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Posted: |
Mar 14, 2006 - 5:53 AM
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By: |
Heath
(Member)
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I enjoyed Bruce Marshall’s light, easy piece on Columbo for FSM Online, but I’d like to stand up for Patrick William’s work on the show. Apart from “Try And Catch Me“, Bruce clearly wasn’t too impressed. For me, William’s best work stands next to Billy Goldenberg’s as the finest provided for the series.
In particular, the score for How To Dial A Murder is a remarkable piece, with it’s velvety, ethereal, undulating woodwind line denoting the murderer’s (Nicol Williamson) presence. It’s just a beautiful bit of motific spotting. In fact the writing for the whole show is masterly, with a particularly lovely interlude for surging low strings and piano toward the end (for a time lapse sequence). It must have been stylistically unique for US TV scoring at the time.
The score for “The Conspirators” episode is also highly effective. Although not opulent, it features an appropriately sinister Irish-jiggy feel that’s perfectly in keeping with Clive Revill’s impish IRA killer. Film music doesn’t have to be spectacular to be effective.
Apart from Williams, I also liked John Cacavas’s music for “Columbo Goes To The Guillotine”, or rather his “Columbo” theme to be precise, with its Kurt Weill overtones. Bruce doesn’t seem too impressed by this either because he made no mention of it at all. Well, that’s fair enough. But I thought I’d dive in to champion these composers and keep the ol’ flame burning under the music of Columbo.
BTW I’m thoroughly enjoying FSM Online. It’s a great innovation. Good luck with it.
Heath
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Williams' score for MAKE ME A PERFECT MURDER stands out as of one the best of the show.
Yes it is! One of the very best in my opinion.
I was rather shocked that the article didn't mentionned this one. I Haven't seen the episode in years but still have that great fugue theme in the head.
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The same could be said for most composer's 70s vs 80s scores. In the 70s, Pat Williams AND Billy Goldenberg were two of the best. In the 80s, like so many, they weren't quite as inspired (this includes filmmakers, writers, etc.). My favorite Pat Williams TV score from the 70s is Incident in San Francisco.
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Firstly, I very much enjoyed the article. It would be nice to see more tv-related stuff.
As far as the music goes, I far prefer what was written for the 'old' Columbo than for the 'new'; in fact I prefer the 'old' episodes anyway, regardless of the music and who wrote it.
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Hey Guys,
I appreciate ALL your comments.
At the end of the piece I made it a point to acknowledge the many of you who are Williams fans, though I am not one.
Many of the scores mentioned may indeed be fine but they didn't make an impression on me when i saw the episodes. And believe me, i have seen every ep mulitple times.
i may have changed my opinion had i had a chance to have a more recent viewing but the dvd's released so far don't contain the Williams scored episodes.
Glad you have enjoyed it even if you have disagreements!
Bruce Marshall
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I just had the pleasure of re-watching the great ep "Try and Catch Me" and it confirmed my feelings about the score.
Just wonderful!
bruce marshall
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In the 80s, like so many, they weren't quite as inspired (this includes filmmakers, writers, etc.). My favorite Pat Williams TV score from the 70s is Incident in San Francisco.
Everything was better in the old days, right?
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The same could be said for most composer's 70s vs 80s scores. In the 70s, Pat Williams AND Billy Goldenberg were two of the best. In the 80s, like so many, they weren't quite as inspired (this includes filmmakers, writers, etc.). My favorite Pat Williams TV score from the 70s is Incident in San Francisco.
To be clear, are you saying that filmmakers and writers weren't as inspired in the '80s as they were in the '70s?
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