"Gaudy" is a good word for what bothers me about the orchestration in some (not all) works by Ravel and Rimsky-Korsakov, another famously showy orchestrator. It may even be a little too harsh of a word for what I feel, lol... I actually like Rachmaninov's orchestration much better in general, especially in his final masterpiece, the Symphonic Dances. It's the piano writing of his that sometimes gets a little showy for my taste, a "look what I can do!" attitude... but then he was also a pianist and performing his own compositions so there really WAS a "look what I can do!" aspect in performance as well as composition, there.
I don't care for "Bolero" at all, but I love "Mother Goose", "Valses nobles et sentimentales" and particularly "Pavane pour une infante defunte".
Add Le Tombeau des Couperin. beautiful work
A contemporary of Ravel was Lili Boulanger. Tragically passed away at the age of 24 but she's oft regarded as part of the trinity of French composers of that era including Ravel and Debussy.
I don't care for "Bolero" at all, but I love "Mother Goose", "Valses nobles et sentimentales" and particularly "Pavane pour une infante defunte".
Haha you just rattled off a list of my other favorite Ravel pieces (I think he really excelled in ballet)… aside from Bolero of course which is one of my most hated pieces of classical music ever.
I don't care for "Bolero" at all, but I love "Mother Goose", "Valses nobles et sentimentales" and particularly "Pavane pour une infante defunte".
I love Bolero but Mother Goose was the first piece of music I remember hearing in my teens where the orchestration conjured all sorts of little details and images. A profound experience for me.
I don't care for "Bolero" at all, but I love "Mother Goose", "Valses nobles et sentimentales" and particularly "Pavane pour une infante defunte".
Haha you just rattled off a list of my other favorite Ravel pieces (I think he really excelled in ballet)… aside from Bolero of course which is one of my most hated pieces of classical music ever.
Ravel once said "My one undeniable classic is 'Bolero'. Unfortunately there is no music in it".
Centuries (or possibly just a few weeks) ago, your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark joined forces with returning guest and Tadlow Thriller reconstructionist Leigh Phillips to create a haunting work of art: a podcast examination of the Thriller episode “The Grim Reaper" and the moody, threatening Jerry Goldsmith score that accompanies it. In the decades (or was it days?) since, the episode has been passed down from listener to listener, and legend has it that nearly all of them have been horribly, gruesomely, violently entertained. Press play if you must, but be warned… if you don’t turn back now, you might be entertained, too.
Intrada's Kickstarter-funded re-recording of Jerry Goldsmith's Black Patch and The Man is almost here, and we've got something special for you to enjoy while you wait: the Odyssey's very first Production Report!
"What’s that?"
Glad you asked, ma'am. In this case, it means your humble hosts Yavar and David conducting an in-depth conversation with Intrada's Douglass Fake, Roger Feigelson, Jeff Johnson, reconstructionist Leigh Phillips, and conductor William Stromberg. You'll hear stories about how the project came together, details on how the recording sessions went, the financial realities of this sort of endeavor, and much more. Plus, you'll hear plenty of clips from the new album. It's not only an exciting update on this project, but an informative behind-the-scenes look at the many moving parts of re-recording a classic film score. Whether you're a Kickstarter contributor who's eager for new details or simply a film music fan who wants to know a little bit more about how these things work, this is a show you'll want to hear!
Just listened to the Black Patch/The Man episode today. Can't wait for this release to be ready.
I'm glad you did this episode for a variety of reasons but one in particular. The past year or so, Intrada had been behind the wonderful premiere release of a plethora of Goldsmith scores, but having heard the quality of some of the music played during the podcast, I truly believe this release will become Doug Fake's most important and lasting legacy to Jerry Goldsmith and to the soundtrack community. This episode makes it clear just how important Doug's contribution to the preservation and availability of film music is.
This is not to sell short all of the collaborators and contributors to what I hope will be an amazing sales success. But from the standpoint of his passion to follow through and make this release happen, Doug has earned his place in the legacy of film music.
The sound clips are spot on. Great work from everyone involved in bringing this most faithful recording of early Goldsmith scores to CD. Amazing stuff!
I wonder if the Double World Premiere Recording of "Black Patch/The Man" will lead to a D.V.D./Blu ray release of "The Man"? (since the Warner Archive Collection already has a M.O.D. D.V.D.-R. of "Black Patch").
I just finished listening to the Black Patch/The Man episode.
Great job as always, and I have to say… your guys’ discussion towards the end about re-recordings has really changed my mind. I’ve always been an “original recording or nothing” type of person, but after hearing all your thoughts on it, and especially David’s comment about it being an historical document vs a living piece of music, it got me to thinking that I’ve been too closed-minded about all of this. So, thank you. You have converted me.
Wow, thanks all for the great feedback! Larry, I'll make sure to pass along your words to Doug Fake. And JRP, what you wrote means so much! I too am often a purist when it comes to preferring film recordings over later new recordings when I have the option. But there are exceptions...and many of them happen to be conducted by William Stromberg!
Wow, thanks all for the great feedback! Larry, I'll make sure to pass along your words to Doug Fake. And JRP, what you wrote means so much! I too am often a purist when it comes to preferring film recordings over later new recordings when I have the option. But there are exceptions...and many of them happen to be conducted by William Stromberg!
