Sabtu, November 23, 2013

'Hunger Games' Soundtrack Producer Reveals Truth About The Music You Never Heard

Tanggal 18 November yang lalu, MTV News melaporkan hasil obrolan mereka dengan T Bone Burnett, berikut kutipannya:
Burnett had originally began work on the soundtrack with composer Danny Elfman, known for his work on Tim Burton's "Batman" movies, Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" and many other films. The two planned on creating a futuristic sound with the help of Arcade Fire's Win Butler and RĂ©gine Chassagne, but that work was, according to Burnett, cut short when director Gary Ross decided to change things up on the soundtrack.
"Danny Elfman and I were collaborating on it, and we were working with Arcade Fire. We had written several really beautiful pieces," Burnett said. "The director wanted to take over the music, so he fired Danny. He sort of stopped this process in the middle, which is a bummer. It really is because Danny was some beautiful [music]." Burnett's take on the event differ from the official reports, including a confirmation from Entertainment Weekly, that Elfman has dropped out due to a conflict in his schedule.
Baca lengkapnya di sini.

Kamis, November 07, 2013

restless: limited edition

Studio: Imagine Entertainment, Sony Pictures Classics (distributor), Columbia Pictures (distributor)
Sutradara: Gus Van Sant
Composer: Danny Elfman
Tanggal rilis film: 12 Mei 2011
Tanggal rilis album: 5 November 2013
Label: La-La Land Records

Track list:
1. titles 2:41
2. battleship 1:09
3. reconciliation 1:26
4. sorry for your loss 1:54
5. waterbirds 1:43
6. meet the parents 2:20
7. on the beach 2:09
8. hiroshima 1:06
9. morning affair 1:33
10. morgue 1:18
11. crime scene 2:45
12. death scene 2:06
13. happy dead girl 1:11
14. battleship 2 1:50
15. a ghost 1:00
16. the letter 1:34
17. parents' grave 1:49
18. weepy donuts 3:31
19. enoch's goodbye 1:21
total album time: 34:25

La-La Land Records and Sony Pictures Entertainment present the original motion picture score to the 2011 feature film drama restless, starring Mia Wasikowska and Henry Hopper and directed by Gus Van Sant. Renowned composer Danny Elfman (EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, BATMAN, SOMMERSBY, BLACK BEAUTY) crafts another notable original score – a delicate, but stirring work, in the vein of his music for MILK and SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, that expertly finds the heart and soul of Van Sant’s delightfully offbeat romantic drama. Produced by Danny Elfman and mastered by Patricia Sullivan at Bernie Grundman mastering, this special release is limited to 2000 units and includes exclusive, in-depth liner notes from film music writer Tim Greiving which feature comments from director Gus Van Sant. The attractive art direction is by Dan Goldwasser.

Klik di sini.

Selasa, November 05, 2013

American Youth Symphony to Present ELFMAN PROJECT II Concert, 11/24

Melanjutkan konser tahun lalu, American Youth Symphony akan menggelar konser Danny Elfman kedua, berikut kutipannya:
The acclaimed American Youth Symphony (AYS), one of the nation's leading professional training orchestras for musicians ages 15 to 27, continues its 49th season with "Elfman Project II," a free concert that is part of a multi-year exploration of the music of four-time Academy Award-nominated composer Danny Elfman, on Sunday, November 24, 2013, 7 pm, at UCLA's Royce Hall.
Guest conductor David Newman, himself an Oscar-nominated composer, sought-after conductor and AYS alumnus and Immediate Past President, leads the orchestra in the premieres of two new concert suites, Milk Suite and Oz the Great and Powerful Suite, both assembled by Newman and Max Mueller for the occasion from Elfman's compelling scores for films directed by Gus Van Sant and Sam Raimi, respectively, and performed to film clips from the movies.
In addition, Newman conducts music from Alice in Wonderland and Spiderman, and the Big Fish Suite, composed by Elfman for the Tim Burton films of the same name.
The event kicks off with a free symposium, at 4:30 pm, including a performance of Elfman's Overeager Overture, and a panel discussion moderated by esteemed journalist and author Jon Burlingame, focusing on the nuts and bolts of music's role in films and how composers work with directors.
Baca lengkapnya di sini.

The Elfman Project

FSM melaporkan konser American Youth Symphony di Royce Hall, UCLA, Los Angeles tanggal 29 April 2012 yang lalu. Berikut kutipannya:
Newman sees the opening cue to Batman as a signature example of Elfman’s mastery for musical storytelling; moreover, how it perfectly translates to a concert setting. “Batman has a six-note motif. The beginning of the film is in this imitative counterpoint. The first five notes of that motif kind of circle around itself then they pause at a minor triad. Then there’s a big huge build to this major triad. Aside from it being compositionally interesting it’s really interesting how it delineates that character. Honestly, we’re so conditioned to these superhero movies now. There’s so many of them. Back then it was a really unique thing to have a character that was—I don’t want to say an anti-hero—but had an angsty past, yet is very heroic. In these first few bars all that stuff is told, which is what I think is fun and interesting about film music, that is in some ways different from concert music.”
Batman was a fresh challenge for Elfman, who up to that point in his film career had only scored comedies. During the symposium, Elfman reflected on creating a new musical palette that would complement Tim Burton’s gothic stylings. “There’s no model for any of Tim Burton’s films. There was no model for Pee-wee, Beetlejuice, Edward or Batman. There was nothing to use as a template. Because at that point for big action cartoon adventure, the only model was John Williams.”
One of the many reasons Newman chose the three scores to perform were to showcase Elfman’s orchestrations, which are an indelible part of his signature sound. “There is always a tremendous rhythmic energy in his music. It’s also very angular. The way he orchestrates is very high, very low. There’s contrabassoon, a lot of tuba, a lot of piccolo, a lot of oboe playing high, clarinet playing high. There’s a lot in the high and low ranges. You hear lots of tuba, lots of low piano, lots of bass clarinet doing little things; then they get bigger and bigger.”
To counter the Burton films in the program, Newman included the finale from Elfman’s Americana-flavored score to Sommersby. While the bulk of the film was orchestrated by Steve Bartek, the finale was orchestrated by the late veteran orchestrator Jack Hayes. With guitar and banjo, Sommersby deftly features Elfman’s ability to score against “type,” conquering multiple genres and styles. Newman reflects: “I think the most difficult things in film music is you have a small amount of time to say something. How do you say it in an abstract way? Sommersby has this beautiful octave-ish theme, that has a wide interval skip. In other words, the theme almost uses an octave scale and it’s developed and used over and over and over and builds, modulates in bits.”
Bagi pelanggan FSM, baca lengkapnya di sini.

Danny Elfman's Incredible Concert of Tim Burton Film Music: Our Review

Berikut kutipan dari review untuk konser Danny Elfman di Los Angeles:
The finest moments included the suite from Edward Scissorhands, a fan-favorite dripping with icy heartbreak and anchored by Elfman's Jewish folk melody for Edward (with a virtuosic interlude provided by a "gypsy band," led by violinist Sandy Cameron's incendiary fiddling); the choral ode to Alice in Wonderland, an infectious melody that rides a minor-third ostinato through Lewis Carroll's brain by way of Burton's; and (my personal favorite) the suite from Big Fish, which began with a bittersweet guitar/violin duet of the score's love theme and bubbled up into choral-backed, orchestral triumph.
The crowd went the wildest for Elfman's own appearance onstage, as he strutted out near the end to give voice to the skeletal "pumpkin king." The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of Elfman's greatest achievements (his songs and score are now perennial classics), and it was priceless to watch him gleefully personalize the performance with his own vocals. He hasn't sung publicly in the United States since the farewell concert of his old band, Oingo Boingo, on Halloween night in 1995, so his presence felt extra charged -- and his performance was electric.
Baca lengkapnya di sini.

Epic

Bulan Juni 2013 yang lalu, FSM me-review soundtrack Epic dan memberi rating 4, berikut kutipannya:
As delightful as the opening “Leafmen” is, its Celtic dance rhythms and Riverdance orchestral feel are reminiscent of Patrick Doyle’s recent work on Brave. There are a few moments in the opening “Pursuit” where hints of the classic Danny Elfman style peak through, and some of the action writing bears his stamp as well. Other elements feel more akin to a Remote Control project. That said, Elfman’s melodic construction is still as strong as ever, and he maintains a magical lightness even in the score’s darker moments, a telling element of the composer’s masterful style. The wordless choir may not be “la-la”-ing as much as in the past, but the general effect is the same.
The comedic writing, as in “Meet Dad,” is one of the score’s driving elements. “The Selection” is another standout cue, with magical orchestral writing featuring bells, piano arpeggios, wordless chorus (also appearing ethereally in “Rings of Knowledge,” the most Elfmanian cue of the CD), and solo wind lines. The following “Ambush” is another amazing action track with intriguing dissonance as it begins.
Bagi pelanggan FSM, baca lengkapnya di sini.

Oz the Great and Powerful

Bulan Maret 2013 yang lalu, FSM me-review soundtrack Oz the Great and Powerful, berikut kutipannya:
The main title sequence is an old-fashioned credit overture that starts off with the main theme as a lovely music box melody, a natural choice since music boxes play an important role in the plot, before blasting off with a stirring orchestral passage that starts the adventure off right. The main theme doesn’t get to shine here to the extent of the one in “Alice’s Theme” from the aforementioned Wonderland, but it does get the full orchestral treatment in my favorite cue, “Fireside Dance.” From the subdued tones in the film’s black-and-white intro scenes, to the brash orchestrations that begin with the tornado, to James Franco’s arrival in Oz (and color), Elfman creates a lovely world, especially during the moments of discovery as in “A Strange World” and “Treasure Room/Monkey Business.”
After Elfman’s miserable experience on Spider-man 2, it seemed like the rich collaboration between him and Raimi that included such memorable scores as Spider-man and Darkman had been permanently severed. Thankfully, clearer and cooler heads prevailed.
Bagi pelanggan FSM, baca lengkapnya di sini.

Silver Linings Playbook

Desember 2012 yang lalu, FSM me-review soundtrack Silver Linings Playbook, berikut kutipannya:
The opening titles are markedly different from what Elfman has been writing of late. This is a pop-based sound with vocalizations that would feel more at home in an indie-comedy as opposed to a major Hollywood production. The piano and guitar backdrop is supplemented by organ, which lends just a touch of some of the composer’s quirkier side.
While Elfman’s core thematic material is serviceable, the music is so low key that it’s hard to get into as a separate listening experience. “Simple,” one of the tracks here, is also perhaps the best description of this guitar-and-piano score.
Baca lengkapnya di sini, bagi pelanggan FSM.

Frankenweenie

Tahun lalu, FSM me-review soundtrack Frankenweenie, berikut kutipannya:
The music is dramatic, bouncy and at times quite heartfelt, making the whole CD a delightful listen from beginning to end.
The opening track is actually the “Frankenweenie Disney logo,” which is of course the instrumental for “When You Wish Upon a Star,” but here it ends with a surprise Elfman twist. His “Main Title” has both a sincere and playful feel with piano, strings and chorus for a touch of humanity.
“Happy Ending” goes for an Edward Scissorhands vibe and delivers a satisfying sense of conclusion. The album’s two bonus tracks are an alternate version of the “Main Title,” which acts like an end credit piece of sorts, and the brief “Over the Fence.”
Baca lengkapnya di sini bagi pelanggan FSM.

Men in Black III

Tahun lalu, FSM me-review soundtrack Men in Black III, berikut kutipannya:
As for the score itself, it’s a great deal like the ones for the first two films. The M.I.B. theme appears plenty of times to remind you of what you’re watching, the lyrical Kay music makes an appearance, and there are plenty of action tracks that mirror those employed in the earlier outings. Electric guitar is more prominent this time, but there isn’t a whole lot else that reflects the shift to the earlier period in the story.
The album highlight is probably the main title sequence; in about five minutes, Elfman sets up the opening, introduces the main theme, and transitions straight into the underscore. After that, much of the disc is a groovy action-adventure score that picks up momentum and diversity as it goes—fans may actually prefer popping this score into their players rather than revisiting the earlier two. “Under the Bridge” and “The Mission Begins” deliver great action music, while “Mission Accomplished” presents more of the touching Kay music. A key change for the melody moves us into “A Close One,” which in turn gives way to the primary M.I.B. theme. The final track is a“revisited” version of the main titles with female chorus and guitar improvisation against the rhythmic motif of the main theme. The piece feels like an “alternate” version bonus and ends without much fanfare.
Baca lengkapnya di sini untuk para pelanggan.

Dark Shadows

Tahun lalu, tepatnya Mei 2012, situs FSM me-review soundtrack Dark Shadows, berikut kutipannya:
Elfman’s score for Dark Shadows is interesting for several reasons: First, the composer eschews almost all notion of a ’70s period setting, leaving it up to the source songs to provide the same. The latter are available on an effective if eclectic compilation album featuring the likes of Iggy Pop, the Carpenters, Alice Cooper (who cameos in the film) and also curtailed versions of two Elfman tracks. Absent are many of the mannerisms listeners have come to expect from Elfman, leaving room for a large-scale gothic score that’s dark rather than whacky, addressing the 18th-century origins of Barnabas Collins. Secondly, Elfman provides a master class in maintaining a balance of harmony and scary dissonance. The closest comparison might be The Wolfman, which becomes a consistently beautiful listening experience, particularly on the generous album.
Whether or not the Dark Shadows score has to be separated from the film for greater appreciation is debatable, but the album from WaterTower is more than recommendable. On its own, Elfman’s effort is a delicious horror score of strong thematic and orchestrally intricate flavor. The “Prologue” cue is without doubt its poster-piece. Listeners will be drawn to this rather than the middle portion of the disc, for which the finale easily compensates. Taking last year’s Real Steel into consideration as well, there’s no reason anyone should stop seeking out Danny Elfman scores anytime soon.
Baca lengkapnya di sini buat para pelanggan FSM.

Real Steel

Bertahun-tahun yang lalu, tepatnya November 2011, situs FSM me-review soundtrack Real Steel dan memberi rating 3,5. Berikut kutipannya:
Danny Elfman’s score seamlessly combines rock, orchestral and choral elements to create a unique sonic atmosphere for the film. A bold, triumphant theme featuring brass, strings and rhythm section (with former Nine Inch Nails drummer Josh Freese on drums) introduces itself in the album’s opening cue (“Charlie Trains Atom”). This piece of music doesn’t appear until well into the film, but certainly helps shape the disc from the start. Driving, upbeat pop features prominently in cues such as “On the Move” and “Into the Zoo,” while percussive suspense leads to a tender and uplifting conclusion when Max discovers Atom (“Meet Atom”). Dramatic rock mixed with orchestra kicks in during Atom’s training for his first fight (“Atom Versus Twin Cities”), and in the opening moments before the fight begins (“Twin Cities Intro”).
Elfman provides a gentle touch for the film’s more intimate scenes in cues such as “For a Kiss” and “Bonding,” blending acoustic guitar, piano, woodwinds, strings and choir. Some of the score’s most poignant moments take place when Charlie must send Max back to his custodial parents (“You Deserve Better”). Guest vocalist Poe contributes on two acoustic cues (“Why We’re Here” and “Parkway Motel”).
The scoring becomes more intense for the film’s fight sequences, combining rock elements with the orchestra to provide an exciting soundscape for the action, primarily in tracks like “This Is a Brawl,” and for the final fight, “Final Round.” The last cue, “The People’s Champion,” wraps everything up with a climactic re-statement of the main theme. Elfman’s score is a terrific mix of tense action, emotional drama, and heroic excitement, and provides an excellent accompaniment to the film, especially when you can hear it underneath the clanging of metal robot fists.
Baca lengkapnya di sini. Langganan yak.