a baby. Same for the love theme from First Knight - brilliant! Powder also has a great John Barry-ish sound to it.

Jason

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I consider Goldsmith as Williams' equal, only he wasn't as lucky with high-end films.

My Goldsmith collection: (okay, here we go, I'll give them each a rating out of 5)

Planet of the Apes (1968) ***

Difficult to listen to on its own, but it's really a masterful and innovative work that's very different to everything that's been done before it by any other composer that I know of, however I find Danny Elfman's version to be more thematically interesting.

The Omen (1976) *****

A demonic masterpiece. The "Ave Satani" theme is so evil, it's beautiful. Plus, I never thought demonic chants could be so catchy!

Alien (1979) *****

Aside from The Omen, probably the most frightening score I've ever heard. It's atonal, but the cues here are addictive.

Poltergeist (1982) *****

A very sweet and at times, frightening score, which has a good mix of what Williams might have done, but no one knows what scares you like Goldsmith.

Supergirl (LP) (1984) *****

I'm glad to own this LP as it has the Main Title in it's original form from the film. For me, this score rivals John Williams' Superman, it's that good. The main theme is almost annoyingly catchy, but I can't help loving it because I enjoy a memorable theme set to tasteful synths, a full blown orchestra and Helen Slater, um... flying around. It's scores like this that remind me how great at composing Jerry was and that there'll never be another composer like him that can elevate movies like this to a whole other level.

King Solomon's Mines (1985) ****

What Jerry might have done if he'd scored Raiders of the Lost Ark. A very catchy and rhythmic theme and some damn fine action music make this all worth while.

Legend (1985) *****

My words cannot do justice to this score, but I'll give it a go. It's evil, pretty, emotional and lyrical. I love it. "My True Love's Eyes" and "Reunited" are among the most breathtaking Goldsmith ever did. It's hard to believe it was rejected in the US version.

Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) *****

I actually think this is superior to the first film's score. There are more of Goldsmith's trademarks, plus there was a scarier villain, which called for some more interesting flavor, rhythm and melody.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) ***

I haven't heard the first score in this series in its entirety, but I like the reworkings of the main theme in this version.

Basic Instinct (1992) *****

Um... don't ask me what I think about when listening to this.

First Knight (1995) *****

Another masterpiece, tracks like "Arthur's Fanfare" and "Camelot Lives" are breathtaking.

Star Trek: First Contact (1996) ****

I wish this soundtrack was more complete, but what I've got on the official CD is pretty good. The Borg cues with synths (I think some were done by Joel Goldsmith) were effective at creating a techy/organic mood.

Executive Decision (1996) ***

Here we get to some of Jerry's more "generic" action writing. This is the kind of simplistic "macho" stuff Jerry could have written in his sleep, but the main theme is cool.

Air Force One (1997) ****

Makes you feel good, the music, doesn't it?

Deep Rising (1998) ***

More generic stuff, the film was more or less a rip-off of Alien and you can lay this kind of music over any other film that's rather similar and it seems to fit well, but some fun material nonetheless.

The Mummy (1999) *****

Rich and sweeping action music and a gorgeous love theme.

I wish I could get more Goldsmith scores. I only have 16 as compared with my 30 Williams and 22 Elfman soundtracks. They're either really expensive or too hard to come across.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Another Goldsmith piece I can reccomend is the score he wrote for the Soarin'Over California ride.

Short perhaps, but pure Goldsmith magic.

[David Coscina 3]

I just wrote a Goldsmith-type piece tonight

http://forums.keyfax.com/user-files/162611...20Goldsmith.mp3

[Guest CaptPorridge]

Here's a few of my fav Goldsmiths (that haven't been mentioned yet)

Theme from Take A Hard Ride;

As a rousing Western Theme, its up there with Bernstein's The Mag 7

Love Field,

Together Again, (final track on The CD)

I love this piece, especially the bluesy piano

Journey In The Desert QBVII

I had this CD for years before I played this track..stupid me!

And I love his TV Show Medley, Room 202, Man From Uncle Waltons etc

[Melange 446]

I just wrote a Goldsmith-type piece tonight  

http://forums.keyfax.com/user-files/162611-Ode%20to%20Goldsmith.mp3

Nice