 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I think you mean symphony music, since classical music implies older works that are classics.
A number of film compsoers have done orchestra works that are not film or television specific, some commisshioned.
I'd add to the above list four more:
Shirley Walker
Leonard Rosenman
Ralph Kessler
Rachel Portman
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
Jan 23, 2016 - 7:35 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Broughtfan
(Member)
|
Takemitsu composed a number of film scores, so I suppose you could say he was known, at least in his native Japan, for doing both film and concert things.
Takemitsu:
A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden
Tree Line
Dorian Horizon
November Steps (combining of traditional Japanese instruments with western orchestra)
John Williams:
Viola Concerto (a fairly recent concert work, I think one of his best concertos)
The Five Sacred Trees (a concerto for bassoon)
Flute Concerto (I believe the first of his "concerti series," written in 1969)
Sinfonietta for Wind Ensemble (a rather acerbic-sounding piece, written for the Eastman Wind Ensemble, dates from about the same time as the aforementioned Flute Concerto)
You might want to check out (pianist) Gloria Cheng's "Montage" recording of commissioned piano works by film composers (Williams, Broughton, Desplat, Giacchino, Randy Newman, Don Davis).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jan 23, 2016 - 10:22 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
SchiffyM
(Member)
|
I think you mean symphony music, since classical music implies older works that are classics.
I would suggest the better term would simply be "concert music," as a symphony is different from, say, a string quartet or concerto (and "symphonic" as often as not means "performed by a symphony orchestra," and is thus often applied to film music).
Pedantry aside, I'm fond of…
Sinfonietta For Large Orchestra, Op. 5 (Korngold)
Violin Concerto, Op. 24 (Rózsa)
Sinfonietta For String Orchestra & Timpani (Waxman)
Clarinet Quintet: Souvenirs de Voyage (Herrmann)
Horn Concerto (Williams)
Concerto For Cello and Orchestra (Williams)
Tuba Concerto (Williams)
Oboe Concerto (Williams)
Serenada Schizophrana (Elfman)
I'm also a big fan of many Glass symphonies, but I guess I don't consider him to be primarily a film composer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Herrmann's symphony is the ONLY damned piece of concert music you need!!! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
I endorse all of the above of which I am aware, but particularly Serenada Schizophrana and Pas de Deux which, to me, are like the essence of Danny Elfman and James Horner respectively. All that's great about their music distilled into a concert work. It's very sad we won't get to hear any more concert works by James Horner (I hope they release his Horn Concerto sometime) and I hope that someone can inspire Danny Elfman to compose something for the concert hall again. Sometimes you can score too many Tim Burton films...
Some others I would recommend:
Symphonies by both Herrmann and Korngold - these always amuse me as the Herrmann work is a lot more lush and romantic than a lot of his film work whereas the Korngold symphony has a more modernist style, seemingly deliberately trying to push away from his plush Viennese style.
John Williams - Extra shout out for his horn and oboe concertos. Don't expect the former to sound like Star Wars, but it's still a terrific work and the oboe concerto is a bit more lightweight (in a delicate rather than frivolous way). Naxos appear to be recording all of his concertos having recorded those two, as well as his cello, violin and bassoon concertos. The latter I think is better than Williams' own recording. The bassoon playing has a bit more bite to it and the whole performance feels a bit more lively. The BIS recording of his tuba concerto is the one to recommend, there's an older recording but it's rather ponderous. Oh and don't forget his trumpet concerto, well worth a listen.
Michael Kamen - his electric guitar concerto is great fun, the final movement is especially terrific. It used to be difficult to find but seems to be available online. There's a new recording of his sax concerto which is not significantly different from Kamen's own recording, either are worth getting (although the sax gets a bit abrasive after a while, but that's more taste than Kamen's writing which is everything that is great about his film scoring).
John Barry - The Beyondness of Things and Eternal Echoes are a must for any fan of late period Barry. Like the Elfman and Horner works, they are like essence of Barry. Not challenging in any way, but just Barry working his magic.
Alex North's piano concerto is good, although I can't say it stands out compared to his film music.
Christopher Gunning has written a number of symphonies and concertos which are most enjoyable, although I can't say they have grabbed me especially. Time to revisit them.
Don Davis wrote an opera... god I really must listen to it lol.
The two Goldenthal works mentioned above are well worth a listen. Othello is perhaps the best starting point. The recent Othello Symphony is a good start although the original presents twice as much music (it's like they released the C&C version originally and then did the short 30 minutes album years later... ironic). His recent Symphony in G Sharp Major (seriously Elliot?! What's wrong with A flat like everyone else?) is worth a listen but it's considerably more astringent. The Green Bird music for (I think) a play is more chamber like in proportions and worth a listen. His recently released String Quartet and chamber works didn't do much for me I must admit.
Elmer Bernstein's acoustic guitar concerto is terrific, well worth hearing. It has a (perhaps predictable) hispanic sound to it, but is certianly an equal to some of the classic guitar concertos out there, absolutely delightful. Sunny and tuneful, as Elmer ever was.
Franx Waxman's oratorio Joshua is worth checking out, another one to revisit as I don't recall anything specific about it other than I did enjoy it!
Howard Blake hasn't written as much film music as most of the rest, but it is worth hearing, as are his piano concerto and violin concertos. The former is especially wonderful, the first movements gives me tingles. He's written a handful of other concert works that have been recorded, some wind concertos (which are delightful but less memorable than the aforemention violin and piano concertos). The Diversions for Cello & Orchestra and Tocatta on the same album as the piano concerto are terrific too, as is the work for 10 brass instruments after the violin concerto. Bits of it slightly remind me of Alex North but I can't think why.
Jerome Moross's concert works are worth a listen, notably his Symphony, The Last Judgement, Willie the Weeper and Frankie & Johnny. There's also a new recording of his musical the Golden Apple which is superb. His distinctive voice runs through his concert works so if you want more of that then you will certainly like the aforementioned.
All of Rozsa's concert works are worth hearing if you're a fan of the composer, but as well as the violin concerto, I would add the Concerto for Violin & Cello. His piano concerto is good too. There's quite a bit of Rozsa about and, as is usually the case with Rozsa, it is all distinctively Rozsa!
Nino Rota - only this week I discovered his superb Symphonies 1 & 2 (great recording on Chandos), well worth hearing... charming, neoclassical works. There's also a range of concertos that are worth hearing too, as well as for piano, but also works for bassoon, harp and (believe it or not) trombone. Largely similar in style to his film work and lots of great tunes (even if none get close to the Godfather or Fellini scores for memorableness).
Patrick Doyle - randomly his Corarsik for Violin and Orchestra is available as a single from iTunes, lovely stuff (played at the concert he did a couple of years ago in London). He also wrote The Thistle and the Rose for the Queen Mother. Also delightful. The Face in the Lake from the Listen to the Storyteller album (also with works by Winton Marsalis and Edgar Meyer, narrated by Kate Winslet) is superb. As it's meant to be a story with music, it seems churlish to grumble about the lovely narration, but it would be nice to have a clean version!
Philip Glass - most of his symphonies are worth a listen, but I would particularly recommend the Heroes and Low symphonies which I dusted off after David Bowie's sad passing. Great use of the original Bowie material.
Thomas Pasatieri (orchestrator for Thomas Newman) wrote Letter to Warsaw. Not listened to it in ages, but remember it being excellent. You can hear some Newman orchestral thumbprints on it too from what I recall.
Preisner's Requiem for My Friend is superb. Beautiful first half which is plainsong, orchestra joining for the latter half.
Did I write too much?! Probably...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oops -- EasterFinn beat me to the punch by a few minutes. Yes a wonderful piece of music.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
