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  1. I notice that MovieScore Media have announced MOTHER GOOSE, a new online label devoted to contemporary concert music. In the blurb Mikael mentions that there will sometimes be concert music featured that is written by film composers and that got me thinking about what people's experiences with film music composers and their non-film music are?

    For me, I don't really have much interest in this type of music - there's just too much of their film music to listen to! A couple of examples do come to mind though when it comes to film music composers whose non-film music I like - Bernard Herrmann and Elliot Goldenthal.

    Goldenthal's concert music is something I particularly enjoy, possibly because a lot of the technique he uses in his film music is repeated in his concert music. And I love it when his film music gets referenced (or is used as the basis of a concert piece (but isn't necessarily just a reworking of a film score, ala Shore's LOTR Symphony).

    One thing I DO like is when a film score is put together like a concert piece. Shore's Looking For Richard was written as a series of stand-alone suites based around characters featured in Richard III and then Pacino cut-and-pssted Shore's music into the movie. And the album plays like a great concert piece, IMO.

    But, I will certainly be listening out for what this new label will be releasing in the future.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
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      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeMar 28th 2021
    Wow, that Mikael is so productive. Sounds like an intriguing project.

    My knowledge of contemporary classical music is severely limited, but I've always been intereted in concert works by my favourite film composers (to find similarities and differences between the two modes of music). I have every single concert work by John Williams that is available in some form or another. They range from completely alienating, experimental soundscapes (like the flute concerto, the sinfonietta for wind ensemble, the scherzo for piano and orchestra etc.) to ersatz film music with a very programmatic feel (the tuba concerto, Elegy for Cello and Orchestra, The Five Sacred Trees etc.).
    I am extremely serious.
  2. Thor, can you hear many parallels in Williams' film music and his 'concert music'?
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeApr 17th 2021 edited
    FalkirkBairn wrote
    Thor, can you hear many parallels in Williams' film music and his 'concert music'?


    Not a lot. There are some pieces, though. The tuba concerto sounds like a cousin to Jabba's music. The gorgeous Elegy for Cello and Orchestra is a typically pastoral piece that could fit in a film. The bassoon concerto, THE FIVE SACRED TREES, is so programmatic, it has a definite film music feel. It's my favourite of his longer concert works. And then you have the fanfares, which are obviously closely connected to the film fanfares.

    But other than that, a lot of the music is quite challenging and modern, and is rather different from his film work. The works that are the furthest from his films are, in my opinion, the Flute Concerto, the Sinfonietta for Wind Ensemble, Scherzo for Piano and Orchestra, Conversations and the Duo Concertante.
    I am extremely serious.
  3. Thanks Thor. I don't think that I have listened to any of his concert works.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  4. I'd certainly recommend Mother Goose label's new release - Nikolas Labrinakos' concert work, CELEBRITAS:

    https://open.spotify.com/album/68aLAo24s6NSrSviXjslmD

    There's some beautiful music here. Anyone who loves orchestral film music will find something to enjoy on this album.

    (Not sure about Mother Goose as being a good label name though!)
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  5. I know Don Davis, James Newton Howard and John Powell did some concert music lately. Don't know if that's the type of music they're gunning for, or perhaps they're too big for their label. But if concert music can offer development (which often filmmusic can't due to the short length of their tracks), it could be interesting to see which direction Mikael will go.

    After all, I'm assuming he has a bunch of interesting titles waiting to be released
    waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh
  6. Shore and Powell have their own labels. I don't remember who released Davis' opera.
    http://www.filmmusic.pl - Polish Film Music Review Website
  7. Thomas Glorieux wrote
    I know Don Davis, James Newton Howard and John Powell did some concert music lately. Don't know if that's the type of music they're gunning for, or perhaps they're too big for their label.

    Maybe. I think that one of the criteria for the label is perhaps there being a cinematic quality to the concert music that makes for a good crossover between film music listeners and the music for this new label.

    I think that the development aspect is an interesting talking point. The longer length tracks (when does a track become a movement?) do allow for musical development of a piece and a structure for the piece as a whole.

    But I do think that there are parallels for film music, particularly when the music is presented as a complete and chronological format. It's definitely a more disjointed when the tracks are short but, if the composer has the vision to develop the music over the course of the entire score, then I would hope that that development would be apparent when the music is heard in isolation.

    There's also the soundtrack album format where the composer or album producer has an idea of the musical arc for the album. So, there's very much a development here too.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  8. FalkirkBairn wrote
    Thomas Glorieux wrote
    I know Don Davis, James Newton Howard and John Powell did some concert music lately. Don't know if that's the type of music they're gunning for, or perhaps they're too big for their label.

    Maybe. I think that one of the criteria for the label is perhaps there being a cinematic quality to the concert music that makes for a good crossover between film music listeners and the music for this new label.

    I think that the development aspect is an interesting talking point. The longer length tracks (when does a track become a movement?) do allow for musical development of a piece and a structure for the piece as a whole.

    But I do think that there are parallels for film music, particularly when the music is presented as a complete and chronological format. It's definitely a more disjointed when the tracks are short but, if the composer has the vision to develop the music over the course of the entire score, then I would hope that that development would be apparent when the music is heard in isolation.

    There's also the soundtrack album format where the composer or album producer has an idea of the musical arc for the album. So, there's very much a development here too.


    Listen to the John Williams classical music he did, you barely hear the filmmusic voice of Williams in it. I know my father (who's a big admirer of the more heavier classical music was really surprised by it.

    So, I'm hoping we have a cross over between the filmmusic voice and the freedom that let's them develop their ideas. Whoever the composer is
    waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeApr 30th 2021
    As previously mentioned, there are some concert pieces of Williams where the film music "feel" can be heard -- the tuba concerto, the elegy for cello and orchestra, the Five Sacred Trees. To mention some.
    I am extremely serious.