The Book Thief (2013) - New Williams film score!

[Thor 7,478]

Which is why Williams has so few wins

PUH-LEASE? Williams has won more than enough.

Absolutely. It would have been nice to see him match Alan Menken's Oscar wins (although I adore Menken too), but Alfred Newman is too far away and Disney is obviously further away than anyone can ever match. At this point, I'm more interested in Williams' recognition in the public beyond the neo-romantic fanfares. I hope some day the public at large will recognize how versatile and great he is as a composer in his own right.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

At this point, I'm more interested in Williams' recognition in the public beyond the neo-romantic fanfares. I hope some day the public at large will recognize how versatile and great he is as a composer in his own right.

Same here, though beyond podcasts, I'd really like to hear more of Williams's more atypical and 'challenging' music played in concert. With the exception of the CE3K suite, most of Williams's suite are dumbed down and easy-listening, and help to pigeonhole him in the general public's mind as the Thomas Kinkade of film music.

[publicist 4,643]

The almost complete soundtrack streaming on SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/sony-soundtracks/sets/the-book-thief-ost

[filmmusic 1,823]

Thank you. Just listened to the first track but i will wait for the whole cd..

(at least we know now how the complete main theme is)

[publicist 4,643]

To be fair, to listen to the three complete tracks including the concert suite, go to

http://www.cinemamusica.de/1790/einfuehlsame-musik-fuer-beruehrendes-kriegsdrama-clips-und-drei-exklusive-tracks-zu-john-williams-the-book-thief-2013

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

edit

[Muad'Dib 1,801]

You can hear a bit of Snowy's Theme on The Snow Fight.

I think it's only appropiate.

Apart from that, this is incredible. The result is... magical. Many people said that Tintin was the unofficial version of what Williams would have done if he had continued working on Harry Potter. But I always thought that wasn't the case. But I'd dare to say that Book Thief definetly is. At least from what I'm hearing.

It truly sounds beautiful.

[publicist 4,643]

Fans of ANGELA'S ASHES, rejoice. Though after listening to the suite my final verdict is that it is finely crafted, but conceptually/musically totally devoid of any spark of inspiration.

[Incanus 5,713]

To be fair, to listen to the three complete tracks including the concert suite, go to

http://www.cinemamusica.de/1790/einfuehlsame-musik-fuer-beruehrendes-kriegsdrama-clips-und-drei-exklusive-tracks-zu-john-williams-the-book-thief-2013

The owner of this track has not made this sound available for streaming in your location. Bummer for Finland then.

[publicist 4,643]

I will upload it ESPECIALLY FOR YOU later...

Or use hidemyass.com and go to the url from there.

[Incanus 5,713]

Perhaps I will stay strong and wait until I get the CD.

[filmmusic 1,823]

To be fair, to listen to the three complete tracks including the concert suite, go to

http://www.cinemamusica.de/1790/einfuehlsame-musik-fuer-beruehrendes-kriegsdrama-clips-und-drei-exklusive-tracks-zu-john-williams-the-book-thief-2013

The owner of this track has not made this sound available for streaming in your location. Bummer for Finland then.

yeah, i can't listen to it either.

Fans of ANGELA'S ASHES, rejoice. Though after listening to the suite my final verdict is that it is finely crafted, but conceptually/musically totally devoid of any spark of inspiration.

that was my opinion too of the theme. It seems to me one of the weakest themes in Williams' post 1975 film scores (if we're talking about main themes and not just secondary ones or themes that appear only once), but when I'll listen to the whole score I'll have a better idea..

[Nemesis 244]

I like the Monsignor vibe in the End Titles.

[KK 3,307]

The almost complete soundtrack streaming on SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/sony-soundtracks/sets/the-book-thief-ost

Those are just the 50 second samples aren't they?

The third track sounds like it came right out of Angela's Ashes.

To be fair, to listen to the three complete tracks including the concert suite, go to

http://www.cinemamusica.de/1790/einfuehlsame-musik-fuer-beruehrendes-kriegsdrama-clips-und-drei-exklusive-tracks-zu-john-williams-the-book-thief-2013

The owner of this track has not made this sound available for streaming in your location. Bummer for Finland then.

Bummer for Canada too

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

To be fair, to listen to the three complete tracks including the concert suite, go to

http://www.cinemamusica.de/1790/einfuehlsame-musik-fuer-beruehrendes-kriegsdrama-clips-und-drei-exklusive-tracks-zu-john-williams-the-book-thief-2013

The owner of this track has not made this sound available for streaming in your location. Bummer for Finland then.

Bummer for Canada too

And Blighty.

[crocodile 7,990]

People, the score will be available in less than three days.

Karol

[filmmusic 1,823]

Only USA can listen to the 3 complete tracks?

[Incanus 5,713]

Only USA can listen to the 3 complete tracks?

I would hazard a guess that it is only available in Germany. Judging by the language on the site.

[filmmusic 1,823]

Only USA can listen to the 3 complete tracks?

I would hazard a guess that it is only available in Germany. Judging by the language on the site.

Oh, right!

[Hlao-roo 389]

It's fair to characterize Angela's Ashes as close companion piece to The Book Thief (especially in the phrasing of the main theme), if the samples are any guide, but I would say that in the score as a whole, the similarities are primarily instrumentational. The Book Thief strikes me as lighter on its feet, and affecting without being quite as lugubrious as its predecessor.

[crocodile 7,990]

I like the word lugubrious.

And even though Angela's Ashes score is heavy, the film itself remains curiously breezy and light. Strange, given that a child dies every 5 minutes. Seems to be the opposite in The Book Thief.

Karol

[Incanus 5,713]

I like the word lugubrious.

Karol

I like the score for Angela's Ashes and turtles. And turtlenecks.

The Book Thief does sound considerably lighter, the point of view of the music focusing on the child's fascination with books and Liesel's escapism and the diversion they offer to her during the horrible war. Even in Angela's Ashes there is humour or lightness in the music despite the horrible and tragic circumstances of the story, much like in the novel itself. Lanes of Limerick, Delivering Telegrams and My Dad's Stories and of course the penultimate track Back to America are prime examples of this.

[crocodile 7,990]

I wonder if there's any one in this world who likes the word "rehash"?

Karol

[BloodBoal 7,538]

This score sounds like a rather lugubrious rehash of Angela's Ashes.

[Hlao-roo 389]

I prefer hash. Especially with turtles.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

#turtles

[Hlao-roo 389]

#turtles

omg lol!! yes

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

The Twiterisation of JWFan is complete.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

I'll Twitter the hash out of you!

[Jay 37,322]

If anybody has any questions about forum rule #7, please contact me via PM about it

07 - You may embed videos of - or include a link to sites that stream - copyrighted material. However, links to sites where copyrighted material can be illegally downloaded are not allowed. You may link to legal streaming/download sites or to places where people can listen to your own compositions or recordings, for example.

Now back to talking about the samples!

[filmmusic 1,823]

Listening to the end track suite I have these observations:

-the main theme seems indeed to be the least interesting of all the themes (3 from what it seems in this track), by keeping the same rhythmic pattern of that 2 bar opening phrase. Of course the harmony changes, but that isn't enough for this theme. (eg. the E.T. theme retains also basically the same rhythmic pattern, but the big leaps of the melody give it a variety)

-the opening (and closing) theme of the track seems nice, and it sounds to me like non-Williams. I don't know why.. it would remind me of European film music.

-we have a 3rd theme in major at 4.10'' which seems interesting enough too..

[Tom 4,640]

Who's the greater rehasher. Williams who rehashes musically or angry jwfaners who rehash their disappointment when a new score doesn't resonate like superman or et?

Anyway, the expanded score samples sound excellent. I like the descending/ascending piano motif Williams spoke about in the interview--simple but I am guessing quite effective in the movie. The main theme is memorable and sufficient distinct, I think, from other similar themes to have its own musical identity. I love the playful tracks. For those who have heard the final track, is any of the playful music in it?

[Mari 279]

Here's an excerpt from a broadwayworld.com article about the score:

The touching story of The Book Thief gave Williams a wonderful canvas for original music, and an opportunity to demonstrate his mastery of intimate orchestral composition, including many wonderful solo instrumental textures. The soundtrack opens with a plaintive and haunting solo piano passage in the track "One Small Fact". The lyrical third track, New Parents and a New Home, again features piano with sweeping strings. Upbeat and lively pieces such as The Snow Fight and Foot Race add lightness and a playful exuberance to the score. For a key scene in the movie, the track Book Burning contributes dark, threatening, discordant notes, while Max and Liesel, underscoring the girl's relationship with the young Jewish man her foster parents are hiding, has a tender, slow oboe melody. In Learning to Write Williams selected the cello for an introductory solo. Towards the end of the soundtrack, Max Lives is a joyful piece that releases tension, followed by a serene finale and a summing-up of the whole in the final track, The Book Thief. The subtlety of the compositions and Williams' ability to conjure complex emotions are evident throughout this extraordinary score.

Link

[filmmusic 1,823]

For those who have heard the final track, is any of the playful music in it?

No.

[Incanus 5,713]

Here's an excerpt from a broadwayworld.com article about the score:

The touching story of The Book Thief gave Williams a wonderful canvas for original music, and an opportunity to demonstrate his mastery of intimate orchestral composition, including many wonderful solo instrumental textures. The soundtrack opens with a plaintive and haunting solo piano passage in the track "One Small Fact". The lyrical third track, New Parents and a New Home, again features piano with sweeping strings. Upbeat and lively pieces such as The Snow Fight and Foot Race add lightness and a playful exuberance to the score. For a key scene in the movie, the track Book Burning contributes dark, threatening, discordant notes, while Max and Liesel, underscoring the girl's relationship with the young Jewish man her foster parents are hiding, has a tender, slow oboe melody. In Learning to Write Williams selected the cello for an introductory solo. Towards the end of the soundtrack, Max Lives is a joyful piece that releases tension, followed by a serene finale and a summing-up of the whole in the final track, The Book Thief. The subtlety of the compositions and Williams' ability to conjure complex emotions are evident throughout this extraordinary score.

Link

Thank you for finding this one Mari!

Much of the articles seems like a publicity blurb for the film and score by Sony but those brief descriptions of the music were nice to read.

[publicist 4,643]

Who's the greater rehasher. Williams who rehashes musically or angry jwfaners who rehash their disappointment when a new score doesn't resonate like superman or et?

Was that a bumpy try at creating a bonmot? Better luck next time.

[crocodile 7,990]

It's true, though. You're hornering a lot lately, pub.

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

Only after zimmering stopped working...

[filmmusic 1,823]

I would propose, that a healthy attitude towards a new Williams soundtrack would be this:

"forget that Williams wrote it!" (as much as it can be possible)

because if someone doesn't, this has 2 dangers:

-proclaiming the soundtrack a new masterpiece or the best music ever written (due to your love towards the composer and the fact that such scores aren't written any more)

-being totally dissapointed that it doesn't live up to previous masterpieces of the composer.

[crocodile 7,990]

Only after zimmering stopped working...

It's time to desplat a bit, I reckon.

Much healthier.

Karol

[BloodBoal 7,538]

I would propose, that a healthy attitude towards a new Williams soundtrack would be this:

"forget that Williams wrote it!"

But if we do that, we'll all like:" Wow. That composer is awesome! How come I've never heard of him before?". Which would be weird.

[publicist 4,643]

If you're not into djawading, balfing or jablonskissing the french one might do.

[filmmusic 1,823]

I would propose, that a healthy attitude towards a new Williams soundtrack would be this:

"forget that Williams wrote it!"

But if we do that, we'll all like:" Wow. That composer is awesome! How come I've never heard of him before?". Which would be weird.

If you could think that, then that's great! It would mean that the score is indeed great and you didn't just say so because it's Williams!

[Incanus 5,713]

Well I am probably going to like this score a lot and there is nothing you can do about it! Any of you! Muaahahahaaaa! I might call it a masterpiece just to spite you naysayers!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

I'm getting a big "Stepmom" vibe from this score, especially from the track, "Max and Liesel".

[King Mark 3,626]

Well, it's nice that SOME people can listen to some tracks

[Hlao-roo 389]

I'm getting a big "Stepmom" vibe from this score, especially from the track, "Max and Liesel".

Yup, and it's a good thing. Both the darker elements and the scherzo writing, and I would say it's even better this go around.

[Mari 279]

Well I am probably going to like this score a lot and there is nothing you can do about it! Any of you! Muaahahahaaaa! I might call it a masterpiece just to spite you naysayers!

Bravo! From the samples I've heard, I'll probably be joining you on #TeamMasterpiece.

Also, I just came across a review of the entire score:

http://lostinthemultiplex.com/extras/features/item/4404-soundtrek-review-the-book-thief.html

It certainly sounds like my kind of music!

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

I'll probably join #TeamIt'sPrettyGoodIGuess.