There are some who mention composers who have done several westerns already, but whose approach might be 'odd', as in "non-Americana".
Then the majority of suggestions are composers who perhaps haven't done westerns, but whose sound is very classical and hence very prone to capture the traditional "Americana".
I'm more interested in those composers who have NOT done any westerns, and whose trademark sound is perhaps more alternative to the traditional Americana. I love it when stuff like Jed Kurzel's SLOW WEST or Jeff Grace's MEEK'S CUTOFF happen, for example. It might not provide the rousing, traditional western score, but the whole approach of the film and score is something that I find more interesting and cutting-edge.
There are some who mention composers who have done several westerns already, but whose approach might be 'odd', as in "non-Americana".
Then the majority of suggestions are composers who perhaps haven't done westerns, but whose sound is very classical and hence very prone to capture the traditional "Americana".
DR KLAHN: "These are lost drunken men who don't know where they are, but do care! And these are men who know where they are and care, but don't drink."
I don't know where your quotation is from, Bill. ???
I like all the above suggestions.
Then the majority of suggestions are composers who perhaps haven't done westerns, but whose sound is very classical and hence very prone to capture the traditional "Americana".
Thor, I admit that confuses me as I never thought of the classical sound as in anyway related to the Americana sound.
Me bad. I know I should appreciate cutting edge scores more, but I admit I love the Bernsteinian, Goldsmithian, and Morossian western sounds above all others.
I'd love to see Joe Kraemer tackle a western...hell any movie!
MV
The first 1:20 of Kraemer's end credits for THE WAY OF THE GUN (2000) suggests that he has the rhythmic sense to do a western. He just needs to find a way to overlay that build-up with a theme.
Thor, I admit that confuses me as I never thought of the classical sound as in anyway related to the Americana sound.
It's related. The preference here seems to be the traditional, coplandesque western writing of Broughton, Tiomkin, Moross, Bernstein etc., and these are mostly classically, symphonically oriented composers.
I took your thread to be more about odd composers that perhaps provide ALTERNATIVE SOUNDS to that particular approach.
Carlos Rodriguez. No, not that one, but the "Batman: The Animated Series" composer (two different people). I'm thinking of "The Cock King" and "Day of the Samuria" in particular:
Thor, some people changed some of the purpose of this topic, and that is okay with me. I think I said unique sounds, not necessarily alternative sounds, but either is okay.
I misinterpreted the word "classical." When I think of classical music, I think of Bach, Beethoven, sonatas, etc. The Americana sound seems rather new to me. Just semantics.
I think I'm not posting quite within the spirit of the thread, but with the title at least. I always found Maurice Jarre's Western scores kind of unique, with lots of odd sounds that were more congruent with Morricone-style stylings than the Americana sound. Though he was always good at the big theme as well (as for example his Cimarron Strip theme). Particularly love his use of percussion and latin influences, like the El Condor opening below, and the way he weaves between major and minor in the same damn theme (which always sounds like wrong notes but aren't).
But god I love his Western scores, especially The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean - which fuses so much of what I love about movie music into one treasure of a score. (I've posted the final cue around these parts so many times I wanted to post something else this time.)
But god I love his Western scores, especially The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean - which fuses so much of what I love about movie music into one treasure of a score. (I've posted the final cue around these parts so many times I wanted to post something else this time.)
I don't always love Jarre, and even when I do love a score of his I don't always love the entire thing...but I gotta say that the Judge Roy Bean cue "Justice" is SUPER AWESOME.
But god I love his Western scores, especially The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean - which fuses so much of what I love about movie music into one treasure of a score. (I've posted the final cue around these parts so many times I wanted to post something else this time.)
I don't always love Jarre, and even when I do love a score of his I don't always love the entire thing...but I gotta say that the Judge Roy Bean cue "Justice" is SUPER AWESOME.
Yavar
Yavar , you on SO RIGHT about the "Justice" cue. I love the visuals in that scene as well as the music that fits it to perfection.
And don't forget that very forgettable BRITISH western SHALAKO starring the likes of Sean Connery, Stephen Boyd, Honor Blackman, Jack Hawkins and em! Briggitte Bardot. It had a score by Canadian Robert Farnon but when compared with the dynamism of Jerome Morross THE BIG COUNTRY or Elmer Bernstein THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN it was dated and had a risible Title song (unnecessary ) with some really cheesy lyrics by Jim Dale. If the producers wanted the Brit aspect to continue why didn't they choose someone like John Addison or Ron Goodwin ( his iconic score to THE TRAP is a western of sorts).
I don't always love Jarre, and even when I do love a score of his I don't always love the entire thing...but I gotta say that the Judge Roy Bean cue "Justice" is SUPER AWESOME.
Yavar
Yep, Yavar, that was one of the defining moments for me of the importance of music in movies (first saw it at the drive-in with my mom when I was 12). I adore that cue and sequence in the film, and the finale, Miss Lillie Langtry.
I completely understand why folks don't always (or ever) love Jarre, and even for me, he's a favorite composer whose music I only listen to once in a while. But one thing I love in composers is a sense of individuality, personality, and man he has that in spades.
New western coming. Vincent D'Onofrio stars in it and is the director. Main actors are Ethan Hawke and Chris Pratt. It is rather shocking to see Chris Pratt as the villain. These three also were together in the remake of The Magnificent Seven.
I have never heard of the two composers Latham Gaines and Shelby Gaines. There is some information about them on the Internet. Don't think I'll get my rousing Americana score from them and that type of score may not fit. It will be interesting to hear two new voices to film composing.
