The Force Awakens Force Awakens ABC TV Spot - CONFIRMED premiere of Williams' score!

[Ricard 2,270]

Correct. I predict a renaissance of purely orchestral film scores in the 2020s.

[Unofficial But True 39]

People have been preaching the death of orchestral music for centuries. You are as wrong as everyone before you.

(I am talking about film scoring only, not the classic orchestra)

it's work in progress, we see it live, in front of us :

-more and more virtual instruments in movie scoring, Tv Shows

-fewer composers who know write for orchestra (James Newton Howard, John Powel...)

-the rise of computers, samples libraries

where are the new Goldsmith, Kamen, Horner, Morricone, Barry, Goldenthal ?

they have been replaced by Remote Control : Jablonsky, Djawadi etc

Correct. I predict a renaissance of purely orchestral film scores in the 2020s.

hope you're right, but prediction based on what ?

[mrbellamy 6,769]

People have been preaching the death of orchestral music for centuries. You are as wrong as everyone before you.

(I am talking about film scoring only, not the classic orchestra)

it's work in progress, we see it live, in front of us :

-more and more virtual instruments in movie scoring, Tv Shows

-fewer composers who know write for orchestra (James Newton Howard, John Powel...)

-the rise of computers, samples libraries

where are the new Goldsmith, Kamen, Horner, Morricone, Barry, Goldenthal ?

they have been replaced by Remote Control : Jablonsky, Djawadi etc

The fakers of the world may find success in certain areas but their limits will always be found out quickly and they'll be typecast into the only things they know how to do. Hollywood is not entirely without taste, as they have proven only in the last few years by making Desplat their new favorite guy. It's no coincidence, there's a reason he's able to work as fast as he does, in as many genres as he does, and on the scale that he does while still maintaining a certain level of quality. Whether or not one considers him an "all-timer," he's no chump. I'm certain it will only ever be guys like him who are in serious demand by the widest variety of studios and directors.

[Code 000. Destruct. 0. 4,260]

Correct. I predict a renaissance of purely orchestral film scores in the 2020s.

That would be unfortunate if you mean that to the exclusion of anything else. The fusion of the orchestra with electronics *is* the "flagship" future of composed music. It is a good and permanent addition, as surely as something like the advent of the modern brass section was. New sonic resources should be embraced and celebrated.

But if you mean that there will be more diversity in what studios will allow, and consequently some more purely "acoustic" scores, then I share your hope.

[Scarpia 132]

The fusion of the orchestra with electronics *is* the "flagship" future of composed music. It is a good and permanent addition, as surely as something like the advent of the modern brass section was. New sonic resources should be embraced and celebrated.

Back in the day, the piano-forte was top-notch technology, gradually embraced as a soloist instrument, and then even as a member of the orchestra (unthinkable in the early days of the piano). I agree with you, new instruments, including computers, expand the range of possibilities for composers to explore and create. As long as music composing goes on, so will be the addition of new resources.

[mbrannon47 0]

I had some doubts myself at first listen

but this passage alone is enough to be convinced :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDcf4rkp0MA

There is too much convergence : a trailer guy don't know what a harp glissando is, the use of Vader's theme chords, and the sound/position of the harp

Wait a second. The main point in this video breakdown is to show the connection between the harp gliss in both trailers. Which is fine, but the second teaser wasn't Williams.

[Will 2,242]

I had some doubts myself at first listen

but this passage alone is enough to be convinced :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDcf4rkp0MA

There is too much convergence : a trailer guy don't know what a harp glissando is, the use of Vader's theme chords, and the sound/position of the harp

Wait a second. The main point in this video breakdown is to show the connection between the harp gliss in both trailers. Which is fine, but the second teaser wasn't Williams.

The second teaser was partially, but not entirely, scored by Williams. It is not known specifically which parts were scored by Williams.

[Doo_liss 6,497]

Which is fine, but the second teaser wasn't Williams.

Actually if you are talking about the Force theme part of his video:

2:09 of this video:

[Unofficial But True 39]

Which is fine, but the second teaser wasn't Williams.

Actually if you are talking about the Force theme part of his video:

2:09 of this video:

well seen !

I have been fooled by tone's change (it's actually a pitched up version of this track)

Wait a second. The main point in this video breakdown is to show the connection between the harp gliss in both trailers. Which is fine, but the second teaser wasn't Williams.

The second teaser was partially, but not entirely, scored by Williams. It is not known specifically which parts were scored by Williams.

Williams has probably recorded the center part (just after the New Hope take) and the final part of this teaser.

Let's see harp position after the New Hope music :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EaA3zyyAYE

[Ricard 2,270]

Correct. I predict a renaissance of purely orchestral film scores in the 2020s.

That would be unfortunate if you mean that to the exclusion of anything else. The fusion of the orchestra with electronics *is* the "flagship" future of composed music. It is a good and permanent addition, as surely as something like the advent of the modern brass section was. New sonic resources should be embraced and celebrated.

But if you mean that there will be more diversity in what studios will allow, and consequently some more purely "acoustic" scores, then I share your hope.

Due to the fact that I started listening to film (and pop) music in the pre-Star Wars era, I naturally embrace any addition or trend regarding the use of different instruments, and thus I don't consider those changes to be good or bad by themseves. I just get easily bored by the overuse of certain clichés and I'm more lenient with others -as it's probably your case, from a different perspective.

Man of Steel and Interstellar are two examples of "non purely orchestral" scores I enjoyed recently (especially the latter). I'm sure whatever evolves from that sound will bring us high quality scores in the coming years.

[Jay 39,585]

Ricard likes Interstellar? Didn't see that one coming!

[Ricard 2,270]

And Man of Steel. I stupidly wrote "Superman Returns" instead.

I actually like Zimmer more than, let's say, Giacchino.

[BB-8 4,019]

A transformed Yoda's theme with a touch of Chamber of Secrets...

Nicely developed - could be John.

BB-8

Good. Now start trying to improve yourself.

Thanks

I'll start by studying this...I hope it will show me the right path

Hans Zimmer awakens!

BB-8

[John Dutton 7,421]

The use of that RCP sounding crap is honestly unforgivable. They're lucky I'm desperate for new John Williams that I'll at least buy the OST.

[BB-8 4,019]

Williams is playing here with Vader's theme...he is using only a little part of the melody and chords.

We know that Vader has a special rôle in this movie, a shadow of the past...the darker part fits perfectly to what we know about Kylo Ren (his fascination for Vader). This second part is well orchestrated, it's clearly Williams at work.

Even the slow rythmic of the beginning can be associated to a slower version of Imperial March

I think we have here a mix between Rey's theme and Kylo Ren's theme...or maybe a new "family" theme (like Brother and Sister) if they are related.

Fantastic post. Thank you!

Yes, possible. What about Yoda's Theme?

Good. Now start trying to improve yourself.

Thanks

I'll start by studying this...I hope it will show me the right path

Hans Zimmer Awakens

I had some doubts myself at first listen

but this passage alone is enough to be convinced :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDcf4rkp0MA

There is too much convergence : a trailer guy don't know what a harp glissando is, the use of Vader's theme chords, and the sound/position of the harp

I agree!

BB-8

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,421]

I actually like Zimmer more than, let's say, Giacchino.

I agree!

[BB-8 4,019]

Yes, I like his religioso style!

[John Dutton 7,421]

Although the only Giacchino scores I enjoy are Space Mountain and The Lost World: Jurassic Park video game, I would still rank those higher than anything I've heard from Zimmer.

[BB-8 4,019]

I liked his Star Trek.

[Arpy 4,159]

Urgh, stupid comments on YouTube concerning the music for the TV spots.

[Incanus 5,816]

The miserable plebs is having opinions again!

[BloodBoal 7,541]

[Incanus 5,816]

The miserable soundtrack elite is having opinions again!

[Taikomochi 1,249]

Once again...... THE EMBOSS!!!!!!!!!!! Yes!

The emboss just makes it that much more epic.

[BloodBoal 7,541]

I'm only gonna buy this OST for the emboss, really.

[Arpy 4,159]

The miserable plebs is having opinions again!

Hey, I'm not for the censorship of opinions, but their opinions aren't protected from criticism. I mean, c'mon, some of these comments are just spreading misinformation and stupidity.

[Incanus 5,816]

The miserable plebs is having opinions again!

Hey, I'm not for the censorship of opinions, but their opinions aren't protected from criticism. I mean, c'mon, some of these comments are just spreading misinformation and stupidity.

I wasn't exactly castigating you, just riffing on your comment as our own thread is full of all kinds of speculation, some more silly than the rest.

[Alex Shore 83]

There's a new tv spot using the Main Theme with silver trumpets of gondor playing with lots of vibrato.

[BloodBoal 7,541]

[Not Mr. Big 4,739]

LOTR is better than everything!

Now there's a phrase I can get behind!

[Joni Wiljami 1,212]

edited

[Not Mr. Big 4,739]

There's a new tv spot using the Main Theme with silver trumpets of gondor playing with lots of vibrato.

Are you sure it isn't the original '77 recording?

[John Dutton 7,421]

It's the original 1977 Leonard Rosenman recording.

[Omen II 1,255]

This article at Classic FM discusses the whole "Is it by Williams?" question that is keeping us guessing.

http://www.classicfm.com/discover/film-music/star-wars-soundtracks-news/#EMsXH0A0cJ3Q4ywh.97

[JAH 0]

I feel like it has to be Williams for 3 reasons:

1) No way they would let some other composer write a new theme like that and put it in a Star Wars trailer 1 month before the movie opens. No way. All of the other trailers have contained either old Williams music or music that did not contain thematic material. The theme has to be Williams.

2) Strings starting at 0:19 are a technique that Williams loves to use (not that someone else couldn't copy this) and is also a technique very hard to get right using samples, so it lends to the idea that all of this is recorded by live players, which is what I would bet (except for the drums, which may have been added in)

3) At 0:42 (most audible at 0:45) there seems to be another short statement of a new theme in the horns. Again, no way another composer would be allowed to be putting new themes into trailers at this point.

So I'm voting for this is definitely Williams and definitely from the score. All IMO of course. And of course, edited and mixed specially for the trailer.

[Doo_liss 6,497]

Mockup of the spot music:

https://soundcloud.com/mortegae/star-wars-the-force-awakens-reys-theme

[Tom 5,141]

After listening to that mockup, I am no longer of the opinion that it is Rey's theme. In fact, I am no longer confident it is even Williams--I would put it at no better than a 60% chance that it is.

[Marcus 390]

That mock-up doesn't once complete the melody (or what we've heard of it, anyway) correctly, though, and it's written in a style very different from Williams'.

I wouldn't call it a mock-up as much as a variation, albeit a misleading one:

It mis-represents the theme in question, and puts it in a very simplified harmonic and structural context.

[KK 3,308]

Yeah. Whether that tune is Williams or not, he would not have written it in the way it is handled in the mockup. And he certainly wouldn't repeat the phrase ad nauseum like that with no variation.

[Marcus 390]

Also, the melody doesn't end with just a sustained leading tone; what makes the phrase so beautiful, is that final leap up a minor sixth from the 7th to the 5th..

And even within just the two snippets we've heard, there's already a great variation in the version for horns (ending with a very idiomatic melodic descent).

[Darth Crossfader 577]

The G minor flute solo in one of the newest trailers is confirmed by (name removed at the request of the source) to be an actual cue from the film's opening. (Source: Facebook)

EDIT: Not from the film's opening! Read the Facebook post on the way home - sorry!

[BloodBoal 7,541]

[Scarpia 132]

The G minor flute solo in one of the newest trailers is confirmed by (name removed at the request of the source) to be an actual cue from the film's opening. (Source: Facebook)

He says that it's from the score, but the opening he refers to is the TV spot one.

The orchestration was completely Williams, so I was convinced the moment I listened to the snippet.

[Darth Crossfader 577]

I see now. Sorry!

[Will 2,242]

The G minor flute solo in one of the newest trailers is confirmed by (name removed at the request of the source) to be an actual cue from the film's opening. (Source: Facebook)

Is it possible for you to link to the Facebook post?

[Scarpia 132]

It seems like a concert arrangement to me. I asked Hal Leonard if they were going to edit a suite from the movie, but of course they didn't reply!

(Quote removed at the request of the source)

[Will 2,242]

It seems like a concert arrangement to me. I asked Hal Leonard if they were going to edit a suite from the movie, but of course they didn't reply!

(Quote removed at the request of the source)

Thanks!

[TownerFan 5,223]

Take it for what is worth, but in that Conrad Pope's FB post, one guy wrote this:

John only wrote the first teaser.....and two options for the second - however, Disney went ahead and had a music house compile something for the second without really consulting him. I'm sure, in his beautifully diplomatic way, he told them to just continue that way and leave him to work on the score. Other than the first teaser, Johns only "involvement" is the use of an actual cue from the film opening one of the TV spots (a beautiful flute solo in G minor).

[Darth Crossfader 577]

Here's a direct link to (name removed at the request of the source)'s post:

https://www.facebook.com/conrad.pope/posts/10207402507493840?comment_id=10207402953264984&reply_comment_id=10207403075308035&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22%7D

[Loert 2,713]

...Other than the first teaser, Johns only "involvement" is the use of an actual cue from the film opening one of the TV spots (a beautiful flute solo in G minor).

I still refuse to believe that was Williams!