Categories
Vanilla 1.1.4 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.
[Closed] Now Playing XXXIX
-
- CommentAuthorMartijn
- CommentTimeOct 4th 2011
Timmer wrote
What's with NP's on Facebook?
Wut?
Do you mean that group that Jordi started?
I post some YouTube clips there every so often.
Mostly older stuff, as the group is filled by young whippersnappers whose idea of a classic composer doing a classic score is Menken doing Beauty And The Beast. :venerable:'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn -
- CommentAuthorDreamTheater
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
Bregt wrote
BEN-HUR | miklos Rozsa
Inspired by Martijn's track on Facebook, this had to be played again.
Because it is so good. Most of the tracks on this 40 minute Decca recording are just fantastic. I never understand why I rarely (a few times a year) play it.
I had actually bought the full 2-disc set a while ago. But there simply was too much music, though some of the music was brilliant, the awful sound quality put me off... Besides I have the most important cues on 'Three choral suites' anyway, which sounds infinitely better.
I was happy I could return that album."considering I've seen an enormous debate here about The Amazing Spider-Man and the ones who love it, and the ones who hate it, I feel myself obliged to say: TASTE DIFFERS, DEAL WITH IT" - Thomas G. -
- CommentAuthorErik Woods
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
DreamTheater wrote
I was happy I could return that album.
host and executive producer of THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST | www.cinematicsound.net | www.facebook.com/cinematicsound | I HAVE TINNITUS! -
- CommentAuthorDreamTheater
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
Another problem I have with the full score of Ben-Hur... it actually never gets a rest. It continuously plays music that never takes a pause to breathe. El Cid had these moments, in between the more energetic cues. That and the sound quality of the recording.
I feel another 'shocked' coming."considering I've seen an enormous debate here about The Amazing Spider-Man and the ones who love it, and the ones who hate it, I feel myself obliged to say: TASTE DIFFERS, DEAL WITH IT" - Thomas G. -
- CommentAuthorErik Woods
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
IMO, Rhino's 2CD set of Ben-Hur is one of the most spectacular soundtrack releases of all time and the score is one of the finest ever written. It never gets tiring. I can recall listening to it for the first time hoping that it WOULDN'T end. And while the recording doesn't hold a candle to some of the more modern recording techniques this score still sounds surprising clear and is perfectly spread out to give you that epic sound we expect from such scores.
I think I will spend some time with this score tomorrow!
-Erik-host and executive producer of THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST | www.cinematicsound.net | www.facebook.com/cinematicsound | I HAVE TINNITUS! -
- CommentAuthorThor
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011 edited
DreamTheater wrote
Another problem I have with the full score of Ben-Hur... it actually never gets a rest. It continuously plays music that never takes a pause to breathe. El Cid had these moments, in between the more energetic cues. That and the sound quality of the recording.
I feel another 'shocked' coming.
I actually have the same problem with the single TCM CD I have. Poorly arranged, with too many of those grating rowing cues in a row (no pun intended). I absolutely adore the religious-style music, but there's too little of it.I am extremely serious. -
- CommentAuthorchristopher
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
plindboe wrote
Christian wrote
christopher wrote
Scribe wrote
Yeah I only have about 1000 because I am young and have only been collecting diligently for about 6 years, but I listen just as much.
Wow. I've been collecting for 16 years and I haven't cracked 300 yet
It's not about quantity but rather finding enjoyment from the music you have.
True. In fact I bet Christopher knows his 300 albums much better than I know any 300 from my collection. There are big benefits to slower collecting.
Peter
That may be true, but I'm not one who can listen to film music all day while I work, so maybe not! I am really picky about what I add to my collection, but I can't say that the slow growth of my collection is due to nothing more than my discerning tastes. Fact is, I haven't felt like I could spend more on film music than I have.
NP: The Lord of the Rings Symphony - Howard Shore
First listen. I was hoping that the movements would be more than a bunch of film cues all pasted together into big tracks. Is that an incorrect assessment? I'm only one movement in. It's great music for sure. I just wonder what justifies having this symphony when the original CDs are already so great. -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
Martijn wrote
Timmer wrote
What's with NP's on Facebook?
Wut?
Do you mean that group that Jordi started?
I post some YouTube clips there every so often.
Mostly older stuff, as the group is filled by young whippersnappers whose idea of a classic composer doing a classic score is Menken doing Beauty And The Beast. :venerable:
Well, with all respect to Jordi, I'm not interested, we have an NP thread here and that's enough for me.On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
christopher wrote
plindboe wrote
Christian wrote
christopher wrote
Scribe wrote
Yeah I only have about 1000 because I am young and have only been collecting diligently for about 6 years, but I listen just as much.
Wow. I've been collecting for 16 years and I haven't cracked 300 yet
It's not about quantity but rather finding enjoyment from the music you have.
True. In fact I bet Christopher knows his 300 albums much better than I know any 300 from my collection. There are big benefits to slower collecting.
Peter
That may be true, but I'm not one who can listen to film music all day while I work, so maybe not! I am really picky about what I add to my collection, but I can't say that the slow growth of my collection is due to nothing more than my discerning tastes. Fact is, I haven't felt like I could spend more on film music than I have.
NP: The Lord of the Rings Symphony - Howard Shore
First listen. I was hoping that the movements would be more than a bunch of film cues all pasted together into big tracks. Is that an incorrect assessment? I'm only one movement in. It's great music for sure. I just wonder what justifies having this symphony when the original CDs are already so great.
I'd like to hear it for myself but from yourself and a few others here it doesn't sound that promising? I think I maybe set my sights too high in thinking that Shore might have attempted a Vaughan Williams / Sergei Prokofiev in turning a film score into a legitimate cohesive concert work.On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentAuthorchristopher
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011 edited
The first movement just sounded like the film music to me, even with clear breaks between cues from the film.
I've only just started the second movement and the transition from the first cue (Many Meetings) to the second (The Ring Goes South) was new, and nice. There's a nice transition from that to the next as well. So the second movement (which is a whopping 34+ minutes long, btw) has some clean transitions from piece to piece, but it's still the film music pretty much in film order. He hasn't tried to tie it all together or significantly change it in anyway that makes a movement more like a traditional symphony movement, as far as I can tell.
Edit: Just finishing up the 2nd movement now. This new symphony recording doesn't have as much reverb as the original recording (what could?), so it doesn't sound as grand and cathedrally as the film scores. The symphony was recorded live, which must have something to do with the differenct in sound (what do I know about things like this?). At times this is advantageous, as you actually get to hear some of the orchestral detail that was lost in the wash the first time around. Other times it's not as nice. The boy soprano at the end of "The Breaking of the Fellowship" is nearly as good as the one from the film, but without that reverb he doesn't sound half as ethereal and magical as the one from the film. It is substantially less enjoyable for me. A shame because the rest of the 2nd movement was very enjoyable, I thought. I thought that Gandalf's Lament was even more beautiful on this symphony than in the film. It was a bit slower and just more poignant - a real standout moment. -
- CommentAuthorchristopher
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011 edited
The 3rd movement of the LOTR symphony hasn't impressed me any. The Rohan theme sounds thinner. Those (two?) violins that play it don't sound as in-your-face as the ones from the film. I also thought that the end of "The White Rider" - one of my favorite moments from TT - was way too slow. The lethargy of it all felt really dragging during what should be a very grand moment.
The 4th movement is quite short compared to the others so far (only about 10 minutes). It seems fine. Although, I find that I'm measuring how good it is by how close it is to the original, which kind of defeats the purpose of a new recording, no? "Forth Eorlingas" is my favorite track from the whole trilogy, and this symphony didn't mess it up. It was pretty close. Nothing from this movement really adds anything to what we had before, though. That is until you get to Gollum's Song. Gollum's Song was going to be really hard to do well in this setting. The recording for the film is SOOOOOOO perfect. I forget the singer's name, but she was just so perfect for that song! It's by far (imo) the most interesting of the end credits songs. It was going to be really hard to live up to in this symphony. The singer for the symphony, Kaitlyn Lusk, is more classically trained, and has a more pleasant voice, and her performance is the biggest "new" thing about this symphony so far. That's not really a song for a pleasant voice, however. The original was so anguished, so weird sounding, so fragile and subtly bitter. To her credit, Ms. Lusk tones her vibrato way down, which was necessary. Gollum's Song is not meant to be sung with vibrato - at all - and she did well with that. I thought her performance was very good, and an interesting take on that song, but how can you compare to the original? Those who really like the original will not enjoy this one. Those who would prefer a less tortured version of the song will probably really love this new one. -
- CommentAuthorSouthall
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
I don't like it at all. I saw it in concert once and quite enjoyed it in that context but on CD it didn't work for me. Calling it a "symphony" is very misleading, it's just cues from the films pasted together into longer suites. One of the reasons I can never listen to the complete recordings of the scores is that everything is all so monochromatic - listening to it for any period of time turns into a chore for me - and that applies even to this, since it's so long. They're great scores but the more LOTR music I hear, the less I like it. Wish I'd only ever had the single-disc OSTs (which I do still have, but the subsequent oversaturation means I never even listen to those). -
- CommentAuthorDemetris
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
Southall wrote
The Debt - T Newman
Not one of his best.
The help is pretty good though, don't you think?
Neilbucket wrote
Christodoulides wrote
Erik Woods wrote
Timmer wrote
Thomas Glorieux wrote
DreamTheater wrote
THE LAST AIRBENDER - JAMES NEWTON HOWARD
A score that works because of its moments of great JNH composition, mainly the beginning and end. I've got a problem to keep interested in the album's middle part though. Overall it's an enjoyable score, but I'd say it's not as rewarding as some of his early, more melodic work in film.
i'm with you on this one, but it's a masterpiece if you compare it with Green Lantern
What a disappointing year it's been for JNH
Yeah, ten years or more ago he would have given knock out scores for these films. He seems to have lost inspiration somewhere.
Indeed! Personally, the last great grand symphonic cue Howard has written was for The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep. The combined cues of "There's No Monster / Saving Crusoe / The Net / The Jump / End of the Story" is magical!
-Erik-
Excellent score, that is.
I was disappointed by The Last Airbender on CD; when I was out at Comic-Con in 2010, I met John Ottman at the La-La Land booth and he was talking about that score and how, due to the musicians associations and the releasing companies tight purse strings, major sections of JNH's choir tracks were omitted from the final score package. A real shame.
Indeed, i heard about this issue, i remember JNH was pretty pissed himself. The material that did go on cd was pretty good though so i imagine the choral parts would be even better.Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders. -
- CommentAuthorMartijn
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011 edited
DreamTheater wrote
Bregt wrote
BEN-HUR | miklos Rozsa
Inspired by Martijn's track on Facebook, this had to be played again.
Because it is so good. Most of the tracks on this 40 minute Decca recording are just fantastic. I never understand why I rarely (a few times a year) play it.
I had actually bought the full 2-disc set a while ago. But there simply was too much music, though some of the music was brilliant, the awful sound quality put me off... Besides I have the most important cues on 'Three choral suites' anyway, which sounds infinitely better.
I was happy I could return that album.
I own and have listened to pretty much all versions that were released on CD. And I agree the two and three CD albums are simply too much for a pleasant listening experience (however interesting they are from a historic and technical perspective).
But I've said it before, I'll say it again, THIS is the ONLY recording of Ben-Hur you need.
It's the Decca rerecording (by Rozsa himself) and it's quite possibly the very best soundtrack album I own.
It's a six star listen all the way through without even one single lowlight (or even medium light
).
It carries all the themes in concert suite arrangements.
It's (relatively) brief at roughly 40 minutes.
The sound quality is perfect (not having been taken from the original audio tracks from the film).
It's just exquisite!
And you get Rozsa's brilliant rerecording of the magnificent Quo Vadis thrown in as well.
And it's unbelievably cheap.
Seriously, get this. I absolutely guarantuee satisfaction.'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn -
- CommentAuthorThor
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
Yes, that's the one I need to get...the TCM is already on my sales list.I am extremely serious. -
- CommentAuthorDreamTheater
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
That sounds like something I might be interested in. I'll be on the lookout for that release.
Nice heads-up Martijn.
Just some side info, though I know you have a problem with blu-ray, this is from the review of the recent release in the states, which has something to say on the score:
At the risk of sounding repetitive: wow. Ben-Hur has an absolutely glorious sonic component on this new Blu-ray courtesy of a flawless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. M-G-M has obviously kept the original stems and mag tracks of this film in more or less pristine condition, and it shows throughout this stunning lossless presentation. From the first boisterous moments of Rózsa's incredible Overture, the difference, especially with regard to the low end frequencies, is instantly audible and incredibly fulsome. The 5.1 track is gorgeously spacious, with excellent use of side and rear channels, especially in some of the film's most famous set pieces, including the galley scenes and of course the iconic chariot race, which is awash in LFE and incredible panning effects. Dialogue is perfectly placed around the soundfield and is always easy to hear, but on reflection, it's the unbelievably gorgeous Rózsa score which perhaps benefits most from this new lossless audio offering. Brass blasts from the speakers in alarming clarity, while strings sound brilliantly bright but never strident. Rózsa's evocative use of harps and other percussion is also incredibly well reproduced on this new track, adding a whole new luster to one of the most celebrated scores in the history of film."considering I've seen an enormous debate here about The Amazing Spider-Man and the ones who love it, and the ones who hate it, I feel myself obliged to say: TASTE DIFFERS, DEAL WITH IT" - Thomas G. -
- CommentAuthorDreamTheater
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
A LITTLE PRINCESS - PATRICK DOYLE
Ultra-sweet and wonderful little score. The innocence and emotion is felt throughout and I particularly love this period in Doyle's career. He seemed to be at the top of his writing abilities here, same as with Carlito's Way, Frankenstein and Needful Things. I always keep returning to these over his more recent output."considering I've seen an enormous debate here about The Amazing Spider-Man and the ones who love it, and the ones who hate it, I feel myself obliged to say: TASTE DIFFERS, DEAL WITH IT" - Thomas G. -
- CommentAuthorMartijn
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011 edited
DreamTheater wrote
That sounds like something I might be interested in. I'll be on the lookout for that release.
Nice heads-up Martijn.
If you don't buy it, I'll buy it for you!
Ehm. It's sort of a threat, you see.
I've never been particularly good at them, but I've been told they can be terribly effective.
Just some side info, though I know you have a problem with blu-ray, this is from the review of the recent release in the states, which has something to say on the score:
Thanks, but here's the interesting bit: from the soundtrack communities the issue is pretty much reviled, because the 'improved' mix (warning flag right there!) appears to be totally off, with cues coming in too late, and the choir having been mixed down so low as to be pretty much inaudible!
So I dunno...
Sounds like the casual viewer will appreciate the mixing in of far more bass, but I'm not too sure if this release will make the discerning Rozsaphile happy.'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn -
- CommentAuthorThor
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
NP: THE MUMMY RETURNS (Alan Silvestri)
Silvestri's last great score, IMO. Almost rivals Goldsmith's on occasion.I am extremely serious. -
- CommentAuthorMartijn
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011 edited
Dare I say I prefer it to Goldsmith's work?
It's just such an incredibly fun score!'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
Thor wrote
NP: THE MUMMY RETURNS (Alan Silvestri)
Silvestri's last great score, IMO. Almost rivals Goldsmith's on occasion.
The last score of Silvestri's I really enjoyed was BEOWULF.On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentAuthorThor
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
Timmer wrote
Thor wrote
NP: THE MUMMY RETURNS (Alan Silvestri)
Silvestri's last great score, IMO. Almost rivals Goldsmith's on occasion.
The last score of Silvestri's I really enjoyed was BEOWULF.
Didn't really care for that. It was basically a crossover score that ushered in his new bombastic sound without the soul or dynamic range that the MUMMY film had. Granted, there are a couple of scores since MUMMY I haven't heard, but of those I've heard, I've not really liked a single one since then.I am extremely serious. -
- CommentAuthorThor
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
NP: THE DELTA FORCE (Alan Silvestri)
The force theme is funky coolness incarnated, but I love the melancholic music for the terrorists too.I am extremely serious. -
- CommentAuthorDreamTheater
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
Martijn wrote
DreamTheater wrote
That sounds like something I might be interested in. I'll be on the lookout for that release.
Nice heads-up Martijn.
If you don't buy it, I'll buy it for you!
Ehm. It's sort of a threat, you see.
I've never been particularly good at them, but I've been told they can be terribly effective.
I've done exactly that... order I mean (amazon UK).
"considering I've seen an enormous debate here about The Amazing Spider-Man and the ones who love it, and the ones who hate it, I feel myself obliged to say: TASTE DIFFERS, DEAL WITH IT" - Thomas G. -
- CommentAuthorDreamTheater
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
Martijn wrote
DreamTheater wrote
Just some side info, though I know you have a problem with blu-ray, this is from the review of the recent release in the states, which has something to say on the score:
Thanks, but here's the interesting bit: from the soundtrack communities the issue is pretty much reviled, because the 'improved' mix (warning flag right there!) appears to be totally off, with cues coming in too late, and the choir having been mixed down so low as to be pretty much inaudible!
So I dunno...
Sounds like the casual viewer will appreciate the mixing in of far more bass, but I'm not too sure if this release will make the discerning Rozsaphile happy.
Well OK, I don't know the music enough to say anything worthwile, but the fact that review describes how the music is presented in that mix, is like enough reason for me to go check out the film, since before I've never wanted to do that. I mean I must've seen Ben-Hur but that was ages ago, and I was about half the size I am now. And now with the blu-ray release and wanting to see the film and hear the score and how it works in it, this gives me the perfect opportunity to experience this classic again.
And bass (or LFE) in a film is ALWAYS appreciated by me.
"considering I've seen an enormous debate here about The Amazing Spider-Man and the ones who love it, and the ones who hate it, I feel myself obliged to say: TASTE DIFFERS, DEAL WITH IT" - Thomas G. -
- CommentAuthorDreamTheater
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
Timmer wrote
Thor wrote
NP: THE MUMMY RETURNS (Alan Silvestri)
Silvestri's last great score, IMO. Almost rivals Goldsmith's on occasion.
The last score of Silvestri's I really enjoyed was BEOWULF.
Beowulf is good, but The Polar Express is the one that makes my neck hairs stand up.
And I think I prefer Goldsmith's effort over Silvestri's, but not by much."considering I've seen an enormous debate here about The Amazing Spider-Man and the ones who love it, and the ones who hate it, I feel myself obliged to say: TASTE DIFFERS, DEAL WITH IT" - Thomas G. -
- CommentAuthorErik Woods
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
DreamTheater wrote
Timmer wrote
Thor wrote
NP: THE MUMMY RETURNS (Alan Silvestri)
Silvestri's last great score, IMO. Almost rivals Goldsmith's on occasion.
The last score of Silvestri's I really enjoyed was BEOWULF.
Beowulf is good, but The Polar Express is the one that makes my neck hairs stand up.
And I think I prefer Goldsmith's effort over Silvestri's, but not by much.
Yeah... The Polar Express was the last great Silvestri score. As for The Mummy... both Goldsmith and Silvestri scores are remarkable! Debney's The Scorpion King and last minute contributions to The Mummy 3 are nothing to sneeze at either.
-Erik-host and executive producer of THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST | www.cinematicsound.net | www.facebook.com/cinematicsound | I HAVE TINNITUS! -
- CommentAuthorDemetris
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
Erik Woods wrote
Yeah... The Polar Express was the last great Silvestri score.
So very true. He seems to score by numbers these days, like he too lost the magic touch (for many reasons, industry pressures, stubborn or even un-musical directors, trends etc etc). Like James Newton Howard. A shame, hope they return with the glory of the past, sometime. Nice to see some surprises like T.Newman's THE HELP or Adjustment Bureau here and there.Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders. -
- CommentAuthorlp
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011 edited
NP: Sherlock Holmes - Hans Zimmer
My fondness for this score grows every time I listen to it. Feels like a quick right turn into Elfman corner before it u-turn back into Zimmer territory. And the score sounds huge without the typical massive symphonic ensemble. -
- CommentAuthorDemetris
- CommentTimeOct 5th 2011
lp wrote
NP: Sherlock Holmes - Hans Zimmer
My fondness for this score grows every time I listen to it. Feels like a quick right turn into Elfman corner before it u-turn back into Zimmer territory. And the score sounds huge without the typical massive symphonic ensemble.
I thought it was awful. Let's see how the 2nd one will be.Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.