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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

The next great film composer?

Discussion in 'Star Wars And Film Music' started by sbk1234, Nov 19, 2014.

  1. sbk1234

    sbk1234 Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 2014
    In my life, I've been privileged to hear the music of some brilliant film composers. Of course, there's the great John Williams. But there's also Bill Conti, Jerry Goldsmith, John Berry, Alan Silvestri, Elmer Bernstein, James Horner, and the list goes on.

    While I'm fairly familiar with these talented artists, I can't think of any newer composers who are making names for themselves. I'm not saying they don't exist, just that I don't know them.

    So, who are the newer composers to watch out for? What have they done?
     
  2. Sarge

    Sarge Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Oct 4, 1998
    Hans Zimmer has composed some stuff that I like a lot.
     
  3. mes520

    mes520 Jedi Master star 4

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    Nov 3, 2012
    James Newton Howard.
     
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  4. Jedi Daniel

    Jedi Daniel Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2000
    Hans Zimmer is fantastic. Love his work from the recent Batman movies. Michael Giacchino is also excellent, who started with video games soundtracks like Medal of Honour. He's now in the big leagues with Pixar movies, Super 8 and the recent Star Trek & Mission Impossible movies.
     
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  5. sbk1234

    sbk1234 Jedi Knight star 1

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    Sep 21, 2014
    It's funny how much music of MIchael Giacchino I've heard without knowing who composed it.
     
  6. Kev Snowmane

    Kev Snowmane Jedi Master star 3

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    Jan 1, 2013
    I think it's really hard to judge modern work because the nature of "scoring" has changed so much since the mid/late 90s.

    Studios don't want to spring for the type of intensive, expensive composing work typical of the greats of the past unless it's for a big-budget blockbuster candidate like Lord of the Rings (or Star Wars, etc).

    Most films, and therefore most modern "composers" are more appropriately (IMO) labeled "soundtrack artists". Rather than putting together a unified body of work with continuing through-themes, leitmotif, etc, they tend towards little emotional "stings" crafted for specific scenes.

    They may be very good stings, mind, but it's an entirely different type of musical effort.
     
  7. Jarren_Lee-Saber

    Jarren_Lee-Saber Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 16, 2008
    I find the lack of mentioning Howard Shore to be disturbing.
     
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  8. Kev Snowmane

    Kev Snowmane Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 1, 2013
    Is he really "new" though? He's not as well known as Williams or the others, but he's more their contemporary than he is with Giaccomo (sp?) or Bear.McCreary.
     
  9. Pogue

    Pogue Jedi Knight star 1

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    Nov 28, 2014
    Ennio Morricone and John Williams are by far the best film composers ever. I can't stand post-Inception Hans Zimmer. Those constant blaring horns sound like the red alert on the Death Star.... Just annoying.
     
  10. DARTH_BELO

    DARTH_BELO Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 25, 2003
    I think John Williams will long be a standard that future analysts measure composers by-recognizable in categories with Mozart, Beethoven and the like...

    Hans Zimmer I will agree is a good one to watch-also one I think worth keeping an eye on is Harry Gregson-Williams. He has some great stuff under his belt so far, the best of which IMO is the score for the Narnia movies-some of my favorite score there.
     
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  11. TheAvengerButton

    TheAvengerButton Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 11, 2011
    Michael Giacchino for sure. He's actually some what of an inspiration for me, being that he's done it all: TV, video games, AND movies.
     
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  12. Barriss_Coffee

    Barriss_Coffee Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2003
    I've noticed Ramin Djawadi has been appearing all over the place in recent years, and he's one of the youngest of the new batch. At first I passed him off as another action movie musician (he did the first Iron Man and Pacific Rim), but then he went and did Game of Thrones, which couldn't be more different. Since he's proven to be versatile thus far, he's definitely one to keep an eye on.
     
  13. WriterMan

    WriterMan Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 26, 2012
    Like others, I immediately thought of James Newton Howard, Michael Giacchino, Hans Zimmer.

    And since someone mentioned video games, I would say that my favorite in that department has to be Jeremy Soule. His work on Knights of the Old Republic, the Elder Scrolls games, and the Harry Potter games have all been excellent.
     
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  14. I Are The Internets

    I Are The Internets Shelf of Shame Host star 9 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Nov 20, 2012
    I think Phillip Glass is great and Phillip Glass is great and Phillip Glass is great and Phillip Glass is great and Phillip Glass is great.
     
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  15. Pensivia

    Pensivia Force Ghost star 5

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    Apr 24, 2013

    [face_laugh] =D= (Thought that reply was worth...repeating:p )
     
  16. Sarge

    Sarge Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Oct 4, 1998
    Let's keep the repetitiveness minimal, shall we?
     
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  17. CommanderDrenn

    CommanderDrenn Jedi Knight star 4

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    Oct 19, 2013
    Howard Shore > all
     
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  18. zhao1701

    zhao1701 Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2015

    You listed composers with very "classical" technique and backgrounds, so I'm curious if you like Hans Zimmer's music, since the answer to that question would determine who I'd recommend. To start, if the answer were no, I'd highly recommend:

    Bear McCreary - He's a highly gifted melodist, but on top of that his control of harmony and counterpoint is breathtaking. And he's just as relentlessly creative as Goldsmith. It helps too that he's a huge Goldsmith and Bernstein fan and even studied with EB I believe.

    John Powell - He just kind of drops your jaw with his technique and ability to cram so many notes into a single second of music and still have it all sound coherent and...well, musical.

    Thomas Newman - He's probably a strange choice since his music is far from classical or traditional, but Jerry Goldsmith was a big fan of his, and Hans Zimmer's even said TN has probably more than anyone revolutionized the use of harmony in film music.

    But if you DO like Hans Zimmer's music, there are other guys to recommend too!
     
  19. Messi

    Messi Jedi Padawan star 2

    Registered:
    Jan 14, 2015

    I love the soundtrack of Interstellar and Dark Knight Rises.

    There is also Cliff Martinez from Solaris and Drive.

    But the best soundtrack made it so far its from Blade Runner, Vangelis is THE musician!
     
  20. Darth Zannah

    Darth Zannah Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 28, 2014
    WOW. Can't believe none of you said Danny Elfman...in my opinion this is the only man who could ever rival John Williams
     
  21. sbk1234

    sbk1234 Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 2014
    I'm not as familiar with Hans Zimmer, but I know I've heard some of his stuff that I've liked.
     
  22. Darth_Nub

    Darth_Nub Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 26, 2009

    This is, without a doubt, the finest work to utilise his talents:








    (OK, OK, they just used Zimmer's music from Backdraft, but Iron Chef is still teh awesome:p)
     
  23. Lanoree

    Lanoree Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Feb 6, 2015
    I think some of James Newton Howard has created some of the greatest movie music I've heard in many years. Especially Signs, which reminds me of old monster classics of the movie Golden Age.
     
  24. darkspine10

    darkspine10 Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Dec 7, 2014
    Howard Shore or James Newton Howard.

    The LOTR soundtrack speaks for itself, and the love Howard's soundtrack for Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Treasure Planet.
     
  25. Howard Hand

    Howard Hand Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 11, 2015
    Right now, nobody. Don't get me wrong, many composers have written great scores in recent years (John Powell, James Newton Howard, Christopher Young to name a few) but none of them can compare to great composers like Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner or (of course) John Williams.