# Can you guys recommend some scores/composers that sound like these?



## Lunatique (Jul 14, 2010)

One of my very first posts here back when I first joined was asking about notable impressionistic scores/composers, and now years later, this is kind of a follow up to that thread. I have uploaded a few of my favorite tracks from some Japanese animation/film scores that I love, and they all share a common sensibility--namely a very lush, melodic, romantic, or haunting feel, and most are obviously influenced by French impressionism and also Russian composers like Prokofiev, Stravinsky...etc. I don't hear scores like these anymore--it seems that style went out of fashion, just like how impressionism influence scores in the west went out of fashion decades ago. It's really a shame because I love the sound, especially the beautifully intricate string writing, the wonderful orchestration, and the gorgeous melodies. 

So, as a follow up question to what I asked years ago when I first joined, can you guys recommend some specific scores/tracks/composers that sound very similar to these tracks I've uploaded? Obviously, I already know the popular ones like Debussy, Ravel, and their contemporaries, plus big name film composers like John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith...etc, but go ahead and recommend anyway because they might have some obscure works I don't know about. Please don't say "most scores from the 40's and 50's" as that's way too broad. Give me specifics so I can hunt them down. Thanks!

(EDIT: I have re-uploaded to three additional file sharing sites. At least one of them should work.)
Here's the upload (36 MB)
http://www.filedropper.com/japanesescores
http://www.yourfilelink.com/get.php?fid=557710
http://www.filesavr.com/JupKGHRX


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## Jaap (Jul 14, 2010)

Some nice pieces there 

A few names that come in mind:

- Takemitshu (slightly more modern, but he has some great pieces which carry a bit the same atmosphere)
- Vaughan Williams (bit like Ravel and Debussy)
- John Adams (maybe a bit more minemalistic, but still pieces like El Dorado might be interesting to check)

2 other non classical composers come in mind outside the regular film composers and that are the 2 game composers Ion Zur and Jeremy Soule.


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## Lunatique (Jul 14, 2010)

Thanks! Any other suggestions? 138 views and only one person has suggestions?


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## DouglasGibsonComposer (Jul 14, 2010)

You would likely enjoy Gabriel Fauré if you have not explored his works. 
He wrote many good "tunes" that have a film score sensibility. 
He was Ravel's teacher for a period of time.


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## EnTaroAdun (Jul 21, 2010)

Lunatique @ 2010-07-15 said:


> Thanks! Any other suggestions? 138 views and only one person has suggestions?


The file is down already.


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## Lunatique (Jul 21, 2010)

I have re-uploaded to another file sharing site: http://www.filedropper.com/japanesescores

Douglas - Thanks for the suggestion. I'll dig into his body of works.

Serge - That looks very interesting. I listened to some clips and they're really good.


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## DouglasGibsonComposer (Jul 21, 2010)

Just saw your link above. I just wanted to let you know my music is on volume 13.
I believe you can have a free preview listen on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Masterworks-New-Era-Vol-13/dp/B002YZA7YS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1279772120&sr=8-1 (http://www.amazon.com/Masterworks-New-E ... 120&amp;sr=8-1)


Cheers


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## synergy543 (Jul 21, 2010)

Hi Robert,

How is the orchestration study going?

From concert orchestral works here are a few that come to mind you might not know about although not quite as "lush" as your animation soundtracks.

Novak: Orchestral Works (Eternal Longing, Tatras, Moravian-Slovak Suite)
Novak is a little known Chech composer who was a contemporary of Dvorak. He writes very beautiful lush melodies.
http://www.amazon.com/Novak-Orchestral-Eternal-Longing-Moravian-Slovak/dp/B00008FTZZ/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1279770011&sr=8-2-fkmr0 (http://www.amazon.com/Novak-Orchestral- ... =8-2-fkmr0)

I know you mentioned Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet before but do you know Cinderella ballet? Its much more lyrical in some ways I think. The complete version has many wonderful sections that are not in the suite versions.
http://www.amazon.com/Sergei-Prokofiev-Cinderella-Complete-Ballet/dp/B0000041OV/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1279772177&sr=1-2 (http://www.amazon.com/Sergei-Prokofiev- ... 177&amp;sr=1-2)

Ravel's Le Toumbeu de Couperin is a very lovely melodic work. This is my favorite version:
http://www.amazon.com/Ma-Mere-LOye-Ravel/dp/B000009J8K/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1279772082&sr=1-3 (http://www.amazon.com/Ma-Mere-LOye-Rave ... 082&amp;sr=1-3)

Do you know the Enchanted Kingdom Op.39 by Tcherepnin? He was going to write the Firebird Ballet until Stravinsky was called in. This might have been his version. There are other goodies on this CD that you might enjoy too such as Liadov's Enchanted Lake, Kikimura, and Rimsky-Korsakov's Le Coq d'Or.
http://www.amazon.com/Enchanted-Kingdom-Pletnev-National-Orchestra/dp/B000001GPM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1279771868&sr=8-2-fkmr0 (http://www.amazon.com/Enchanted-Kingdom ... =8-2-fkmr0)

But of course, the master of the style from your examples is *Joe Hisaishi* who you already know I'm sure from the Ghibli soundtracks.

Cheers,

Greg


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## EnTaroAdun (Jul 22, 2010)

Lunatique @ 2010-07-22 said:


> I have re-uploaded to another file sharing site: http://www.filedropper.com/japanesescores


Which sadly does not work.
So I still haven't heard the music, but from what you've written I'd second Joe Hisaishi (who's one of my favorite composers).

Since you mentioned Debussy, you could like this one:
http://rapidshare.com/files/292179117/2008-11-04.rar
It's a symphonie of Pelléas et Mélisande played by the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. Very nice music.
(Just for information: This is not a rip from a CD. I recorded it from a digital radio stream.)


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## Lunatique (Jul 22, 2010)

OK, two more different file hosting links. I'm sure at least one of them will work:

http://www.yourfilelink.com/get.php?fid=557710

http://www.filesavr.com/JupKGHRX


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## Lunatique (Jul 22, 2010)

EnTaroAdun @ Thu Jul 22 said:


> So I still haven't heard the music, but from what you've written I'd second Joe Hisaishi (who's one of my favorite composers).
> 
> Since you mentioned Debussy, you could like this one:
> http://rapidshare.com/files/292179117/2008-11-04.rar
> ...



I do like Hisaishi, and I've been been following his work since the 80's when I was still a teenager. He's not very impressionistic though--I think of him as more romantic.

Thank you so much for that captured audio stream. It's very nice! I love Debussy. 

Now that I have uploaded to two more file sharing sites, I'm sure you can download from at least one of them. I think you'll really enjoy the tracks I uploaded.


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## Lunatique (Jul 22, 2010)

Greg - Thank you for the suggestions. I'll definitely check them out. 

I've been very busy teaching an art workshop (http://workshops.cgsociety.org/courses/000139/), so I haven't been able to devote nearly as much time to music as I'd like. But I've discovered that I need to work more on my composition than my orchestration, since I've always had a knack for arrangement, but I can't say the same for composition. I've just installed Windows 7 64-bit, and now I'm reinstalling everything, which is such a gigantic pain in the ass. But hopefully once that's done, I can work on some new music.


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## EnTaroAdun (Jul 22, 2010)

Lunatique @ 2010-07-22 said:


> I think you'll really enjoy the tracks I uploaded.


Yes, indeed very nice songs. I only know similar stuff from Animes (but most of the times more romantic or more in the direction of JPop).

Here another version of "refrain.mp3", which I like very much:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_N8cGRQ5DM&fmt=18



Lunatique @ 2010-07-22 said:


> Thank you so much for that captured audio stream. It's very nice! I love Debussy.


Yeah me too. I listened to that performance live and was so glad, that there was a note on the ticket, that they'll play it back in the radio.


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## synergy543 (Jul 22, 2010)

Lunatique @ Thu Jul 22 said:


> Greg - Thank you for the suggestions. I'll definitely check them out.
> 
> I've been very busy teaching an art workshop (http://workshops.cgsociety.org/courses/000139/), so I haven't been able to devote nearly as much time to music as I'd like. But I've discovered that I need to work more on my composition than my orchestration, since I've always had a knack for arrangement, but I can't say the same for composition....



Robert, I really wanted to take your art class but didn't have time (working on MODO and VUE on the side). You should consider making a DVD version so those of us who have less time might also be able to view the class. It looks very interesting!

As for orchestration vs composition, I find orchestration study very helpful for composition. Studying scores lets you see how others compose and inspires many composition ideas. The orchestration is just sort of the color aspect of composition but I see them as being very integral.

Cheers,

Greg


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## Lunatique (Jul 22, 2010)

EnTaroAdun @ Thu Jul 22 said:


> Here another version of "refrain.mp3", which I like very much:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_N8cGRQ5DM&fmt=18



I like that version better than the other vocal version. This vocal version is more fashionable and trendy. Hayashibara Megumi is an amazing voice-actress--she's like a chameleon. I once saw her doing a bunch of the well-known characters she's voiced live on stage at one of the anime conventions, and it was just astounding how she could sound like completely different personalities. 



synergy543 @ Thu Jul 22 said:


> Robert, I really wanted to take your art class but didn't have time (working on MODO and VUE on the side). You should consider making a DVD version so those of us who have less time might also be able to view the class. It looks very interesting!
> 
> As for orchestration vs composition, I find orchestration study very helpful for composition. Studying scores lets you see how others compose and inspires many composition ideas. The orchestration is just sort of the color aspect of composition but I see them as being very integral.



Many people have asked me to write a book or do DVD's, but as my students have discovered, part of the magic is interaction--the eye-opening discussions, the critiques, the additional "AHA!" moments that takes place during the workshop, when students and the instructor interact in a private, intimate environment. In fact, that is one thing the students who graduated miss the most--that interaction. Most of my students have full-time jobs or a full-time students, or have family to take care of--some even just had a kid, but they're doing it anyway. 

And yes, I agree that orchestration and composition are so closely tied together. I think for me, the thing I really to work on is advanced counterpoint and sophisticated harmonic progressions, such as in the examples I posted. But then again, I noticed that some of today's famous film composers (especially the ones known for writing action films, trailer music, and hybrid scores) can't even do that (or they choose not to, or haven't had the chance to). It's just like when Mike Verta posted the Star Trek Theme version 1 and version 2--it really made me laugh because he's so right. Most orchestrations and compositions today sound like version 1--really dumbed down and simple, whereas the stuff I grew up with (like the examples I posted) are far more sophisticated and advanced, and his version 2 captured that beautifully.


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## Lunatique (Jul 25, 2010)

DouglasGibsonComposer @ Wed Jul 21 said:


> Just saw your link above. I just wanted to let you know my music is on volume 13.
> I believe you can have a free preview listen on Amazon.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Masterworks-New-Era-Vol-13/dp/B002YZA7YS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1279772120&sr=8-1 (http://www.amazon.com/Masterworks-New-E ... 120&amp;sr=8-1)
> ...



It's good to have you here at VI. Control. Can you shed a little light on the story behind that series of CD's (beyond the marketing material)?


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## Stevie (Aug 14, 2010)

Lovely music! Especially the mentioned string parts.


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## Zei (Aug 15, 2010)

A lot of this sounds like video game music. As mentioned, Joe Hisaishi would be a good one (though, you say you've already heard him). Nobuo Uematsu has this sounds, though he's not quite as "modern" as these are.

"Refrain" reminded me of [urlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6fJqwWZBVc"Worlds Yet Unexplored"[/url] by Motoi Sakuraba.

"Floating City" sounded like "Stone Temple Tower" from Koji Kondo, with it's Phrygian flavor. They've even got the same tonic! I just played them over each other and, aside from the polytempo we've got going on, it works very well!

"Summer Clouds" reminded me of "Windfall Island" from Koji Kondo, for whatever reason.

The other songs reminded me of some random songs that I couldn't find/remember (though "To Zanarkdand" by Nobuo Uematsu was one of them".


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## David Story (Aug 22, 2010)

Give a listen to the score to Coraline, you can here bits of it in gameplay videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRAjYE0P ... re=related
In the clear at 0:48

By Mark Waters. PM me if you like.


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