I wonder if Goldsmith ever considered some choir parts in "The Artist Who Did Not Want to Paint".
Oh, I'm sure he did. Along with a specially augmented percussion section comprising paint mixing bowls, wooden scaffolding poles and saints' relics tapped rhythmically on antique palettes.
I loved how Roque Baños used choir throughout last year's Evil Dead score, not overdoing it and not using it in the same way again and again like some composers do only to give their cue more awe. Another score I've been listening to a lot, Chris Young's Priest, uses it more in that dare I say cliché fashion (well it is a movie starring priests ), but not to the point that it becomes too over the top.
Oh good, another thread of "arbitrary opinion passed off as quantifiable fact".
I think he's asking other's opinion on it. I happen to agree with him. Choral writing tends to be just bloat unless there's a very appropriate reason for it. Goldsmith used choir in his Omen scores because that was the vocabulary for the subject matter and it works perfectly for that series. But he rarely returned to that devise outside of the Omen films except for brief moments. I think he realized that there has to be a real motivation for having it.
It seems that in the last 20 years it has become merely a devise to signify "epicness". What you are seeing is really big and, well, epic. It especially became tiresome in trailers where every other film had to be presented as if the thing was going to involve the end of the universe. It just becomes numbing.
More annoying is that usually the chants and chorus is some abstract or obscure text which really has no meaning to the listener. They may as well be singing "Have it your way at Burger King". No one knows or cares... because it's epic!
Goldsmiths First Knight is a good example of choir used sparingly to good effect.The final battle between Lancelot and Malagant is thrilling stuff.However if the whole score had been like this ( Are you listening Mr Ottman? ) it would have been too much.
It seems that in the last 20 years it has become merely a devise to signify "epicness". What you are seeing is really big and, well, epic. It especially became tiresome in trailers where every other film had to be presented as if the thing was going to involve the end of the universe. It just becomes numbing.
Well if you look at music history, it kinda stems from the fact that loud booming chorus was meant as "HEY GOD HEAR US? YEAH WE'RE SINGING YOUR PRAISES DOWN HERE" starting with the late 1800s. While obviously it wasn't the only use, but using a loud chorus as 'bigness' isn't a new thing, as it were.
I used to love choirs when they were used imaginatively (THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL, THE OMEN, THE MISSION, AMISTAD, BURN! etc.) but somewhere along the way Carmina Burana became the model and I have heard that in so many forms it certainly has started to grate bigtime. Everybody has used that as a template.
But avoiding the ire of those who love that sound no matter who does it, I'll pick My king's (Ennio Morricone) TIME OF DESTINY as having too much chorus making a overly melodramatic moreso.
Goldsmiths First Knight is a good example of choir used sparingly to good effect.The final battle between Lancelot and Malagant is thrilling stuff.However if the whole score had been like this ( Are you listening Mr Ottman? ) it would have been too much.
Actually, the ONLY track i dislike from this all-time fave is that "Carmina Burana" knock off!
I wonder if Goldsmith ever considered some choir parts in "The Artist Who Did Not Want to Paint".
Oh, I'm sure he did. Along with a specially augmented percussion section comprising paint mixing bowls, wooden scaffolding poles and saints' relics tapped rhythmically on antique palettes.
You will have to forgive me Tall One, but not being British, your sense of humour eludes me
I think he's asking other's opinion on it. I happen to agree with him.
That's nice for you but I'm afraid self-respect prevents me from agreeing with that guy. Not only is he trolling in the opening statement but uses his opinion as empirical fact: "I hate this score which is the basis of a statement ending in a period, instead of a question mark to denote open opinion."
No, sorry. There's a reason the guy isn't much liked and why I have him on block and it strictly for nonsense like this.
I used to love choirs ..... but somewhere along the way Carmina Burana became the model and I have heard that in so many forms it certainly has started to grate bigtime. Everybody has used that as a template.
It seems that in the last 20 years it has become merely a devise to signify "epicness". What you are seeing is really big and, well, epic. It especially became tiresome in trailers where every other film had to be presented as if the thing was going to involve the end of the universe. It just becomes numbing.
Well if you look at music history, it kinda stems from the fact that loud booming chorus was meant as "HEY GOD HEAR US? YEAH WE'RE SINGING YOUR PRAISES DOWN HERE" starting with the late 1800s. While obviously it wasn't the only use, but using a loud chorus as 'bigness' isn't a new thing, as it were.
Except the very example you use seems appropriate for it. These days it's just a sound devise. In fact, they even use it to promote reality shows now. Not that that's an example of a composer's over use. It just illustrates how producers view it. And these same producers are the ones pushing for the choirpocalyse in so many movies today. One example that always seems unfortunate for me is Don Davis succumbing to it in the final confrontation between Neo and Smith in Matrix Revolutions. I adore the Matrix scores but there it just got a little cheap for me.
), but not to the point that it becomes too over the top. 
