Ten Tracks Today – 12th October 2011
Posted by Alan Rogers on October 12, 2011
Today’s selection of tracks is particularly obscure! Even for me:
01 – “Fuga Dal Paradiso XVI” – Fuga Dal Paradiso – Michel Legrand
This track has a driving rhythm through it with first the repeating woodwinds and then the strings. And over the top of this there’s some brutal brass phrases. It’s not particularly pretty, it’s in fact quite modern sounding. It’s crystal clear soundwise and it shows off the track well.
02 – “Epilog: Requiem Für Kolja…und Für Alle Anderen Kinder” – Stalingrad – Enjott Schneider
This is track is full of sad emotion, dominated by strings playing a mournful melody. High strings scream out at the listener and then we hear solo woodwinds (oboe I think, which is not one of the happiest-sounding instruments) ramping up the emotions.
03 – “Overture” – Mega Python vs. Gateroid – Chris Ridenhour
I’d wager that the music for this film is infinitely better than the film itself. And the music would stand up to films of much better quality too. Ridenhour was inspired to compose a powerful anthem for this movie: great brass that plays a catchy riff.
04 – “Didar” – The Duel – Majid Entezami
The Duel is an Iranian film from 2004 and so has a Middle Eastern feel to it, particularly in the percussion rhythms. The slow, sinewy melody is played on solo violin. It’s one of those (many) scores where the music itself appeals even though I have not seen the film.
05 – “Merlin” – The Quest For King Arthur – Gary Pozner
From a History Channel version of events, Pozner’s track is dominated by martial percussion, guttural choir and ominous synth strings. The synth nature of the score does detract somewhat from the quality of the music though.
06 – “Firetruck” – Devil – Fernando Velázquez
At last! A title that someone else may have heard of! Velázquez’s use of strings, particularly low strings is a very positive aspect of this score. And here, strong low strings and pizzicato strings are particularly enjoyable. The composer actually writes some proper music to build tension and doesn’t just rely on tuneless dissonance.
07 – “Mechanical Mind” – Law Abiding Citizen – Brian Tyler
You can’t go wrong with a bit of Tyler! Pack full (as usual) with typical Tyler mannerisms, it’s an exciting piece that flits back and forth between action scoring (though here the music tends to hold back from completely letting go) and quieter moments.
08 – “One Demand Only” – Chaos – Trevor Jones
I like the mix of the orchestral with the more contemporary urban soundscape that Jones uses (mixing a whole load of drum machine rhythms alongside synths). The orchestral influence (live or synth instruments?) definitely adds that “Trevor Jones sound” – which is nice.
09 – “Freiheit” – Wir Sind Das Volk: Liebe Kennt Keine Grenzen – Dieter Schleip
Dominated by strings, this track swells only to be replaced by a strong solo violin melody in high register. Backed by more restrained strings, the track is quite an emotionally-charged piece of music.
10 – “End Credits” – DC Showcase: Jonah Hex – Jeremy Zuckerman & Benjamin Wynn
I have not idea about this animated superhero but I was quite surprised when I first heard this short delicate acoustic piano and mandolin track as the end credits. It is a lovely piece but not the powerhouse cue I was expecting.
