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Posted: |
Feb 5, 2016 - 6:08 AM
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By: |
OnyaBirri
(Member)
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I think it was quite the opposite, actually. If I recall correctly, the producers for Star Trek explicitly requested that the fanfare be used every time the Enterprise appeared.
True, but if you look at a lot of the classic TV shows, incorporating the opening theme into the episode scores seems to be the norm rather than the exception. In that regard, the Lost in Space music is very interesting.
Without realizing it, this must have been one of the reasons that I was drawn to the earlier releases many years ago. Those albums, at least volumes 1 and 3, worked well as generic outer space music, and I was not constantly being hit over the head with the main theme.
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Those albums, at least volumes 1 and 3, worked well as generic outer space music, and I was not constantly being hit over the head with the main theme.
OnyaBirri would probably love the music from Boris Karloff's Thriller - you won't be hit over the head with the main theme by those non-Rugolo episodes. 
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Posted: |
Feb 5, 2016 - 9:52 AM
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By: |
Tom Servo
(Member)
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I've always found it an odd curiosity that neither main theme for "Lost In Space" was ever referenced in the episode scores themselves, both are such great themes. However, for recurring themes there is the one for the Robinson family, which I think is first heard in "Welcome Stranger", the loopy Dr. Smith motif and another for the Robot that shows up every now and again.
As for stylistic differences, both LIS and Trek scores run the gamut of straight-faced dramatic to all-out goofy, but over the years I find myself returning to LIS more often. One aspect that really became clear with the new set from La-La Land is that, to me, LIS music feels more like Hollywood Golden Age scoring. It could be due to the Cyril Mockridge and Joseph Mullendore sound, both of which I love, but it makes for a warmer, friendlier tone overall. And then of course, there is the always incredibly fun music of Gerald Fried!
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It’s interesting, when I think of the two main title Lost in Space themes I can’t quite imagine them being played in other arrangements, for instance if they had done ( as on Star Trek) played the main themes with an establishing shot of the Jupiter Two, I don’t think it would quite work. (At least, it doesn’t seem to in my head).
Also, interesting is that for Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, which does a have a main theme that lends itself to being used during establishing shots of the Seaview, the show mostly used Jerry Goldsmiths second season theme for shots of the Seaview throughout the final 3 seasons. (Even though they used his new main theme in only one episode, before returning to Paul Sawtell’s original)
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The first season theme was played very briefly in a couple of episodes as the final act faded out, usually on a humorous note. Such as "The Sky is Falling" and "War of the Robots." However, those were actually pieces of the actual main theme tracked in. The third season theme was never used in this fashion. The first and second season theme (being the same thing) would be hard to use thematically. It's very bouncy and whimsical, but that three-note motif IS in the the theme quickly.
The Star Trek theme is used often, but normally only the opening fanfare portion. However, Joseph Mullendore used the back half in "Conscience of the King" and in a couple of library cues.
Overall, I like the whole of the Trek series music better. LiS in nearly unbeatable in the begnning with Williams and Stein's powerhouse scoring, but once the series went to comedy, the music hit the "cutesy" button WAY too hard. And Alexander Courage's scores for Lost in Space were mostly pretty dire. His best Irwin Allen work was really in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. He was really off his game for LiS. Mullendore, though, nailed it. His scores in the third season were fantastic. I listen to his work and the first season more than anything else in the box set. However, with Star Trek, I only skip I, Mudd. And mostly avoid Tribbles. But 80% of it is just amazing.
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Posted: |
Feb 6, 2016 - 6:38 AM
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By: |
Broughtfan
(Member)
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I've always found it an odd curiosity that neither main theme for "Lost In Space" was ever referenced in the episode scores themselves, both are such great themes. However, for recurring themes there is the one for the Robinson family, which I think is first heard in "Welcome Stranger", the loopy Dr. Smith motif and another for the Robot that shows up every now and again.
As for stylistic differences, both LIS and Trek scores run the gamut of straight-faced dramatic to all-out goofy, but over the years I find myself returning to LIS more often. One aspect that really became clear with the new set from La-La Land is that, to me, LIS music feels more like Hollywood Golden Age scoring. It could be due to the Cyril Mockridge and Joseph Mullendore sound, both of which I love, but it makes for a warmer, friendlier tone overall. And then of course, there is the always incredibly fun music of Gerald Fried!
There was also quite a contrast in how the two series were scored, LIS performed in a cavernous studio with essentially the Fox concert orchestra of the fifties (carried over into such sixties/seventies films as Planet of the Apes, Fantastic Voyage, Patton and The Poseidon Adventure), ST:TOS recorded in a relatively small studio (the old RKO studio) with a combination of LA Phil and Hollywood freelancers (including some Fox players as they were no longer under exclusive contract to the studio) Also, Star Trek orchestras tended to include at least a few orchestral strings (exceptions being the Fielding, Matlovsky and Courage pilot scores).
I don't have the LIS collection, but do these recordings have a dryer sound (less reverb) than the Star Trek recordings? The Fox TV scores of the time (LIS, Voyage, Daniel Boone, Batman, 12 O'Clock High) all sound to me pretty dry, flat (not as in out of tune, performances are first-rate) at least compared to the Desilu/Paramount-recorded Star Trek scores.
Will also add that I can't imagine "I, Mudd," with a more conventional-sounding Trek score. I mean, what could you have tracked into the episode that would have worked as well? IMO, Matlovsky would have been a "good fit" for LIS, especially for some of the S2/3 shows.
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Posted: |
Feb 6, 2016 - 10:02 AM
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By: |
Tom Servo
(Member)
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I've always found it an odd curiosity that neither main theme for "Lost In Space" was ever referenced in the episode scores themselves, both are such great themes. However, for recurring themes there is the one for the Robinson family, which I think is first heard in "Welcome Stranger", the loopy Dr. Smith motif and another for the Robot that shows up every now and again.
As for stylistic differences, both LIS and Trek scores run the gamut of straight-faced dramatic to all-out goofy, but over the years I find myself returning to LIS more often. One aspect that really became clear with the new set from La-La Land is that, to me, LIS music feels more like Hollywood Golden Age scoring. It could be due to the Cyril Mockridge and Joseph Mullendore sound, both of which I love, but it makes for a warmer, friendlier tone overall. And then of course, there is the always incredibly fun music of Gerald Fried!
There was also quite a contrast in how the two series were scored, LIS performed in a cavernous studio with essentially the Fox concert orchestra of the fifties (carried over into such sixties/seventies films as Planet of the Apes, Fantastic Voyage, Patton and The Poseidon Adventure), ST:TOS recorded in a relatively small studio (the old RKO studio) with a combination of LA Phil and Hollywood freelancers (including some Fox players as they were no longer under exclusive contract to the studio) Also, Star Trek orchestras tended to include at least a few orchestral strings (exceptions being the Fielding, Matlovsky and Courage pilot scores).
I don't have the LIS collection, but do these recordings have a dryer sound (less reverb) than the Star Trek recordings? The Fox TV scores of the time (LIS, Voyage, Daniel Boone, Batman, 12 O'Clock High) all sound to me pretty dry, flat (not as in out of tune, performances are first-rate) at least compared to the Desilu/Paramount-recorded Star Trek scores.
Will also add that I can't imagine "I, Mudd," with a more conventional-sounding Trek score. I mean, what could you have tracked into the episode that would have worked as well? IMO, Matlovsky would have been a "good fit" for LIS, especially for some of the S2/3 shows.
Thanks for the info, Broughtfan! I can certainly understand how the performers and location made a difference in the overall sound of the music. I didn't realize how many resources the LIS scores had at their disposal, in comparison to Trek at the time. In terms of the new LIS collection, I don't find that its a dryer sound, I think it mostly sounds robust and warm, but we all may want to hear from more of a sonics expert on the board.
To continue on the LIS vs Trek TOS topic, each have their share of episode scores that may not work as well on their own or fall short, but it's all subjective. With LIS, I mostly agree with the comment above regarding Courage's music for the series. His "Vegetable Rebellion" I find is his best score for the series ("A Day at the Zoo" is runner-up), where the others each have several winning cues but don't sustain much listening interest overall. When it comes to Trek, I mostly return to the Steiner, Fried and Kaplan scores, plus Mullendore's "Conscience of the King", but the remaining scores not as often. Season three scores I find the least interesting, however I have to add that George Duning wrote some really wonderful rapturous themes.
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