Training Log Archive: iansmithIn the 7 days ending Nov 1, 2015: |
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Friday Oct 30, 2015 #
Note
Terrible week due to (1) illness (mancold), (2) busy-ass schedule (not a good reason), and (3) some pain in my left foot that started at the Highlander. At the very least, I should be going to das gym and grinding away on the elliptical or stationary bike while listening to hardcore history.
Tuesday Oct 27, 2015 #
Note
So, there's apparently another Star Wars movie coming out. I'm a fan of the series, but I don't have high expectations for the 7th movie. If JJ Abrams does to Ep. 7 what he did to Star Treks XI and XII, I expect to be underwhelmed.
However, one aspect of the Star Wars universe which is truly extraordinary is the music. John Williams - like Howard Shore and many other modern movie composers - incorporates the leitmotif technique, in which a particular melody or theme corresponds to a character, group, or concept. Three examples are the "Gondor theme" from Lord of the Rings, the Imperial March - Darth Vader's and more generally the Empire's theme from Star Wars, and one of my favorites, the Force theme - which is also Luke's theme - from Star Wars. Leitmotifs can be very simple - for instance, the two-note Jaws theme is the shark's theme and is played whenever the shark makes and appearance.
The latest trailer doesn't disappoint; the music is incredibly powerful. Some nerds managed to find lossless music tracks for the trailer and posted them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooncd-c519A
Pay key attention to:
- Dramatic piano notes and long string notes in the first 30s to build tension
- Gradual crescendo in 0:40 - 0:56, especially among the swelling horns
- Appearance of the stirring Han and Leia theme at 0:56 in the chorus, with more crescendo into:
- The climax at 1:13! The Force theme, played by the French horns in a wall of sound with percussion, a chorus, and strings. An orgasm for your ears. Note that the force theme, despite being associated with the protagonists, is in a minor key, which in this context gives it a very dark tone. The climax ends with hemiola - 3 vs 2 rhythm - in the percussion at 1:47.
- Silence at 1:51; you have to take a break for contrast.
- 1:54 - A slow, soaring appearance of the heroic main theme (good guys?) by a glorious solo French horn over a happy major chord in the strings.
Amazeballs. I really would like to hear this live; the experience is different when the collective ff sound of the orchestra makes your chair shake.
However, one aspect of the Star Wars universe which is truly extraordinary is the music. John Williams - like Howard Shore and many other modern movie composers - incorporates the leitmotif technique, in which a particular melody or theme corresponds to a character, group, or concept. Three examples are the "Gondor theme" from Lord of the Rings, the Imperial March - Darth Vader's and more generally the Empire's theme from Star Wars, and one of my favorites, the Force theme - which is also Luke's theme - from Star Wars. Leitmotifs can be very simple - for instance, the two-note Jaws theme is the shark's theme and is played whenever the shark makes and appearance.
The latest trailer doesn't disappoint; the music is incredibly powerful. Some nerds managed to find lossless music tracks for the trailer and posted them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooncd-c519A
Pay key attention to:
- Dramatic piano notes and long string notes in the first 30s to build tension
- Gradual crescendo in 0:40 - 0:56, especially among the swelling horns
- Appearance of the stirring Han and Leia theme at 0:56 in the chorus, with more crescendo into:
- The climax at 1:13! The Force theme, played by the French horns in a wall of sound with percussion, a chorus, and strings. An orgasm for your ears. Note that the force theme, despite being associated with the protagonists, is in a minor key, which in this context gives it a very dark tone. The climax ends with hemiola - 3 vs 2 rhythm - in the percussion at 1:47.
- Silence at 1:51; you have to take a break for contrast.
- 1:54 - A slow, soaring appearance of the heroic main theme (good guys?) by a glorious solo French horn over a happy major chord in the strings.
Amazeballs. I really would like to hear this live; the experience is different when the collective ff sound of the orchestra makes your chair shake.