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Hello all! Last August I had the following idea: “Let's all listen to Star Trek TOS episodes on the anniversaries of the days they were recorded!”
Well, here we are for Season Two.
47 years ago Alexander Courage recorded a new (and probably definitive) version of the series opening and closing credit. I prefer the Fred Steiner season one arrangement, but this is the one that everyone knows.
He also recorded a handful of library cues. Wow are these a treasure. Several of them are used for some of the most memorable moments of Star Trek. I can’t hear “Sad and Thoughtful on Captain’s Theme” without hearing Kirk recite the Constitution. Captain Playoff #3 (Sad and Alone) is the big downer finish to Private Little War.
I love Ship in Orbit (Big). I’m not a big fan of New Sexy Exotic just because it sounds so much like Vina’s theme from The Cage. Smooth Neutral is lovely. Fight on Captain’s theme is a lot like Kirk and Mitchell’s fight from Where No Man but with a little more oomph. Watch out for that fake Andorian, Captain!
These tracks are wonderful and a real selling point for the 15 disc set. They would never have been a part of any “episode” soundtrack.
Then there are Courage’s re-recordings of various first season cues. It’s interesting to hear Courage conducting Steiner. Charlie X: It’s a keeper! (Interesting that both Steiner and Courage re-recorded different parts of this score on different days.)
Chime in everybody! It’s Season Two!
I’ll be back on 6/21 for Gerald Fried’s Catspaw.
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Catspaw! Man, I just cannot get into this score. I’ve been trying for a week. When I got the Box I went through this pretty quick because I knew I had greater things ahead. But since this week is JUST about Catspaw, I’ve been concentrating on just it. And, well… Man, I just cannot get into this score.
It is quite a change in mood moving into season 2. But I also know that anything that I like in Catspaw I’m going to get again in Friday’s Child.
Fried’s action theme is terrific. It’s interesting that he ties it directly to Captain Kirk when it plays more as music for the show in general.
He has this propulsive music in Orbiting Ship that sounds like squad car music a la Star Trek.
Ok, I did the mysterious music in Fog Planet. But I don’t like the “sound FX-y” music in Witches.
I guess Fried was really hit or miss with me. (Not a big Shore Leave fan either.) This isn’t a score I revisit on purpose very often.
What does everyone else think?
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Gerald Fried always gave me the impression that he was working in primary colours
That's a very good description!
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BTW, here is June / July:
6/28/67 Metamorphosis
7/7/67 Friday's Child
7/10/67? The Apple (This says “Recorded with Friday’s Child", but it lists a date of 7/10)
7/12/67 Who Mourns for Adonais
7/12/67 Charlie X Library
7/19/67 Amok Time
7/19/67 Wolf in the Fold
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But I don’t like the “sound FX-y” music in Witches.
I do!, Its very modern (as opposed to the rest of the Trek music, aside from Phaser Overload), almost aleatoric.
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Thanks, Adam.
I’ve been on vacation, so I haven’t had time to post. I did listen to Metamorphosis and Friday’s Child. (No, I didn’t listen to the drums from The Apple.)
Short answer: I love both of these. Metamorphosis is my favorite Duning score. I generally think his scores get a little long winded even though they are lovely. This one hits just the right pacing. (Although Return to Tomorrow has my favorite track.)
Friday’s Child just rocks. It’s like Amok Time’s less famous little brother. His Enterprise fanfares here are my favorites. This really is the “sound” of season two. (Although obviously we get a lot of Amok Time and Doomsday Machine.)
Next up:
7/12/67 Who Mourns for Adonais
7/12/67 Charlie X Library
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Who Mourns for Adonais: Fred Steiner
It’s funny, because there seems to be a difference of opinion on how much John Powell reused of the original for How to Train Your Dragon 2. I think it’s not much, and it’s all different arrangements. And the new stuff is stunning. Other people think it's a lot of recycling.
I’ve had a hard time getting into Who Mourns because it starts out with Corbomite Maneuver and then seems to go through Steiner’s Greatest Hits. Not that I don’t love these scores, but if you’re going to track an episode, then track it and give us another full score! Because of this I can be a little dismissive of the score as a whole.
Now I've realized I don’t think I give this score a fair shake. Again, when you get into his new stuff it’s stunning. Apollo’s Storm is rightly lauded as a highlight of the series. I especially like End of Apollo. There are some particularly Herrmannesque passages.
At the same time Steiner re-recorded Chess Game and Zap Sam from Charlie X. For whatever reason, I like the season 2 versions a little better. They feel a little tighter. Maybe I associate them with S2 episodes more? It’s amazing that we get a set that is so complete that we get these.
Next week: Amok Time!
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Next week: Amok Time!
I don't have the set but I read these "actually listening to the music and discussing it" threads with great interest. When you get to "Amok Time", please let me know if the cue of the battle music done with delicate strings heard while Spock describes the "Plak tow" is present. It was disappointing that it was left off or at the time lost from the old CD release.
Keep those thoughts coming, OTG!
Thanks!
I don’t usually watch the episodes along with the score, but I might make an exception here. I know there was a fair amount of music recorded that wasn’t used. I’m familiar with the episode; I’m familiar with the music. I might not be so familiar with both at the same time!
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