Nonetheless, I still think this track alone should lift Episode II up another level. Great stuff.

It's beautiful and powerful. I'm ecstatic.

quote:

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Originally posted by Jeron:
It's beautiful and powerful. I'm ecstatic.

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It's beautiful, powerful and tragic. Better get a tissue.

quote:

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Originally posted by dgoldwas:
Better get a tissue.

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Awww. LOL, I dunno about that... I guess we'll see when the movie's out.

Still, I love this theme. Like I've said before, it's probably going to be the best thing about the movie.

I'm so relieved. I was very worried that it would be average, but dammit if it isn't one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've heard in ages.

quote:

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Originally posted by mtodd:
It's Tchaikovsky. It's Russian-influenced. It's been done before. But, its a nice listen nevertheless.

Mark

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So? music is about nice listens. Originality is just a bonus.[/B][/QUOTE]

Spoken like a true film score fan.

Example: 1:43 into "Across the Stars"... that part right there. There are also similarities in structure, from what I came make of it after about ten or so listens.

I'm not accusing Williams of copying!!! Before you all go down on me.... I'm just saying, "similarities". It might just be a coincidence, or maybe it was done on purpose.

Anyways, I love the theme. And as someone mentioned, it is very Russian in feel.

quote:

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Originally posted by Kosh:
Before you all go down on me....

Kosh

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Eat me.

Kosh
(Hehehe)

Sounds like a Horneresque technique...
It does absolutely nothing to me!
But then again.... I may be one of the strongest emotional and stable participator here on this board. :-))

Now... FLAME ME! :-p

WE SEEM TO LIKE STRONG & CLEAR MELODIES, bulldog
because I'm completely agreeing with you.
My first expression on ACROSS THE STARS was like "was that it?" - it didn't jump at me at all, when almost all the rest of the score actually DID sound pretty darn good.

ACROSS THE STARS is just as annoying as "Hedwig's Theme" from HARRY POTTER - Williams doesn't want to write strong themes anymore, only these kinds of Prelude-sort of pieces which contain too much stuff to make a memorable THEME out of them. A pity.

But yet I'm sure that even ACROSS THE STARS finds it's place in the movie (- I'm again just talking about the music as a pure listening experience).

We seem to be disagreeing so much nowadays that I wonder if you're English is really as good as it seems on the surface.

"Across the Stars" is a "strong and clear" melody, instantly memorable and deeply moving. I found it so, anyway.

I do have to say, however, that although I did find it easily recognizable right away, I didn't think much of it until I listened to the rest of the score. After that, I thought it was wonderful.

Please remember that I'm talking here about the ALBUM TRACK "Across the Stars", and NOT the many terrific variations of it during the score for AOTC.

JAMES, you don't have to put in so many happy faces to soften the blow
- BUT I really would like to know what did you mean by this (- apparently my English is so poor that I can't understand your point BUT I can assure you that I AM not English for good - figure it out yourself).

And besides, it has been quite awhile since our last disagreeing took place.

It was just a little joke, to suggest that you must have some words confused with their opposite meanings. It was supposed to be ironic, because the truth of the matter is that you speak English more fluently than most English-speakers (or, at least, Americans).

I agree AOTC (in THIS album presentation anyway) doesn't quite match the original Star Wars or Empire but it seems more cohesive than Jedi (which boasted a LOT of cut-and-paste action music from the two previous scores as well as all that silly Ewok music) and far more dramatic and gripping than TPM. Sounds like this movie might actually have a plot, which is a good thing...

Well, at least that music had MELODIES... I just love the ORIGINAL "Ewok Celebration", especially as an instrumental from The National Philharmonic Orchestra. I wouldn't mind if John Williams one day returned to his Golden 80's Sound.

KIRK, I found myself a little blunder in that specific post of mine (- "expression" should be "impression", but what the hell; the meaning with "expression" isn't bad at all -) but what I understood from your reply, you didn't mean such a blunder. I just didn't quite understand (and I still don't) the POINT in your irony this time - your point surely wasn't to salute my English... Besides, I usually don't like sarcasm and irony, because they tend to bend the truth.

Furthermore, I probably spend twice as long time writing my posts than anyone else here - I always check my writing before sending it, and I totally admit using a dictionary if I don't find the right words (...I have been doing this since early childhood, so that's half of the secret for my English-speaking "abilities"; using a dictionary one learns new words all the time). So, that's the secret of my "fluent English".

Well, at least that music had MELODIES... I just love the ORIGINAL "Ewok Celebration", especially as an instrumental from The National Philharmonic Orchestra. I wouldn't mind if John Williams one day returned to his Golden 80's Sound.

quote:

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Originally posted by JeffBond:
can you name me one post-1983 melody of Williams that has really penetrated the public consciousness

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His 1984 Olympics Fanfare......?

I would also have to suggest that his themes from Jurassic Park are quite memorable to the public...

But, just to say it, hum Superman and I'll be damned if most people don't reply, "Cool, man! Star Wars rocks, dude!"

I hope you can ease some of what I'm feeling now, because I'm getting worried that I inadvertantly offended you, and it was not my intention to slight you in any way.

There really wasn't a point to my statement. I wasn't thinking about it that way. To me, it was supposed to be merely a little (apparently very little) joke; obviously, one that I didn't think too through very well.

Again, I'm very sorry if you felt like I was trying to cut you down at all. I meant nothing by it.

Dear Kirk,

it's very good to see that at least you're aware of it - so many people on these boards make similar not-too-thoroughly-thought remarks, but aren't aware of it, and they think they are terrific humorists.

But, as you Kirk have always had very good and thorough opinions, I somehow made a mistake of taking your little joke too seriously - sorry about that, but as I have previously explained, sincerity and honesty are things I appreciate more than anything else on this planet - and I always WANT to take things seriously, to BELIEVE in people and in things that they say; again, that's why I don't like sarcasm and irony because they sort of kill sincerity and honesty from the face of this planet (- although a thoroughly-thought, witty irony does have its moments; even I myself am guilty of using irony once in awhile).

So, Kirk, I am the one who should apologize here - this "taking everything too seriously -thingy" is a dilemma which will follow me to my very grave.

In my opinion, John Williams was at his magical best during the first half of the 80's. Williams wrote incredibly versatile music and strong, distinct melodies for such gems as THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, HEARTBEEPS, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, YES GIORGIO, E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, RETURN OF THE JEDI, INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM, THE RIVER, and AMAZING STORIES with the segments THE MISSION and GHOST TRAIN. I myself am especially fond of AMAZING STORIES, HEARTBEEPS, YES GIORGIO (If We Were In Love) and E.T. because in these SIMPLICITY was the thing, and yet the music managed to soar more higher than Harry Potter with his broom. This "Magic Era" of John Williams ended magnificently with SPACECAMP in 1986 - although the following movies such as THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK, ALWAYS, HOME ALONE and HOOK all contained some incredible musical magic, Williams' preliminary style had changed into a more "serious" sound - a sound which has swallowed the man now entirely. I would so much like to see - and hear - Williams composing nowadays anything as plain and simple and yet incredibly melodic as HEARTBEEPS, GHOST TRAIN, SPACE CAMP or E.T.

Even though some of these titles aren't as widely known to the big audiences, these titles are still pure music and have an incredible amount of magic and soul poured into them - sugary, perhaps, but SO pure musical delights.