OSTs vs. C&Cs
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I also think that film music much more than other music is bound to the context that it is writen for. And there is a lot of film music that is even bad or boring in context, some is brillant or at least servicable in the movie context and then there is a small amount that even manages to shine in its best moments outside the movie context.
Once I thought, that this view isn’t very controversial. But then I met film music fans hunting for complete archival releases of relatively blunt scores.
These are probably the once that felt really hurt by Williams’ statement.I think it’s sometimes a kind of nostalgia tied to when someone personally saw a movie was watched and its music heard. So even some bland score or film) can have a certain value to someone no one else can understand. And then add to that that tastes can be quite different, too. Probably I am too forgiving on some things 😉
I think it’s sometimes a kind of nostalgia tied to when someone personally saw a movie was watched and its music heard. So even some bland score or film) can have a certain value to someone no one else can understand. And then add to that that tastes can be quite different, too. Probably I am too forgiving on some things 😉
To everyone his or her sensitivities. But if that leads to forming an online mob and calling JW senile or stupid because he made a statement that these “sensitive” people don’t like, I say, they don’t deserve to claim that sensitivity for themselves, if they are not even willing to spend a minimum effort to respect others’, even experts’ sensitivities and opinions.
Whatever music one enjoys is a personal thing, and depends on many factors. And of course nostalgia can play a role, but that role isn’t limited to film music. Sure you can have a nostalgic association with a film score, where you grew up loving the movie and so you like the music, but you can just as well have a nostalgic association with that pop song played when you were first in love, or that jazz piece that you associate with that favorite bar you used to go to decades ago.
To everyone his or her sensitivities. But if that leads to forming an online mob (…)
Absolutely, I didn’t want to excuse such behaviour in any form. You can witness such behaviour on social media comments a lot as well…
And of course nostalgia can play a role, but that role isn’t limited to film music.
Certainly! And not even limited to music itself. I just stayed within our niche 😉
I generally prefer a well-curated album, but the fact is, not all album versions are well-curated, IMO.
So, I tend to like to complete, but I don’t listen to them that way. I generally use them to mildly revise or expand an album program. And if there was no album, I try to create one.
But a lot of complete score albums play like a giant track dump, without much thought going into pacing, transitions between tracks, etc.
I’m pretty much all OSTs these days. I sold all of my expansions. After dabbling with them for a few years, I determined I was listening more when it was just OSTs. I make exceptions for scores with no OST (like Poseidon Adventure, or Rio Conchos), or in cases where studio meddling compromised the original release (like CE3K or Apollo 13 ((though actually not Apollo 13 as I’ve gone off Horner)).
I’m pretty much all OSTs these days. I sold all of my expansions. After dabbling with them for a few years, I determined I was listening more when it was just OSTs. I make exceptions for scores with no OST (like Poseidon Adventure, or Rio Conchos), or in cases where studio meddling compromised the original release (like CE3K or Apollo 13 ((though actually not Apollo 13 as I’ve gone off Horner)).
Despite my deep, nostalgic connection to the APOLLO 13 soundtrack (one of the earliest soundtrack CDs I got), I can live perfectly well without the songs and dialogue. Once I found that promo(?) score programme of 59 minutes, with nothing but score, I never looked back. But I do regret selling off my CD, and would probably like to re-acquire it some day.
Sorry to hear that you’ve gone off Horner. Any particular reason?
Minor musicological quibbles that became harder to ignore the more I listened to him. His dodgy voice leading, sometimes intentional like in Apollo 13, presumably to avoid an overly religious feel to the choral writing, but other times not, like in WoK where I just feel he was rushed for time. The way he distends his melodies during moments of underscore, particularly prevalent in Titanic. The new age aspects his music took on in the 90s. His passionate love of direct modulation. And last, but probably least, that he didn’t get the memo about plagiarism vs pastiche.
He knew his way around the orchestra, and when inspired could deliver music of surpassing beauty and subtle detail, but his “eclecticism,” and the other stuff, has gotten a little harder for me to ignore. But I go in waves with these things. I may decide I’m full of crap in 6 months. Apollo 13 was also one of my first, and favorite, soundtrack experiences.
Fair enough.
I can definitely see the “go in waves” thing. There was a period Horner was off my top 10, now he’s firmly in 4th place, cemented after his death. Any misgivings I had suddenly gave way to a deep, new love of his emotional immediacy.
By the way, Horner is definitely a case where less is more. A lot of his 90s efforts noodled on for too long, despite his great ability to create long, suite-like tracks. So here’s a case where even the OST is often on the long side.
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