 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I hope we can come to some....arrangement?
|
|
|
|
|
|
So...contact *was* finally made with Roger?
Yavar
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes, things are afoot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
Feb 4, 2017 - 2:11 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
bobbengan
(Member)
|
I've heard about 39 minutes worth of the tapes for this and... It's even better than I thought. There's a lengthy, unused version of the main theme in particular that's simply fabulous. I have to assume it was intended as an album overture or something. There is definitely no corresponding scene in the film for which such a cue could have been written (unless it's a scene that didn't make the final cut, of course).
While stereo, the condition of these tapes (or the single tape I heard, representing less than half the score) is pretty rough. Detail isn't very good, the opening cue (the main title from the 2nd part of the mini-series) is totally out of phase and there's occasional distortion during the big crescendos. But it could very well be a non-professional transfer also.
I can only hope that A.) These aren't the same tapes that Intrada will be working from, and if they are, B.) The condition is far more salvageable than my non-professional ears would assume.
Just stunning music. Stunning, stunning, stunning.
How can something this good go buried for more than 30 years...?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shlouldn't we wait at least a year before asking Intrada if this is happening for certain? I assume it takes many months, maybe even ay ear just to secure the rights and get the go head.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Haven't we been told before this is why labels don't like to name things in advance -- so people don't ask them about it all the time (or try to get pre-orders, etc.).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Dec 22, 2017 - 12:44 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
bobbengan
(Member)
|
Roger, if you're seeing this, you'll be getting a message from me over the holidays re: the stereo masters I have for this. I do wish they were 100% complete, and it's maddening that the four cues missing are also four of the absolute finest in the score. Regardless, I'm looking forward to seeing what we might be able to make happen.
I'll also reach back out to a gut I was in correspondence with a few months ago who had a copy of what appears to be an unreleased album master, albeit one in lesser sound quality than what I have on hand from John's archives, but at least it has the highlights missing from his own tapes. Perhaps they could be cleaned up by a pro, I have no idea how much, or little, work was done on this other source before it reached my ears.
I've been listening to this score for about nine months straight, since John gave me his tapes, and I truly believe the main theme might be one of the most beautiful melodies he's ever written. It's just so so beautiful, full of longing and evocation, and the huge number of variations it receives throughout the lengthy score are an incredible testament to the man's endless harmonic creativity. For me, I think this has dethroned ever ANTONY & CLEOPATRA and John's magnum opus, and is perhaps one of the most singularly masterful "unknown" scores ever penned for film.
That John himself feels total indifference to the music he composed here, and described it as just sounding like nothing more than a "job", is mystifying to me. Many composers of vastly greater fame and commercial success couldn't write like this if given many life times to attempt it. But to each their own I guess!
Hopefully this will be seeing the light of day before too long...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Roger, if you're seeing this, you'll be getting a message from me over the holidays re: the stereo masters I have for this. I do wish they were 100% complete, and it's maddening that the four cues missing are also four of the absolute finest in the score. Regardless, I'm looking forward to seeing what we might be able to make happen.
I'll also reach back out to a gut I was in correspondence with a few months ago who had a copy of what appears to be an unreleased album master, albeit one in lesser sound quality than what I have on hand from John's archives, but at least it has the highlights missing from his own tapes. Perhaps they could be cleaned up by a pro, I have no idea how much, or little, work was done on this other source before it reached my ears.
I've been listening to this score for about nine months straight, since John gave me his tapes, and I truly believe the main theme might be one of the most beautiful melodies he's ever written. It's just so so beautiful, full of longing and evocation, and the huge number of variations it receives throughout the lengthy score are an incredible testament to the man's endless harmonic creativity. For me, I think this has dethroned ever ANTONY & CLEOPATRA and John's magnum opus, and is perhaps one of the most singularly masterful "unknown" scores ever penned for film.
That John himself feels total indifference to the music he composed here, and described it as just sounding like nothing more than a "job", is mystifying to me. Many composers of vastly greater fame and commercial success couldn't write like this if given many life times to attempt it. But to each their own I guess!
Hopefully this will be seeing the light of day before too long...
Definitely saw this and will be excited to hear this. Very much a shame about the missing music, but hopefully the alternate source you have is workable. If they are that standout, perhaps they were removed to be used for something else.
Interestingly have another John Scott project in the works, and we need to send John his part of the advance but I've been waiting for him to confirm where to send it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Dec 22, 2017 - 12:56 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
bobbengan
(Member)
|
Definitely saw this and will be excited to hear this. Very much a shame about the missing music, but hopefully the alternate source you have is workable. If they are that standout, perhaps they were removed to be used for something else.
Interestingly have another John Scott project in the works, and we need to send John his part of the advance but I've been waiting for him to confirm where to send it!
He's in either London or France at the moment. Spoke with him via email about a month ago, though of course at his age, I doubt he's checking it daily (and maybe not even weekly). I'll ask next time I speak with him, if you'd like.
Thrilled to hear you've got another score of his coming out, that's fantastic. Is this a re-release, expanded, or completely unreleased score - if you feel inclined to say?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
May 3, 2018 - 6:33 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
bobbengan
(Member)
|
Taken for what it is, HAREM's really not that bad a mini-series. It's got a good cast (though the lead actress is consistently weak), decadent production values, occasionally intriguing plot threads - It's basically a Harlequin romance novel in mini-series form, if not as dim and simplistic as those tend to be.
Scott's score elevates it TREMENDOUSLY and adds a romanticism and gravitas that really make you feel like you're watching something more lavish and expensive than it probably was.
There is, as mentioned elsewhere in this thread, tons of music Scott wrote for the film that wasn't used - including a stunning three-minute overture-like piece worthy of Rozsa, which changes the character of the theme and elevates it to grand, adventurous heights - almost sounds western-like. There's no scene in the film that corresponds to this kind of scoring, making me think it's either from some sort of unused final sequence that didn't make the cut, or an actual overture Scott wrote for a soundtrack album that never happened. Either way, I was elated when I first heard it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
