sami

Ist halt ein quietschbunter Dante-Score, der in 30 Minuten völlig anders repräsentiert sein müsste, als Goldsmith es schlußendlich getan hat (einer seiner schlechten Albumschnitte). Ich würd den auf jeden Fall nehmen, irgendwas ist da sicher dabei, wenn man generell auf diese Suburbia-Satiren á la The Burbs steht.

Oder, für mich das eigentliche Fazit, für Filme, die wenigstens im Ansatz mehr fordern, als schablonenhafte Krawallmusik. Selbst Veteranen wie Elfman und Silvestri bringen für diese Filme nichts vernünftiges zustande, und auch der vielgelobte 'Black Panther' war nicht mehr als ein bescheidener Lichtblick.

Wem's hilft mein Review par anglais: With his customary self-deprecating modesty, Powell states in the booklet text titled 'John Powell's Hubris' (LOL): 'Neither A Prussian Requiem nor Requiem addendum are truly what they say they are, but merely the fumblings of my heart, communing with those I have lost.' So with that out of the way, a classification of the two works he presents on this album as new part of classical canon isn't what Powell had in mind (to challenge Britten's 'War Requiem' would be a folly, indeed). Rather, he takes on several musical forms on his own terms, some with more success than other, but first things first. 'The Prize is Still Mine' is an attractive piece (its context nebulous), paving the way for the more ambitious 'Requiem': "From my part in the recordings of an installation piece written with Gavin Greenaway, the elements of The Prize is Still Mine appeared. With its strange mix of styles – gospel and early 20th century romanticism, this composition for voices and orchestra tells a story of triumph and rejuvenation. With the completion of a project that celebrated genuine pride, I felt able again to examine the false pride that led to the First World War, and returned to A Prussian Requiem emboldened.". It's probably the piece de resistance for film music fans, as with James Horner's late tries in the concert hall it comes easily digestible - and quintessentially british in idiom - , opening with the sonorous earthy string elegies courtesy of Vaughan-Williams taking turns with expressive gospel laments, the fluttering woodwind solos after 05:30 and the hymnal bucolic rhythmizations also traits of RVWs writing and a most welcome addition to the Tallis Fantasy allusions - growing over the course of 14 minutes into a jubilant finale (shades of Powell's bigger scores are to be found especially in the brass). It's a good piece but also a bit 'overt' in its eagerness to please: the obvious nods to RVW are too close for comfort (to gain the piece independency), and to dress it up with gospel singing isn't the ticket, either. So it remains an entertaining-if-derivative entry that is well chosen as an opener, as the major work here is the 'Requiem' that follows. The 45-minute work is introduced by Powell as follows: "On the centenary of the First World War, I decided to compose a 'war requiem;' an act of grand hubris I thought, and in that very idea, I found my story: 'How did the war begin?' With this hubris came anxiety. Could I transcend my established identity as a film composer and finally communicate the complexities of my feelings on such a distant subject? My study of WWI would have to extend beyond my own conjecture and overactive empathy. As I planned the requiem, I reviewed the scenes of muted conflict holding Europe and its empires in a constant geopolitical standoff. I eventually found the historical character to serve as protagonist in my new work: General Helmuth von Moltke. When polled by the Kaiser as to possible offerings of peace by other countries on the night before the conflict began, his reply was an indignant hissy fit that could plausibly have been the reason that war went from 'inevitable' to a reality. My own hubris paled in comparison.' Powell clearly anticipates the backlash, but he mustn't. The 7-part oratorio is technically impressive and conceptually sound (the english origin clearly . Lacking the fierce, brutal intensity of mid-century efforts depicting the horrors of war (even when you compare it to the film scores of North and Goldsmith, 'Blue Max' most obviously) it's lush and beautifully fluid setting is part colourful scene-setting (Introduction to Moltke), part retrospective lament (The Gift, Requiem Addendum). The best parts, though, are 'We the Glorious Dead' and 'The Papers of Peace, Let the Rails Roll, Victory is Ours', the libretto noting the saber rattling, the hopes for false glory ('We long to be inglorious') through a dialogue between Moltke, the Kaiser and the soldiers dying in vain for one man's hubris. 'My Reasoning', expressing Moltke's point of no return ('The cock and the bulldog would form a vice to grind our bones to feed the bear. No, there is no fucking stopping') is probably the weak link, with its simplistic attack rhythms sounding more like a Giacchino score. 'The Gift', a prayer from the chorus sardonically alternating with Moltke offering the gods all those dead as 'a present, a gift to, a libation unto all the gods', is again a return to top form (RVW reigns supreme here, too). I presume the touching dirge at the 04:55 mark is meant for the performance suggestion 'Moltke and the Kaiser turn their backs to the audience in shame and begin howling the sounds of sorrow' and it's a wonderful finale. A more formal latin lament closes the piece, to which Powell even wrote his own libretto. All things considered, it's a noteworthy addition to the repertoire and far above what is called from Powell in motion picture scoring. Especially the dramatic depth on display makes me wonder what he could do in genres beyond animation and bubblegum blockbusters. He sure isn't lacking in chops, if anyone still doubted that.

Klingt wie immer: https://youtu.be/l82O8Szw6AM

Abseits ästhetischer Einwände finde ich die Musikalität und routinierte Orchesterbehandlung sehr positiv. Es sind doch einige hervorragend gearbeitete Golden Age-Elemente zu finden (case-in-point: Train Heist) und verglichen mit Giacchino ist das ein Quantensprung. Die überproduzierten wall-of-sound-Percussionelemente und Ostinati nerven punktuell, aber das ist nun mal der Standard heutzutage.

Komplett Synthesizer ist der nicht. Oder zumindest wären das für die Zeit dann magische Samples. Ich denke eher, Klavier und Holzbläser waren echt und wurden mit Synthieteppichen ausgepolstert (Harfen offenbar auch). Einer der Horners, die als Referenz an Bernsteins 'To Kill a Mockingbird' zu verstehen sind, aufgrund seiner Repetitionstendenzen gibt es den allerdings 1:1 an genug anderen, besser eingespielten Stellen.

Wem Klang wichtig ist, der kann nochmal zugreifen. Das klingt schon deutlich besser und differenzierter als das alte Release.

Jup. Bevor ich meine Zeit mit dem 462. Star Wars Remaster verschwende...

Bitteschön: https://youtu.be/Wy58kS1Deb4?t=8

Harmonisch kann ich das nicht bestätigen. Für Hollywoodstandard klingt das klar zu akademisch - was ich eher als Lob meine - insbesondere in der Stimmführung (die Themen sind zumeist merkbar).

Haste nicht gelesen? Das wurde auf JWFan breit diskutiert, Gerüchteküche halt. In Kürze: Williams wurde der Verwendung seiner Themen in 'Rogue One' gewahr, war 'not amused' und machte seiner Unzufriedenheit offenbar soweit Luft, dass man ihn pflichtschuldig beim nächsten Franchise-Film (Solo) von Anfang an stärker in den musikalischen Schaffensprozess eingebunden hat. Deshalb auch die Aussage von Powell, dass er quasi auf Empfehlung von Williams in die engere Wahl kam und dann auch von Minute 1 an mit ihm zusammenarbeitete.

Soweit man hört, WEGEN 'Rogue One'.

Braucht die Intrada.

My regrets to Dario.

Addendum: sicher auch daran, dass Goldenthal im Vergleich wenige Scores geschrieben hat, die zudem auch noch zu 90% "verkopft" daherkommen, während Horners oft weichgespülte Orchestrierungen und süffige Idiome (Americana, russische Schule, News Age) eben einfach viel opportunistischer daherkommen (Erfolg wegen, und nicht trotz, naturally).