Alfred Newman is one of my favorite film composers, but even given that I couldn't get through How the West was won. Some of the music I really liked, but the down home thing (and songs) really got to me quick, and basically ruined it for me. I know, blasphemic.
This is how it is for me and Western scores by any composer, as revered as they are: Good, Bad, Ugly, High Noon...all of them. I want to like them so much, but the above foils my appreciation each time.
I'm just curious is anyone else feels similarly. Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!
I'm fine with the movies listed above (plus Unforgiven and the Tarantino stuff). I just have a terrible time with the musical idiom so integral to the style, it always sounds too hokey for me.
Sorry. Way to the other side where I find the some of the strongest scores from any composer lie in the western genre. Including relatively more recent efforts by James Newton Howard (WYATT EARP), Hans Zimmer (RANGO) and the Horner ZORROS.
Sorry. Way to the other side where I find the some of the strongest scores from any composer lie in the western genre. Including relatively more recent efforts by James Newton Howard (WYATT EARP), Hans Zimmer (RANGO) and the Horner ZORROS.
Whoa, I just checked out clips from the Tadlow Alamo and WOW! I think I might have started this topic too soon (embarrassed). What a recording!!!
The 'Americana' aspects in music for Westerns are my least favorite. I have no affection for The Big Country by Moross, for example, because of my aesthetic predilections.
I much prefer the Euro Western soundtracks from the late 1960s & early '70s (like Carlo Savina's Ehi Amigo ... Sei Morto & A.F. Lavagnino's Vendetta per Vendetta & Mario Migliardi's Prega il Morto a Ammazza il Vivo) when their music communicates the nihilistic facets found in this genre.
Even so, the Euro Westerns themselves do not significantly figure into my personal Top 100 soundtrack albums (perhaps 2 of them in my Top 100 and none of them rank within my Top 50).
Yeah I think it depends on the score. How the West Was Won is an unusual case due to all the songs. I'll bet you could whittle down an awesome 45 minute program that you just adore for it.
I adore western films and scores in general, but my taste tends strongly towards darker western music (the badass main title of How the West Was Won qualifies but much of the rest does not), and a lot of the bouncy happy-go-lucky sounding Copland Americana homages I consider a little "hokey" myself oftentimes. I love Elmer Bernstein but with the success of The Magnificent Seven both he and others had to fit in that template for some time because that's what was asked for.
Have you tried (m)any of Jerry Goldsmith's westerns? I never skip a single track of Rio Lobo, Rio Conchos, The Red Pony, Hour of the Gun (Tadlow did an amazing complete recording), 100 Rifles, or Bandolero! Nothing hokey there IMO. A few of the others I might whittle down a little, I guess. But each Goldsmith western score is incredibly unique and powerful in its own way, starting with his very first feature score for Black Patch all the way back in 1957 (sadly unreleased):
Another great Jerry western score...this time Fielding instead of Goldsmith -- I'd be shocked if this sounded hokey to you in the slightest:
I haven't gotten it yet, but the most recent Tadlow Tiomkin project was Duel in the Sun, and I gotta say that even as a usual-detractor of Tiomkin, this is pretty badass:
I think you'd like Bruce Broughton's scores for True Women and Tombstone (mmmm...powerful tympani).
Finally let me give the highest possible recommendation to two western scores by Basil Poledouris, a great composer I know you've started to explore -- Lonesome Dove and Quigley Down Under (the latter set in Australia but it's basically a western with the main character an American cowboy...honestly a very good movie too):
Not like western film scores? I just fainted. For me, certain western scores are what lead me into my love for film scores. Check out the following main titles just in case we can find something you like.
I could go on and on. These titles are thematic and rousing. I’d suggest you check out music from The Big Country. The main title has swirling violins. Goldsmith’s Rio Conchos and Lonely Are the Brave at both wonderful. Barry's Dances With Wolves is lovely.
Yavar, I think I just posted The Attack like you did. Oops. Oh well, to each his or her own.
I've made my own playlist of HTWWW, minus the hillbilly noise (IMHO) and the Debbie Reynolds songs and really enjoy it. Apart from that and the somewhat campy Quick and The Dead score, I am not a fan of westerns.
Alfred Newman is one of my favorite film composers, but even given that I couldn't get through How the West was won. Some of the music I really liked, but the down home thing (and songs) really got to me quick, and basically ruined it for me. I know, blasphemic.
This is how it is for me and Western scores by any composer, as revered as they are: Good, Bad, Ugly, High Noon...all of them. I want to like them so much, but the above foils my appreciation each time.
I'm just curious is anyone else feels similarly. Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!
Yavar, glad you mentioned True Women and Tombstone. I like the main title to Tombstone and also its lovely love theme. I would add Broughton's Silverado to that list. It is probably sacrilegious to say this, but I can't get into Jerry Fielding's westerns with the exception of parts of The Wild Bunch.
The number of Western Scores which really appeal to me are too many to mention, but here are a few of them. Some of the main themes go 'round and 'round in my head once I hear them being played. They can be so addictive and ...some of them very haunting and full of atmosphere: The Big Country (Jerome Moross) The Magnificent Seven (Elmer Bernstein) Dances with Wolves (John Barry) Once Upon A Time in The West(Ennio Morricone) ... plus his spaghetti Westen scores I also like the folk-tune based cues which occur in many Westerns : the sheer variety of music seems to echo the particular extremes of life during that era, especially in the major productions.
I've made my own playlist of HTWWW, minus the hillbilly noise (IMHO) and the Debbie Reynolds songs and really enjoy it. Apart from that and the somewhat campy Quick and The Dead score, I am not a fan of westerns.
Alfred Newman is one of my favorite film composers, but even given that I couldn't get through How the West was won. Some of the music I really liked, but the down home thing (and songs) really got to me quick, and basically ruined it for me. I know, blasphemic.
This is how it is for me and Western scores by any composer, as revered as they are: Good, Bad, Ugly, High Noon...all of them. I want to like them so much, but the above foils my appreciation each time.
I'm just curious is anyone else feels similarly. Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!
[I think it would be quite difficult to avoid some 'folksy music' in a Western as it was part of the culture ... struggling people, many from different countries. trying to settle against so many odds. But, as a lover of musicals (Calamity Jane in particular) and living in a part of the world where the folk culture and choirs/singing are alive and kicking .. I am probably biased. Am probably beyond hope as I find Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman quite enjoyable.]
I've made my own playlist of HTWWW, minus the hillbilly noise (IMHO) and the Debbie Reynolds songs and really enjoy it. Apart from that and the somewhat campy Quick and The Dead score, I am not a fan of westerns.
Alfred Newman is one of my favorite film composers, but even given that I couldn't get through How the West was won. Some of the music I really liked, but the down home thing (and songs) really got to me quick, and basically ruined it for me. I know, blasphemic.
This is how it is for me and Western scores by any composer, as revered as they are: Good, Bad, Ugly, High Noon...all of them. I want to like them so much, but the above foils my appreciation each time.
I'm just curious is anyone else feels similarly. Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!]
I think it would be quite difficult to avoid some 'folksy music' in a Western as it was part of the culture ... struggling people, many from different countries. trying to settle against so many odds. But, as a lover of musicals (Calamity Jane in particular) and living in a part of the world where the folk culture and choirs/singing are alive and kicking .. I am probably biased. Am probably beyond hope as I find Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman quite enjoyable.
I really don't care for Westerns, I just don't gravitate towards them. Likewise I don't pay much attention to Western scores. There's a certain style and sameness that tires on me. But there are a few stand outs like Alamo and Wyatt Earp.
Yeah I think it depends on the score. How the West Was Won is an unusual case due to all the songs. I'll bet you could whittle down an awesome 45 minute program that you just adore for it.
Have you tried (m)any of Jerry Goldsmith's westerns? I never skip a single track of Rio Lobo, Rio Conchos, The Red Pony, Hour of the Gun (Tadlow did an amazing complete recording), 100 Rifles, or Bandolero! Nothing hokey there IMO. A few of the others I might whittle down a little, I guess.
Yavar
Yay! Nice shout out to whittling in another thread!
Seriously, I love Rio Conchos (Intrada), Hour of the Gun (Prometheus), The Cowboys and that Rare Breed suite on Silva. Also Wyatt Earp, Tombstone and Dances with Wolves (not really a typical Western score in approach, but still).
To the OP, have you tried out the HTWWW suite on Silva's Greatest Western Themes Vol 1 comp?
I agree that some of the songs in HTWWW were grating, but I love the optimistic and expansive sounds of Westerns (... and the songs and folktunes). For me, there is something about Westerns that is appealing, from the Opening Titles. There is:
Btw, the Alamo had quite a bit of Cantina/saloon music and (down home) songs, like The Green Leaves of Summer, Tennessee Babe, The Eyes of Texas are Upon You, and The Ballad of the Alamo, but it is good to read that you haven't given up on all Westerns. There are so many like...
Different tastes and all that, but a lot of my favourite film music is for Western films. I don't necessarily think western scores are any different from any other type of film music, and some scores to me don't particularly sound like they were written for a western eg. Wyatt Earp, The Big Country, The Alamo to name but a few already mentioned, are just good dramatic sounding film scores.
Much as I love the score, do people class The Alamo as a western? I've never thought of it as one.
