# Don Davis' THE MATRIX Full Score now available!



## apessino (Jun 18, 2014)

After the great Batman score last month Omni is back, this time with the full orchestral score to one of the most significant and amazing soundtracks of all time: The Matrix by Don Davis.

Get it while you can... 

http://www.omnimusicpublishing.com/


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## njO (Jun 18, 2014)

Ordered! 

Does anyone know if La-La Land Records have plans to release the full score for this?

Here's also a nice documentary of Don Davis, "Inside the Matrix Live":
http://filmmusicreporter.com/2014/06/05 ... cumentary/

Nils Johan


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## Kralc (Jun 18, 2014)

Nice! I'll definitely hav to pick this up at some point.

I want to know what they mean by "generously bound". My Batman is in pieces, I hope their new stuff doesn't fall apart as quickly.


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## Ozymandias (Jun 18, 2014)

njO @ Wed Jun 18 said:


> Here's also a nice documentary of Don Davis, "Inside the Matrix Live":
> http://filmmusicreporter.com/2014/06/05 ... cumentary/



Very interesting - thanks for posting that. A shame the sound quality wasn't better for the rehearsal bits... :/


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## Shubus (Jun 18, 2014)

In terms of binding, Batman is "perfect bound" - meaning the edges of the pages are glued together. Some day I hope to see a score "signature bound" where sections of double pages are sewn together--those last forever.

Anyway, I've ordered my copy of Matrix.


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## apessino (Jun 18, 2014)

Ozymandias @ Wed Jun 18 said:


> njO @ Wed Jun 18 said:
> 
> 
> > Here's also a nice documentary of Don Davis, "Inside the Matrix Live":
> ...



+1! Great stuff! Man I would have loved to see that concert...  

I remember coming out of the theater when I first saw The Matrix thinking that, like many other things about the film, the score was a revolution and would be epochal. I really thought that after that Don Davis would become as big as the Williams, Goldsmiths, etc. of the world, instead he did another couple of (forgettable) scores and then all but disappeared. I don't think he has scored a movie in many years, not even with the Wachowskis. I wonder what happened...


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## Peter Alexander (Jun 18, 2014)

Shubus @ Wed Jun 18 said:


> In terms of binding, Batman is "perfect bound" - meaning the edges of the pages are glued together. Some day I hope to see a score "signature bound" where sections of double pages are sewn together--those last forever.
> 
> Anyway, I've order my copy of Matrix.



If scores were major sellers you might see that. But given the small numbers that move, perfect bound (used by Dover) is the best for now. Spiral is good, but it creates shipping problems and is more expensive since each unit must be manually handled.


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## RiffWraith (Jun 18, 2014)

apessino @ Thu Jun 19 said:


> I remember coming out of the theater when I first saw The Matrix thinking that, like many other things about the film, the score was a revolution and would be epochal. I really thought that after that Don Davis would become as big as the Williams, Goldsmiths, etc. of the world, instead he did another couple of (forgettable) scores and then all but disappeared. I don't think he has scored a movie in many years, not even with the Wachowskis. I wonder what happened...



Hasn't done any films since '07, and did a Matrix game in '09. Been at it since '84 - long time. Maybe he just had enough. Not everyone wants to be the next Williams, Goldsmith, HZ, JNH, etc.

Cheers.


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## Shubus (Jun 18, 2014)

Peter, as a side note, my "perfect bound" copies of Professional Orchestration are holding up very well despite frequent use.


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## gaz (Jun 18, 2014)

Ah nice! I went to order this and they want $65 shipping (to Japan). wow! The Batman only cost $35 (which I thought was extreme), so I guess I will sadly pass this one up.


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## Lex (Jun 18, 2014)

Such great news, been waiting a long time for this one..


As for what is Mr. Davis up to, his web site is a good source of info (gasp)..
Be sure to check out the opera he was working on between 2006 and 2010, Rio De Sangre 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005ERIBP0/

alex


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## Peter Alexander (Jun 18, 2014)

Shubus @ Wed Jun 18 said:


> Peter, as a side note, my "perfect bound" copies of Professional Orchestration are holding up very well despite frequent use.



Whew! o=?


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## Peter Alexander (Jun 18, 2014)

gaz @ Wed Jun 18 said:


> Ah nice! I went to order this and they want $65 shipping (to Japan). wow! The Batman only cost $35 (which I thought was extreme), so I guess I will sadly pass this one up.



FYI, we've seen International shipping jump $20 in the past 18 months.


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## JohnG (Jun 19, 2014)

Those interested also might consider John Adams' "Harmonielehre" score, which may have influenced Mr. Davis.

Some time back, I rented The Matrix (which I think is one of the all-time dumbest films made) because of the score, which I really like, and there was a menu item that allowed you to listen to just the score - no dialogue or FX - and, if I remember correctly, hear Mr. Davis' commentary. I found it illuminating to see what he spotted and what he didn't with the sound off. 

Also, it spares one, to some extent, the full force of Keanu's "acting."

http://www.amazon.com/Harmonielehre-Orchestra-Score-John-Adams/dp/0793567998/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1403193490&sr=8-5&keywords=john+adams+harmonielehre (http://www.amazon.com/Harmonielehre-Orc ... monielehre)


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## JJP (Jun 19, 2014)

JohnG @ Thu Jun 19 said:


> Those interested also might consider John Adams' "Harmonielehre" score, which may have influenced Mr. Davis.



I'm so happy somebody pointed out this score. I remember seeing The Matrix and instantly thinking, "Well, it's pretty obvious what the temp was for this film."


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## RiffWraith (Jun 19, 2014)

Peter Alexander @ Thu Jun 19 said:


> gaz @ Wed Jun 18 said:
> 
> 
> > Ah nice! I went to order this and they want $65 shipping (to Japan). wow! The Batman only cost $35 (which I thought was extreme), so I guess I will sadly pass this one up.
> ...



And it's going to jump another $20 in the near future when oil hits $200/barrel because of what is going on in Iraq. :evil:


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## Hicks (Jun 19, 2014)

JJP @ Thu Jun 19 said:


> JohnG @ Thu Jun 19 said:
> 
> 
> > Those interested also might consider John Adams' "Harmonielehre" score, which may have influenced Mr. Davis.
> ...



Don't forget to mention Nixon in China by Adams which was also obviously used as a temp.


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## bryla (Jun 19, 2014)

I spoke with Don last year and he clearly and publicly mentions Harmonielehre as the main influence for The Matrix.


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## Ozymandias (Jun 19, 2014)

Hicks @ Thu Jun 19 said:


> JJP @ Thu Jun 19 said:
> 
> 
> > JohnG @ Thu Jun 19 said:
> ...



Interestingly, in the documentary linked above, Davis says that the editor (Zach Staenberg) doesn't cut to a temp score...

http://youtu.be/bs1O3pFTTOI?t=16m35s


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## njO (Jun 19, 2014)

From what Don Davis says in the documentary posted above, the editor of Matrix Zack Staenberg are not in the habit of using temp tracks, and did not use any for the Matrix. So it's all Don Davis under the influence of Harmonielehre.


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## dcoscina (Jun 19, 2014)

I almost asked Adams whether he'd seen the Matrix during a conversation I had with him after a concert he gave in Detroit in 2000 but common sense got the better of me.


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## synergy543 (Jun 19, 2014)

JohnG @ Thu Jun 19 said:


> Those interested also might consider John Adams' "Harmonielehre" score, which may have influenced Mr. Davis.


The commments on Amazon make it seem that this score is very hard to read due to the excessive use of repeats (making it hard to get a vertical picture of score notes at any point in time). 

Is it really this bad?


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## JohnG (Jun 19, 2014)

It's just one single comment, so bear that in mind. 

Film scores use repeat markings all over the place.


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