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Indeed. Now, Band of Brothers itself is pretty "standard" - there's nothing revolutionary about it - but it proves what can be done by a composer who knows how to make the best of things. I've heard the main theme from The Pacific and it's just unbelievably generic. I can't believe the makers of the show couldn't find someone better-suited to doing the music given the budget they have. (It's even produced by Spielberg, so I'm sure John Williams would have written the theme if they'd asked him and then a good Williams-esque composer could have done the scores themselves.)

It's very idiotic that they chose such a directly linked score to plagiarize (the series itself, the main theme, everything) and it's ironic 'cause that exact plagiarizing is what showcases the tremendous gasp between the rc team and a composer as gifted as Kamen, who showcased how he could create true beauty out of the simplest materials, like in Band of brothers.

Lee Holdridge.

Spielberg is a huge Zimmer fan since Crimson Tide. Remember when Scoremagacine published a rumor that Williams may not be willing to score Munich for Spielberg and would be replaced by Zimmer?

Pawel, I know and there's also that rumor that Spielberg said that if he was ever to replace Williams for his works, he'd do it with Zimmer? That doesn't change my point though, it further reinforces it. Zimmer can be great when he wants to, but surely his (and his team's) output such as this, don't showcase that at all nor do they justify a large part of the industry's mania with them. When you hear stuff like the pacific, is just disappointing.

I think it's well-known that Spielberg is an admirer of Zimmer (he was, after all, the "house composer" at Dreamworks, a decision presumably made with a lot of input from Spielberg).

It's not a rumor, it's an extensively quoted interview excerpt.

The only thing that shocks me about RC is that scores with Zimmer's name on it are 10 notches better than his underlings EVEN with the same sound. This still goes beyond me.

I love Zimmer as a person and as a composer. I HATE Hans Zimmer as a score producer, because he dumbs down film music to lowest common denominator. Zimmer himself, even if he has technical deficiencies (which he admits personally, ALWAYS), at least has PASSION to him and it is shown especially in his best works, which manage to go *beyond* his lacks as a composer and are very effective in their movies anyway.

Producers and directors are to blame too. THEY come to the studio. THEY talk to Zimmer, which sends them to other composers (and often has to save the score by rearranging it his way, which in many cases doesn't help *at all*, see Iron Man) and THEY want that lowest common denominator in film music. Why? Because it sells well, because it works on a superficial level, because they don't want to think how things work and want them to work, so RCP people just come off as some kind of film music whores doing things for those who pay (even Elfman has his scores ghost-written by Zimmer people).

Zimmer is, as I'ev heard, rather liked by the industry as a down-to-earth great human being. People are jealous, though the only going to the public with it are Shaiman with his songs and John Debney, who publicly smashed Iron Man and the approach, but who didn't mind working with Zimmer people (cellist Martin Tillman and former assistant/programmer John van Tongeren) on The Passion - quality of the score aside.

Lee Holdridge!

Lee Holdridge.

Lee Holdridge

Avatar (Horner)

Liking it a bit more, though I still find it inconsistent and lacking in power at times it shouldn't be. And 'War' is just doing nothing for me, sorry. Sure it's rhythmic but it doesn't stick whatsoever. This is of course solely my opinion. The rest of you can love Avatar till the day you die.

'Becoming One of ...' is my favourite cue.

NP: LoTR: Return Of The King - Complete Recordings - Howard Shore

Listening to selected favourite tracks. Truly an excellent achievement all round!

NP: Into Thin Air - Lee Holdridge

I think I'm just going to go through this man's catalogue one by one. Probably one of only a handful of film composers that ALWAYS writes great music! This is another emotional gem featuring one helluva recording!

Up Next... a crowning achievement in re-recordings! The Music of Lee Holdridge with Charles Gerhardt conducting the London Symphony in performances of some of Holdridge's most beloved suites and themes!

This is why I listen to film music!

-Erik-

Into Thin Air is a great example of music transcending it's film ( it's awful ), Holdridge did a Goldsmith with this.

the book of the same title by Jon Krakauer is excellent though.