The Verdict: What is Williams best score of 2005?

[King Mark 3,631]

Well,I'm listening to Munich right now so I won't vote yet,but I'm impressed so far.

K.M.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I'm also very impressed with Munich so far too. I was planning on listening through 2005's four JW scores soon, to get a better feel for comparing them, so I'll vote after that.

Ray Barnsbury

[Trent B 337]

You all know me...Revenge Of The Sith gets my vote and will always get my vote.

[King Mark 3,631]

Hmm,RotS still gets my vote overall,but Munich has some of the best individual tracks of 2005(Remembering Munich,Avner and Daphnia and A Prayer for Peace).

K.M.

[Romão 2,274]

I still have to see Memoirs and Munich before I make up my mind. But this has been a very strong JW year.

[Yoda Longbottom 0]

Is it okay to judge the score to Munich so shortly after it was released? I don't want it to lose votes only because some of us may have not had enough time to get it to know better. In this view, RotS has that advantage neither Munich nor Geisha have.

I haven't heard Munich yet, so I will not vote anytime soon. The score has not been released here yet. Of the three remaining then, I would have voted for Memoirs of a Geisha. It's an incredibly well written piece of music and it just engulfed me whole.

When I read reviews before I bought the soundtrack, I feared it would sound too much like Tibet, at least that's what some reviewers were claiming it to be. I was happy to hear it's nothing like that 1997's score. It's just beautiful and it would get my vote. But I'll wait for Munich to come out.

BTW, which of the four scores do you think works best in the movie?

Even without hearing Munich, I can say 2005's was a great year for John Williams. Considering his age, he's managed to pull off wealth of quality music, something that younger composers can only dream of. I still think that John Williams doesn't have a compeer among living composers. At least among those I know.

Roman

[Sandor 797]

I voted ROTS, but I had a struggle choosing between ROTS and Munich.

And Roman, I totally agree with you about Williams' output this year. He did not only score four films, but he provided scores with such diversity and detail. I know his schedule must have been quite tight sometimes, but there is so much sincerity in his music.

[Morlock 11]

I instintively voted for Geisha, but I'm rethinking it now. I'll let the scores sink in a bit more. It could be any of them except for WoTW.

[Sonalitude 0]

WOTW is really just for atmosphere, I can't even find a obvious maintheme...sounds really not that good without the screen...it seems that JW presently is so insterested in trying different styles.

[Yoda Longbottom 0]

WotW has its moments.

I hate to bring it up all over again, but try to pick a few works from masters of past era, works that they wrote past the age of 65, and you will find a lot of more atonality in their music. It really could be the "side-effect" of aging, like that you automatically become more contemplative and such. Or maybe JW really became attracted to that style of writing. But Williams has never stooped down to the level of writing one strong hook per a score and the rest is "filler". We should be thankful for that. Even in his most "atonal" works there's still a lot of detail to be heard. It's not a bad thing.

[The Dark Trilogy 39]

Revenge of the Sith

Cheers

Christoph

[Yoda Longbottom 0]

Make your post count grow and tell us why this is your favorite work

[batmanand 0]

I have not yet heard Munich, so I voted ROTS. I look forward to hearing all of JW's 2005 output though.

On the issue of variety of styles, I would add that, unlike some composers, when JW does "ethnic" scores, he doesn't simply overuse an "ethnic" instrument (Horner is the big offender here). Yes, he did use that whatdoyoucallit in MoG, but it is subtley used to add a richness, not as the main focus of the score. It is the same when he did Seven Years in Tibet. What could have been a cliched Asian score turned into a beautiful orchestral masterpiece.

JW moves in a myserious way...

[Romão 2,274]

And he never ceases to surprise me.

[Yoda Longbottom 0]

It is the same when he did Seven Years in Tibet. What could have been a cliched Asian score turned into a beautiful orchestral masterpiece.

JW moves in a myserious way...

Seven Years in Tibet is Williams' ghostly Oscar; it's only shame the Academy realized the score's potential a year later in a reprise, with its flattened form of Crouching Tiger. It's very likely Geisha will get overlooked the same way as Tibet did a few years ago. So this is an appeal to other composers! Use Williams' Geisha score as a pattern for your next score and you have surely kneaded to grab yourself a few awards, including the Oscar. Chances are there, come take them!

[Trent B 337]

I haven't heard the other three scores. I doubt I will since I'm pretty picky as to what I want and what I want to listen to for film scores. Revenge Of The Sith is one I truely enjoy and never get tired of.

[robthehand 3]

War of the Worlds.

[Sonalitude 0]

WotW has its moments.

I hate to bring it up all over again, but try to pick a few works from masters of past era, works that they wrote past the age of 65, and you will find a lot of more atonality in their music. It really could be the "side-effect" of aging, like that you automatically become more contemplative and such.  Or maybe JW really became attracted to that style of writing. But Williams has never stooped down to the level of writing one strong hook per a score and the rest is "filler". We should be thankful for that. Even in his most "atonal" works there's still a lot of detail to be heard. It's not a bad thing.

Great insight...I'm just a newbie

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

The Revenge of the Sith. It was hard to choose between 3 fabulous scores.

Quite a year for composer aged almost like Yoda...

[Yoda Longbottom 0]

Quite a year for composer aged almost like Yoda...

I'm younger than that!!!!

[JMan 0]

2005, in my opinion has been one of his BEST years ever! My vote goes to War of the the Worlds though for its originality and "propulsion"! Star Wars was incredible, and so was Memoirs, Munich I just dont have and dont know if I'll get. Eh probably.....Plus 2005 was incredible for myself getting to meet him back in August. This was the year to live.

[Adam 1]

From the point of view of the music's importance to the film and its representation in the film, Geisha was the most satisfying score to hear with the movie. It wasn't flawless but there was less to gripe about than the other movies.

But as an album, I'm thinking Munich will probably remain on top for me even after the newness rubs off. Its hard to rate them though because they are all so different. Each has advantages and disadvantages over the others.

- Adam

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I'm not voting, because I haven't seen Memoirs or Munich yet (I'm not sure I'll even go see Memoirs in the theater). I love listening to Memoirs though. I've yet to give Munich a spin, although I've got it all on my HD already.

- Marc, who still doesn't have WotW.

[Vaderbait1 1]

Haven't heard Memoirs because I'm not interested, and the previews for Munich won't work on my computer. So between War of the Worlds and Episode 3, ROTS wins by a landslide.

[Trumpeteer 302]

Is it okay to judge the score to Munich so shortly after it was released? I don't want it to lose votes only because some of us may have not had enough time to get it to know better. In this view, RotS has that advantage neither Munich nor Geisha have.

Roman

I call it a disadvantage.

Munich is the best score of 2005. I suggest you judge it on its merits within the film, not on CD, which just gives you too many concert versions of Avner's theme and not enough of what made the body of the score so fantastic.

Jeff -- who wouldn't have voted for "Revenge of the Sith" or "War of the Worlds" even if "Munich" was bad

[Romão 2,274]

Haven't heard Memoirs because I'm not interested, and the previews for Munich won't work on my computer. So between War of the Worlds and Episode 3, ROTS wins by a landslide.

And you call yourself a Jw fan? You don't even listen to the score once because it doesn't interest you? Give it a try, and to other Williams' scores in the same vain...I guarantee you will find new layers to his talent.

[Trent B 337]

Haven't heard Memoirs because I'm not interested, and the previews for Munich won't work on my computer. So between War of the Worlds and Episode 3, ROTS wins by a landslide.

And you call yourself a Jw fan? You don't even listen to the score once because it doesn't interest you? Give it a try, and to other Williams' scores in the same vain...I guarantee you will find new layers to his talent.

Yes I call myself a jwfan. Just because I am not intrested in something doesn't mean I'm not a fan of Williams. You're assuming to much.

[Romão 2,274]

I was just joking man, take it easy But really, give it a try.

No hard feelings

[nightscape94 965]

I am not going to vote on this one until I've been able to listen to Munich a bit more. I went through it twice from start to finish, and then honed in on individual tracks (the ones everyone keeps mentioning ).

After I analyze it, and let it soak in, I'll cast my vote. Remember, this isn't just about how it sounds on the CD. It's important to take into account its effectiveness in the movie.

Tim

[Hitch 57]

Having just finished listening to MUNICH (thanks Merkel), my overall vote for best John Williams "CD" score for 2005 goes to MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA only because I'm a sucker for Japanese music.

My vote would be as follows:

01. MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA

02. WAR OF THE WORLDS

03. MUNICH

04. REVENGE OF THE SITH

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Is this score better then Barry's YOLT?

Stefancos- who has this CD but has not found the time to listen to it.

[King Mark 3,631]

YOLT is better IMO.

K.M.

[King Mark 3,631]

Stefancos- who has this CD but has not found the time to listen to it.

You title of Master should be revoked.

K.M.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Is it my fault that that complete FOTR release is 3 hours long and sooooo addictive?

[John McClane 1]

- Marc, who still doesn't have WotW.

What are you waiting for? I bought it soon after it was released, and it happened a very rare thing for me: I listened it 2 consecutive times.

I have more than 400 CDs pluse a lot of millions on mp3, and it's very rare that I listen to the same CD twice in a row. I liked it at the first listen. I didn't listened to it millions time since then, only 15-20 times, but I still like it a lot.

But I have yet to listen to Munich and I listened to Geisha only 3-4 times so I don't love it yet.

[Composer_Fan 2]

ROTS

Geisha

Munich

WOTW

[Trent B 337]

I was just joking man, take it easy But really, give it a try.

No hard feelings

That's what they all say.

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

I still don't have Munich yet, but I have a feeling it will only be competing for 2nd place. As it is now, my vote goes to ROTS, followed by Memoirs and WOTW.

[Justin 2]

This thread is ridiculously premature. I won't vote until Munich and Geisha's "Newness" has faded.

Justin - :roll:

[QMM 4]

Munich

[King Mark 3,631]

This thread is ridiculously premature.

Justin - :roll:

oh well excuuuuuuse me.

K.M.

[Justin 2]

Actually it'll be interesting to compare the results of this poll to my Best of 2005 in a few months.

Carry on.

Justin

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Is it my fault that that complete FOTR release is 3 hours long and sooooo addictive?

3 hours...?!?

[Richard Penna 3,694]

Have you been under a rock?

Yes.. 3 hours

And vveerryyy addictive too

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Have you been under a rock?

Yes.. 3 hours

And vveerryyy addictive too

Yes, and I am going to stay there,until this hype

about the overrated complete FOTR will end...

[Yoda Longbottom 0]

Didn't Shore promise to make a 3-movement symphonic cycle out of each LOTR score? That's what I have really been interested in for long now. But instead, some another bunch of previously unreleased cues was put on another set of CDs. Did he find out LOTR fans wouldn't perhaps give a dime for the symphonic translation, them rather craving for more and more unreleased variations on what's long been available? I hope Shore isn't composing new material to sell it as another unreleased set of cues.

Because what I did, to my big shame, is that I believed Mr. Shore's words and as time went I got rid of the three standard score releases hoping to get what he promised.

[King Mark 3,631]

Keep the LotR discussion out of my thread where I can't see it please.

K.M.

[Yoda Longbottom 0]

Sorry. I will. Consider it done.

[SturgisPodmore 0]

WotW, I suppose.

~Sturgis

[Justin 2]

Child. :roll:

Justin -