I hate the orchestrations that Edelmann useses. I can't stand them. He writes some catchy tunes but his style is just so bubble gumish.

I used to get bugged by Horner and Elfmann, but Elfmann has changed and for the better I think. Horner is Horner. I think his melodies are usually great but he isn't as good anymore in writing action music.

Scott

First I will tell you who I believe is an amazing orchestrator. John Williams always has had a niche for orchestrating. He knows exactly whena horn rip gets thrown in or a light piccolo melody needs to take place.

Lately, Jerry Goldsmith has been lazy with his orchestration. I think he needs to occasionally back off the heroic horn melodies all the time and throw some other instruments on the melody. Although, I'd rather hear that than most other scores(I am a horn player!)

Aaron

Anyways, that's my thought on this matter.

I too love Jerry Godsmith's use of the rhythmic piano. It does add a lot to those cues.

Aaron

--Crono/Kyp
Writer/Director/Producer

NP: The Postman: James Newton Howard (****/*****) -- (Score Only)

And while you're at it, add one for Randy Newman and Elliot Goldenthal. Of these two, I only like Interview with the Vampire, Alien3, The Natural, Batman Forever, and Toy Story 2. I'm sure there are good ones I haven't heard yet. Elliot Goldenthal just gets too crazy at times, and Randy Newman seems to be missing something (since I'm not a musician, I can't quite point it out, but I can definitely hear and feel it...)

- A.

NP: The Green Mile (***/*****)

Aaron

However, I think that this more results from losing Arthur Morton's talent as his health faded to bad. Alexander Courage has orchestrated really well on occassion, but hasn't done nearly as good a job as Morton did every time out.

Hopefully he's catching up, just as Bruce Botnick--who used to be terrible at recording scores as compared to someone like Shawn Murphy--has and exceeded others' capabilities.

I don't know why so many of you are down on Randy Edelman, except for the fact that he relies too much on synths.

I think he has an amazing gift for melody and some of his scores contain some extraordinary music...mired in the middle of synthetic droning. A violin playing a note for 30 seconds is thrilling....a synth droning the same note for 30 seconds is BORING.

"Dragonheart" contains some exceptional melody. The first two tracks of the CD are phenomenal. I'm keen on track 3, too!

Far worse orchestrations (and music) are found at the hands of Zimmer...HANS ZIMMER..and his "factory" clones.

Yuck!

Ron

Hans Zimmer, Mark Mancina, Trevor Rabin, John Powell I don't have a problem with because they actually to care bout the music and they're hard not to repeat themselves over and over. Give Zimmer credit at least he tries to do something different everytime out. As for the rest of his "clones" lol like Harry Gregson-Williams and Nick Glennie-Smith well they're just plain bad period. Can anyone tell me what the hell Replacement Killers and Man In The Iron Mask were? Anyone?

But the one guy that really bothers me sometimes is Graeme Revell. Okay I enjoy some of his work, but his other stuff is blah. He fiddles around with synths way too much and everything sounds the same to me. I mean the main them to the rejected 13th Warrior sounds way too much like his score to Fled, which I really enjoyed and sadly unreleased. And it also sounds like a prelude to The Negotator which has it's moments, but it's all the same.

When I say "orchestration," I am talking about how the instruments are scored. Meaning the English Horn is carrying the melody as a brass choir is supporting it with chordal bliss. This example could be switched around to make infinite combinations.

Now Randy Edelman writes some great themes. BUT, the orchestration kills the album. I am not talking about synth, but rather how the parts are scored. This is very difficult to discuss being over the internet. I could teach a whole course on orchestration.

Thanks,
Aaron Collins

Well Ok.

John Williams uses too many cymbals in my opinion. His orchestration is otherwise impecable. But things are generally awash in Tish, Tish ,Tish. TISSSSH!

And yea, I must admit that Goldsmith does seem to rely too heavliy on unison French Horns to carry his melodies. I wish he would brass in harmony more often like in Ghost and The Darkness theme.