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GREAT MUSIC FOR TRAINS
General Discussions » GREAT MUSIC FOR TRAINS (Posts 1 to 30 of 69)
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- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeOct 10th 2008 edited
Trains always seem to inspire great music from composers!?
What are your favourite "tracks"
I'm thinking about scores where trains are either central to the film, such as Goldsmith's brilliant The Great Train Robbery to very minor moments that still brings out the romantic nostalgic feel and rhythm of a train such as John Williams take in Superman The Movie when the young Clark Kent outraces a train.
And PLEASE.....
NO LISTS
Explain why it's a great piece of train music.On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentTimeOct 10th 2008
BATMAN BEGINS' climatic train action sequence. Buld-up, tension a la usual ZImmer bold fat chords and string ostinati, intense rhythm and fast tempi and the Z-trademarked powerhouse anthem attitude make this a winner imo.Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders. -
- CommentTimeOct 10th 2008
I've always liked the cue "Elevated Train Sequence" from Max Steiner's King Kong.
It contains that classic musical "sound" for moving trains reused time and time again since.
It even has the brass playing the train horn sound during the scene where you see the doomed passengers traveling along blissfully unaware of what was ahead of them! -
- CommentAuthorfranz_conrad
- CommentTimeOct 10th 2008
I once ran a Guess the Score game which covers a lot of the great ones. But since no lists was a request, I will not share it.A butterfly thinks therefore I am -
- CommentAuthorAnthony
- CommentTimeOct 10th 2008
The Train from The Legend Of Zorro. 11 minutes of golden action music, building up and up and up! -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeOct 10th 2008
franz_conrad wrote
I once ran a Guess the Score game which covers a lot of the great ones. But since no lists was a request, I will not share it.
Go for it Michael, I'd like to remember what you used?On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeOct 10th 2008
John Barry's excellent The Zagreb Express from FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE which is typical steam train music, unfortunately it's only available on the Silva re-recorded Bond compilations. It's a shame FRWL is one of the few Bond scores not to get the expanded treatment.On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentTimeOct 10th 2008 edited
I'll go with Back To The Future Part III and the three part Train Sequence. Actually, I'll go even further and pick "The Train Part III" main because of those AWESOME "chugga chugga" rhythms at the 1:50 mark! Really propels that piece along. The snare rhythm kick sin again at the 3:28. LOVE IT!
Another exhilarating Silvestri action cue inspired by a train comes from The Polar Express. The unreleased "Runaway Train/ On The Ice/ Ticket Punch/ Saved By An Angel" is about as good of an action cues Silvestri has ever written.
"Indy Very First Adventure" takes place on a circle train. A sequence my son absolutely loves!
"Zoom A and B" from Mission: Impossible is a ridiculous and unrealistic action sequence (which I love) that inspired Elfman to write a magnificent action cue which brilliantly incorporated Schifirn's theme for the last few moments of the sequence. I just love how Elfman ends the cue with the last statements of Schifrin's theme just as the chopper blade stops millimeters from Hunt's throat.
What about "Choo-Choo Interruptus - The Train" from Throw Mamma From The Train One of the widest, zaniest films I've ever seen and just an absolutely hoot of a train sequence. OOOOOOWEEEEEEEEN! :spit flying all over the place:
While the piece is not entirely original stealing from Hook, Last Crusade and various other Williams scores, Joel McNeely's action cue from The Phantom Train of Doom is about as big as you are going to get for the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. It's one of my all time favorite episodes.
-Erik-host and executive producer of THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST | www.cinematicsound.net | www.facebook.com/cinematicsound | I HAVE TINNITUS! -
- CommentTimeOct 10th 2008
Erik Woods wrote
"Zoom A and B" from Mission: Impossible is a ridiculous and unrealistic action sequence (which I love) that inspired Elfman to write a magnificent action cue which brilliantly incorporated Schifirn's theme for the last few moments of the sequence. I just love how Elfman ends the cue with the last statements of Schifrin's theme just as the chopper blade stops millimeters from Hunt's throat.
-Erik-
I agree entirely. -
- CommentTimeOct 10th 2008 edited
The first 20 minute of The Peacemaker is set around trains, on trains, and in trains. Hans Zimmer built all of the underscore, for those scenes, around a repeated rhythmic motif that's evocative of the chugging sound that train makes. Great stuff. I'll have to listen to it today. -
- CommentTimeOct 10th 2008
Rhapsody in Blue, the famous Gershwin piece, was written on a train.
Thomaslisten to more classical music! -
- CommentAuthorAnthony
- CommentTimeOct 10th 2008
Erik Woods wrote
The Phantom Train of Doom is about as big as you are going to get for the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. It's one of my all time favorite episodes.
-Erik-
Nice, I picked up the video of this randomly the other week, purely because it was something to do with Indiana Jones. I'll have to watch it! -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeOct 10th 2008
sdtom wrote
Rhapsody in Blue, the famous Gershwin piece, was written on a train.
Thomas
That's an interesting take
It's certainly romantic enough.On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeOct 10th 2008
Erik, I was going to mention BACK TO THE FUTURE PART III, that is GREAT train music.On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentAuthorTintin
- CommentTimeOct 10th 2008
Anthony wrote
The Train from The Legend Of Zorro. 11 minutes of golden action music, building up and up and up!
Amazing action track.
I have two that comes to mind.
Champagne Train from The Color Purple. A cue that has a magical touch at the beginning but turns into a more nostalgic piece then dramatic at the end. Orchestrated by Chris Boardman and written by? Quincy Jones or Jerry Lubbock. I love this score even if it's a rip off from Delerue.
and Armand Amar's Train I- II- III from Costa-Gavras Amen I love the frantic pizzicato strings and Train I contains frantic piano to top it off. Really good. -
- CommentTimeOct 11th 2008
Another vote for 'The Train' from "The Legend Of Zorro" here , a great piece of action music .
Also love Silvestri's train tracks from Back To The Future III . It rocks !"Simplicity is the key to brilliance" -
- CommentAuthorGrimble Gromble
- CommentTimeOct 11th 2008 edited
Murder On The Orient Express by Richard Rodney Bennett. You'll never get a better score involving train rides. Elegance meets death.I'm your Piper at the gates of dawn. -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeOct 11th 2008
Grimble Gromble wrote
Murder On The Orient Express by Richard Rodney Bennett. You'll never get a better score involving train rides. Elegance meets death.
Tell that to Bernard HerrmannOn Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentTimeOct 11th 2008
I've always loved Dimitri Tiomkin's music from Hitchcock's STRANGERS ON A TRAIN. It has that classy, "delicious" sound that isn't necessarily mickey-mousing the train movements, but staying loftily on top of it.
Of course, Kraftwerk's "Trans Europe Express" is some of the best train music you'll get, but that isn't film music.I am extremely serious. -
- CommentTimeOct 11th 2008
I love the train tracks on BTTF3, too
I know not many fans are here, but I'd like to mention Evacuating London from HGW's The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe. I love how it reflects the emotions of the children in that scene, but also indicates the beginning of an adventure.
I listened to it on the train when I came back from my parents' house this summer... it made me a little nostalgicLabels are for cans, not people. - Anthony Rapp -
- CommentAuthorfranz_conrad
- CommentTimeOct 12th 2008 edited
Timmer wrote
franz_conrad wrote
I once ran a Guess the Score game which covers a lot of the great ones. But since no lists was a request, I will not share it.
Go for it Michael, I'd like to remember what you used?
And the scores were:
Clip 1 - Max Steiner, KING KONG, 'Elevated Train Sequence' (1933)
"A composer known for his at-times-slavish echoing of the image in film scoring doesn't disappoint here. Wait till you hear what this guy does with airplanes."
Clip 2 - Miklos Rozsa, SPELLBOUND, 'Train to Gabriel Valley' (1945)
"This acclaimed composer balances the chug-a-chug motion of the train with the disoriented state of the character."
Clip 3 - Bernard Herrmann, GHOST AND MRS MUIR, 'Local Train' (1947)
"Bernstein tells a story that this guy thought the Orient Express should have been scored as a 'train of death'. Ha! Like this work of his? That's the friendliest train I ever heard."
This story about Herrmann is reasonably well known.
Clip 4 - Bernard Herrmann, NORTH BY NORTHWEST, 'Conversation Piece' (1959)
"A composer who spoke out against mickey-mousing concentrates on romance in one of the best train-set courtships in film. The woodwinds subtle hint at the motion of the train during all versions of this score's love theme aboard the train."
Clip 5 - Maurice Jarre, THE TRAIN, 'Main Title' (1964)
"This composer's harmonic writing and orchestrational ability have often been besmirched over the years. Here his specialty in percussion shines through for a genre of film he's not often associated with. It's all here - the train whistle, the force of the train, the motion sickness..."
Clip 6 - Philippe Sarde, LE TRAIN, 'Le Train' (1973)
"The definitive cinematic train score. Without slamming down a simple meter, you get the giddy sense of drifting motion of a train."
Clip 7 - David Shire, TAKING OF PELHAM 123, 'Pelham's Moving Again Blues' (1974)
"A train slowly grunts to life and heaves on its way."
Clip 8 - Howard Blake, RIDDLE OF THE SANDS, 'The Train to Emden' (1979)
"Quite a shame Ridley Scott can't go back to this composer."
Turns out he can, but he won't!
Clip 9 - Jerry Goldsmith, THE FIRST GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY, 'End Title' (1979)
"This composer scores the adventure more than the train." Weak clue, because I thought most would know the theme. It one of Goldsmith's best themes.
Clip 10 - John Barry, CRY THE BELOVED COUNTRY, 'The Train Johannesburg' (1995)
"This composer typically avoids the motion of the train in scoring the emotional throughline of the scene."
I only got one person who was confused about where Barry had reused the Zulu theme in a late 80s/ early 90s score. Those who couldn't pick the score could usually tell the composer.
Clip 11 - Alexandre Desplat, LES MILLES: LE TRAIN DE LA LIBERTE, 'Le Train de la Campagne' (1995)
"A nice impressionistic portrait of a train. An early score from a very popular composer."
Pretty much only the winner of this week's game guessed this. Fine score - well worth hearing.
Clip 12 - Danny Elfman, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, 'Zoom A' (1996)
"A pretty good film up to this point jumps the shark, and the orchestra furiously speeds up for the big moment. (Here the composer suggests the motion of the train, though realistically, the train would be travelling at the same speed throughout this scene, so really it's speaking to the audience's need for greater intensity.)"
This is the moment in MISSION IMPOSSIBLE where a helicopter is dragged into a train tunnel. This is called 'jumping the shark'.
Clip 13 - Ennio Morricone, NOSTROMO, 'The Silver Train' (1997)
"Damn, that's some flute work! The composer who has scored more trains than any other makes even a convoy of horses sound like a train! This is not quite a feature film score."
Clip 14 - Michael Giacchino, MEDAL OF HONOR, 'The Radar Train' (1999)
"That glinting percussion and grunting brass somehow summon the picture of a train in my mind. This is also not quite a feature film score." The MOH main theme would have been the giveaway here for most.
Clip 15 - Michael Nyman, THE CLAIM, 'The Train' (2000)
"Saxophones, saxophones, saxophones, saxophones... Steam train chugging along. A rare bit of image-echoing from a composer known their arthouse work." Michael Nyman = saxophones.
Clip 16 - Christopher Gordon, ON THE BEACH, 'Moira and Towers Meet' (2000)
"This composer has remarked of this scene that it didn't need a train motion and such a sunny love theme rendition, but that the director wanted it to sound like Maurice Jarre. Sounds better!" If I'd added that the composer made this remark to me in conversation, that really would have given it away!
Clip 17 - Stephen Warbeck, CHARLOTTE GRAY, 'The Train' (2001)
"One of the less popular (and unfairly ridiculed) Oscar winners of the 90s takes over from Thomas Newman, and in the spirit of Clip 4, concentrates on emotion, the train only intruding via a gentle string meter."
Someone said the use of electronics in this cue gave it away as the composer of PROOF. I was surprised, as this cue sounded pretty acoustic to me. Warbeck drew the ire of many for winning the Comedy/Musical Score Oscar in one of the last years of that award. Thomas Newman composed the scores for Gillian Armstrong's two previous films - LITTLE WOMEN and OSCAR AND LUCINDA.
Clip 18 - Armand Amar, AMEN, 'Train I' (2002)
"Composer known more for their documentary scores pairs up with a legendary winner of the Best Foreign Language film Oscar."
The legendary winner was Costa-Gavras, who famously directed Z and State of Siege. I haven't seen this film, but soundtrack is great and I imagine the film has a lot going for it too.
Clip 19 - Ennio Morricone, RIPLEY'S GAME, 'Primo Treno' (2002)
"Now that's what I call a train of death! As the bodies pile up, it almost feels like the train is dancing some wicked two-step along with the killer." Watch the film. A very memorable scene.
Clip 20 - Shigeru Umebayashi, ZHOU YU'S TRAIN, 'Train' (2002)
"This composer appears elsewhere in this game. Chinese film." I figured those who recognised the next cue would pick this as also being by Shigeru. Some have asked me whether this is available. The 3-4 cues I have come from the Greek (I know!) 2CD compilation of Shigeru's scores. I don't like a lot of the music on that compilation, but this theme is a ripper. In an interview with BSO Spirit, the composer claimed that there was a CD release of this score in Japan, featuring 10 tracks, but I haven't found it yet.
Clip 21 - Shigeru Umebayashi, 2046, 'Main Theme (with percussion)' (2004-2006)
My favourite film of 2006, next to GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK. Wong Kar Wai's 2046 was actually released in 2004 in Asian countries, and only reached Australia in 2006, which is why this one could be released before 2005 and still be my favourite film of 2006. Sorry for the confusion here!
Clip 22 - James Horner, LEGEND OF ZORRO, 'The Train' (2005)
"Reminds me of something else by this composer, or perhaps something else by another composer."
So either it's self-plagiarism or just plain plagiarism. Meaning it's got to be Horner.
Clip 23 - Mychael Danna, WATER, 'Train' (2006)
"The last film was simply honored to be counted as a nominee in such a prestigious English-language award ceremony. Faced with a scene involving a train, this composer sensibly scores the emotional climax of the story instead."
This film was nominated for Best Foreign Language film in recent times. The final scene features two of the shunned widows at the centre of the story waiting with thousands of others at a train station for Gandhi to arrive. Danna's score is a curious mix of diatonic hymn melodies (sounding sometimes like TITANIC, and sometimes like the hymn 'Amazing Grace') and subcontinent instrument.A butterfly thinks therefore I am -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeOct 13th 2008
Thanks for he reminder Michael, I took part in your game but I don't remember my score? I didn't win anyway!On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeOct 13th 2008
Thor wrote
I've always loved Dimitri Tiomkin's music from Hitchcock's STRANGERS ON A TRAIN. It has that classy, "delicious" sound that isn't necessarily mickey-mousing the train movements, but staying loftily on top of it.
Of course, Kraftwerk's "Trans Europe Express" is some of the best train music you'll get, but that isn't film music.
Kudos on the Kraftwork mention.
Anyone here heard Michael Nyman's MGV?On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentTimeOct 13th 2008 edited
I can't believe no one mentioned Von Ryan's Express. I can still picture Frank Sinatra's futile attempt to catch the train. Then there is also Bridge on the River Kwai. I think it's really neat when the bridge blows up and the train crashes into the river. Two really wonderful scores.
OK, the tracks...Von Ryan's Express.....track called The Train. Ominous beginning, then into a march.
Bridge on the River Kwai....track called Trek to the Bridge. The disillusioned soldiers heading to the bridge again...will it ever end. -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeOct 13th 2008
Roy212 wrote
I can't believe no one mentioned Von Ryan's Express. I can still picture Frank Sinatra's futile attempt to catch the train. Then there is also Bridge on the River Kwai. I think it's really neat when the bridge blows up and the train crashes into the river. Two really wonderful scores.
OK, the tracks...Von Ryan's Express.....track called The Train. Ominous beginning, then into a march.
Bridge on the River Kwai....track called Trek to the Bridge. The disillusioned soldiers heading to the bridge again...will it ever end.
I really enjoy Goldsmith's Stravinskyesque rhythms for The Cassandra Crossing, the best "dangerous sounding" train music I think I've heard!?On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentTimeOct 13th 2008
I'm particularly captivated by Trevor Jones' cold and mechanical rhythmic score for Runaway Train.
Fits the bleak mood and the essence of the metal monster perfectly!
Sadly it's mucho out of print.'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeOct 13th 2008
Martijn wrote
I'm particularly captivated by Trevor Jones' cold and mechanical rhythmic score for Runaway Train.
Fits the bleak mood and the essence of the metal monster perfectly!
Sadly it's mucho out of print.
I wish I could remember it better? I bought it on LP and do remember loving one track particularly, maybe I'll have to dig the LP out.On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentAuthorTimmer
- CommentTimeJun 23rd 2009 edited
Timmer wrote
Thor wrote
I've always loved Dimitri Tiomkin's music from Hitchcock's STRANGERS ON A TRAIN. It has that classy, "delicious" sound that isn't necessarily mickey-mousing the train movements, but staying loftily on top of it.
Of course, Kraftwerk's "Trans Europe Express" is some of the best train music you'll get, but that isn't film music.
Kudos on the Kraftwork mention.
Anyone here heard Michael Nyman's MGV?
No one heard MGV? It's bloody brilliant!On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt -
- CommentTimeJun 23rd 2009
How about "Breakdown Blues" from "Planes, Trains, & Automobiles" (Ira Newborn)?The views and opinions of Ford A. Thaxton are his own and do not necessarily reflect the ones of ANYONE else. -
- CommentTimeJun 23rd 2009
The train fight music from Spiderman 2 is a favourite of mine, both Elfman's and Young's version. I think Young's version is somewhat better with the choir and all, but the former is real Elfman action music, crisp and bold!