How often have you listened to a favorite piece of film music and after 20 minutes found yourself drifting off? Due to circumstances at the moment or over-familiarity, the music has now become common or, God forbid, boring. But all of a sudden, among the herd of notes calmly grazing in your primary auditory cortex, a particular phrase, chord change or instrumental flare jolts you out of your musical complacency. What was boring has now become exciting again, even for a brief moment. The musical landscape may still be dotted with black and white, but your senses once again resound with that favorite composition and your faith in the art form is restored.

Instead of focusing on a particular composer or genre for this month’s “9 on the 9th” post, I have delved into nine film music moments that never fail to make me sit up and take notice. Often I’ll sing or air conduct (neither of which is particularly attractive, hence why they are only done in the privacy of the Cave). There are a helluva lot more purple cows than these nine. I just took the first nine that occurred to me. The list represents a purely personal herd of remarkable moments.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

As good as FIDDLER is on stage, it can never match the power of the 1971 film, primarily due to John Williams’s Oscar-winning adaptation of Jerry Bock’s classic score. Case in point: in the opening number, “Tradition,” Williams builds the orchestral tension underscoring the horse argument. A series of ascending melodic and harmonic fragments (6:58) builds to a French horn rip (7:09) that never fails to give me goosebumps. I have been known to replay those 11 seconds ad nauseum at progressively higher decibel levels, for no other reason than to burst my eardrums with that 2-second rip. If I ever get thrown out of a shtetl, I want it to be accompanied by a full Hollywood orchestra blasting Williams’s superb arrangements.

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

The charms of John Powell’s score are many. But the first “Test Drive” of Hiccup and Toothless is a stunning marriage of music and images. As the two plunge headfirst towards certain death, Powell announces the freefall (1:20) with yet another glorious French horn rip, an elongated ascending glissando and a dramatic brass line until the two connect in midair (1:53). But the statement of the main theme (2:01) gives us release and opens the heavens for a prime example of why film music matters.

THE IMPOSSIBLE

Audiences who sat through the devastating experience of watching THE IMPOSSIBLE may have been too wiped out to sit through the entire end credits. Those that left missed one of the necessary elements of Fernando Velázquez’s exquisite score. Velázquez supplies a contained suite of the main themes from the score, but more importantly, the credits allow us to wind down from the emotional devastation we’ve just witnessed and bring us closure…but only if you make it to the final bars. With the heartbreaking main theme plaintively played one final time on the piano (5:58), Velázquez harmonizes the final notes in a soothing major key (6:58) and a hopeful five-note motif that gradually slows down until the gentle final string chords bring us to rest.

IRIS

The Danny Elfman work for Cirque du Soleil, not the James Horner score. A stunning stage work by Elfman that surpasses any film score he’s written in years. Full of the charm and wit that marks his early music, but with a command of the orchestra that signals his more mature works, Elfman’s music is pure joy, especially in the finale and bow music. Elfman pulls together the main themes into a rousing processional and brass fanfares that modulate ever higher. With three final goosebump-inducing, BATMAN-like French horn riffs, Elfman brings this superb concert work to a brilliant and exciting close.

RAGTIME

Randy Newman received two well-deserved Oscar nominations for this colorful score. From a musical standpoint, Newman nails the period perfectly. In the scene where Coalhouse woos Sarah, Newman takes Chopin’s stately A-major prelude and gives it a gentle, insistent ragtime pulse, one that sexily calls Sarah down the stairs. When the strings come in and the two lovers unite, I dare you to have a dry eye.

THE SECRET OF SANTA VITTORIA

Ernest Gold’s Italian-flavored score is never more colorful than over the main title. Set against images of quintessential Italians, Franco Nero sings the memorable main theme while Gold’s accompaniment practically oozes Mediterranean charm. After the orchestral break, the strings gently climb to the final statement of the theme and Gold supplies an equally memorable countermelody in the cellos that never fails to make me sing out loud and air conduct.

STAR WARS

There are oh so many purple cows in John Williams’s classic score. It could be argued that the entire work is one big purple cow. But for me, the sheer thrill of the score comes as Luke and Leia swing out over the tractor beam chasm accompanied by the main theme. It’s a brief moment but one that captures every bit of the heroic grandeur that marks this seminal score.

SUNSET BOULEVARD

Franz Waxman’s Oscar-winning score is one of the Golden Age greats. Whether its Joe’s jazz swagger or Norman’s slinky sensuality with its hints of Strauss, there are many purple cow moments throughout the score. But it is the raw, visceral energy that Waxman brings to his music that keeps the score feeling fresh and contemporary. And that energy is on full display during the chase down Sunset Boulevard. Its the return of the syncopated opening chords (0:57) out of the swell of woodwind trills that never fails to bring me thrills and a shot of bad air conducting—this time with no shame if seen in public.

THE WIND AND THE LION

One of my favorite Jerry Goldsmith scores is tinged by nostalgia for the many times I had to perform this in high school and as an undergrad in a ridiculously difficult (or at least it seemed at the time) band arrangement. Goldsmith’s orchestrations give the score its colorful vitality, while his distinctive action cues give it its energy. The “Raisuli Attacks” cue is a central portion of the suite for wind ensemble and I can envision every note on the page as we clarinets were given the fiendishly difficult violin lines. Brutal but oh so much fun.

What are some of your purple cows of film music?

FSM had its share of heavy-hitters—the Newman’s, Goldsmith’s, Williams’s, Barry’s, Morricone’s, North’s, Waxman’s, Herrmann’s, Bernstein’s, and basically the entire remaining unreleased MGM output of Miklós Rózsa. Personally, I happily crammed my CD shelves full of every André Previn and Bronislau Kaper release. And without Lukas’s efforts, I wonder if we would have seen releases from lesser-known—but no less talented—composers such as Scott Bradley, Leigh Harline, Gerald Fried, Frank Cordell, and so many more.

I’m only missing three or four FSM CDs and plan on adding those to my collection soon. Whittling 250 down to nine was a rough task, and my list is a completely personal look at my relationship with the label and the composers it represented over the years. There are some major composers and titles left off the list, but such is the nature of these things. I’ll miss the FSM label, but I am so proud of my small involvement with the label and I’m thankful for the many hours of listening pleasure it has given more over the last decade and the many more it will provide in the days, weeks, months and years to come.

ALL ABOUT EVE

My introduction to FSM came from an online search for this, my favorite film composed by my favorite film composer. Alfred Newman’s theatrical musical atmosphere is the perfect backstage accompaniment to this barbed look at the theater world. I had no expectations of finding an actual soundtrack, but that’s the beauty of search engines, even as far back as the early 2000′s. I’d never heard of Film Score Monthly and had no idea a whole soundtrack business even existed. That one online visit ended up costing me untold amounts of money over the years, and yet paid back a hundred fold in friendships and information from the film music community, and, oddly enough, a new career. Not a bad ROI for one quick click of a mouse.

ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN

David Shire has been an early favorite of FSM since releasing THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123 on the Retrograde label back in 1996. But I never thought I would see the release of Shire’s brief, tense, understated score for this potent political thriller. In hushed tones, Shire’s music percolates underneath the surface and haunting brass fanfare gives us a musical taste of the seedy underbelly of the American political system.

ISLANDS IN THE STREAM

I bought the Intrada rerecording of this score on the day Jerry Goldsmith died in August 2004. I was grasping at straws to try and make sense of the emotional roller coaster ride that was going on inside me. I’d never seen the movie or heard the music before that day. So this particular score has weighty emotional baggage attached to it. Yet I wondered how could the original tracks surpass what I thought was such a marvelous rerecording? They do, they just do. Maybe it’s this particular reading of the haunting main title or simply the vividness that comes from a recording session performed to film, the original tracks drown Goldsmith’s own rerecording in its wake.

LASSIE COME HOME: THE CANINE CINEMA COLLECTION

One of the stranger compilations from FSM, the breadth of talent involved in this collection—including Daniele Amfitheatrof, Elmer Bernstein, Scott Bradley, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Robert Franklyn, Bronislau Kaper, André Previn, Nathaniel Shilkret and Herbert Stothart—is astonishing. My affection for this release comes from my involvement in writing the liner notes. While the Lassie films will never be considered prime American filmmaking, their innocence and stunning vistas gave these composers a chance to cut loose. Though Lukas may tell the story differently, I pride myself that my badgering may have helped prod him to go back to the archives and include all of Previn’s first film score, THE SUN COMES UP. Some film music fans weren’t able to overlook the use of music and effects tracks on some of the films and ignore the dog barking. Their loss.

LILI

The releases of Bronislau Kaper’s scores were few and far between over the years, but Lukas remedied that. A particular delight was the release of Kaper’s Oscar-winning score. Anchored by the hit “Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo,” Kaper’s music is tuneful, effervescent and charming. Listed among my Top 50 scores, I simply never tire of this one. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a song in your heart. (Ugh, I can’t believe I just wrote that. Mea culpa.)

MIKLÓS RÓZSA TREASURY

Thanks to Lukas’s efforts over the years, film music fans now have basically Rózsa’s complete MGM output on CD. This 15-CD box set is an embarrassment of film music riches and, arguably, almost too much Rózsa, at least for one sitting. While some fans carped about the inclusion of the music and effects tracks for QUO VADIS, arguably the centerpiece of this collection, they ignored the many other amazing titles on display. First and foremost is YOUNG BESS, with Rózsa in energetic Renaissance mode.

MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY

FSM’s 100th release was a doozy. If the number 100 wasn’t reason enough to celebrate, the 3-CD set of Bronislau Kaper’s monumental score certainly was. Finally, fans now had the complete score as it is heard in the finished film. But the inclusion of a complete “alternative score” from the initial recording sessions—as it was intended from March 1962—album versions, additional source music, and additional alternative orchestral cues gave fans a rare opportunity to see the sometimes tortuous process behind creating one of the towering achievements in film music.

ON THE BEACH/THE SECRET OF SANTA VITTORIA

An Ernest Gold double-header that shows off the Oscar-winning composer of EXODUS at his melodic best. While the theme and variations of “Waltzing Matilda” provide the perfect musical backdrop to the end-of-the-world drama on display Down Under in ON THE BEACH, it is SANTA VITTORIA’s lively Italian atmosphere that is the personal favorite here. From the cello countermelody in the sweeping main theme to the sparkling orchestrations, Gold supplies a lively, moving tarantella from start to finish.

TESTAMENT

TESTAMENT isn’t your typical nuclear holocaust drama and the music isn’t your typical James Horner score. There’s very little music in this haunting film but what is there is Horner at his understated best. From the yearning French horn main theme to the innocent flute melody, the music keeps the emotions in check while subtly underscoring the dissolution of American life in the wake of a nuclear disaster. Here’s a case where Lukas’s later relationships with other studios (in this case Paramount) yielded a film music gem, a testament to everything that was—and is—great about FSM.

What are your favorite FSM CDs?

Back in the old days, the Oscars used to be handed out much later than they are today. Sure, it was always strange to be focusing on the prior year’s films once spring had sprung. But for awards show whores like myself, it simply extended the awards season orgasm that culminated in the Oscar telecast.

Over at Film Score Monthly, there is a running calendar that lists seminal moments in film music history, everything from births and deaths to the start of recording sessions and, thankfully, Oscar trivia. A quick glance at today’s date—March 29—reveals an especially rich calendar entry.

1951
Franz Waxman wins his first of two back-to-back Best Original Score Oscars for the classic SUNSET BOULEVARD.

1977
Jerry Goldsmith wins his only Oscar for THE OMEN. If you’ve read this blog for any amount of time or know me even slightly, I don’t need to tell you how important this day was in terms of my film music education.

1978
John Williams wins his second Oscar, and his first for Best Original Score, for STAR WARS, another seminal work in my budding love of film music

1982
Vangelis wins Best Original Score for that year’s Best Picture winner, CHARIOTS OF FIRE…on his birthday! (born 1943)

1989
Dave Grusin took home Best Original Score gold for the charming THE MILAGRO BEANFIELD WAR, my favorite of the nominated scores that year and one I didn’t think stood a chance in hell of winning.

1993
Alan Menken won his fifth and sixth Oscars for ALADDIN, including Best Original Score and Best Song (“A Whole New World”).

And that’s not all…

1902
Two-time nominee William Walton—HENRY V (1946) and HAMLET (1948)—was born on this day. Walton was also shortlisted for another Shakespeare score, RICHARD III (1956).

1936
Three-time Oscar nominee Richard Rodney Bennett—FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD (1967), NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA (1971) and MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (1974)—was born.

2009
And, sadly, three-time Oscar winner Maurice Jarre—LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962), DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965) and A PASSAGE TO INDIA (1984)—passed away on this day.

What does all of this mean in the great scheme of things? Nothing. However, when I was first discovering film music, I used the lists of Academy Award nominees and winners as my ready-made syllabus in Film Music 101. Over the years, I’ve certainly learned that an Oscar does not necessarily equate “quality”. But budding—and longtime—film music fans could do a lot worse than taking this particular page out of Oscar’s varied calendar and getting to know these marvelous scores and composers. Yes, sometimes Oscar does get it right…

*Special thanks to Scott Bettencourt for his daily research on the FSM site.

But some film composers change the face of the art form. In the course of doing their jobs, they leave a lasting impression on the industry that reaches far beyond a fan’s favorite score or film.

The list below contains an alphabetized list of what I consider to be the most influential film composers. These are not necessarily my favorite composers, though I don’t think you can quibble about the high level of quality in their music. Instead, these are the composers whose work has altered the film music landscape.

Bernard Herrmann

Outside of his work with Hitchcock, Benny’s temper arguably may have kept him from getting some of the more high-profile assignments over the years. But when he arrived in Hollywood in 1941 with CITIZEN KANE, his short rhythmic and melodic cells and odd instrumental combinations were the antithesis of the long-lined, string-focused lushness of most film scores of the period. Sure, Herrmann could employ the traditional techniques as well as any other Golden Age composer. Just listen to THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR, for example. But even when bowing to period conventions, Herrmann’s distinctive voice still shines through. A major influence on numerous later film composers, every horror score owes a debt to not only PSYCHO, but Herrmann’s unique, dark vision.

Alan Menken

The Disney “sound” was set in stone decades before Menken changed the face of animated film scoring with THE LITTLE MERMAID in 1989. Such early Disney pioneers as Leigh Harline, Paul J. Smith, Oliver Wallace, Edward Plumb and Frank Churchill, carved out a unique style of scoring animation that built on fellow contemporaries like Carl Stalling and Scott Bradley, yet sounded distinctly their own. Along with the genius of lyricist Howard Ashman, Menken took a dying genre—the animated film—and added some Broadway razzamatazz. Utilizing Ashman’s clever wordplay and Menken’s seemingly effortless gift of melody, animated films incorporated production numbers worthy of the Great White Way. Fledgling animation arms of other major studios tried to copy the Menken formula, usually with lesser results. The later global successes of Disney Theatrical’s live stage productions are a direct result of Menken’s influence.

Ennio Morricone

Arguably the most prolific film composer still working today, Morricone’s influence on international cinema continues to this day. His unique sound for Sergio Leone’s spaghetti Westerns have been copied, homaged and parodied for nearly 50 years. While his effect on American film music has been minimal, outside of the homage/parody route, Morricone has done more for Italian film and the rise of international film music than probably any other composer. Without Morricone’s unique sound, I don’t know what Quentin Tarrantino would do.

Alfred Newman

Alfred Newman may not be as easily hummable as Max Steiner or have a style as readily identifiable as Bernard Herrmann, but Newman’s influence goes far beyond his prodigious compositional gifts. The winner of nine Academy Awards, more than any other musician, Newman was certainly appreciated and honored for his musicianship during his lifetime. On the podium, Newman had no equal and the sound of the 20th Century Fox orchestra is as distinctive as that of MGM, Warner Bros. or any of the other major studios. But Newman’s greatest influence came as the head of the Music Department of Fox.  Newman nurtured, mentored and molded the careers of young composers like Alex North, Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams. While Newman’s film scores are prime examples of Golden Age film music, especially in his distinctive string sound, it is his effect on later generations of film composers that is still felt today.

Alex North

With A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, Alex North incorporated jazz into a dramatic film score for the first time. But more importantly, he brought a fresh American contemporary sound to film music that was a 180-degree turn from the Romantic, mittel European sounds of the first two decades of film music. North’s biting harmonies and often unique instrumentations paved the way for contemporaries like Leonard Rosenman and André Previn, and opened the door for more experimental harmonic and orchestrations for later generations of American composers.

David Raksin and Elmer Bernstein

Okay, so I cheated a bit on this one by including two composers. Raksin’s theme from LAURA is deservedly a standard but his studies with Arnold Schoenberg gave his music an modern twist and thorny harmonic language that often couldn’t be easily pegged into the Hollywood sound. In addition, his political troubles in the 1950s with HUAC branded him an outsider and he rarely got the A-list opportunities he so richly deserved. Bernstein, on the other hand, was the ultimate film music chameleon, comfortable in any genre—Western, jazz, epic, comedy, drama. Raksin and Bernstein are listed here more for their long-lasting effects as educators rather than composers. Through their decades at USC, Raksin and Bernstein taught generations of composer the art and craft of film scoring technique, and film music history is far richer for it.

Max Steiner

No list of influential peeps would be complete without “The Father of Film Music.” If you subscribe to the theory that KING KONG is the first modern film score in the sound era, then Max’s techniques are the rather large footprint that his contemporaries and future generations have had to follow and build from. His prodigious melodic gifts and his (sometimes over-)reliance on recognizable tunes allowed audiences in the new sound era to connect quickly with character, emotion and locale. From the use of click track to his pioneering use of underscoring, there is no overstating Steiner’s legacy.

John Williams

From JAWS to STAR WARS, Indiana Jones to SUPERMAN, no living film composer is more recognizable to the general public. His music has become part of pop culture, almost to the point of over-saturation. But perhaps Williams’s most lasting effect on film music, at least to the masses, comes from his place on the podium as the principal conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra. When Williams took over for the beloved Arthur Fiedler in 1980, he already had three Oscars under his belt. In Pops concerts, he continued Fiedler’s legacy while incorporating more and more film music into the programs (much to the derision of many critics who thought the focus was too squarely on Williams’s own output). Audiences in person and on television were now exposed to more film music than ever before. Williams laid the groundwork for more orchestras across the globe to program and devote entire concerts to film music. Out of that springs live-to-picture performances and other concerts we fans now often take for granted. Yes, Williams’s music will live on long after most of us reading this post are gone. But bringing film music to the huddled and classical masses, that is arguably his most important contribution to the field of film music.

Hans Zimmer

No film composer has had a greater impact on 21st century film music than Hans Zimmer. Through his Remote Control company, Zimmer trains a legion of up and coming composers the art and craft of film music. For all the valid points against the system, the fact that such a company even exists should be applauded. Yes, Zimmer & Co. seem to score a large part of the major releases each year. And, yes, many of the “clones” have earned that derisive moniker. But Zimmer has captured a style that appeals to today’s filmmakers, a style that will continue into the foreseeable future until something else comes along to take its place. For now—for better or worse, depending on who you ask—Zimmer is here to stay. And no matter how much you may love or hate the clones, nobody sounds quite like Zimmer. Close, but never the cigar.

Who do you think are the most influential film composers?

]]> http://filmscoreclicktrack.com/2013/03/9-most-influential-film-composers/feed/ 10 http://filmscoreclicktrack.com/2013/02/9-tired-topics-in-film-music/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=9-tired-topics-in-film-music http://filmscoreclicktrack.com/2013/02/9-tired-topics-in-film-music/#comments Sat, 09 Feb 2013 14:00:12 +0000 Jim Lochner http://filmscoreclicktrack.com/?p=11533 We film music fans sure do love to argue. No matter the topic or time of day—on Facebook and Twitter, over brunch and over cocktails, in person or hiding behind some lame screen name—we love to air our opinions. I’m all for passion. It’s sure a helluva lot better than apathy. But some of the arguments surrounding film music have been going on for so long they’ve completely lost their effectiveness, if they ever had any to begin with.

I wish message boards and comments came with an expiration date because the following nine topics need to be recycled for “a new and fresh and exciting one, fully equipped with fire and music.” Have no fear, I’m just as guilty as the next film music fan. I have no illusions that my little corner of cyberspace will change the general direction of film music discourse. The following list is in no particular order, but if you engage in any of the following tired arguments in the future, the film music gods will cut you down with danger motifs.

MARK TWAIN was originally filmed in 1942 but wasn’t released until 1944, as a morale booster for a country at war. The film was heavily influenced by Twain’s daughter, Clara Clemens, who was the self-appointed guardian of Twain’s image. Though the film isn’t well-known today, it bears one of Max Steiner‘s most delightful scores, with the composer’s unique brand of Americana perfectly accompanying Twain’s event-filled life.

Though the score is chockfull of memorable music, it is based on two main themes. The first is the steadily plodding low brass accompaniment suggesting the mighty Mississippi River, that signature body of muddy water so closely identified with Twain and his writing.

The second is a four-note figure that represents the name “Mark Twain,” accompanied by gently rolling waves of sixteenth notes in the clarinet and bassoon. As Clemens is trying to steer his riverboat through a treacherous portion of the river and a boat-hand sings out “Mark Twain! Safe water,” we hear the origin of the theme (and Clemens’ pen name). Later, the theme morphs through different harmonies and orchestrations as Twain spans the globe during his lecture tour.

In keeping with the Twain’s legendary wit, Steiner wrote some delightful music to accompany certain scenes that would later appear in the author’s stories. A loping bassoon accompanies the adventures of a group of young boys including Tom Sawyer and the slave boy, Jim. A contrabassoon is the voice of “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.”

Steiner composed a tender theme for Twain’s wife, Livy (Alexis Smith), a melody that would have been perfectly at home in the front parlor of any upper-crust home during Twain’s life. As expected, Steiner interpolates popular songs, such as “Dixie” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” to give a sense of time and place. In his liner notes for the excellent Morgan & Stromberg Naxos rerecording, Bill Whitaker calls the practice a “noisy use of American tunes, refreshing Yankee energy and accessible Wagnerian logic.”

Though Steiner received an Oscar nomination for the score, he won his third and final Academy Award for the far more popular (and bigger-budget) SINCE YOU WENT AWAY. If you’re looking for a historically accurate portrait of one of America’s most famous authors, THE ADVENTURES OF MARK TWAIN is not it. If you’re looking for an enjoyable couple of hours in the hands of old pros like March and Max, then give the film a try.

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

• “Before My Time” from CHASING ICE, Music and Lyric by J. Ralph
• “Everybody Needs a Best Friend” from TED, Music by Walter Murphy, Lyrics by Seth McFarlane
• “Pi’s Lullaby” from LIFE OF PI, Music by Mychael Danna, Lyric by Bombay Jayashri
• “Skyfall” from SKYFALL, Music and Lyric by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth
• “Suddenly” from LES MISÉRABLES, Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Lyric by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil

Thanks to a change in the rules earlier this year, the Music Branch has seemingly fixed the travesty of the last few years in which eligible songs were graded and only those with a total of 8.25 points or higher were nominated. After last year’s embarrassing result of two nominees, the rules were changed so that voters simply chose their top five choices, like in almost every other category. The result? Five nominees that I don’t necessarily agree with but that should embarrass no one.

Right off the bat, there’s a winner. “Before My Time,” the haunting ballad from the global warming documentary CHASING ICE, is performed by Scarlett Johansson (I didn’t even know she could sing!) with composer J. Ralph on the piano and superstar classical violinist Joshua Bell. Few people saw the film and it didn’t make the cut for Documentary Feature, so its odds at a win in this category are slight. But no song out of the five moves me more.

Walter Murphy, the disco king of “Fifth of Beethoven” from SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, has found steady work for years as one of the principal composers (along with Ron Jones) on FAMILY GUY. For FG creator Seth McFarlane’s feature debut, TED, Murphy composed a slick piece of big band froth, sung by Norah Jones. The song’s melody is woven throughout the score, giving it more impact throughout the film than some of the other choices on this list.

Mychael Danna makes a welcome entrance with the sweet “Pi’s Lullaby”. Sung in Indian, the exotic instrumentations are the perfect complement to the film’s colorful main title sequence. Danna utilizes the melody in the score as well, though seldom in its pure song form at the beginning.

James Bond songs have not fared well with the Academy. None of John Barry’s classic tunes were nominated and the last Bond song to cop a nomination was “For Your Eyes Only” back in 1982. That “Skyfall” received a nomination after a 30-year hiatus shows the power of the film’s worldwide box office and especially Adele. The song is a return to the classic Bond sound and while the lyrics aren’t anything special, it’s a strong contender.

LES MISÉRABLES made the transition from stage to screen with seemingly every note intact…and then some. To make things even longer, director Tom Hooper tried to fill in a small but unnoticed gap in the relationship between Jean Valjean and young Cosette. The ballad is a waste of time and adds nothing to the film. Yet, given that it’s the only song sung directly onscreen, it’s the probable winner.

Prediction: “Suddenly”
Choice: “Before My Time”

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

• ANNA KARENINA—Dario Marianelli
• ARGO—Alexandre Desplat
• LIFE OF PI—Mychael Danna
• LINCOLN—John Williams
• SKYFALL—Thomas Newman

You can’t quibble with the five nominated composers this year. I’d perhaps switch some things around and substitute a different score for a particular composer, but this is a strong category, if in name only, with no real clear cut winner at this point.

Bravo to the Music Branch for recognizing Dario Marianelli’s essential contribution to ANNA KARENINA. The music works like a fourth character in the tragic love triangle and you can’t get the full impact of the music on CD. It’s a score that is integral to director Joe Wright’s unique theatrical vision of the story.

It’s good to see Alexandre Desplat back in the category after being shut out last year. Of the three big year-end releases of his (which included ZERO DARK THIRTY and RISE OF THE GUARDIANS), I think ARGO is the weakest. The score makes little impact in the film, outside of the emotional finale. That’s no fault of Desplat. The best cuts on the CD are nowhere to be found in the film, or at least I missed them. Still, ARGO had the biggest push going into the Oscars so the nomination is no surprise.

Mychael Danna becomes a rare double nominee his first time at bat. The music for LIFE OF PI is exotic and certainly adds to the fantastical tale, though I wanted a bit more consistency in the score overall. Voters love exoticism and since they like to give all the Best Picture nominees something, this is one of the few categories in which it stands a chance.

John Williams’s understated score for LINCOLN gave film music fans and audiences exactly what we expect from Civil War period pieces. It’s lovely work that underscores the tension and emotion of this talky film. Never discount Williams when he’s in the category. LINCOLN received the most nominations out of any film (12) and that usually signals the Best Picture winner. That’s not a given this year, but if it is, it just might sweep Williams in with his sixth win.

James Bond scores have fared even worse than the songs with the Academy. Only one score in Bond’s 50-year history has ever received a nomination—Marvin Hamlisch’s disco-flavored THE SPY WHO LOVED ME in 1977. That Thomas Newman has copped his 11th nomination for a Bond score, where so many others could not, is a testament not only to the film’s popularity but to the power of Newman’s name within the Music Branch. Newman is ridiculously overdue for an Oscar but I don’t think this is his year. Still, the film has the highest box office of any of the five nominees and that just might be enough to sway the general Academy voting membership.

Prediction: LIFE OF PI
Choice: ANNA KARENINA

What do you think? What are the highlights and snubs of this year’s music nominees?

If I were to write MY personal ten commandments, it would be a very different list. Instead, I have interpreted the Old Testament’s biblical laws with my outlook on the current state of film music fandom. The list isn’t meant as sacrilegious. (How could it be when it comes from a non-believing heathen like me?) Just accept it in the spirit of fun with which it was written.

“So it shall be written, so it shall be done.”

Thou shalt have no other gods before Goldsmith.

Or so it would seem.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven CD-Rs.

As the CD production schedule shrinks, particularly for new soundtracks, a lot of labels have instituted CD-Rs instead of factory-pressed CDs. A stroll through the message boards finds opinions both pro and con for them. I’ve bought a couple and while the sound quality has been fine, there is something cheap about them. Given that there is a limited amount of space in my Manhattan cave, I think I’ll stick to downloads.

Thou shalt not take the name of Goldsmith thy God in vain.

In tandem with the first commandment, God forbid you should question the output of any composer, Jerry Goldsmith in particular. Differing opinions are not allowed and non-believers will be sacrificed at the altar.

Remember the release day, to keep it holy.

Announce it too early and the swarms of locusts will descend on the label. Postpone a particular release change the date and a rain of vitriolic hail will fall on your heads. Hell hath no fury like a film music fan scorned.

Honor thy music and thy composers: that thy days may be long.

Film music was written to be heard in context of the film. And just because that particular composer didn’t write the perfect 45- or 60-minute listening experience doesn’t mean that he/she is untalented or that the music has no value. Composers often work under tough conditions, having to subsume their musical vision to that of directors, producers and/or studio execs. If the music works in the film, then the composer has done his/her job. The least we can do is give the music our attention and respect. Not every score will be worthy of that, but we as film music fans owe that to the talented individuals who brighten our days with their musical gifts.

Thou shalt not kill the CD.

As downloads become more and more prevalent, film music fans are freaking out. How will they color coordinate the spines on their shelves? How can they make other fans jealous on message boards? How will they get composer autographs that they’ll either never look at again or resell for a profit? We’ve all spent a LOT of money over the years building our collections and they obviously mean a lot to us, as well they should. But if your enjoyment of film music is wrapped up in a piece of polycarbonate plastic, it might be time to pray for guidance. I bet even God, I mean Goldsmith, would back me up on this one. In other news, significant others the world over breathe a sigh of relief.

Thou shalt not commit adultery on a single disc.

Two different scores on a single disc stresses film music fans out enough. Mixing composers is tantamount to a sin. How else will they know how to file the CD on their shelves? Every time one of these is released, I picture Joan Crawford in WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? wheeling around and around in her wheelchair screaming in horror.

Thou shalt not steal.

From Prokofiev, Holst or Orff, much less from other film composers, at least without proper credit. You can wrap it in different orchestrations or other musical window dressing, but theft should be punishable by stoning.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Lies, lies, lies, yeah… Pointing fingers and name-calling on message boards. What is this? Junior high?

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s collection.

Seriously. In this case at least, size doesn’t matter. Besides, who has time to listen to it all? I’ve got roughly 3,000 or so soundtracks. If I listened to one a day every day year after year, well, you can do the math. Each person’s collection reflects that person’s taste. And if you missed a particular release, nine times out of ten you can be guaranteed it will pop up again somewhere down the line in a new edition with 20 extra seconds and “improved sound”.

As usual, some scores that I was sure would make my list didn’t. By all rights, Nick Urata’s sweet and charming RUBY SPARKS would be included, as would Dan Romer and Behn Zeitlin’s Cajun-flavored BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD. Danny Elfman had a busy year and his scores for FRANKENWEENIE and HITCHCOCK are particularly effective. That certainly is no indication of their quality; it only reminds me of what a subjective (and ultimately futile) exercise this is.

I saw close to 100 movies this past year, yet I still missed a few that I will have to catch on Blu-ray or Netflix. And since one of my rules for inclusion on this list is having seen the film, to accurately judge the music’s effectiveness within the format for which it was composed, the list might change once I have a chance to hear how Jonny Greenwood’s brooding music for THE MASTER and Henry Jackman’s retro score for WRECK-IT RALPH work within the context of their respective films.

Since the calendar dictates that I compile a list anyway, I humbly submit my selections for this past year. As with any list, the contents and placement could change at any time depending on my mood. But as of the moment I hit the “publish” button, these are my top 10 film scores for 2012.

10. THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

I was wildly disappointed by Peter Jackson’s latest trip into Middle-earth. Howard Shore’s score, however, was one of the stronger elements of the film. While it too is perhaps missing some of the magic of his LOTR music, every bit of the majesty of Tolkien’s world is still intact. Unfortunately, the most recognizable theme, the Dwarves’ song, wasn’t written by Shore but that shouldn’t discount the typically high level of craftsmanship on display throughout the rest of the score, including his majestic arrangements of that particular tune. Even with my tepid response to the film, I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing how Shore builds upon this musical foundation in the next two installments.

8. ANNA KARENINA

Joe Wright and Tom Stoppard’s theatrical adaptation of Tolstoy’s classic whirls around the tragic, adulterous tale and so does Dario Marianelli’s sweeping score. The music meshes together European elegance with the raw vitality of Russian folk tunes. From lush orchestral grandeur to smaller chamber-like orchestrations more in tune with the pit, Marianelli’s score is an essential element in the film. The CD, while nice to have, can’t do it justice. This is a score that must be heard in context of the film to fully appreciate it.

7. SKYFALL

The latest entry in the Bond franchise is also one of the best. Nail-biting suspense and a surprising emotional undercurrent gives the franchise new life, as does the entrance of director Sam Mendes. His resident composer, Thomas Newman, also infuses the film with a fresh vitality, ably adapting his trademark sound into the Bond musical firmament. Thrilling action cues, the interweaving of essential Bond musical signposts, and Newman’s distinctive orchestrational flair combine for a welcome entry in this historic franchise. The film’s global popularity hopefully signals a return of Mendes and Newman for future installments.

6. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Christopher Nolan’s dark take on Gotham’s caped crusader comes to a violent, emotional and satisfying end. Much as Nolan changed the face of superhero films, Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard changed their musical landscape. To end the trilogy, Zimmer went (primarily) solo and his contribution is even more raw and primal than the earlier entries. From the distinctive chanting, the slinky piano theme for Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman, and the typically thrilling action set pieces, the score delivers on all fronts. Rightly or wrongly, Zimmer’s musical take on Batman, much like his take on pirates, has changed the face of film music. This musical Dark Knight rose to the challenge and then some.

5. ZERO DARK THIRTY

Alexandre Desplat’s most understated score of 2012 is arguably his most effective. Though it has an expected Middle Eastern flavor, the score is primarily a brooding complement to Jessica Chastain’s intense FBI hunt for Osama bin Laden. Composed almost entirely of dark minor chords and short bursts of rhythmic patterns and fragmentary melodic cells, the music pulsates and churns underneath director Kathryn Bigelow’s tense slow burn of a film. Quiet and subtle, Desplat’s music effectively ratchets up the tension to the nth degree.

4. LINCOLN

John Williams and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra combine for a subtle slice of American pie. With its open harmonies and four-part chorales, Williams’s score provides an effective elegy for the final months in the life of the 16th President. Except for a couple of lively hoedowns for Lincoln’s merry band of vote bribers, Williams’s music is surprisingly subtle. Though Williams takes a backseat (a rarity in a Steven Spielberg film), the music is haunting and moving, capturing the world-weary weight of Daniel Day-Lewis’s brilliant portrayal, all the while ably supporting Tony Kushner’s eloquent (and talky) script. After the over-manipulation (though beautiful compositional technique) of WAR HORSE, it’s nice to see Williams pull it back a bit. While the score is exactly as I and many film music fans expected it to be, there is no denying the sheer craft behind Williams’s writing.

3. THE IMPOSSIBLE

Based on a true story of one family’s ordeal during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the film is a brutal and emotionally draining viewing experience. Without, ahem, drowning you in platitudes and Hallmark moments, this story of survival against all odds is told simply and subtly. One of the key elements to balancing the horror and emotion is Fernando Velázquez’s exquisite score. While Velázquez wisely never tips his hand in either direction, I spent the majority of the film (and subsequent listenings of the score) in tears simply due to the music. Based around a few core themes and plaintive cello and piano solos, Velázquez delivers an emotional powerhouse of a score that continues to yield musical treasures lying beneath the churning waters of Nature’s awesome power.

2. JOHN CARTER

Unjustly maligned films by critics and ignored by audiences, this thoroughly enjoyable take on the Edgar Rice Burroughs tale deserved a better fate. Ignored in the apathy was yet another crackerjack genre score by Michael Giacchino. Utilizing a Middle Eastern palette, Giacchino captures the “humanity” underlying the strange creatures of Mars while painting Carter’s exploits in grand, heroic musical brushstrokes.

1. CLOUD ATLAS

My favorite movie of 2012 was a polarizing film among critics and audiences. This audacious filming of David Mitchell’s “unfilmable” novel is by no means perfect. Intriguing, exasperating and utterly fascinating, the six interwoven storylines crash and collide, mix and match across the generations in a superb example of film editing, resulting in a surprisingly emotional impact. The score by co-director/scripter Tom Tykwer, Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek weaves an equally fascinating musical tapestry. Stringing together a number of memorable themes that are then dissected and interpolated, the music is the glue that pulls the numerous characters together over a span of thousands of years. The music only grows more memorable in context of the film and bears repeated listening to gain a greater understanding of the subtle skill behind the score.

What are your favorite scores of 2012?

This return to an easier system will now save the Academy the embarrassment of recent years in which less than a handful of songs were nominated each year, culminating in just two last year. This year, 75 songs compete for the coveted award, nearly double the the 39 eligible last year. Even having seen close to 100 films from 2012, many of them eligible in this category, I am still basically unfamiliar with most of these titles, so I’ll just let the list speak for itself.

• “For You” from ACT OF VALOR
• “Metaphorical Blanket” from ANY DAY NOW
• “Let It Rain” from BEING FLYNN
• “Learn Me Right” from BRAVE
• “Touch the Sky” from BRAVE
• “Airport” from BROOKLYN BROTHERS BEAT THE BEST
• “Come on Girl” from BROOKLYN BROTHERS BEAT THE BEST
• “Someday” from BROOKLYN BROTHERS BEAT THE BEST
• “Protect the King” from BROOKLYN CASTLE
• “California Solo” from CALIFORNIA SOLO
• “Casa De Mi Padre” from CASA DE MI PADRE
• “Del Cielo” from CASA DE MI PADRE
• “Yo No Se” from CASA DE MI PADRE
• “No Other Plans” from CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER
• “Before My Time” from CHASING ICE
• “By the Light of the Moon” from CROSSROAD
• “The Sambola! International Dance Craze” from DAMSELS IN DISTRESS
• “When You Comin’ Home” from DARLING COMPANION
• “Death by China” from DEATH BY CHINA
• “Delhi Safari” from DELHI SAFARI
• “Ancora Qui” from DJANGO UNCHAINED
• “Freedom” from DJANGO UNCHAINED
• “100 Black Coffins” from DJANGO UNCHAINED
• “Who Did That to You?” from DJANGO UNCHAINED
• “How Bad Can I Be?” from DR. SEUSS’ THE LORAX
• “Let It Grow” from DR. SEUSS’ THE LORAX
• “Thneedville” from DR. SEUSS’ THE LORAX
• “Ain’t No Train” from DOWNTOWN EXPRESS
• “You Don’t Have to Be a Star” from FAME HIGH
• “Jose’s Martyrdom” from FOR GREATER GLORY: THE TRUE STORY OF CRISTIADA
• “Strange Love” from FRANKENWEENIE
• “Voodoo” from HALLOWEEN PARTY
• “Luna Nascosta” from HIDDEN MOON
• “Song of the Lonely Mountain” from THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
• “Abraham’s Daughter” from THE HUNGER GAMES
• “Master of the Seas” from ICE AGE CONTINENTAL DRIFT
• “We Are” from ICE AGE CONTINENTAL DRIFT
• “Looking for a Sign” from JEFF, WHO LIVES AT HOME
• “From Here to the Moon and Back” from JOYFUL NOISE
• “He’s Everything” from JOYFUL NOISE
• “I’m Yours” from JOYFUL NOISE
• “Wide Awake” from KATY PERRY: PART OF ME
• “Cosmonaut” from LAWLESS
• “Beaten Up and Broken Down” from LEAST AMONG SAINTS
• “Suddenly” from LES MISERABLES
• “Pi’s Lullaby” from LIFE OF PI
• “When I Grow Up” from LOSING CONTROL
• “Love Always Comes as a Surprise” from MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE’S MOST WANTED
• “Ladies of Tampa” from MAGIC MIKE
• “The Baddest Man Alive” from THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS
• “This Gift” from THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN
• “Still Alive” from PAUL WILLIAMS STILL ALIVE
• “Dotted Line” from PEOPLE LIKE US
• “Snake Eyes” from PROMISED LAND
• “Razors.Out” from THE RAID: REDEMPTION
• “I’m Not Leaving” from RE:GENERATION
• “Still Dream” from RISE OF THE GUARDIANS
• “Undercover Love” from ROCK OF AGES
• “Big Machine” from SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED
• “I Be Here” from SAINT DRACULA
• “I Have Secrets” from SAINT DRACULA
• “Skyfall” from SKYFALL
• “Breath of Life” from SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN
• “Gone” from SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN
• “One Wing” from SPARKLE
• “Not Running Anymore” from STAND UP GUYS
• “Feel Love” from STRUCK BY LIGHTNING
• “Everybody Needs a Best Friend” from TED
• “Never Had” from 10 YEARS
• “Dull Tool” from THIS IS 40
• “She Won’t Let Go” from UNTIL THEY ARE HOME
• “Kiss Me Goodbye” from VIRGINIA
• “Anything Made of Paper” from WEST OF MEMPHIS
• “Hashishet Albi” from WHERE DO WE GO NOW?
• “When Can I See You Again?” from WRECK-IT RALPH

What do you think should be nominated and what is missing?