On his fourth score, Herrmann began his lengthy tenure at 20th Century Fox. And as a self-professed Anglophile, Herrmann’s love for the works of the Brontë sisters shows in his lush, passionate music. The score is full of his signature minor-key harmonic structure and dark orchestrations, especially in the bass clarinets, contrabassoons and muted low brass.

The “Prelude” begins with the yearning love theme, a conflicted melody that twists and turns upon itself, with surprising harmonic choices. The oboe at the end of the track gives plaintive voice to Jane’s simple wishes and innocent inner passions.

Click Track: Prelude

Using the first four notes of the love theme, Rochester’s (Orson Welles) theme is every bit as dark and mysterious as the character. The theme announces itself in rousing fashion as Rochester appears on horseback, while the theme catches up with the character’s past as a mysterious presence sets fire to his room.

Click Track: Rochester’s Past/The Fire

But not everything in the score is doom and gloom. Tracks like “Jane’s Departure” from her indenture at the home of her aunt, and “Dreaming” and “Springtime” sparkle with bustling energy and major-key happiness. But moments like these are quick little flickers of candlelight in the dark, illuminating Jane’s basic, unwavering faith in herself.

Herrmann was the perfect choice to score the film. His dark sonorities capture the shadows lurking in Thornfield Hall and swirling in the mist of the moors. Fans of Herrmann’s opera of Wuthering Heights will recognize Jane’s love theme as the foundation for Cathy’s Act III aria, “Oh, I am burning.”

I never heard the original release on the Marco Polo label, so I can’t address the disparaging comments I’ve read about its sound quality. If there were issues, they have been rectified on the Naxos reissue. The sound is full-bodied and lush, as befitting the music, and Adriano’s conducting of the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra brings the score to vibrant life, capturing Herrmann’s intentions without remaining a slave to the tempi and dynamics of the original soundtrack.

If you want Herrmann’s own interpretation, you’ll need Varese Sarabande’s out-of-print Bernard Herrmann at 20th Century Fox box. For those who didn’t purchase that set, and even for those who did, the Naxos reissue makes a worthy, enjoyable alternative. JANE EYRE represents the romantic side of Herrmann—haunted, conflicted, and thoroughly mesmerizing.

CD Review: Jane Eyre is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

But the Academy Awards are my Super Bowl, my World Series, my Tony Awards. Just as silly and pointless, but a powerful marketing tool in our own niche world of film music. With a global audience of 37.6 million for the 2010 awards, that’s a sizable group of people who are exposed to film music, at least for three brief minutes. If they’re smart, they take the Oscars all in the spirit of good, clean fun that it is. And maybe, just maybe, they’ll be inspired to explore this wonderful world of film music, even if they don’t agree with the Academy’s choices. That is, if they didn’t go to the bathroom during that segment…

The Oscars were my entry into film music. Perhaps these 2011 nominees will spark a lifelong love in some young 14-year-old…

BEST SONG

• “Man or Muppet” from THE MUPPETS—Bret McKenzie
• “Real In Rio” from RIO—Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown, Lyric by Siedah Garrett

After all these years and the many idiosyncracies of the AMPAS Music Branch, I didn’t think it was possible for me to be shocked anymore. But  when I first read the Song category on Oscar.com, I couldn’t believe it. I thought there had to be a mistake. Only TWO nominees?! I quickly went to other sites to verify that I wasn’t seeing things. Yup, only two nominees. In the numerous rule changes over the last few years, they’d always threatened that it could be as few as two and as many as the normal five nominees in the category. I just never thought I’d see two, much less missing the predicted winner (the rousing production number “Life’s a Happy Song” from THE MUPPETS).

Missing are expected nominees like the beautiful ballad “Lay Your Head Down” from ALBERT NOBBS and “The Living Proof” from THE HELP, co-written by Thomas Newman and Mary J. Blige. The nominating trend over the past few years, and this year in particular, is sending a clear message to songwriters and filmmakers—If you want a song nominated for an Oscar, it damn well better be part of the film and not a thrown onto the end titles scroll as audiences are leaving the theater.

As for the nominees themselves, “Man or Muppet” is a particularly funny sequence during THE MUPPETS, though it doesn’t strike me as a stand-alone classic. But, hell, neither was Randy Newman’s phone-it-in winner last year from TOY STORY 3.

Then again, RIO is a big, splashy production number in the animated film that starts the film off with a colorful bang of Brazilian pop, with a melody that becomes integral to John Powell’s score. Having a trio of music powerhouses as songwriters won’t hurt its chances either.

Prediction: “Real In Rio,” strictly because of its bigger box office and the chance to give Sergio Mendes an Oscar. (Hey, it worked with Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Melissa Ethridge, and many others.)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

• THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN—John Williams
• THE ARTIST—Ludovic Bource
• HUGO—Howard Shore
• TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY—Alberto Iglesias
• WAR HORSE—John Williams

Here, we see a return to the heyday of John Williams double nominations. While I wasn’t a particular fan of TINTIN, the score or especially the film (which didn’t even get a nomination for Best Animated Film), I won’t deny any love shown for Williams (though TINTIN takes a spot that rightfully should have gone to Alexandre Desplat). Williams’ action writing in TINTIN is, as always, colorful and superb, and WAR HORSE is one of his most mature works. In most years, the two nominations cancel each other out and they will do so again this year. (The only time Williams has won during a double nominations year was in 1977 for STAR WARS, when he was also nominated for CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND. I don’t count the E.T. win as a double nomination, since the second nomination came in the Best Song category for “If We Were In Love” from the long-forgotten YES, GIORGIO.) With all the deserved love being shown THE ARTIST, just take these 46th and 47th nominations as equally deserved recognition for the Maestro.

HUGO goes into the awards with the most nominations of any film (11, as opposed to THE ARTIST’s 10). Martin Scorcese’s loving shout out for film preservation waltzes beautifully onscreen thanks in no small part to Howard Shore’s superb score. A well-deserved nomination that will hopefully remind people that there is more to Shore than just LORD OF THE RINGS.

Alberto Iglesias’ TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY just missed making my Top 10 list, but I’m thrilled that the Music Branch honored his moody, atmosphere score. With echoes of Jerry Goldsmith’s CHINATOWN, it’s a chilly evocation of John Le Carré’s Cold War spy story.

As for THE ARTIST, I’ve been trumpeting Ludovic Bource’s score for months now. I’m running out of adjectives and superlatives to heap on this marvelous work. See it, hear it, and enjoy.

Prediction: The Artist, hands down. Nothing else stands a chance.

What do you think? What are the highlights and snubs of this year’s music nominees?

2011 Oscar Nominations for Music is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

The show, which is currently playing at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, explores the history of cinema and its various genres through a combination of dance, acrobatics, live video, filmed sequences and animation. In interviews, Elfman has said that writing the score was “more akin to writing for the ballet than film.” Inspired by the show’s acrobats, the music has an energy that has been missing from much of Elfman’s film work of late.

Though the show takes audiences on a journey through the history of cinema, Elfman makes no attempt to cover all the subgenres of film music in the process. Most of the music is not era specific, with the exception of the rooftop sequence, in which Elfman summons up the ghost of Leonard Bernstein at his finger-snapping best in the style of WEST SIDE STORY. Wailing saxophone and swinging trumpet sing a tawdry song of life on the street, while the pursuit over the rooftops has a relentless drive in its string ostinati and punctuating brass notes.

Click Track: Rooftops

The historical aspects of the show gave Elfman free license to explore his own history as well, and the score incorporates many of his signature styles with renewed vigor. ”Buster’s Big Opening” begins the album with a trademark Elfman waltz, childlike and wondrous in its sparkling orchestrations and wordless chorus, while the “Kiriki” sequences show the influence of early frenetic scores like PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE and BEETLEJUICE.

Elfman delves into more typical Cirque du Soleil territory with the ethereal “Patterns.” In “Scarlett Balancing,” he channels his inner James Horner with a gently pulsating New Age beat and a floating vocal line.

Arguably the high point of the album is the finale. As the cast take their bows, Elfman coalesces the main theme from “Buster’s Big Opening” with the energetic music of the “Kiriki” segment into a rousing processional. Among the swirling strings and one last blast of PEE WEE machinations, the majestic brass modulate higher and higher until—with three final goosebump-inducing, BATMAN-like French horn riffs—Elfman brings this superb concert work to a brilliant and exciting close.

Click Track: Iris Finale and Bows

IRIS represents Elfman at his very best—the best film music from 2011 that is not a film score. Without the constrictions and demands of film, Elfman’s music captures a sense of magic and wonder that hopefully can return in greater doses in his film music. With IRIS, Elfman once again blossoms as a composer, proving yet again that the bloom is not off this rose.

CD Review: Iris is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

The film tells the tragic story of two lovers separated by the barricades during the 1871 Paris Commune uprising. The eight reels of the film were composed in separate “acts,” and so Shostakovich devotes a movement to each reel. With lengthier rather than the traditional shorter cues associated with sound films, the score plays out more as a film music “symphony” (much like Gottfried Huppertz’s METROPOLIS).

Even in such an early work, Shostakovich displays his trademark cynicism, irony, and wit, as well as complete command of the orchestra. Written in the shadow of his Third Symphony, the satiric opera The Nose, and the ballet The Golden Age, the music bristles with melody, dissonance and harmonic invention.

Click Track: Reel 1, General Sale: War – Death to the Prussians

The score is brash and bold, as only someone of Shostakovich’s youth (and genius) could compose. The composer had not yet come under fire (or under Stalin’s thumb) and he tweaks his nose at the military and musical establishments. Shostakovich offers up pointed musical comment on the military by interpolating “La Marseillaise” with biting harmony and dissonance.

As in much of Shostakovich’s work, woodwinds and brass compete for dominance, trading barbed musical insults back and forth. One of the delights of this release is the restoration of solo strings (instead of the normal full orchestral complement), as the composer originally intended. With only one string instrument to a part, the performance has a crispness and transparency that is lacking in other recordings of music from the score.

Mark Fitz-Gerald has always been a staunch supporter of Shostakovich’s film music and here he conducts the chamber ensemble, the basel sinfonietta, with his typical energy and assuredness, capturing every biting nuance from the score. The score, which Shostakovich thought was lost his entire life, found new life in suites when the discovered shortly following his death in 1975. The CD adds some 200 bars of music cut from the film and comprises the first complete recording of the score.

I’d love to see the film, but it has never been released on DVD or Blu-ray in the U.S. to my knowledge. Until that happens, Naxos’ pristine recording of Shostakovich’s first film score is a welcome addition to the growing library of film music restoration. While Shostakovich has never received the proper acknowledgement for his film work, THE NEW BABYLON gives further evidence of Shostakovich’s talent and suggests that perhaps it’s time to reassess the Soviet giant’s contribution to film. Naxos’ recording showcases Shostakovich’s music to its fullest with an early example of film music at its best, silent or otherwise.

CD Review: The New Babylon is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

Of course, the year offered joys and the inevitable disappointments, uninspired mediocrity and total surprises. Needless to say, the quality of 2011′s film music goes beyond the ten scores listed below.

As always, these are my Top 10—not necessarily the “best” (as that is subjective), but my favorites, at least at the time I hit the “pubish” button on this post. These are the scores I keep returning to again and again. I reserve the right to amend and adjust them at any point due to my ever-changing moods.

10. MONEYBALL – Mychael Danna

Probably no other movie and score of 2011 surprised me more. Who knew a movie about baseball statistics could be so thrilling? I’ve never been particularly impressed by Mychael Danna’s music, but this score did anything but strike out. Danna leaves behind the rah-rah excitement of typical sports scores and instead uncovers layers of psychological depth that give further resonance to Brad Pitt’s conflicted manager. A combination of electronic and acoustic instruments, oscillating harmonies, and repeated notes and rhythms, Danna’s score churns with Steve Reich-like minimalism. It may not offer much to those fans who hunger for melody, but for those willing to dig a little deeper, you’ll find much more behind the plate.

9. SOUL SURFER – Marco Beltrami

This score rides a wave of excellent scores by Marco Beltrami recently. With its inspiring main theme, lush exotic orchestrations, and hint of Hawaiian flavor, Beltrami’s music never panders to the audience. The shark attack is even more harrowing thanks to the music and the highs and lows of Bethany Hamilton’s perilous journey are given emotional resonance in this rich score. While the movie is on the level of a Lifetime or Hallmark Channel movie-of-the-week, Beltrami’s music is strictly big screen.

8. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Film music fans can be ruthlessly unforgiving toward film music and composers that don’t conform to accepted traditions. The latest recipients under community fire are Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Their Oscar win this past year for THE SOCIAL NETWORK only further fueled the flames, practically guaranteeing them a spot in the pantheon of continually bashed composers like Gustavo Santaolalla and Alan Menken. I for one thought their work on SOCIAL NETWORK gave that film an atmosphere and energy it might not have had otherwise. With DRAGON TATTOO, R&R have once again contributed a score that is every bit as essential to that film as their earlier work on TSN. If anything, the music this time around is even more harsh and distancing. The characters are dead (inside and outside), and R&R’s music reflects the cold (in every sense of the word), harsh landscape of Stieg Larsson’s bleak, brutal story. It’s not pleasant music by any stretch of the imagination, but neither is the story. R&R’s well-crafted electronica keeps you tense and uncomfortable in context of the film (as it is supposed to), and often on its own. Three hours of the CD can be a tough listen for listeners who don’t appreciate this kind of music, and I’m usually one of them. But this is one fascinating, nuanced score that continues to challenge and hypnotize me.

7. A BETTER LIFE – Alexandre Desplat

Chris Weitz’s tale of immigration and gangs in East L.A. might have garnered more attention had it not been foolishly released during the summer. What also got lost was Alexandre Desplat’s moving score. Desplat adapts his signature orchestrations with a touch of South of the Border guitar, providing a moving voice to the plight of Mexican immigrants without veering into mariachi territory. Hope (and hopelessness) in the face of the American dream never sounded so beautiful.

6. WATER FOR ELEPHANTS – James Newton Howard

In this adaptation of Sara Gruen’s bestselling novel, the elephant had more personality than either Robert Pattinson or Reese Witherspoon. What the film may have lacked in excitement or romantic chemistry, it made up for in period detail with lovely cinematography, art direction, and a typically fine performance by Christoph Waltz. James Newton Howard’s haunting score has a sepia-toned nostalgia to it. Americana strains raise the big top, while delicate strings, harp and woodwind lines weave in and out of period songs. Howard downplays the  circus oom-pah-pah, instead dancing around memories and complementing the visual landscape with lush harmonies.

5. HUGO – Howard Shore

Martin Scorcese’s shout out for film preservation offers a visual and aural treat for the eyes and ears. Howard Shore’s music wisely doesn’t try to compete with the visual splendor, instead content to waltz nimbly along, providing Gallic atmosphere and charm. While the score still rings true with Shore’s inimitable voice, this is a lighter, tenderer side of the composer that we seldom get to see. As magical as the film, the score also makes the perfect musical accompaniment to reading Brian Seltzer’s equally magical book.

4. EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE – Alexandre Desplat

Critics and audiences love or hate this film. Many people are annoyed by the young boy (the astonishing Thomas Horn) who travels around New York City trying to unlock the mystery of a key found in his dead father’s (Tom Hanks) closet. Others can’t accept a fictional story surrounding 9/11. But Stephen Daldry shows us the grey in between the black and white, directing the film with his customary light touch. The result is a moving, if not perfect, film that could have gone so wrong in less capable hands. Alexandre Desplat was a last-minute replace for Nico Muhly (who did such a beautiful job scoring Daldry’s THE READER) and the score caps yet another banner year for the composer. With its seesaw main theme, the music swings between light and dark, and everywhere in between, generating sincere emotion without capitalizing on the tragedy hanging over the film. Pure Desplat from beginning to end. A haunting meditation on life, death and rebirth.

3. ALBERT NOBBS – Brian Byrne

Glenn Close has been trying for decades to get this pet project made about a woman posing as a man in late-19th century Dublin. It paid off with a heartbreaking performance, equaled by co-poser Janet McTeer. Relative newcomer Brian Byrne gives the score the proper amount of Irish lilt without going overboard, and the delicate orchestrations for primarily piano, harp, harpsichord and strings have a nimble quality that never telegraphs or overplays the emotion. Albert’s theme is particularly lovely, whether instrumentally or as sung by Sinead O’Connor in the touching lullaby at the end of the film. Byrne is a name to keep an eye out for. I hope film music fans and the powers-that-be open their eyes.

2. WAR HORSE – John Williams

Lush, warm and brimming with beautiful, heartfelt melodies, the score proves that on the cusp of 80, Williams is still at the top of his game. With hints of NIXON, FAR AND AWAY, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, and other scores, the music hearkens back to the past but doesn’t feel borrowed or second-rate. The score’s lush, elegiac quality has the feeling of Williams’ swan song, which I sincerely hope it’s not. I could do without the duck music (and the duck for that matter…shame on you, Spielberg) and the score is more than a bit too obvious within Spielberg’s glossy soap opera, often competing against distractingly (and deliberately) obvious cinematography. Still, whatever emotion I felt came strictly from the beauty and majesty of Williams’ music rather than Spielberg’s machinations with the much-ado-about-nothing plot. And why not? It’s hard to resist musical craft that is this strong. Top-tier Williams, at least away from the film.

1. THE ARTIST – Ludovic Bource

No other score this year made me sit up and take notice more than THE ARTIST. As a card-carrying Golden Age lover, Ludovic Bource’s memorable score captures the tone of classic Hollywood film music while still sounding fresh. The score crackles with energy, emotion, musical wit, and pure joy. Call it pastiche, call it spoof, call it what you will. I call it a winner and I hope Oscar does too. I can’t wait to hear what Bource does next.

So there you have it. Another year gone by. What were your top scores of 2011? And what are you looking forward to in 2012?

Top 10 Film Scores of 2011 is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

10. THE GREATEST MIRACLE – Mark McKenzie

The Catholic-based animated film barely made a blip at the box office (a paltry $492,000) but film music fans have been enraptured by McKenzie’s lush, majestic score and its lovely main theme. McKenzie, a longtime orchestrator, and his publicist have been heavily promoting the score, so it’s nice to see that their hard work paid off with the fans.

9. SOUL SURFER - Marco Beltrami

The true story of teen surfer Bethany Hamilton’s recovery from a shark attack gave Marco Beltrami an opportunity to compose pulsating action cues and sweeping themes, with a touch of authentic Hawaiian flavor in the vocals and orchestrations. While the movie overplays the religion card a bit (though not as muchas it could have), Beltrami’s music thankfully foregoes the piety and sentimentality, resulting in a nice departure from the genre scores he’s usually called upon to write.

8. THE TREE OF LIFE – Alexandre Desplat

Alexandre Desplat’s ethereal music may or may not have helped Terence Malick’s pretentious clusterf*** of a film. With only five to ten minutes of score surviving in the film, we’ll never know for sure. But as a concept album, Desplat’s delicate, swirling score serves as an indicator of what might have been and further evidence of Desplat’s prodigious talents.

7. THOR – Patrick Doyle

Patrick Doyle scored two of the biggest films of the summer and found himself moving in new directions. He adapted his trademark sound with more contemporary overlays which sat well with some fans and not so well with others. When he’s not being hampered by the Remote Control trappings imposed by the filmmakers, he can still conjure up a properly heroic main theme.

6. THE THING – Marco Beltrami

Marco Beltrami could probably score a horror film in his sleep. Yet for this cheesy prequel to John Carpenter’s 1982 remake, he doesn’t just resort to the tired tricks of the trade. While there weren’t too many scares onscreen, Beltrami’s music made us think there were. And the sliding motif at the heart of the score is truly creepy.

5. HUGO – Howard Shore

Martin Scorcese’s love letter to the birth of film and film preservation is just as beautiful visually as it is musically. Howard Shore leaves behind the weighty melodies and harmonies of Middle-earth for something more Gallic and tender. The main waltz at the heart of the score contains one of Shore’s loveliest melodies and keeps the film lilting along.

4. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2 – Alexandre Desplat

Though I was unhappy with Alexandre Desplat’s entry into the series with DH PART 1, PART 2 made for one of the better entries in this lackluster series, thanks in no small part to Desplat’s contribution. The music conjured up far more excitement and emotion than the film had any right to expect. And that final cue is heartbreaking.

3. THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN – John Williams

It’s no surprise that there is a lot of love for Williams this year, and deservedly so. He has been too long absent from the big screen. I was hoping for a stronger theme for our hero. But since he’s not much more than a tag-along in his own story, it shouldn’t be up to Williams to fix Spielberg’s mistakes. I’m by no means a fan of TINTIN the film, but no one can write an action cue like John Williams. And since the film is nothing but action, it gave him plenty of opportunities.

2. THE ARTIST - Ludovic Bource

When I first heard of this film following the Cannes and Telluride film festivals, I had no idea that a silent film about old Hollywood would become a major player at awards time. Then I heard the music, which is equally charming within the context of the film and crucial to its success. From the first listen, Ludovic Bource’s score swept me away to film music long gone by. I’m happy to see other film music fans swept away as well.

1. WAR HORSE – John Williams

I wish I was a betting man. This would have been easy money. It is no surprise that fans have responded to the direct emotions of John Williams’ lush score. Even on the cusp of 80, WAR HORSE proves that Williams has not lost any of his gift of melody or his command of the orchestra.

Readers Poll: Top 10 Film Scores of 2011 is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

The questions I pose are my personal observations and the opinions I give are strictly my own. Agree, disagree, or don’t give a damn. Whatever your preference, I’d honestly like to hear your feedback.

ARE WE LEMINGS?

Most of us want to “belong,” to be a part of something, myself included. And one of the primary joys of the internet is the discovery and friendship of film music fans all over the world. Long gone are the days when we’d listen to our favorite film scores in relative seclusion, unable to discuss or share our passion with anyone else. Now that that barrier is gone, we can discuss film music to our heart’s content. But I don’t understand the herd mentality, never have. I don’t want to follow the crowd just to realize there’s a cliff ahead and I’ve got nowhere to go but plummeting into the ocean. Would it really make me feel better to know that 40 people I know love Jerry Goldsmith? Do I have to rush out and purchase GREMLINS because 30 people on Facebook said how good it was? Maybe, like Groucho Marx, I just never want to belong to any club that would have someone like me for a member. By all means, listen to the people you trust and admire, but make up your own mind.

DO YOU LIKE IT? DO YOU REALLY LIKE IT?

Because of what I do with film music on this site and elsewhere, I want to know what people think. I want to hear suggestions of scores I may have missed, as well as constructive debate about the merits of particular scores and composers. But that “like” you just clicked on Facebook? Sure, it’s great—if it’s directed my way, I appreciate it, truly—but it doesn’t mean squat. It’s like multiple “follow Friday” lists on Twitter or giving a gift card. It says, “I made the least amount of effort to show I care.” Express your appreciation for the work someone has done or what they have written (and I don’t necessarily mean me), but take the time and add something relevant to the discourse beyond a phatic response.

WHEN DID THE MESSAGE BOARDS BEGIN TO INFECT FACEBOOK?

While message boards can be excellent avenues for information and debate, we all know that they can bring out the basest of human behavior. The “privacy” of cyberspace and the relative cloak of a computer screen provides some users with more moxie than they might have in real life. We’ve all had run-ins with leeches and trolls who get their jollies raining on our parade. Slams and strikes on niche message boards get even more personal as more of the inhabitants communicate on a first-name basis with one another (even if they still hide behind foolish, decade-old screen names and gravatars). Over the last year those trolls seem to have migrated into the light, exhibiting their d-bag behavior on Facebook and other social media. It’s 2012. Haven’t we moved past this yet?

DO WE WEAR BLINDERS?

By not recognizing the good or ignoring the less pleasant aspects of a particular score or composer, we limit our own growth as we all hopefully continue to discover the wide range of film music. Take James Horner, for instance. Thousands of words over the years have been written about Horner’s self-plagiarism (that damn danger motif) and his lifting of melodies and chord progressions from classical composers like Prokofiev. I don’t mean that as Horner-bashing. By all means, enjoy Horner’s work (and any other composer) if you already do. But things like this matter. Dismissing them with a “yeah, but…” diminishes your argument and the impact of the composer’s work even further. Demand more…for yourself and for the artform.

WHAT IS THE OVERWHELMING LURE OF NOSTALGIA?

Maybe I’m just a cold-hearted snake (thank you, Paula Abdul)—or perhaps I’ve lost those particular brain cells by now—but I’m seldom afflicted with nostalgia for the past. Sepia-toned memories tend to revise history, giving far more prominence to certain films and scores than they might have otherwise, primarily due to the rose-colored glasses we all wear. Sure, I’m fond of films and scores from childhood and teenage years, like THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE, THE OMEN, STAR WARS, etc. But I’m not deluding myself that something like the 1978 Frank Langella DRACULA, for example, is a classic. Sure, it has its Gothic moments and an excellent score by John Williams. I’d love to see the score reappear on CD at some point (especially since my LP is long gone). But I’m not going to rewrite history and turn the film into something it’s not any more than I’m going to pine and whine for the CD. My life has gone on very well without it and it won’t make or break the rest of my existence if the score reappears or not. Perhaps it would profit the community more to appreciate the bounty we’ve been given and stop always wanting more, more, more. There will never be enough.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE GOLDEN AGE?

Yup, that tired old argument… Film music is still a relatively new artform that has remained basically unchanged since the early 1930s. Sure, the musical styles have morphed, but a composer is still writing for a film. If the tools with which they practice their craft have changed, the overall basic process has not. So if you love the artform, why wouldn’t you want to know more about it? Why would you exclude its creation and nearly 30 years of its history? Maybe my music education makes me more open to discovering all the various periods of film music, or maybe that’s just me acting uppity. You certainly don’t need training in music to appreciate film music, or any other genre of music. But limiting yourself to a set of composers, a sub-genre, or a specific period of film music, especially an artform with such a comparatively brief lifespan, stunts your knowledge and your enjoyment. Ageism seems to exist even in the arts.

DOES FILM MUSIC HAVE TO BE LISTENABLE ON ITS OWN?

Not necessarily. Its primary concern is to work within the scope of the film. That’s the job the composer was hired to do. To have the music survive as a stand-alone listening experience is icing on the cake. Ideally, film music should be good “music” as well within the context of what the composer is writing. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be enjoyable to listen to. Its effect on the ear—good or bad—should not diminish its quality.

SHOULD YOU HAVE TO WORK AT LISTENING TO FILM MUSIC?

By all means, yes. In my book, film music is important, above and beyond the simple joys of pure listening pleasure. I personally don’t want to be an innocent bystander just letting it wash over me. If that’s all it is good for, then I might as well use it like a warm bath and sit in my own liquid filth. A composer toiled to create that piece of music (probably under tight budgets and tough working circumstances). The least I can do is give it my attention. If it doesn’t deserve warrant the energy past that point, so be it. But lazy listening offends my ears.

WHAT IS OUR ROLE AS A COMMUNITY?

The way I see it, our job is to not only support the composers and record labels, but to educate and support each other. If we don’t take this artform that we love seriously, we can’t expect anyone else to either. We can engage in meaningful dialogue without patronization. But participating means more than chiming in with “I like that score too” (or not). For me, unless I asked, I don’t care. And maybe even then, I still don’t care. I want to know if you can tell me why. Be firm in your convictions and stand your ground. Your opinion is valid. Film music demands our respect. If we are not actively listening and participating, we are sitting on the sidelines. I’d rather be in the game.

And there endeth the soapbox. What do you think?

9 Questions For the Film Music Community is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

All year long, I’ve had the opportunity to review some great scores from 2011…and some not-so-great (most of which you’ll never hear about).

Now it’s YOUR turn!

It’s time for Film Score Click Track’s annual online survey where you can vote for your favorite film scores of the year. I’ve pulled together a listing of film score soundtracks for films (and a couple of TV scores) that were released in the U.S. this past year.

I’ve done my best to make the list as comprehensive as possible, but it is likely missing some selections, especially from international films and video game scores. There are just too many of both to keep up with. If you find that I’ve missed a title, you can add it in the text box at the very end. I will compile the results and devote a blog post to your choices next week.

The survey will close at 12:01 a.m. EST on Saturday, January 7. So don’t delay!

While the votes tabulate, feel free to share your favorite score of 2011 in the comments section. Thanks for voting!

UPDATE 1/7: The polls are now closed. Thanks to everyone who voted in this year’s survey. Look for the results next week.

50/50, Michael Giacchino

ABDUCTION, Edward Shearmur

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU, Thomas Newman

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, John Williams

AFRICAN CATS, Nicholas Hooper

AGE OF HEROES, Michael Richard Plowman

ALBERT NOBBS, Brian Byrne

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED, Mark Mothersbaugh

ANONYMOUS, Harald Kloser and Thomas Wander

ANOTHER EARTH, Phil Mossman and Will Bates

ANSWERS TO NOTHING, Craig Richey

ARTHUR, Theodore Shapiro

ARTHUR CHRISTMAS, Harry Gregson-Williams

THE ARTIST, Ludovic Bource

@URFRENZ, Lisbeth Scott

ATLAS SHRUGGED: PART I, Elia Cmiral

THE AWAKENING, Daniel Pemberton

BAD TEACHER, Michael Andrews

BATTLE: LOS ANGELES, Brian Tyler

BEASTLY, Marcelo Zarvos

BEAUTIFUL BOY, Trevor Morris

THE BEAVER, Marcelo Zarvos

A BETTER LIFE, Alexandre Desplat

BIG MOMMAS: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON, David Newman

THE BIG YEAR, Theodore Shapiro

THE BORGIAS, Trevor Morris

BRIDESMAIDS, Michael Andrews

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, Alan Silvestri

CARNAGE, Alexandre Desplat

CARS 2, Michael Giacchino

CEDAR RAPIDS, Christophe Beck

CEREMONY, Eric D. Johnson

CONAN THE BARBARIAN, Tyler Bates

THE CONSPIRATOR, Mark Isham

CONTAGION, Cliff Martinez

CORIOLANUS, Ilan Eshkeri

COWBOYS & ALIENS, Harry Gregson-Williams

CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE, Christophe Beck and Nick Utra

DAM999, Ousepachan

A DANGEROUS METHOD, Howard Shore

THE DARKEST HOUR, Tyler Bates

THE DEBT, Thomas Newman

THE DEVIL’S DOUBLE, Christian Henson

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODRICK RULES, Edward Shearmur

DOLPHIN TALE, Mark Isham

DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK, Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders

DREAM HOUSE, John Debney

DRIVE, Cliff Martinez

DRIVE ANGRY, Michael Wandmacher

THE EAGLE, Atli Örvarsson

EVERY DAY, Jeanine Tesori

EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE, Alexandre Desplat

FAST FIVE, Brian Tyler

FINAL DESTINATION 5, Brian Tyler

FIREFLIES IN THE GARDEN, Jane Antonia Cornish

THE FIRST GRADER, Alex Heffes

THE FLOWERS OF WAR, Qigang Chen

FOOTLOOSE, Deborah Lurie

FRIGHT NIGHT, Ramin Djawadi

GAME OF THRONES, Ramin Djawadi

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

GNOMEO & JULIET, James Newton Howard

THE GREATEST MIRACLE, Mark McKenzie

THE GREEN HORNET, James Newton Howard

GREEN LANTERN, James Newton Howard

THE GUARD, Calexico

THE HANGOVER, PART II, Christophe Beck

HANNA, Chemical Brothers

HAPPY FEET TWO, John Powell

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2, Alexandre Desplat

THE HELP, Thomas Newman

HOODWINKED TOO: HOOD VS. EVIL, Murray Gold

HOP, Christopher Lennertz

HORRIBLE BOSSES, Christopher Lennertz

HUGO, Howard Shore

I AM NUMBER FOUR, Trevor Rabin

I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT, Aaron Zigman

I MELT WITH YOU, tomandandy

THE IDES OF MARCH, Alexandre Desplat

IMMORTALS, Trevor Morris

IN SEARCH OF GOD, Rupam Sarmah

IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY, Gabriel Yared

IN TIME, Craig Armstrong

INSIDIOUS, Joseph Bishara

IRONCLAD, Lorne Balfe

THE IRON LADY, Thomas Newman

J. EDGAR, Clint Eastwood

JACK AND JILL, Rupert Gregson-Williams and Wendy Wachtel

JANE EYRE, Dario Marianelli

JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN, Ilan Eshkeri

JUMPING THE BROOK, Edward Shearmur

JUST GO WITH IT, Rupert Gregson-Williams

THE KILLER ELITE, Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek

KUNG FU PANDA 2, Hans Zimmer and John Powell

THE LADY, Eric Serra

LARRY CROWNE, James Newton Howard

LIFE IN A DAY, Harry Gregson-Williams

LA LIGNE DROITE, Patrick Doyle

LIKE CRAZY, Dustin O’Halloran

THE LAST CIRUCS, Roque Banos

LIMITLESS, Paul Leonard-Morgan

THE LINCOLN LAWYER, Cliff Martinez

THE LION OF JUDAH, Greg Sims

MARGARET, Nico Muhly

MARGIN CALL, Nathan Larson

MARS NEEDS MOMS, John Powell

MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE, Saunder Jurriaans and Danny Bensi

THE MECHANIC, Mark Isham

MEEK’S CUTOFF, Jeff Grace

MILDRED PIERCE, Carter Burwell

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL, Michael Giacchino

MONEYBALL, Mychael Danna

MONTE CARLO, Michael Giacchino

MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS, Rolfe Kent

THE MUPPETS, Christophe Beck

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN, Conrad Pope

NEW YEAR’S EVE, John Debney

NO STRINGS ATTACHED, John Debney

NORMAN, Andrew Bird

ONE DAY, Rachel Portman

PAUL, David Arnold

PIRATE OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES, Hans Zimmer

PRIEST, Christopher Young

THE PRINCESS OF MONTPENSIER, Philippe Sarde

PUSS IN BOOTS, Henry Jackman

RAMPART, Dickon Hinchliffe

RANGO, Hans Zimmer

REAL STEEL, Danny Elfman

REBIRTH, Philip Glass

RED RIDING HOOD, Alex Heffes and Brian Reitzell

RESTLESS, Danny Elfman

RIO, John Powell

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, Patrick Doyle

THE RITE, Alex Heffes

THE ROOMMATE, John Frizzell

THE RUM DIARY, Christopher Young

SANCTUM, David Hirschfelder

SARAH’S KEY, Max Richter

SCREAM 4, Marco Beltrami

SEASON OF THE WITCH, Atli Orvarsson

SENNA, Antonio Pinto

SHAME, Harry Escott

SHARK NIGHT 3D, Graeme Revell

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS, Hans Zimmer

THE SKIN I LIVE IN, Alberto Iglesias

THE SMURFS, Heitor Pereira

SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN, Rachel Portman

SOUL SURFER, Marco Beltrami

SOURCE CODE, Chris Bacon

SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD, Robert Rodriguez and Carl Thiel

STAKE LAND, Jeff Grace

STRAW DOGS, Larry Groupe

SUCKER PUNCH, Tyler Bates and Marius de Vries

SUPER, Tyler Bates

SUPER 8, Michael Giacchino

TAKE SHELTER, David Wingo

THE THING, Marco Beltrami

THOR, Patrick Doyle

THE THREE MUSKETEERS, Paul Haslinger

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, Alberto Iglesias

TOWER HEIST, Christophe Beck

TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON, Steve Jablonsky

THE TREE OF LIFE, Alexandre Desplat

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN, PART 1, Carter Burwell

TYLER PERRY’S MADEA’S BIG HAPPY FAMILY, Aaron Zigman

UNKNOWN, John Ottman

A VERY HAROLD & KUMAR 3D CHRISTMAS, William Ross

W.E., Abel Korzeniowski

WAR HORSE, John Williams

THE WARD, Mark Killian

WARRIOR, Mark Isham

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, James Newton Howard

THE WAY, Tyler Bates

WE BOUGHT A ZOO, Jon Thor Birgisson

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, Jonny Greenwood

THE WHISTLEBLOWER, Mychael Danna

WIN WIN, Lyle Workman

WINNIE THE POOH, Henry Jackman

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, Henry Jackman

YOUNG ADULT, Rolfe Kent

YOUR HIGHNESS, Steve Jablonsky

ZOOKEEPER, Rupert Gregson-Williams

Vote: Best Film Scores of 2011 is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

The five nominees will be voted on from the list below. Check it out and let me know your thoughts and predictions in the comments section.

• THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU, Thomas Newman
• THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, John Williams
• AFRICAN CATS, Nicholas Hooper
• ALBERT NOBBS, Brian Byrne
• ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED, Mark Mothersbaugh
• ANONYMOUS, Thomas Wander and Harald Kloser
• ANOTHER EARTH, Phil Mossman and Will Bates
• ANSWERS TO NOTHING, Craig Richey
• ARTHUR CHRISTMAS, Harry Gregson-Williams
• THE ARTIST, Ludovic Bource
• @urFRENZ, Lisbeth Scott
• ATLAS SHRUGGED PART 1, Elia Cmiral
• BATTLE: LOS ANGELES, Brian Tyler
• BEASTLY, Marcelo Zarvos
• THE BIG YEAR, Theodore Shapiro
• CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, Alan Silvestri
• CARS 2, Michael Giacchino
• CEDAR RAPIDS, Christophe Beck
• CONAN THE BARBARIAN, Tyler Bates
• THE CONSPIRATOR, Mark Isham
• CONTAGION, Cliff Martinez
• CORIOLANUS, Ilan Eshkeri
• DAM999, Ousepachan
• THE DARKEST HOUR, Tyler Bates
• THE DEBT, Thomas Newman
• DOLPHIN TALE, Mark Isham
• DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK, Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
• DREAM HOUSE, John Debney
• THE EAGLE, Atli Orvarsson
• EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE, Alexandre Desplat
• FAST FIVE, Brian Tyler
• THE FIRST GRADER, Alex Heffes
• THE FLOWERS OF WAR, Qigang Chen
• THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
• THE GREATEST MIRACLE, Mark McKenzie
• GREEN LANTERN, James Newton Howard
• HANNA, Tom Rowlands
• HAPPY FEET TWO, John Powell
• HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2, Alexandre Desplat
• THE HELP, Thomas Newman
• HOP, Christopher Lennertz
• HUGO, Howard Shore
• I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT, Aaron Zigman
• THE IDES OF MARCH, Alexandre Desplat
• IMMORTALS, Trevor Morris
• IN SEARCH OF GOD, Rupam Sarmah
• IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY, Gabriel Yared
• IN TIME, Craig Armstrong
• INSIDIOUS, Joseph Bishara
• THE IRON LADY, Thomas Newman
• J. EDGAR, Clint Eastwood
• JANE EYRE, Dario Marianelli
• THE LADY, Eric Serra
• LIKE CRAZY, Dustin O’Halloran
• MARGARET, Nico Muhly
• MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL, Michael Giacchino
• MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS, Rolfe Kent
• MONEYBALL, Mychael Danna
• MONTE CARLO, Michael Giacchino
• NEW YEAR’S EVE, John Debney
• NORMAN, Andrew Bird
• ONE DAY, Rachel Portman
• PUSS IN BOOTS, Henry Jackman
• RAMPART, Dickon Hinchliffe
• REAL STEEL, Danny Elfman
• REBIRTH, Philip Glass
• RED RIDING HOOD, Alex Heffes and Brian Reitzell
• RESTLESS, Danny Elfman
• RIO, John Powell
• RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, Patrick Doyle
• THE RITE, Alex Heffes
• THE RUM DIARY, Christopher Young
• SANCTUM, David Hirschfelder
• SARAH’S KEY, Max Richter
• SENNA, Antonio Pinto
• SHAME, Harry Escott
• THE SKIN I LIVE IN, Alberto Iglesias
• THE SMURFS, Heitor Pereira
• SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN, Rachel Portman
• SUPER 8, Michael Giacchino
• TAKE SHELTER, David Wingo
• THE THING, Marco Beltrami
• THOR, Patrick Doyle
• TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, Alberto Iglesias
• TOWER HEIST, Christophe Beck
• W.E., Abel Korzeniowski
• WAR HORSE, John Williams
• WARRIOR, Mark Isham
• WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, James Newton Howard
• THE WAY, Tyler Bates
• WE BOUGHT A ZOO, Jon Thor Birgisson
• WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, Jonny Greenwood
• WIN WIN, Lyle Workman
• WINNIE THE POOH, Henry Jackman
• X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, Henry Jackman
• YOUNG ADULT, Rolfe Kent
• YOUR HIGHNESS, Steve Jablonsky

97 Scores Vie for Oscar is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!

As usual, there are a lot of songs and films on this list I have not heard or seen. And an eligibility list is certainly no indication of quality. It just means these 39 songs have passed the Music Branch’s rather ridiculous (and stringent) rules so far. Next, video clips from the songs’ actual spot in their respective films will be shown to the Academy’s Music Branch members in the annual “bake off” to vote for the final nominees.

The same odd rules apply to the voting process. From the official Oscar rulebook: “Nominations will be determined by an averaged point system of voting using 10, 9.5, 9, 8.5, 8, 7.5, 7, 6.5 or 6. Only those songs receiving an average score of 8.25 or more shall normally be eligible for nomination. There may not be more than five nominations. If no song receives an average score of 8.25 or more, there will be no nominees. If only one song achieves that score, it and the song receiving the next highest score shall be the two nominees. If two or more songs (up to five) achieve that score, they shall be the nominees.” Only two songs may be nominated from any given film, so at least one of THE MUPPETS songs will be left out of the three eligible.

My usual complaints about not listing the songwriters on the ballot and in press releases still applies. It does a disservice to the musicians involved. I’m also not a fan of the bake off. The five songs with the highest number of votes should be the nominees. The Music Branch continues to make this so much harder than it needs to be, all to the detriment of their members.

On the plus side, in addition to the songs from CAPTAIN AMERICA and WINNIE THE POOH that I mentioned above, I’m glad to see the songs from ALBERT NOBBS, HUGO and RIO making the list. There are some quality songs on this list. Whether or not they’ll make it to the final round in January remains to be seen.

• “The World I Knew” from AFRICAN CATS
• “Lay Your Head Down” from ALBERT NOBBS
• “Star Spangled Man” from CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER
• “Collision of Worlds” from CARS 2
• “Dakkanaga Dugu Dugu” from DAM999
• “DAM999 Theme Song” from DAM999
• “Mujhe Chod Ke” from DAM999
• “Rainbird” from DIRTY GIRL
• “Keep On Walking” from THE FIRST GRADER
• “Where the River Goes” from FOOTLOOSE
• “Hello Hello” from GNOMEO & JULIET
• “Love Builds a Garden” from GNOMEO & JULIET
• “Bridge of Light” from HAPPY FEET TWO
• “The Mighty Sven” from HAPPY FEET TWO
• “Never Be Daunted” from HAPPYTHANKYOUMOREPLEASE
• “Hell and Back” from HELL AND BACK AGAIN
• “The Living Proof” from THE HELP
• “Coeur Volant” from “HUGO
• “It’s How We Play” from I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT
• “When the Heart Dies” from IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY
• “Ja Nao Estar” from JOSE AND PILAR
• “The Keeper” from MACHINE GUN PREACHER
• “Life’s a Happy Song” from THE MUPPETS
• “Man or Muppet” from THE MUPPETS
• “Pictures in My Head” from THE MUPPETS
• “Summer Song” from THE MUSIC NEVER STOPPED
• “Imaginary Friends” from OLIVE
• “Sparkling Day” from ONE DAY
• “Taking You with Me” from OUR IDIOT BROTHER
• “The Greatest Song I Ever Heard” from POM WONDERFUL PRESENTS THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD
• “Hot Wings” from RIO
• “Let Me Take You to Rio” from RIO
• “Real in Rio” from RIO
• “Shelter” from TAKE SHELTER
• “Gathering Stories” from WE BOUGHT A ZOO
• “Pop” from WHITE IRISH DRINKERS
• “Think You Can Wait” from WIN WIN
• “The Backson Song” from WINNIE THE POOH
• “So Long” from WINNIE THE POOH

39 Songs Eligible for Best Song Oscar is a post from Film Score Click Track. Visit the site for more great film music!