Wednesday, December 31, 2008

JAN A.P.KACZMAREK | "The Horsemen"


Polish Composer Jan A.P.Kaczmarek of Finding Neverland, for which he won an Academy Award for Best original score, is assigned to provide the musical accompaniment for Swedish director Jonas Åkerlund's new film, thriller The Horsemen.

Here's a quote from the original source:

"Swedish director Jonas Åkerlund's new film, thriller The Horsemen, gets an original score by Polish composer Jan A.P. Kaczmarek (who won an Oscar for Finding Neverland). The film stars Dennis Quaid and Ziyi Zhang and is a serial killer story about a detective who discovers that the suspects are linked to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse."


For more info, you can visit the original link, HERE.



Monday, December 29, 2008

The Spirit: Original Motion Picture Score (DAVID NEWMAN)


The Spirit (also known as Will Eisner's The Spirit) is an upcoming 2008 American film adaptation based on the newspaper strip of the same name created by Will Eisner. Batfilm, OddLot, and Lionsgate are set to produce. Frank Miller wrote and directed the film, which stars Gabriel Macht as The Spirit and Samuel L. Jackson as his nemesis, The Octopus.
The film also stars the celebrated Scarlett Johansson and Eva Mendes


Writer / Director Frank Miller had this to say about the character:


"The character has a terrifying side to him. This is a man who's died and come back to life. So it twists into fantasy. And of course there are tons of women in it. There have to be — it's the Spirit. They’re all in love with him, and he’s in love with all of them. You might say he’s a bit of a slut"
(wikipedia)


The movie's original score is composed by 55 year old American composer David Newman and here's what amazon.com has to say about the release:


"Frank Miller, the visionary creator of SIN CITY and 300, takes the comic book movie to dazzling new heights with his solo directorial debut THE SPIRIT. Adapted from the seminal series created by the great Will Eisner, THE SPIRIT fuses masterful storytelling with brilliant CGI graphics to sweep us into a stylized world of adventure, danger and romance.
This product is manufactured on demand using CD-R recordable media."

Monday, December 22, 2008

SOUND CLIPS from BEAR McCREARY's TERMINATOR


BEAR McCREARY: TERMINATOR: The Sarah Connor Chronicles [CD]

Colosseum.de has SOUND CLIPS from the new Bear McCreary release, which you can listen HERE.


For more info on the release, follow this link HERE.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Javier Navarrete: The New Daughter


Javier Navarrete, the celebrated 52 year-old Spanish composer of Pan's Labyrinth, returns with a new assignment: The New Daughter.

Here's what upcomingfilmscores.blogspot.com says about:

"Spanish composer Javier Navarrete will compose the score for the upcoming Kevin Costner thriller, The New Daughter, directed by the writer of acclaimed Spanish horror hit Rec, Luis Berdejo. The film is produced by Gold Circle Films, who are already working on their next film with Berdejo, sci-fi adventure Pod. The New Daughter is about a single father who witnesses his daughter's increasingly strange behavior. Javier Navarrete, who came to international prominense with his Pan's Labyrinth score, has recently finished his score for Cracks, a boarding school drama starring Eva Green, Juno Temple and María Valverde."
CLICK HERE for the original source's link.

JAMES NEWTON HOWARD on Shyamalan's "AVATAR:THE LAST AIRBENDER"

James Newton Howard, the 57 year-old American composer and frequent collaborator of celebrated director M.Night Shyamalan, will provide the music accompaniment for the latter's movie entitled Avatar: The Last Airbender.

The story follows the adventures of the successor to a long line of Avatars who must put aside his irresponsible ways and stop the Fire Nation from enslaving the Water, Earth and Air nations.

This is what upcomingfilmscores.blogspot.com had to say relevantly:

"The Gorfaine-Schwartz Agency has added The Last Airbender to James Newton Howard's filmography. This is M. Night Shyamalan's new film, which is expected to premiere in the summer of 2010. It is the seventh feature film collaboration between Howard and Shyamalan, previous projects include The Sixth Sense, Signs, Unbreakable and this year's The Happening. The epic fantasy adventure follows the adventures of the successor to a long line of Avatars who must put aside his irresponsible ways and stop the Fire Nation from enslaving the Water, Earth and Air nations. Paramount will distribute. James Newton Howard has several films coming up shortly: Defiance (already nominated for a Golden Globe), Love Ranch, Confessions of a Shopaholic and Duplicity."

CLICK HERE
for the original source's link.

RUPERT GREGSON WILLIAMS scores Disney's "BEDTIME STORIES"



Rupert Gregson Williams, the 42 year old British composer, brother of Harry Gregson Williams, is busy again. This time, after the recent Bee Movie and Click , it's Disney's family fantasy film Bedtime Stories. Starring Adam Sandler, this is family comedy about a hotel handyman whose life changes when the lavish bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to magically come true.

Earlier this fall, composer Rupert Gregson-Williams recorded his score for the new Walt Disney Studios film, Bedtime Stories, at the Newman Scoring Stage at Fox, and ScoringSessions.com was there to bring you the exclusive photos from the large orchestral session.

Click HERE for the original article with photos.

Friday, December 12, 2008

JOHN WILLIAMS - STAR WARS live

QUOTE FROM THE ORIGINAL LINK, HERE:

Star Wars fans are to feel the force of the seminal sci-fi films and their iconic soundtracks on stage in a major new show, which will launch next year.

In Star Wars: A Musical Journey, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will play a live score as excerpts from the six films are shown on a cinema screen.

The show has been put together by director George Lucas' company Lucasfilm and composer John Williams.

It will premiere at the O2 in London in April before going on a European tour.

It will not be a traditional musical with actors playing characters from the films, but will feature live narrators.

The six Star Wars films have been edited down to two hours for the show, and Williams has "painstakingly rewritten" the music he wrote for the movies, a statement said.

Models and props

The Royal Philharmonic will use an 86-piece orchestra and an accompanying exhibition will feature original models, props, costumes and production artwork.

David Campbell, chief executive of AEG Europe, which runs the O2, said: "Star Wars holds memories for practically everyone.

"John Williams is THE composer of our times, and fans will be thrilled to know that both he and Lucasfilm have contributed fully to this new production.

"To have the premiere at the O2 is a real coup for us, and I know there will be a lot of very happy Star Wars fans out there when they hear the news."

The show will open at the O2 on 10 April. Tickets, costing between £30 and £100, will go on sale on Monday.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS 2008 | BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE


Original link HERE.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE

a. ALEXANDRE DESPLAT - THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

b. CLINT EASTWOOD - CHANGELING

c. JAMES NEWTON HOWARD - DEFIANCE

d. A. R. RAHMAN - SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

e. HANS ZIMMER - FROST/NIXON




ALEXANDRE DESPLAT - the tree of life

Excellent news for the fans of the French film composer, Alexandre Desplat, as he's been assigned to score Terrence Malick's much-awaited new big feature for 2009, The Tree of Life.

Below there's a quote from the upcomingfilmscores.blogspot.com website about the assignment:

"Alexandre Desplat, whose score for David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is one of this year's most anticipated and already considered a strong contender in the Oscar race, is doing the music for famous auteur Terrence Malick's new film, The Tree of Life, which incidentally also stars Brad Pitt (he plays the title character in Fincher's film). Desplat's involvement in The Tree of Life has been confirmed to Upcoming Film Scores by one of the film's producers. Malick is known for his strong visual sense and the pacing of his films often call for sustained and ambient musical scores. The story of the film, which also stars Sean Penn, has been closely guarded but it is said to focus on the evolution of an eleven-year old boy. Picked up for distribution by Summit Entertainment, it is slated for release in fall/winter of 2009."

Here's the ORIGINAL LINK.

THEODORE SHAPIRO - Marley and Me [CD]


Although the quote from the 37 year old American composer's wikipedia page, "He is best known for his film scores, particularly from The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, 13 Going on 30, The Devil Wears Prada, Fun with Dick and Jane, Idiocracy, You, Me and Dupree, and Wet Hot American Summer, but has also written other works." will make some people giggle (well at least me for sure), still the composer who likes to be called "Teddy", is a particularly favorable choice by studios, directors, fans and film music journalism websites when it comes to picking him up and promoting his new assingments.

His latest release is the score for the new comedy, Marley and Me in which a family learns important life lessons from their adorable, but naughty and neurotic dog. The score CD comes from Lakeshore records on December the 16th, 2008 and runs on 24 short tracks with a total running time of 39 minutes. If you visit the relevant Amazon.com page, HERE, you can listen to sound clips from the score and the same applies to the SAE page, HERE.

Scoringsessions.com also features a very interesting visual / written article on the recording sessions of the said score, at their page HERE.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Mychael Danna scores The Time Traveler's Wife

Composer Mychael Danna recently completed recording his score to The Time Traveler's Wife. Based on the best-selling novel by Audrey Niffenegger and directed by Robert Schwentke, the film stars Eric Bana as a Chicago librarian who tries to build a relationship with Rachel McAdams, but he has a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel when he is stressed.

If you visit the ScoringSessions website HERE, you’ll find the coverage of the live recording sessions, containing both photo and written material.

HANS ZIMMER's and JAMES NEWTON HOWARD's 'Dark Knight' Score, has Its Oscar Eligibility Restored

Original source: Variety.com

"Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard are back in contention for an Oscar nom.
The Music Branch Executive Committee of the Academy reversed its Nov. 10 decision declaring their score for “the Dark Knight” ineligible for the 2008 Academy Awards. The score was disqualified due to five names being listed as composers on the music cue sheet.

After reviewing information submitted by the affected parties, the committee concluded that two Zimmer and Howard were responsible for the score’s authorship.

Neither nomination ballots nor lists of eligible scores had been distributed so there is no impact on the actual voting process. "

Klaus BADELT joins BEN HUR LIVE

Hans-zimmer.com reports that German composer Klau Badelt will be responsible for the music of the show, BEN HUR LIVE.

BEN HUR LIVE
is a monumental show, that combines light, water & fire effects on a rink of 2500m² to create a breathtaking historical adventure. Spectacular mass scenes, monumental wide-screen projections and music created by Klaus Badelt accompany and enhance the colorful scenery, with 4000 performers & 100 animals.

For more details click for the Official Website.

Monday, December 8, 2008

JAMES MICHAEL DOOLEY | Pushing Daisies [CD]



Composer James Dooley has brilliant times as he won "Best Original Score - TV" at the Hollywood Music Awards, for Pushing Daisies on November the 20th. The score for the hit TV-series comes through Varese Sarabande two days before Christmas and runs on a total duration of 75 minutes. The tracklisting is as follows:

  1. Morning Has Broken - Ellen Greene (2:19)
  2. Hopelessly Devoted To You - Kristin Chenoweth (3:06)
  3. Birdhouse In Your Soul - Kristin Chenoweth & Ellen Greene (3:14)
  4. Main Titles (0:35)
  5. Lying In The Dark (2:12)
  6. Chuck's New Flash (0:48)
  7. Chuck's Swing (2:22)
  8. Where's My Briefcase ? (1:22)
  9. Bittersweets (3:17)
  10. Pie Hole Holding (2:20)
  11. Young Ned's Dissection (1:37)
  12. Homeopaths (2:35)
  13. Morgue To Love (2:25)
  14. Lefty Arrives (0:46)
  15. Jeanine Pie (3:04)
  16. Poor Customer Service (1:20)
  17. Plastic Kiss (1:33)
  18. Wilfried Woodruff's War (3:46)
  19. Chucky Bees (1:48)
  20. Jason Lucas Diamonds (1:36)
  21. Happy Halloween (2:34)
  22. Play-Doh Dreaming (2:19)
  23. Emerson And The Bitches (2:08)
  24. Waltz (1:52)
  25. Park Picnic (2:51)
  26. Knitt Witt (1:37)
  27. Who's Smoking ? (1:31)
  28. Follow The Yellow Thick Hose (2:13)
  29. Institution Omnibus (2:00)
  30. Olive & Alfredo (1:23)
  31. Don't Mess With The Pie Hos (3:29)
  32. Death Came (2:49)
  33. Victor Narrowmore (2:02)
  34. Change Of Heart (2:41)
  35. Hands Against The Wall (0:54)
You can listen to SOUND SAMPLES from the score, HERE.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

THE WRESTLER: New audio interview: CLINT MANSELL On the Score



Here's an interesting new audio interview with composer CLINT MANSELL at On the Score over at www.filmmusicmag.com, as director Darren Aronofsky's musical collaborator talks about their innovative work on PI, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, THE FOUNTAIN and their latest, acclaimed film THE WRESTLER.

The Wrestler is an upcoming film directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Mickey Rourke, Ernest Miller, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood. Production began in January 2008. It will be released in a limited capacity on December 17, 2008 and it's about Randy "Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke), a professional wrestler from the 1980s who is forced to retire after a heart attack threatens to kill him the next time he wrestles. He takes a job at a deli and attempts to form a relationship with a stripper and does his best to reconcile with his estranged daughter.

However, he is drawn to the prospect of a rematch with his old wrestling nemesis the Ayatollah, even though the fight may cost him his life. (Wikipedia)

For the full interview in audible form, you can go directly at:
http://www.filmmusicmag.com/?p=2148

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

VALKYRIE - The Destruction of Madness

VALKYRIE - The Destruction of Madness

Rudy Koppl of musicfromthemovies.com sits down with director Bryan Singer and composer/editor John Ottman to discuss their seventh collaboration, Valkyrie, which hits screens later this month.

Read the entire article over at the hosting website, HERE.

Trevor Rabin scores 12 Rounds


Earlier this fall, composer Trevor Rabin reunited with director Renny Harlin to score the new action movie 12 Rounds. Scoring took place at the Eastwood Scoring Stage at Warner Bros., and ScoringSessions.com is excited to bring you the exclusive photos.

Click here to read the full story.

Monday, December 1, 2008

TYLER BATES | The day the earth stood still


Not pretty sure if the earth is going to stand still with Tyler Bates' new release, but last time the controversy over the score to 300 was enough to shake the film music community for a long, long period.

Still, his new assignment is The Day the Earth Stood Still, 20th Century Fox's contemporary reinvention of its 1951 classic.

Keanu Reeves portrays Klaatu, an alien whose arrival on our planet triggers a global upheaval. As governments and scientists race to unravel the mystery behind the visitor's appearance, a woman (Jennifer Connelly) and her young stepson get caught up in his mission and come to understand the ramifications of his being a self-described "friend to the Earth." Rounding out the cast are Jaden Smith, John Cleese, Jon Hamm, Kyle Chandler and Kathy Bates.

The score is by composer Tyler Bates who is also working on the long-awaited The Watchmen and The Haunted World of El Superbeasto.

You can listen to SOUND CLIPS, view artwork and the tracklisting of the soon to be released CD of the score THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, over at the releasing label's website, HERE.

guardian.co.uk interviews PHILIP GLASS


Philip Glass, composer

Philip Glass, 71, was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He studied music at New York's Juilliard School and in Paris, then supported himself with a variety of jobs, including driving a New York taxi, until his 40s, when he began to compose full-time. His work includes operas, chamber music, and film scores. Glass Box, a 10-disc retrospective, is out now. He has been married four times, has four children and lives in New York and Nova Scotia.


Read the full article HERE and you can also visit the composer's official website HERE.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

A.R.RAHMAN | Slumdong Millionaire [CD]


Danny Boyle's latest movie, co-directed with Indian director Loveleen Tandan, Slumdong Millionaire is the story of how impoverished Indian teen Jamal Malik became a contestant on the Hindi version of "Who Wants to be A Millionaire?" -- an endeavor made without prize money in mind, rather, an effort to prove his love for his friend Latika, who is an ardent fan of the show.

The movie is scored by 42 Indian Composer Allah Rakha Rahman (A.R.Rahman most widely known). known for his recent collaboration with Scottish composer Craig Armstrong on Elizabeth: the golden Age and the original score CD will get a release on December the 23rd, 2008 from Interscore Records.

Here's the quote from the amazon.com page of the release, product description:

"In composing the music for acclaimed director Danny Boyle's intoxicating new film Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman has conjured the sound of a city, fusing the frenetic scramble of daily life in Mumbai, India into beautiful fugues that ride upon the dust clouds kicked up by its everyday people.

From the movie's first frames --- with children racing through alleyways, knocking over merchants and pottery, police kicking loose clay roof tiles, disrupted birds fluttering from gutters -- we hear the sound of their commotion made manifest in "O... Saya." It's a rumbling hybrid of Bollywood and hip-hop, a brand new collaboration between Rahman and M.I.A. It's the kind of cinematic moment where image and sound coexist. And that's only the first five minutes.

Filmed in the streets and slums of Mumbai, India, Boyle needed just the right music to compliment the film's cinema verité urban realism. He turned to internationally renowned composer A.R. Rahman (a huge star in South Asia--selling more than 100 million albums worldwide and 200 million cassettes--Rahman is one of the world's top 25 all-time top selling recording artists.) The film's score is central to the propulsive modern grit that pervades the story, but is also a nod to classic Bollywood productions where the music is front and center. And loud. Says Rahman, "We wanted it edgy, upfront. Danny wanted it loud."

M.I.A.'s appreciation for Bollywood music led her to record much of last year's Kala inside A.R. Rahman's studio in India, although the two had never worked together until now. Referring to him in URB magazine as "the Indian Timbaland," M.I.A. obviously jumped at the chance to work on "O... Saya" with the famed composer. Rahman says, "She's a real powerhouse. Somebody played me her CD and I thought, `Who is this girl? She came here and knew all my work, had followed my work for ages. I said, `Cut the crap, this "my idol" crap. You have to teach me.'"

M.I.A. crops up again, later in the film, with the remix of her worldwide hit "Paper Planes" seemingly made for Slumdog, as the lyrics pronounce, "Sometimes I feel like sitting on trains..." while a light blue locomotive chugs and hurls its way through India, young boys perched up top in the sepia sunlight scoping out for a scrap of food.

Other songs on the soundtrack include "Gangsta Blues," featuring hip-hop artist BlaaZe, which flutters with the rhythms of a film projector, capturing a bit of the madness of crowds as they disperse in a thousand directions to escape the claustrophobia of back alleys. And nothing quite prepares you for the triumphant climax, the overarching ode to joy that is "Jai Ho," closing out the film in a rousing sing-a-long that's had film audiences burst into spontaneous applause. As Rahman told Variety, "The energy of the film takes you through a roller coaster, and that's one of the main inspirations for the whole music."

Here's the TRACKLISTING of the CD:

1. O... Saya - Performed by A R Rahman & M.I.A.
2. Riots - A R Rahman
3. Mausam & Escape - A R Rahman
4. Paper Planes - M.I.A.
5. Paper Planes DFA REMIX - M.I.A.
6. Ringa Ringa - A R Rahman featuring Alka Yagnik & Ila Arun
7. Liquid Dance - A R Rahman featuring Palakkad Sriram & Madhumitha
8. Latika's Theme - A R Rahman featuring Suzanne
9. Aaj Ki Raat - Sonu Nigam, Mahalaxmi Lyer & Alisha Chinoi
10. Millionaire - A R Rahman featuring Madhumitha
11. Gangsta Blues - A R Rahman featuring BlaaZe & Tanvi Shah
12. Dreams on Fire - A R Rahman featuring Suzzanne
13. Jai Ho - A R Rahman featuring Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah & Mahalaxmi Iyer


The score's already available to buy in digital audio form in the iTunes music store.

PHILIPPE ROMBI | new CD releases for late 2008 / early 2009

After the much celebrated gorgeous score for Angel last year, 40-year old French composer Phillipe Rombi returns with 2 new CD releases.

First is Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis coming from Naive Records France on a 28-tracks CD released on 28-oct-08. Here's the CD info quoted from Screen Archives Entertainment:

1. Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis (générique)
2. Valse des Ch'tis
3. Mutation
4. C'est le Nooord
5. Le Départ
6. Le Plat Pays
(Jacques Brel)
7. Arrivée à Bergues
8. Deux ans...
9. Le vieux Lille
10. Le carillon d'Antoine
(par Stefano Colletti)
11. Les corons / clair de lune à Maubeuge
(par le public du stade de Lens / l'Harmonie de Bergues)
12. Les chars à voile
13. La tournée (1ère partie)
14. Le P'tit Quinquin
(Alexandre Desrousseaux, par Jenny Clève)
15. La tournée (2ème partie)
16. I just called to say I love you
(Stevie Wonder, au carillon par Stefano Colletti)
17. Julie chez les Ch'tis
18. Nocturne du carillonneur
(par Stefano Colletti)
19. Philippe parle à Julie
20. Les adieux
21. Générique de fin
22. Le carillon d'Antoine
(par Stefano Colletti)
23. La tournée (orchestral)
24. Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis (générique version film)

And the plot outline:

" Although living a comfortable life in Salon-de-Provence, a charming town in the South of France, Julie has been feeling depressed for a while. To please her, Philippe Abrams, a post office administrator, her husband, tries to obtain a transfer to a seaside town, on the French Riviera, at any cost. The trouble is that he is caught red-handed while trying to scam an inspector. Philippe is immediately banished to the distant unheard of town of Bergues, in the Far North of France. Leaving his child and wife behind, the crucified man leaves for his frightening destination, a dreadfully cold place inhabited by hard-drinking, unemployed rednecks, speaking an incomprehensible dialect called Ch'ti. Philippe soon realizes that all these ideas were nothing but prejudices and that Bergues is not synonymous with hell... 2008 "

Click for the link for the release on the label's official site.

Second release is Un homme et son chien coming from Zig-Zag Territoires, 2009, 18 tracks, 44'48" on a CD release on 10-jan-2009. Here's the LINK for the CD.

Stay tuned for more info as it becomes available!

Friday, November 28, 2008

CARTER BURWELL - Twilight [CD]


What i humbly consider as a fairly ridiculous trend that has gotten out of proportions through emo/vampire/goth kids and a vast part of our beloved females (but not only), is Twilight. The vampire romance as they call it (v-porn as I do) deals with the story of a teenage girl who risks everything when she falls in love with a vampire :sigh: and has apparently taken the hearts of thousands by storm.

On the music-side of things though, we find the gifted 54 year-old American composer Carter Burwell.

Here's what he has to say about the movie's music which he composed, quoted from his official website linked above:

"Regarding sheet music: Hal Leonard Publishers will be releasing the score to "Bella's Lullaby" some time before the end of the year. They may also release other parts of the soundtrack to the film. When I have more information it will be listed here.

Carter's Notes

"Bella's Lullaby," as it appears in this film, was not written to be a lullaby but to speak of love - ecstatic, tormented love. Here's that story.

Years ago I was in love with an amazing and challenging woman named Christine Sciulli. She left me, I was heartbroken, and I wrote a piece of music that tried to express the thrill and pain of having my heart pierced. She wouldn't speak to me, so I sent her the music to speak in my place.

Years later (April 2008 to be exact) I came to Oregon to meet Catherine Hardwicke and see some of the film she was shooting, Twilight. She mentioned that the producing company, Summit Entertainment, had just requested that a new scene be added to the film. The scene existed in the novel but hadn't originally been part of the screenplay (films are not one-to-one translations of books). In this scene Edward would play piano for Bella. I wasn't officially working on the film at that point and they didn't know what Rob Pattinson (Edward) should play during the shoot. This is not an unusual situation - many films have an actor sitting at a keyboard, swaying back and forth, pretending to play music that was only written after the film has been shot and edited. This case was unusual in that Rob is a fine musician, and fully capable of playing the piano or probably any other instrument.

CB+Mitch

My concern, as a composer, is to make the film as a whole compelling, dramatic, emotional and cinematic. But in this case other extraneous concerns quickly started to pile on, all driven by the fans of the book. The piano scene was added because Summit realized fans wanted to hear Edward play the melody referred to as "Bella's Lullaby," and each of those fans has their own idea of the tune. Because I hadn't started writing yet there was a musical vacuum into which other music started to be pulled. Rob improvised a tune for the shoot. Matthew Bellamy, of Muse, sent in his idea of "Bella's Lullaby." And countless readers and musicians sent in their own ideas or posted them on the internet. None of this made my job easier.

When I finally began writing music for Twilight, in early July, I moved myself, my family and my studio from New York to Los Angeles to work more closely with Catherine and the editorial team - Nancy Richardson the film editor and Adam Smalley the music editor. I began the score with Bella and Edward, specifically the scene in which he carries her into the treetops. I wanted to capture the excitement but also the challenge of this love which spans barriers of time and species. The film had been edited so that the piano scene followed the treetops scene, and the whole montage had very little dialogue so it was a good canvas on which to paint Bella and Edward's love theme.

Edward+Bella

After trying many different approaches with mixed success I put the tune I wrote years ago for my ecstatic and tormented love against the picture and it seemed quite perfect. It has an "A" theme which is a bit ambiguous, like two people trying to find a common ground, climbing to a high, then tumbling down, and a "B" theme that is forthrightly joyful (at least as joyful as my music gets).

I showed it to Catherine Hardwicke and she found it "thrilling, exhiliarating." And so this unnamed tune became “Bella’s Lullaby.” It's worth noting, though, that neither Catherine nor I ever called it that. We always referred to this tune as the "Love Theme" and I think it makes much more sense if you think of it this way. It's more complex and emotional than any lullaby I've ever heard.

I started using this theme for Bella and Edward's relationahip as it develops in the film - starting from the biology class in which he first speaks to her. The more we lived with the "Love Theme" the more Catherine longed to reshoot the piano scene so that Rob's fingers would match the music. Summit Entertainment, who were paying for the film, would have to approve the cost of this.

Edward+Bella

I usually start writing at the piano and then move to computers where I can make a "demo" or "sketch" that sounds as if it were played by the actual instruments - in this case piano, strings, woodwinds, guitars and percussion. I always play these sketches for the director so he or she can picture the final sound of the score while I'm writing. Because Catherine needed Summit's approval for the reshoot we arranged to play the sketches for the Summit executives as well as the film's producers.

The executives assumed that since I've written 60 or more film scores (I don't know exactly) I must have been through that process before. But in fact I've never had to sit in a room and play my work for executives . Typically I work with the director and if anyone else is going to be involved I ask that they talk to the director, then the director talks to me. That way the film still reflects a singular point of view - that of the director - even though we all know it takes an army to make a film.

To our surprise, one of the executives wasn't in love with the "Love Theme." In particular he objected to the opening note of the melody, which he correctly noted is dissonant (the high note is a B flat, over A and B natural in the harmony). The dissonance is immediately resolved to a consonance, but he couldn't get the initial note out of his head. Music is enormously subjective: For Catherine and myself the tune was wonderfully romantic and moving. For him it was off-putting.

Rob Fingers

As a film composer it's nothing new to be asked to throw compositions away, or rewrite them. It happens all the time. However I felt this tune was one of the best I'd written, perfect for the film and the scene, and so I didn't take Summit's complaints very seriously. The wrinkle in this case was that Catherine wanted to reshoot the piano scene in about a week and she needed Summit to approve what Rob would play.

I had reached the end of my stay in L.A. and was packing up to go on a short vacation in Maine with my family (whom I hadn't seen much while I'd been writing), then back to New York to start the school year. The day before we left L.A. I started getting desparate calls from Catherine and producer Wyck Godfrey. They told me that Summit would not approve the reshoot with the current "Love Theme". Then the head of production at Summit called and confirmed that it was his call - the B flat was not acceptable - he would not "sign off on it." He said that the teenage girls that were the audience for the film would want something sweeter, simpler.

Lullaby orig
The beginning of the original melody

In his defense, I think part of the problem was that Catherine and I saw this as Bella and Edward's "Love Theme" whereas he saw it as "Bella's Lullaby." And indeed, for the 30 seconds during which Edward is playing piano it is the "Lullaby." But the theme also has to play the romance that drives the story, and I thought that was a much more important role.

There were other issues for me as well. The suggestion that teenage girls would want a sweet tune was somewhat condescending, and that was something I tried to avoid in this score. Also I don't believe it's possible to know how music will affect someone else, even though film composers claim to. The unpredicability is what makes it interesting (although I understand that's not what the investors want to hear). And can you imagine what it would be like - as it was occasionally on this project - trying to compose music to satisfy a director who's trying to satisfy a male executive who's trying to satisfy ten million teenage girls?

Edward+Bella

My equipment was packed up, I was getting on a plane to Maine, and suddenly they needed a new love theme in a matter of days. Everyone (other than me and my family) thought I should stay in L.A. I told the folks from Twilight that I'd understand if they hired another composer and got on the plane.

Once I landed in Maine I was a bit less upset and offered to try some variations on the "Love Theme", writing at night so it wouldn't interfere with my family's days. It turned out that removing the B flat also removed all the interest from the melody. Eventually I had 5 or 6 variations, ranging from vapid to acceptable, and I sent them to Catherine. I don't know how many she played for Summit. One was approved, and I put it on paper for Rob to play (which he did very well). Catherine and I tried to come up with a title for the piece that would more accurately convey its purpose, but Summit insisted it be called "Bella's Lullaby," and I'm happy to think of it as such. The opening piano melody is the original version I wrote so many years ago (I kept it in the movie despite Summit's objections), and the melody Rob plays toward the end is the variation that Summit approved. You will hear both peppered throughout the film. I comfort myself that the original tune predominates, because, for me, it's more memorable. Which one do you remember?

Lullaby var
The beginning of the variation melody

I should mention that Christine, the woman for whom I first wrote the melody years ago, is now my amazing and challenging wife. In my heart the tune will always be ours, but now it’s yours (and Bella and Edward's) as well. "

WARNING:
THIS IS A QUOTE FROM THE ORIGINAL LINK (HERE) THAT ALSO CONTAINS SOUND CLIPS FROM THE SCORE. ALL MATERIAL'S COPYRIGHT BELONGS TO CARTER BURWELL.
Amazon.com, HERE, also has info and Sound Clips / Tracklisting from the score release on CD.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

GEORGE FENTON in Concert


GEORGE FENTON in CONCERT

Friday 28 November
BBC Radio 2, 7.30pm

Friday Night with George Fenton

In a unique celebration of his music for TV and Film, multi award winning composer George Fenton conducts the BBC Concert Orchestra and directs the first performances of The George Fenton Band.

The BBC Concert Orchestra are joined by The George Fenton Band (who are playing for the first time) and singers to include Lizzy Loeb and Nicola Emmanuelle.

There will be new versions of songs from Anna and the King and Living out Loud, a new suite from the TV series Planet Earth along with newly arranged music from Fenton classics such as Dangerous Liaisons, Valiant, Fool’s Gold and the spectacular finale Cry Freedom.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/fridaynight/

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

BEAR McCREARY: TERMINATOR: The Sarah Connor Chronicles [CD]


As previously reported on this blog, via the composer's official blog, the TERMINATOR: The Sarah Connor Chronicles score is finally getting a release on CD.


Below you're find specific Info and Tracklisting, quoted from the composer's own website:

It’s finally official! My soundtrack for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles goes on sale December 2nd! (Perhaps a perfect holiday gift for any sci fi fans you know??)

The behind-the-scenes details of this album held us up for a while, but I’m thrilled to report that the discs are off to the manufacturers and are being prepared for distribution at this very moment. Autographed copies will be available directly from La La Land Records on December 2nd, however I suspect they’ll go quickly. The CD is already available for pre-order from Amazon.com.

I’ll write a detailed entry about the album next week and post some audio clips. In the meantime, here’s the OFFICIAL TRACK LISTING. Remember, you heard it here first! :)

1. Samson and Delilah - ‘Samson and Delilah’
Performed by Shirley Manson
Written by Reverend Gary Davis
Arranged and Produced by Bear McCreary
2. “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” Opening Title
Includes “The Terminator Theme” by Brad Fiedel
3. Sarah Connor’s Theme - ‘Pilot’
4. Cromartie in the Hospital - ‘The Turk’
5. Andy Goode’s Turk - ‘Queen’s Gambit’
6. Central America - ‘Queen’s Gambit’
7. John and Riley - ‘Automatic for the People’
8. Derek Reese - ‘Queen’s Gambit’ and ‘The Demon Hand’
9. Ain’t We Famous - ‘Automatic for the People’
Performed by BrEndAn’s Band
Written by Brendan McCreary
10. Motorcycle Robot Chase - ‘Gnothi Seuton’
Featuring Captain Ahab
11. The Hand of God - ‘The Demon Hand’
12. Prisoners of War - ‘Dungeons & Dragons’
13. Miles Dyson’s Grave - ‘The Turk’
14. Atomic Al’s Merry Melody - ‘Automatic for the People’
15. The Reese Boys - ‘What He Beheld’
16. Removing Cameron’s Chip - ‘Vick’s Chip’
17. Ellison Spared - ‘What He Beheld’
18. I Love You - ‘Samson and Delilah’
19. Catherine Weaver - ‘Samson and Delilah’
20. Derek’s Mission - ‘Dungeons & Dragons’
21. There’s a Storm Coming - ‘Dungeons & Dragons’
22. Highway Battle - ‘Queen’s Gambit’
23. Perfect Creatures - ‘The Demon Hand’
24. “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” End Credits

Listen to: LARGO WINCH [CD] | Composed by ALEXANDRE DESPLAT


In the link below you can listen to the score in streaming audio form, more info on the release in this blog at this very link, HERE.

SOUND CLIPS from LARGO WINCH:
http://www.largowinch-lefilm.com/main.html