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Ok, most people popping this open will think that I am talking about what ispires you as a composer or whatnot, but I want to know about EVERYONE! Here is my point: When I am listening to a piece of music, there as certain points when I get mad shivers (like that huge chord build on the Main Titles of Spiderman). For me it is usually the use of chords, although it can be a good theme too. Does anyone else get that? What really moves you in music, and who is really good at it (doesn’t HAVE to be Elfman)?
Knight (Not a very good one but we are running a little low on topics
)I know what you mean on the Main Titles of Spiderman, I get “mad shivers” (nice word choice) too. Howard Shore does that a lot too – like the “sweet” feeling with Concerning Hobbits and the majestic feeling with other parts of the score. I also like Elfman’s Beetlejuice theme – I start feeling almost crazy. Music is a powerful thing.
I know what you mean on the Main Titles of Spiderman, I get “mad shivers” (nice word choice) too. Howard Shore moves me emotionally too – like the sweet, innocent feeling with the track Concerning Hobbits and the majestic feeling with other parts of the score. James Newton Howard’s music on Treasure Planet was good too – at times it was sweet and at other times it soared. I also like Elfman’s Beetlejuice theme – it has a very crazy feeling to it. Music is a very powerful thing.
by the way – didn’t mean to post the first one – oops. the second one is the right one – I hit the wrong button! Argh!
Dissonance – lots and lots of dissonance, specifically in the mid-low string or low woodwind ranges. Pieces (and composers) that give me good-vibe shivers: “Dreams of Oenghus” by Rolf Rudin (for wind band – my favorite type of ensemble) and “Kindertotenlieder” (translated as: Songs for Dead Children) by Mahler. Brahms’ “A German Requiem.” The first few seconds of Loreena McKennitt’s “The Mystic’s Dream” work, although it gets a little too New Agey for me after that. Dissonant pieces that give me bad-vibe shivers: Shoenberg’s “Pierrot Lunaire.” (The vocalist’s sprechstimme (sp?) in my recording sounds like Bjork all strung out on God-knows-what drugs they peddle in Iceland. Don’t get me wrong, I love Bjork (Selmasongs is superb). However, Bjork-lite singing about gigantic black moths is creepy stuff).
What else? French horn riffs, very solid horn-and-low-brass countermelodies. I have a habit of listening to the countermelodies instead of the melodies themselves. It stems from the fact that I’ll play the English horn over the oboe any day – and with the EH, you get lots of passages just oozing with luscious countermelodic overindulgence.
-E (Dissonance during my lunch break: Cursive – “Art is Hard”)
The other day I was at the gym on a treadmill. I was almost at 2 miles, had my headphones on, and was listening to Björk. I don’t remember the song (I think it was Undo, either way it was on Vespertine), but the end of the song was nearing, and near the end there is this really big, soaring, beautiful chorus and all of a sudden I felt overwhelmed with some sort of inspiration or joy. It’s like the feeling you get when something really good happens to you and you suddenly feel like life is really a great thing and you can do whatever it is you want to do. It felt kinda like that. I think it may have been what is refferred to as a “runners high”, but I’m not exactly sure. Either way, it was definitely a wonderful, inspiring moment.
“What else? French horn riffs, very solid horn-and-low-brass countermelodies. I have a habit of listening to the countermelodies instead of the melodies themselves.”
If you like that Erika, then I wonder if you’ve ever heard Michael Nyman’s MGV. The countermelody at the end of the last part with the French Horns Screaming is awe-inspiring.
Another thing that Nyman does a lot is to have a rhythmic drive going with short staccato notes, and then he introduces just a long held tone. It gets me every time. Even though he introduces these long tones very quietly, it is very effective and quite noticeable.
Nat
Ditto on the shivers in Main Titles from Spider-man. Also on the climax of Farewell from the same movie. Some others include the towards the end of Finale from Big Fish, the end of Titles Revisited (the percussion solo) from Men In Black II, Isengard Unleashed from The Two Towers (when the boy soprano comes in), and Minas Tirith (the Gondor theme) and The Black Gate (when the pennywhistle comes in) from The Return of the King.
Nat – thanks for the recommendation; I’ve not heard it yet but it’s on my “to buy” list
You probably have it, but “Russian Christmas Music” by Alfred Reed is another good one.Darn, forgot another new selection: the “Angels in America: main title” selection off of Thomas Newman’s “Angels in America” soundtrack. That’s a near-spiritual experience…gives me shivers every time.
-E
I’d have to think about it for a while to come up with an answer for orchestral music, but in songwriting, there’s a magic combination of chord progression, lyrical skill, melody and vocal delivery that hits me really hard when I hear it. Usually it ends up just being one line or a few measures in a song, but it can make all the difference in the world.
F’rinstance, check out Neil Young’s “Campaigner”, Peter Gabriel’s “Father, Son”, the Lowest of the Low’s “Black Monday” and about a squillion Tom Waits songs.
Burt
Danny Elfman’s music! I also listen to Howard Shore, John Williams, etc., But elfman gives me that certain feeling. It captures everything from the melancholy to the macabre, from the dark to the insane. It can be just plain beautiful. i listen to it when I’m trying for my films, etc.
*Drawing for my films, etc.
sorry
arvo pärt, you have to listen to his wonderful music!!!
its a pity that it is pure maths, no feelings. anyway its wonderful!
by the way, i think danny’s “dolores claiborne” is inspired by pärt.Damian
I love Pärt, especially his piece ‘Solfegio’ that is nothing but vocalist singing up the scale using solfeg (do, re, me, fa, so, la, te, do), but they do it at different speeds and different rhythms.
Damian, how do you pronounce his name, I’ve heard it as Pay-ert, but don’t really know the exact pronunciation.
Nat
Hey, cool, lots of replys.
Here is the biggest one lately for me:
In James Newton’s score for Signs, you have the finale split into two parts which is called The Hand of Fate (Pt. 1 and 2) Now, somewhere after the flashback part (with mainly piano, some oboe and clarinet) he whips back into that awesome 3 note motief (but first has some errie scratching on the solo violins) after he does the dark stuff a couple times, he breaks into this awesome variation that just makes you want to cry. That one REALLY hits me hard.
Knight (Who tends to over play everything until it loses it’s effect)
Speaking of Hands of Fate, has anyone heard the score for Manos: The Hands of Fate? Definitely not too inspiring.
hey, nat!
don’t know what way to describe how to pronounce him, i’ll try:
it’s difficult in english: something like “pert” with the “e” like in “elfman”. or in french like “pèrte”.
I love fratres(the version for 12 cellos), magnificat for choir, and passio. he’s a very cool guy.Damian
I dig violins. I’m particularly fond of the screetchy kind, like in The Danse Macabre (that’s my favorite non-Danny piece), and the BeetleJuice score. I mean, I like the violins in the main title to Spider-man–but I still like the ones in BeetleJuice more. The only thing I can think as to why, is the screetchy factor–if that makes any sense.
Drums are fantastic too–especially as used in Nightbreed, to give it a lovely tribal feel. And it’s not really an instument, but I think Danny’s use of choirs are fantastic. I mean in Edward Scissorhands–it just doesn’t get any better.
It’s been all Elfman for me – here’s a list of certain parts from different tracks that make me want to cry, yell out, and/or sigh deeply with a joy and a power that I have felt nowhere else…:
Men In Black II – The Light – that wonderful bittersweet bit at the end, and then that solo guitar…!! *melts*
The Nightmare Before Christmas – Jack’s Theme (LOVE that clarinet! So beautiful and sad…), and the end of the Christmas Eve Montage. Oh, and the Finale…! There are too many things on this score than I can list here that I love…*sighs happily*
Big Top Pee Wee, from MFADT 1 – Love Theme – again, it’s that bittersweet explosion of sound at the end…so sad, and yet so majestic…
Nightbreed (MFADT 1) – the mix of percussion and choir is absolutely amazing!!
Batman Returns – THE WHOLE DARN THING!!! Geez…*is blwon away just thinking about it* The Penguin Theme is… and the Catwoman…. and… and…*is speechless*
!!!!!There is probably a lot more tracks and scores that I’ve forgotten, but these are definitely some of the most worthy of appreciation (but all of Elfman’s music is more than worthy of appreciation!)
Gah – it’s late. I want to listen to those tracks now, but I need to be off to bed. Oh well.
~Leccathu
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