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| This is a comments thread about FSM CD: King Kong: The Deluxe Edition (2CD) |
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Now imagine a hundred Anthony Hopkins' reading the same in unison. It would sound bigger, more cavernous, but some of those exquisite details would be lost in the mass of sound.
One possible advantage of the smaller orchestra may be to keep certain voicing crisper, achieving the crispness you'd associate with solo or duo delivery. Studio techniques can keep it sounding big without losing that crispness.
Here, here!, Stephen.
Miklos Rozsa pulled off some great moments in BEN-HUR by dropping most of the orchestra for delicately phrased and coordinated intonations (ala, the brass at the start of "Aftermath") and then bringing the rest of the players in as the phrase ascended.
John Barry's descending harp glissandos in King Kong's "Ravine", accompanying Kong's victims falling off the ravine-spanning tree, was something I couldn't hear in the movie sound mix because of the screams.
How pleased I was to discover it on The Deluxe Edition.
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Posted: |
Mar 3, 2014 - 2:42 PM
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By: |
thommy
(Member)
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As an earlier poster said its amazing that there were no more then 66 members of the orchestra. The sound is BIG, romantic and heartpounding suspensfull to my ears.
Okay, I admit I'm no expert on composing or orchestrating, but it seems to me that, actually, smaller orchestras can have certain advantages of their own and might be able to achieve certain effects larger orchestras might struggle to achieve. It's not all about size.
To illustrate my point, imagine Anthony Hopkins doing a passionate solo reading of Shakespeare. You can delight in every roll of the tongue; in every change in cadence; even in the sharp intakes of breath between each staccato phrase.
Now imagine a hundred Anthony Hopkins' reading the same in unison. It would sound bigger, more cavernous, but some of those exquisite details would be lost in the mass of sound.
One possible advantage of the smaller orchestra may be to keep certain voicing crisper, achieving the crispness you'd associate with solo or duo delivery. Studio techniques can keep it sounding big without losing that crispness.
I'm not sure I believe this and I've never seen it corroborated, but the commentary track on Star Crash claims Barry had a VERY small orchestra, i.e. just a handful of players, and that the 'big' sound was achieved exclusively with studio techniques. Like I said, I'm not sure about it being that small, but it almost certainly would have been a smaller orchestra than he had on The Black Hole or Moonraker.
A lot of people are surprised to learn that Alice's Adventures In Wonderland was also a small orchestra.
Cheers
Thank you Stephen!
That is wonderfully spoken and i so agree! One anthony hopkins brings more nuance then a hundred. In a nuttshell what makes Barry so great for me and also what makes a great score and film such magic togheter. Something i rarely find these days in the cinema.
John Barry was so aware of the feelings a sound evokes that his choice for orchestra size brings exactly what is needed. And apart from the movie it is just a wonder to behold. All the nuances speak to me even more as i get older and my own emotional palet has grown.
Barry's way to underscore an action is very subtle, increase in volume, a harp glissando, or a bass line when someone leaves. It;s all there while he keeps the music flowing.
lots of great reply's, thank you. And i am glad King Kong still gets enough playtime around the world!
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I gave this title another spin after a long hiatus and enjoyed it very much. Disc 1, of course. The only tracks I jump over are Day Wall and the two Night Walls.
This CD is an example of perfect mastering. The sound is rich and crystal clear with the perfect amount of warmth. I love it when a vintage recording makes an exquisite transition to the digital era, preserved forever in a perfect state. You're really getting the best of both worlds when it's done this well.
And I'm in complete agreement with you guys about the size of the orchestra. Sometimes more is not more. There's just nothing I would change.
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I bumped this because Zap makes a great point about the sound quality.
There was debate about SUPERMAN - released two years later- and whether ' ancient' 70s scores can still sound good.
Yes. They can Yes. They do.
Brm
P.s. SAE has a used copy. 1995 cheap!
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I just listened to KING KONG: THE DELUXE EDITION. Way to go FSM ! It sounds fantastic ! If I did not know better I would never guess it was originally recorded in the mid 70's. Great job !
D'Oh!!!!!
Seriously, folks. As I stated in the SUPE thread, recording technology in the 70s is very.comporable to today.
The basics have.not changed just because digital has replaced analog.
60s, 70s 2000s... not much to separate them in audio quality and fidelity.
Keep listening!
Brm
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