The Official Star Trek Music Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Nelson Au]

That's interesting Osato. Might pick that up even though I don't have a turn table. But I've been giving thought to adding one recently. Would love to see them release the TMP score as high res files too. I'd pay for that!

 

[Nelson Au]

Josh, Alan, interesting, from the description of the two disc set, it said the sound effects were on the second disc. The original single disc release must have been able to fit the sound effects as the score wasn't as complete as the two disc.

 

[Carabimero]

I still have my original LP of TMP, ROTJ, STAR WARS, TESB, CAPRICORN ONE, and SUPERMAN.

 

[KPmusmag]

This was actually a single disc edition that was the first release of the soundtrack - the one that came out at the same time as the movie, in 1994. I remember getting it at the time the movie came out or shortly after and listening to it a ton as I waited for the home video release. The main theme, which I think the disc called the Generations Overture, is really fantastic.

I believe the Generations Overture on that album is the End Title music. Since Generations does not have the typical rousing Main Title track, perhaps the producers of the album felt that would be more satisfying as a listening experience. That "Overture" is a great track. And I swear I can hear hints of DS9 in it.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

And I swear I can hear hints of DS9 in it.

It has a little bit of a similar vibe, I don't know that I had ever thought about it before but I instantly hear it in my head now that you mention it. The DS9 take on the idea is a bit more regal, more official, more buttoned up, in a grand way. The Generations version is more epic, wide open, somewhere between the operatic and symphonic and western.

I saw the live orchestra tour thing last year and that was one of the great highlights of the program for me. Between McCarthy's Generations theme and Goldsmith's First Contact theme, I was feeling somewhere between rock show fist pump and blubbering mess of happy tears.

 

[Harry-N]

I still have my original LP of TMP, ROTJ, STAR WARS, TESB, CAPRICORN ONE, and SUPERMAN.

I do too. The first four STAR TREK movie soundtracks, plus all of the GNP Crescendo and Label X LPs plus the sound effects record.

 

[TravisR]

I still have my original LP of TMP, ROTJ, STAR WARS, TESB, CAPRICORN ONE, and SUPERMAN.

About 15 years ago, I bought the Lapti Nek (the song in Jabba's palace) 12" single from Return Of The Jedi at my then-comic book store.

 

[Osato]

Beyond deluxe version review:
http://trekmovie.com/2017/03/06/soundtrack-review-star-trek-beyond-the-deluxe-edition/

 

[Nelson Au]

I had a listen to several of the new TNG discs. I was surprised by the score for Tin Man. It's been a while since I'd seen the episode. It was a favorite and I remembered the score being quite good. All the things that Rick Berman quickly stopped. It was melodic, had a theme and some cool effects for Tin Man. It was noticeable. And it wasn't by Ron Jones. I mostly think of Chattaway and McCarthy as doing pretty bland scores. So from this one example, Chattaway had a chance to really do something. But I'm guessing that he and McCarthy had to put a lid on it after Ron Jones left. I had started with the Voyager score for Caretaker and it was kind of bland.

After listening to the score for The Defector from the Ron Jones set, one if my favorite episodes paired with The Enemy, I was surprised by how similar some of the tracks sounded with Chattaway's works. I wondered if they listened to each other and tried to maintain a sort similarity for consistency. I really liked the variant of the Klingon theme for the Romulans. I finally opened the Ron Jones set.

 

[Osato]

http://www.treknews.net/2017/03/08/star-trek-motion-picture-vinyl-lp/

More detail and track listing

 

[Nelson Au]

That's a great track listing, looks like the entire film score, proper. As I said above, I'd pay for a high rez file of that.

 

[Osato]

That's a great track listing, looks like the entire film score, proper. As I said above, I'd pay for a high rez file of that.

Best soundtrack of any Trek tv show or film.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

That's a great track listing, looks like the entire film score, proper. As I said above, I'd pay for a high rez file of that.

The vinyl is high res.

Neil

 

[Osato]

The vinyl is high res.

Neil

Outstanding.
Limited pressing.

 

[Nelson Au]

Listening to the TNG discs I recently picked up inspired me to re-view a few episodes. The Enemy and The Defector and The Survivors. All great episodes.

I was wondering if I could hear the scores in the episodes because I remember hearing certain parts in the episode during big tense moments or action scenes. But the tracks that tended to be repetitive and low level were just there for background sounds most of the time and didn't really draw attention to itself. But I could hear it now that I was listening for it.

One reaction I didn't expect by listening to the TNG tracks is that they felt so 80's! There are certain instruments or perhaps synthesizers that created a sound that seemed to be used a lot then. I had been trying to find the score for Moonlighting, the Cybil Shephard/Bruce Willis series. I was trying to find the actual track used on the pilot for the end titles where Al Jarreau actually sings Moonloghting. Best I could find was a single CD that's close but still a remix. The entire soundtrack for the pilot of Moonlighting would be a great release for La La Land or other label if it's possible. I bring this up because it's soundtrack has that same kind of sound I hear in the TNG tracks. I can best describe it as 'sweet', or and romantic. I've been having an odd replay or flashback to that time. Not sure if it's nostalgic or I've been just thinking of those times lately. The TNG tracks just solidified that feeling for me. The 1980's and early 1990's were an interesting time and it's odd to look back now. 30 years is long enough to consider some stuff from then as classics. And I'm surprised I felt that way from listening to some of the TNG tracks.

I'd be curious if anyone knows anything about a Moonlighting soundtrack, if it's even possible for the actual pilot score and if there's even a market for it.

Neil, sure, the vinyl is hi-res. . Might have to buy a vintage turntable some time soon.

 

[Jason_V]

Nelson, for me, most of the later TNG music is merely okay. Not a single track from anything post S4 sticks in my head (no even All Good Things...). The composers all had to tone down their music per Berman, which is sad. The early work is bombastic, unique and memorable to me. I will regularly go back to S1 music on the Ron Jones set just "because." My favorite score in that 14 disc set is The Defector.

The same goes for the other series scores. There are some good parts I enjoy when listening to them, but very few stick in my head. The notable exception is the montage music from DS9's What You Leave Behind.

The Captain Proton material from the Voyager set is quickly becoming my favorite precisely because it is unlike the series music. I'm looking forward to getting to Scorpion in the set; that 2 part episode has fantastic music in it.

 

[Nelson Au]

Jason, I agree. And from my not so well developed knowledge of the composers and not paying too close attention to the music of TNG, I just had this impression that McCarthy and Chattaway were just not very interesting composers.

The early episodes of TNG definitely had some memorable scores. The Best of Both Worlds, Tin Man and the Romulan scores all stood out. But the other series didn't have as interesting scores. And I found out later why. If Roddenberry had remained a producer later, it would have been interesting if he'd have tried to insist on maintaining the music.

I've only had a chance to listen to the one disc on the Ron Jones set that had The Defector per your earlier comments. I'll be trying to more of it and the new La La Land sets. You have be curious about Scorpion, it's been a while so I don't recall it. That and Equinox.

 

[Jason_V]

Nelson, TNG S5 BD's has a roundtable with the composers. It's well worth a watch. Jones, McCarthy and Chattaway are always blunt and honest with the challenges bringing music to the franchise. It's Berman, frankly, who didn't want the music to get in the way of the episode itself. What he didn't understand is that the music complements the action, provides a dramatic cue and gets etched into people's brains.

What would TOS be without the Vulcan fight music from "Amok Time"? That was as in your face as you're ever likely to get.

Very little, if anything, from the latter years of TNG and all of DS9 is memorable. Voyager has sporadic memorable music. Enterprise, by virtue of all the fights Berman and Braga were having with UPN, ended up fairing better IMO. The composers were able to stretch a bit more. Sadly, this is also why we're not going to get complete DS9, VOY and ENT scores like we have for TOS and TNG. It's basically background music. That saddens me...but damn, we are incredibly lucky to have the plethora of music we actually have from the franchise.

 

[Osato]

The vinyl is high res.

Neil

So what does this mean exactly?
Is it going to sound a lot different then the cd release?
I have a technics lp player.

 

[Nelson Au]

Jason, thanks for the heads up on the season 5 blu-ray. I will check that out! It will be of more interest to me now.

I'm beginning to see that nearly every episode of TNG had its own score. And yes, Amok Time and Doomsday Machine are truly iconic for the music too! So I'm guessing there wasn't nearly the amount of TNG music tracked like it was on TOS.

I'll be listening more.