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Posted: |
Apr 20, 2011 - 1:06 PM
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By: |
hiRidge
(Member)
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...Conrad Pope's a fan, all of Williams' principal players have done endorsements on his site...
The latest mock-up from composer Mike Verta, whose work I have been championing for years:
http://www.mikeverta.com/Posts/The_Race-2011.mp3
I swear it's only a matter of time for this guy. I know Hans heard his stuff and immediately called him in, but I don't know what's become of that, though it scares me a little bit. But he's got the sound, the sensibilities, the melodic gift... I gush, obviously 
He put up a page with a bunch of pieces not long ago: http://www.mikeverta.com/VIP.html and I also found a big thread on a professional composer forum, where's he's got the most popular composition thread on the entire site: http://www.vi-control.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15017&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
I'm mostly a lurker on FSM, but I'm a huge fan of great film music, and if you are, too, I just can't see how you wouldn't love this stuff. I wish we, as a community, could do something to get young guys like this some attention, so it's not all electronic crap 24 hours a day. Anyway, I was really inspired and wanted to share!
Jim
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Verta managed to do what I'm sure John Williams fans have always dreamed of: take Danny Elfman's theme for BATMAN and arrange it as if Williams were forced to to do so 
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Posted: |
Apr 20, 2011 - 2:26 PM
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By: |
hiRidge
(Member)
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Well there's nothing particularly original about what Williams does, either. It's just a lot of BarberSchumannStravinskyHolstShostakovichWaltonVaughnWilliams. Maybe that's why I like it
And Horner... well, we'll just leave that right there, shall we?. In any case, I bet we'd both take this stuff over no shortage of what's being recycled over and over today. Talk about lack of originality! With every other RC/MV score sounding identical, to the point of using many of the same devices over and over (string ostinatos, anyone?), clearly nobody values "original." Personally, I miss the sort of gets-in-your-head melodies Verta seems to be turn out effortlessly. If you don't catch yourself humming The Race afterwards, you're a tougher crowd than I am, for sure!
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Posted: |
Apr 20, 2011 - 3:10 PM
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By: |
Thor
(Member)
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Well there's nothing particularly original about what Williams does, either. It's just a lot of BarberSchumannStravinskyHolstShostakovichWaltonVaughnWilliams.
Not really. Williams has a bunch of particular trademarks that are instantly recognizable as HIM and no one else (no matter what the stylistic inspirations are). Verta, on the other hand, is all about pastiche, not mere inspiration. But originality is only one out of several ways to appreciate music.
I also love pastiche that is really well thought-out and demands lots of musical knowledge to pull off. McNeely's stuff, for example, or the synth/orchestra samples that Thomas J. Bergersen does for MV.
Mike Verta is, IMO, one of the best in his game at this. At least from those I've heard. It takes a lot of skill to sound that much like Williams (or any other composer, for that matter); total control of orchestral composition.
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I enjoy Mike's Star Trek piece. Lots of chops!
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Posted: |
Apr 20, 2011 - 9:08 PM
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By: |
Bailey
(Member)
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Agreed. You can't do Williams that well without boatloads of skill. And not to belabor the point, but I'm curious which Williams devices you think are original. I have the strongest suspicion I can name you several direct precedents in repertoire which he unquestionably took from, if you're willing. Most people don't really know the classical repertoire that well, so they think he invented a lot of the devices he uses routinely, when the truth is he's so well versed in the repertoire he's actually an apologist for his film music - at least in academic circles, anyway. And I'm as huge a Williams fan as any, don't get me wrong! I'm just curious what of his sound you think is his!
Thanks for the links--this is fabulous stuff. Pastiche? Well, yes, but I don't care. I love hearing someone who can sound like Williams without doing direct quotes or laying his own melodies over a rhythmic structure previously established by JW for a particular score. Some JW trademarks I hear (not that these aren't in the repertoire, but I just don't hear other film composers utilizing them) are the trumpets in thirds, the quartal harmony, the woodwind runs. Unfortunately, I'm not sure the film scoring aesthetic in play in current films would allow a talent such as Mr. Verta's to really thrive. Very sad, really--I miss the "old" days (a whopping 15 years ago) of filmmakers who weren't afraid of big, melodic scores, though I imagine it will cycle back around at some point.
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Some extra info. He's married to "Winnie" from The Wonder Years. Danica McKellar.
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