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I think what's happening with everyone that doesn't like Desplat is that they are - subconsciously or otherwise - picking up on the way he records his scores (fragmented and separately with different sets of musicians so that the whole idea and final product is never heard by the musicians) and interpreting that as "cold" and "unemotional" even though the music itself is clearly not those things. And those people are never going to like Desplat unless they look beyond the subtle, but very real difference that recording methodology makes in the feel of the final product. I admit I struggled with that at first, until I realized what Desplat was doing and why, and identified that as the source of my discomfort with his music. And once I identified that, I was free to enjoy Desplat's music for what it is. Mostly I'm just happy that someone in the film music world is doing something different, and succeeding with it.

I'm sure you're right, I think Desplat just does it to a greater degree than most other composers, so it has a greater effect. Otherwise people in the community wouldn't have gone to the trouble to point it out and highlight it so much in articles about him and interviews with him.

I also think that there's something in the way Desplat's recordings get mixed that turns people off. For example, take the track "Dreamcatcher" from New Moon. Those flute phrases that get overlayed in between the main phrases of Jacob's theme during the last minute of the track. As a musical idea those flute phrases are brilliant and should be deeply moving and beautiful. But the way they are mixed make them feel like the flutes are somehow sitting on top of the rest of the music and not a part of the whole...causing the emotional impact to be completely different...some might say completely wrong. Personally I'm not sure whether Desplat is just bad at mixing these elements, or if it's being done deliberately to create a certain effect.

Definitely check it out - it's a great action score with some superb Bond-ish orchestral writing!

Matt - The issue you brought up with Desplat's recording and mixing methods is part of my distaste for Desplat. I am NOT a fan at all of dividing the orchestra and recording their elements separately - with the exception of recording chorus or percussion separately. When the orchestra is playing together they feed of one another and feel the music together. I know composers want more control over the sound of their music but I don't like Desplat's approach to recording a score... which has been used my many of Zimmer's former and present RC team members as well.

-Erik-

But it's the same effect...making the music seem and feel cold and uninspired.

The difference is in the quality of the writing...RC composers are sometimes actually writing cold and uninspired music, whereas Desplat's writing is excellent, only to be obscured by the way the music is performed and recorded.

Hi scribe. Won't you join me?

I do not find a layered recording of precisely executed instrumental performances to be either cold or uninspired as an aesthetic. I like that I can hear the tension of the parallel ideas that normally get swamped in texture. But hey, I think he's the best thing to happen to film music in a long time. The recording is part of that.

The intended target audience of my post was people who are/were uncomfortable with Desplat's music. I seem
to have momentarily forgotten that audience is not universal. So, point taken, and thank you.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - Horner

Always a soothing and gorgeous listen, this must have one of the best themes he has come up with in recent years, not to mention a very distinct magical whimsical atmosphere reminiscent of his early work. Horner's ability to construct fine melodies has never really disappeared, only underused in the past decade and this score shows that he can still write very emotionally when the film (or whoever wants it) demands it. The 10 minute cue is a stunner and I love how he builds to that nerve-wrecking finish.

Nerve-wracking indeed. One of the few moments in my entire collection that I find truly frightening.

I believe so....

Andes To Amazon - Nicholas Hooper

This is the kind of score I really, really love,
Beautiful, majestic, thoroughly thematic and melodic, with wonderful Peruvian and Brazilian ethnic touches.
Of course the subject of this documentary lends itself to the most soaring and awe-inspiring kinds of music (I can just picture grand sweeping vistas of the mighty Amazon), but that doesn't diminish the wonder and reverent beauty in the execution of this lovely music one little bit.

I'm utterly, thoroughly enjoying this enchanting score. And I feel like taking a major trip.
Brazil would be good, I think.

Much as I like Philippe Rombi, I think whoever said Chris Gordon was probably the most overrated composer on these boards (since his hype is relative to only a handful of scores) probably should have said it of Rombi on those grounds.
(Read it again everyone, I'm not actually saying he's overrated.)

<making popcorn, sitting back, waiting for D. to enter...>

Now this sounds interesting. Is it new? On CD?