dcoscina
Senior Member
I had the opportunity to listen to this entire score (the FSM "Bluebox" release that took its masters from the original recording from the film which emphasizes the brass more than the Rhino re release from the late '90s).
Listening intently to thematic development and diversity, orchestration, and narrative adherence, I firmly believe this score to be the greatest in the history of the medium. Of course that's my opinion but as far as how Williams approached this score, but moreover how he developed it within the narrative, well, it reminds me of Wagner's approach to opera.
Themes and Key Scenes
Main Theme- Superman March (ironically very few cues feature this theme unadorned save for the Helicopter Rescue). Most cues only have the that alternating dominant to tonic brass figure which in of itself is a derivation of the Krypton Theme. You get a quote from this alternating figure during the Trip To Earth cue, the beginning of the Racing the Train, and various other parts of the score. The composer leans on this figure far more than the entire main theme as its concise format lends itself almost to a leitmotif like function.
Krypton Theme- as stated above, Williams has a field day inserting and varying this theme (more of motive actually) throughout the score. Appropriately, we don't hear it during the Smallville sequences of the film until Clark discovers the green crystal. This theme most dramatically returns when Superman is conflicted over whether to follow the edit of Jor El or Pa Kent during the climax sequence of the film.
During the Krypton part of the film, the composer chose wordless choir and electronics to evoke the other-worldiness of the setting.
Smallville theme- a warm, Americana piece that is more fixed to this chapter of the film. Williams changes its effect from the pastoral mid West simple life feel to a plaintive mournful one when Pa Kent dies. Instrumentation is all orchestra and warmer sonorities. The exception is the Train chase cue where brass ostinati mirror the sound of the train.
Metropolis- Williams didn't really assign a theme to the city but changed the style of his music from the almost religious tone of Kypton and pandiatonic mode of Smallville to more a urban sounding orchestral sound.
For much of this music, Williams chose suspended brass chords and some interesting bi-tonal settings, even contrasting his earlier themes against set piece music in two different keys.
March of the Villains/Otis' Theme- a Prokofiev like piece that highlights some terrific tuba writing that evokes the bumbling oaf that is Otis. Mario Puzo's influence on this part of the screenplay was said to be responsible for the tone changing to a lighter, humorous one. Unlike the Main Theme, Williams did use the entire theme when Otis is followed by an undercover cop into Luthor's Lair. Williams later does a nice play on this theme by using muted brass lending a sneering type sound to it.
Helicopter Rescue- A pivotal sequence both musically and narratively- remember, we haven't seen Superman fully yet. The composer introduced the lead up to the main theme exposition by putting forth the 12/8 rhythmic figure in pieces. As the events transpire on screen and we see Clark's shirt part to reveal the "S" Williams announces Superman's brass motif. There are some almost aleatoric frenzied violin figures as helicopter drops racing towards Superman and Lois.
Love Theme- The first 5 notes are indeed the same notes that can be found in Richard Strauss' Death and Transfiguration. But what Williams does after those notes are really what distinguishes this piece especially the harmonic departure he makes. Lois' theme is used at various points but none so effectively as in the scene where her car is engulfed by an earthquake and she's trapped juxtaposed to Superman rescuing various other people in the wake of Luthor's dual atomic bombings. The harried, atonal setting and compacted presentation of her theme in the strings creates a significant impact as other presentations of her theme have been pleasant. By contrasting the main line with the dissonance, the music speaks to the urgency and gravity of the moment.
**************
These are but a few observations I made while listening to this magnificent score. It hits all of the action but never feels like empty Micky-Mousing because of the thematic breadth at the composer's disposal. The music goes through a series of transformations that follow the journey of the title character. Even moreso than Star Wars, Williams reached a height that probably will never be achieved again for film. The music works incredibly well in context but has enough substantive material to work away from the film, acting almost like a tone poem (*again the Strauss reference).
This is by far my favorite Williams score. It would be my Desert Island soundtrack as it has everything in it. Epic, humor, action, romance, sacred, even a bit of contemporary (for the '70s which is the score's only weakness as it dates it a little).
For Man Of Steel, I for one am glad Hans Zimmer decided to stray very far from this score. Samples from his upcoming score sound very good, heroic but decidedly different. Some people (mostly film score geeks on soundtrack forums) have already condemned Hans' music based on short samples (sigh) but I feel it's because they cannot make a break from Williams' original. Pity because I think they will be missing out on a new, exciting chapter in this character's film genesis.
Listening intently to thematic development and diversity, orchestration, and narrative adherence, I firmly believe this score to be the greatest in the history of the medium. Of course that's my opinion but as far as how Williams approached this score, but moreover how he developed it within the narrative, well, it reminds me of Wagner's approach to opera.
Themes and Key Scenes
Main Theme- Superman March (ironically very few cues feature this theme unadorned save for the Helicopter Rescue). Most cues only have the that alternating dominant to tonic brass figure which in of itself is a derivation of the Krypton Theme. You get a quote from this alternating figure during the Trip To Earth cue, the beginning of the Racing the Train, and various other parts of the score. The composer leans on this figure far more than the entire main theme as its concise format lends itself almost to a leitmotif like function.
Krypton Theme- as stated above, Williams has a field day inserting and varying this theme (more of motive actually) throughout the score. Appropriately, we don't hear it during the Smallville sequences of the film until Clark discovers the green crystal. This theme most dramatically returns when Superman is conflicted over whether to follow the edit of Jor El or Pa Kent during the climax sequence of the film.
During the Krypton part of the film, the composer chose wordless choir and electronics to evoke the other-worldiness of the setting.
Smallville theme- a warm, Americana piece that is more fixed to this chapter of the film. Williams changes its effect from the pastoral mid West simple life feel to a plaintive mournful one when Pa Kent dies. Instrumentation is all orchestra and warmer sonorities. The exception is the Train chase cue where brass ostinati mirror the sound of the train.
Metropolis- Williams didn't really assign a theme to the city but changed the style of his music from the almost religious tone of Kypton and pandiatonic mode of Smallville to more a urban sounding orchestral sound.
For much of this music, Williams chose suspended brass chords and some interesting bi-tonal settings, even contrasting his earlier themes against set piece music in two different keys.
March of the Villains/Otis' Theme- a Prokofiev like piece that highlights some terrific tuba writing that evokes the bumbling oaf that is Otis. Mario Puzo's influence on this part of the screenplay was said to be responsible for the tone changing to a lighter, humorous one. Unlike the Main Theme, Williams did use the entire theme when Otis is followed by an undercover cop into Luthor's Lair. Williams later does a nice play on this theme by using muted brass lending a sneering type sound to it.
Helicopter Rescue- A pivotal sequence both musically and narratively- remember, we haven't seen Superman fully yet. The composer introduced the lead up to the main theme exposition by putting forth the 12/8 rhythmic figure in pieces. As the events transpire on screen and we see Clark's shirt part to reveal the "S" Williams announces Superman's brass motif. There are some almost aleatoric frenzied violin figures as helicopter drops racing towards Superman and Lois.
Love Theme- The first 5 notes are indeed the same notes that can be found in Richard Strauss' Death and Transfiguration. But what Williams does after those notes are really what distinguishes this piece especially the harmonic departure he makes. Lois' theme is used at various points but none so effectively as in the scene where her car is engulfed by an earthquake and she's trapped juxtaposed to Superman rescuing various other people in the wake of Luthor's dual atomic bombings. The harried, atonal setting and compacted presentation of her theme in the strings creates a significant impact as other presentations of her theme have been pleasant. By contrasting the main line with the dissonance, the music speaks to the urgency and gravity of the moment.
**************
These are but a few observations I made while listening to this magnificent score. It hits all of the action but never feels like empty Micky-Mousing because of the thematic breadth at the composer's disposal. The music goes through a series of transformations that follow the journey of the title character. Even moreso than Star Wars, Williams reached a height that probably will never be achieved again for film. The music works incredibly well in context but has enough substantive material to work away from the film, acting almost like a tone poem (*again the Strauss reference).
This is by far my favorite Williams score. It would be my Desert Island soundtrack as it has everything in it. Epic, humor, action, romance, sacred, even a bit of contemporary (for the '70s which is the score's only weakness as it dates it a little).
For Man Of Steel, I for one am glad Hans Zimmer decided to stray very far from this score. Samples from his upcoming score sound very good, heroic but decidedly different. Some people (mostly film score geeks on soundtrack forums) have already condemned Hans' music based on short samples (sigh) but I feel it's because they cannot make a break from Williams' original. Pity because I think they will be missing out on a new, exciting chapter in this character's film genesis.
