"I've shared this elsewhere, but all the same, here's a cue from his unreleased MADAGASCAR Cousteau score - It's a later effort amidst his Cousteau works, from 1995, and it's just so fresh and inspired-sounding. The main theme is often carried by a bass oboe, as heard in this cue, and it's just such a beautiful, evocative sound it conjures. Take a listen: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1T5oWzQtWLiXt4mRh8Z-Zltdbru6ULwvn
I love those first approximate forty seconds of it; very Walter Schraf Cousteau series like.
However, while there's nothing wrong musically speaking with the cue, it just loses the steam it started off with and is a little too all over the place for my tastes.
"I've shared this elsewhere, but all the same, here's a cue from his unreleased MADAGASCAR Cousteau score - It's a later effort amidst his Cousteau works, from 1995, and it's just so fresh and inspired-sounding. The main theme is often carried by a bass oboe, as heard in this cue, and it's just such a beautiful, evocative sound it conjures. Take a listen: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1T5oWzQtWLiXt4mRh8Z-Zltdbru6ULwvn
John was going to release this one as a two-fer with CUBA: WATERS OF FREEDOM, which I also have and find wonderful. I have no idea why he never moved ahead on this release when he'd already put out so many of his Cousteau scores."
For cryin' out loud bob, you make Mr Scott release that two-fer! I can't stop playing that cue from Madagascar. I tremble to think how much wonderful music there is in both of those scores.
I love those first approximate forty seconds of it; very Walter Schraf Cousteau series like.
However, while there's nothing wrong musically speaking with the cue, it just loses the steam it started off with and is a little too all over the place for my tastes.
For what it's worth Justin, you might feel that way because I cheated and spliced two cues together - First is the main title (almost entirely unused in the actual episode, if you can believe it!), the second cue beginning right about at the two-min mark in that clip I posted. Just wanted to give you guys a little variety.
Don't worry folks, more to come.
And Roger, I owe you another email later today I believe, don't I...?
John himself said that Cousteau would constantly move around or re-track his music, but that it never really bothered him - He trusted Cousteau's instincts implicitly. But yes, in this instance, an odd choice indeed to drop that soaring, wonderful cue. Those strings, those horns! Such life and exuberance in this music.
I've gotten flack for saying this elsewhere on this board, but I really can't stress how dull and ordinary this man's music makes so many others' feel. The harmonic and melodic creativity literally seems endless across a 60 years career and counting. Utterly remarkable.
For anyone who's curious about his score to HENNESSY, which I also have on hand courtesy of the man himself - Someone ripped the main and end title for Youtube:
This is, I believe, the only score he recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra and to my ears sounds amazingly similar to Michael J. Lewis' style, particularly THEATRE OF BLOOD.
Gave BILLY TWO HATS a much closer listen this morning while working and I think I still stand by my earlier feelings.
It really doesn't sound quite like anything else Scott has written to my ears, and there were only a few sparse "Scott-isms" that jumped out at me. Some nice interludes for recorder and guitar, but as a whole it's just too tonal and subdued for my taste. There were only a few small moments where the scope opened up and allowed Scott to show a few moments of fireworks. I guess that's just not what the film needed. There isn't even what I'd really call a main theme - just kind of vague recurring motifs. Given Scott's gifts for writing even "smaller" motifs that are incredibly memorable and compelling, I wouldn't call this one an exemplar of his talents in any notable way. And the music just kind of peters out unceremoniously at the end, without any sense that any kind of journey or change has been communicated through the music - but then again, a finale or end title could well be missing, but based on the cue titles, I'm inclined to believe that's not the case here.
Given the film, era, genre etc. I can imagine this selling well for collectors, and the music is in good condition - at least the WAV files Scott provided me (he does have the tapes in his home as well). Just don't go in expecting a western of the Bernsteinian variety - this would fit in just as well in a modern revisionist Western we see these days where the music is aggressively low-key, dour and emotionally disconnected.
The biggest action cue, ""Ruthless Pursuit", is admittedly very impressive in both its ferocity and the way Scott balances the orchestral forces with the guitar over top, never allowing the later to be drowned out - a testament to both his adeptness with orchestration and whomever engineered the recording.
There you have it. Finally, another John Scott score I didn't really connect with. You're in good company now, INSEMINOID!
I did note the last cue with a time stamp, that leads off into the end credits, so you can double check it to hear if it's missing from what you have.
I did note one widely over scored scene (assuming it wasn't tracked for a scene not originally written for). This big exciting flourish ..... as a guy walks out of a an old run down building. thrilling! ;-)
bobb and Kari, I finally had a solid, quiet moment to absorb Antony and Cleopatra today in it's entirety. Words can't express how beautiful it is. It is majestic, haunting and romantic. I hope others on the board will give this a listen if they haven't already.
bobb and Kari, I finally had a solid, quiet moment to absorb Antony and Cleopatra today in it's entirety. Words can't express how beautiful it is. It is majestic, haunting and romantic. I hope others on the board will give this a listen if they haven't already.
Isn't it just the best? I'm so happy you had as full and enriching a listening experience as Kari and I (and hopefully many others) have had. Keep exploring his work. So may riches await you!
For anyone who hasn't heard it, here's the last few minutes of his DEATH OF THE INDIAN NATIONS piece (credited here as "RED AND WHITE", the doc that excerpts of it were used in - not unlike his Jules Verne music), performed live in Paris in 2008:
Don't let the prickly percussion at the beginning fool you - This one's got a killer, sweeping long lined main theme. One of those kinds only Scott can write!
Oh, and while we're at it... Good lord, let's not how forget how utterly awesome a score THIS gem is!
I came across this sample of Scott's work on a movie entitled "Doomwatch" released in 1972. I'd never heard of this movie prior to finding this. I like what I found but there doesn't appear to be anything else out there. They do have the movie available on Amazon. I may just grab it to catch more of the Scott score.
I came across this sample of Scott's work on a movie entitled "Doomwatch" released in 1972. I'd never heard of this movie prior to finding this. I like what I found but there doesn't appear to be anything else out there. They do have the movie available on Amazon. I may just grab it to catch more of the Scott score.
Ha, this is one of the scores John explicitly said he finds very embarrassing. I'd never heard a note of it - thanks for sharing.
One of the unreleased scores I most want from Scott hails from 2003, for a French arthouse film with Kristin Scott Thomas called SMALL CUTS (aka PETIT COUPURES) and performed by the London Philharmonia. There's probably only fifteen-twenty minutes of score in there but my God, what is there is just so haunting and beautiful - and indeed perfectly "French" sounding in its romanticism. Check out the music from 22:33 to about 26:33 in this clip - just sublime. I don't know any other composer in film who writes 'dialogue underscore' cues as interesting and sophisticated as Scott does. Never a phoned-in moment with this gent!
