> I present my Favorite scores of 2019. As I looked back on the year and
> increasingly struggled to assemble this list, I realized that in the end,
> 2019 was a very good year! So, without further ado I offer my favorite
> scores of 2019;
> 1 Star Wars IX: The Rise Of Skywalker by John Williams
> The culmination of 40 years’ work for the greatest franchise in cinematic
> history. In my judgement this last effort reveals that despite the
> Maestro’s advanced age, his compositional genius has not diminished. We
> behold a grand convergence of past themes and new themes boldly joining in
> an unabashed inspired confluence, full of wonder, which leaves me
> awestruck. John Williams is peerless and this score for me is the best of
> the year.
> 2 How To Train Your Dragon: Hidden World by John Powell
> I believe this trilogy affirms Powell’s mastery of his craft and
> compositional brilliance. The full spectrum of emotions is manifest in
> this closing chapter and Powell music soars, inspires, and brings tears as
> Hiccup and Toothless part ways. Powell’s multiplicity of exceptional
> themes are the essential threads which hold the tapestry of the trilogy
> together, and ultimately why we are all so emotionally vested in the
> characters. I love Powell for this trilogy and this last score is
> bittersweet and cherished.
> 3 Little Women by Alexandre Desplat
> Desplat just excels and gives heart to this latest adaptation of Mary
> Alcott’s classic tale, “Little Women”. He perfectly captured the film’s
> emotional core, once again composing with a grace and elegance, which sets
> him apart from his peers. The energy, ornateness and melodies animated
> this film and elevated its narrative, yet another testament to Desplat’s
> genius.
> 4 Mắt Biếc by Christopher Wong
> Wong, a protégé of Jerry Goldsmith, has finally found voice in Vietnamese
> theaters due to his fruitful collaboration with director Victor Vu. The
> director values melody, does not micromanage, and Wong understands how to
> deliver the goods. This score is fully romantic, graces us with fine
> writing for woodwinds and provides a multiplicity of evocative themes,
> which bring a quiver and a tear. For me this score is one of the gems of
> 2019, which I dearly treasure.
> 5 Masukaredo Hoteru by Naoki Sato
> In recent years Naoki Sato’s career trajectory has been ascendant,
> composing brilliant scores in a multiplicity of genres. The latest score
> sustains Sato’s brilliance with one of the finest of 2019. The film is set
> in Japan and reveals a classic murder mystery and Sato enhances the
> narrative with a persuasive emotional score, which graces us with an
> opulent waltz, awes us with powerful chorus replete with tolling bells –
> the best of 2019, while sowing unease with a classic film noir misterioso.
> Yet there is more, with some astounding kinetic and bombastic action
> pieces, which just bring the house down! The score has it all, was
> brilliantly conceived and executed and a testament to Sato’s mastery of
> his craft.
> 6 Doctor Of Traditional Chinese Medicine by Mark Chait
> I fell in love with Chait last year for his sumptuous and exquisitely
> romantic score to “Frontier of Love. Well he appears to be an
> inexhaustible font of romanticism as he has once more delivered a score of
> uncommon beauty. His sophisticated compositional expression is forthright,
> unabashed and quintessentially romantic, gracing us with melodies
> abounding with love and passion. His joining of oriental and occidental
> sensibilities achieves a wondrous confluence that fills my yearning heart.
> 7 Swoon by Nathaniel Mechaly
> The film offers another retelling of the Romeo and Juliet tale set in
> Sweden circa 1940 with lovers John and Ninni members of rival amusement
> park families. Mechaly supports a film with what I believe to be his best
> effort to date. There is an amazing lightness of being, a playful joie de
> vie, which captures your heart. Yet the score is also bittersweet and
> whimsical, which gives it broader emotional expression. However. what
> elevates this score to the sublime is its exquisite yearning romanticism,
> which blossoms effusively in the cue “Love Kiss” – the score’s emotional
> apogee. I fell in love with Mechaly with this score.
> 8 A Hidden Life by James Newton Howard
> Once again Terrence Mallick’s peerless cinematography bathes us in
> astounding beauty. Yet it is with Howard’s music that the story is
> realized, brought home and given meaning. Howard once again employed
> virtuoso violinist James Ehnes with breathtaking results. No living
> composer writes better for the violin than Howard, and within the notes we
> feel love’s yearning as well as the terrible pathos suffered by Franz and
> Franziska. This score is a precious gift.
> 9 1917 by Thomas Newman
> Mendes’ audacious directorial approach succeeds in large part because of
> Newman’s score, whose conception and execution ensured his vision was
> realized. The film reveals great pathos and carnage as a backdrop for two
> men on a suicide mission. Newman propels their travels texturally, sowing
> tension as they trek across the French countryside, which has been laid
> waste. But his music gains emotive power and ultimately becomes
> transcendent as the film’s narrative culminates. “The Night Window” scene
> left me awestruck, taking in one of the finest joining of cinematography
> and music in cinematic history. This score cannot be understood or fully
> appreciated with an album listen, only in film context do you discern
> Newman’s brilliance.
> 10 Zwingli by Diego Baldenweg, Lionel Vincent Baldenweg and Nora Baldenweg
> This was an unexpected and wondrous discovery by a new family team of
> composers! The film tells the tale of Ulrich Zwingli who lead the
> protestant reformation in Switzerland circa 1519 C.E. Given the liturgical
> nature of the film, the Baldenwegs chose to support the narrative
> intimately, employing a small chamber orchestra and choir, which features
> vocalist Larissa Bretscher. The music bathes us with exquisite religioso
> auras and we are graced by the sterling virtuoso violin playing of Daniel
> Hope. This is one of 2019’s gems, worthy of your exploration.
> 11 Traumfabrik by Philipp Noll
> This was also an unexpected and heartfelt discovery by a composer to whom
> I was unfamiliar. The film explores a romance between Emil a film-maker
> and Milou an actress and dancer that was severed by the construction of
> the Berlin wall. Noll scored the film with a vintage romantic
> compositional style full of love and yearning. Both lovers have beautiful
> themes as is their love theme, one of the finest of 2019. Noll won my
> heart with this score and he must find greater voice.
> 12 The Great Alaskan Race by John Koutselinis
> This score was one of my best discoveries of the year! The score was yet
> another example of how a composer can elevate a flawed film. The Main
> Theme, which animates the adventure, abounds with proud nobility and
> heroism. Some have asserted that this score is derivative, but I reject
> this, finding a unique and gifted compositional voice. The heartfelt
> optimism, nobility and warmth of Koutselinis’ music provided an inspired
> juxtaposition to the implacable cold of the Alaskan winter. I just cannot
> get enough listens to the suite I created, my most played of 2019.
> 13 Godzilla: King Of The Monsters by Bear McCreary
> In 2014 Alexandre Desplat composed a masterpiece for the franchise, and
> remarkably, Bear McCreary followed up with what I believe to be his Magnum
> Opus. The sheer enormity of the many beasts that battle before our eyes
> required the consummate orchestral power to support their fearsome and
> terrifying on-screen presence. Well, McCreary music rose to the occasion
> and in the end made these beasts more powerful, more awesome, and more
> terrifying. The interpolation of Ifukube’s Godzilla March was brilliantly
> conceived and executed, empowered by the joining of orchestra and chorus
> in a dynamic synergy. The juxtaposition of ethnic Japanese vocals and
> percussion was a thoughtful and well-executed nuance. In the final
> analysis it is McCreary’s music which dominates the film, not Godzilla.
> 14 Cliffs Of Freedom by George Kallis
> An early entry for the year that from first listen captured my heart.
> George first caught my ear in 2017 with a trio of outstanding thematic
> scores; The Last Warrior, The Black Prince, and Albion The Enchanted
> Stallion. For this latest effort he creates a rich and exotic tapestry,
> which perfectly supports our two lovers who are caught in the cruel and
> unforgiving currents of war. He provides a multiplicity of stirring
> thematic melodies, which enhanced the films narrative. This very talented
> composer needs more work.
> 15 Marriage Story by Randy Newman
> For me this latest effort completes a trilogy of intimate family story
> scores, which earn Newman immortality. The two earlier efforts I speak of
> are “Avalon” 1990 and “Awakenings” 1991. The film was a story of love and
> in a master stroke of conception and execution he captures the film’s
> emotional core with heartfelt themes for Charlie and Nicole, which are
> timeless.
> 16 The Dragon Prince Season 3 by Frederik Wiedmann
> I just love this score, both season two and three. Wiedmann caught my ear
> with his Green Lantern and Justice League efforts as well as his evocative
> “Field of Lost Shoes score. Well, this offers me classic auras and
> thematic fantasy writing that covers the full spectrum of human emotions.
> The action writing is robust, heroic and inspiring. For both season I had
> so many exceptional cues as to make suite construction painful and
> supremely challenging. If you are unfamiliar with this man, time to
> explore!
> 17 Lost In Space Season 2 by Christopher Lennertz
> I asserted last year that season one was his Magnum Opus, well season two
> sustains the quality in a big way. His music abounds with adventure,
> drama, heroism, kinetic action pieces, but also tenderness. Lennertz takes
> Lost in Space to a whole new level, empowered by some of the most
> inspiring music written for TV.
> 18 Untamed Romania by Nainita Desai
> Desai was unknown to me but with this effort and her 2019 opus she earned
> my IFMCA nomination for Breakout Composer of the year! This was an
> excellent year for documentary scores and her effort here was simple
> exquisite, displaying a gift similar to Aaltio for understanding and
> expressing the wonder of nature. The opening cue “Untamed Romania” was a
> gorgeous introduction and one of the finest compositions of the year. She
> must find greater voice.
> 19 His Dark Materials by Lorne Balfe
> To be honest, the only score until now that I really enjoyed and revisited
> is his video game score “Between Two Souls”. Well, for me this effort is
> his Magnum Opus, an astonishing and persuasive effort for which I have
> been waiting. I was just swept away by powerful, dynamic and beautiful
> thematic writing that sat me back in my chair with the first listen. The
> cue “The Alethiometer” just blew me away – one of my favorite compositions
> of 2019. There were so many fine cues that I had difficulty constructing a
> suite! I knew the man had this type of music in him, and I sincerely hope
> this usher in a new grand opus.
> 20 Dumbo by Danny Elfman
> I thought the film failed, but wow did Elfman deliver the goods! He is so
> natural and good in this genre and his music here was tender, heartfelt
> and magical, perfectly capturing our hearts. Yet the action music is
> classic Elfman and when Dumbo flies, his music takes wing and just soars!
> The soaring suite on the album is one of my favorite compositions of the
> year. All in all, a magnificent inspiring effort.
> Honorable Mention;
> Here are additional scores that I will enjoy for many years to come;
> Avengers Endgame by Alan Silvestri, Shazam! by Benjamin Wallfisch, Captain
> Marvel by Pinar Toprak, Cyberwork And The American Dream by Chad Cannon,
> Mrs. Lowry And Son by Craig Armstrong Barcelona 1714 by Gerard Pastor,
> Paradise War: The Story Of Bruno Manser by Gabriel Yared, Ready Or Not by
> Brian Tyler, Our Planet by Steven Price, Sordo: The Silent War by Carlos
> Martin Jara and The Song Of Names by Howard Shore.
> I conclude with sharing my IFMCA nomination ballot;
> FILM SCORE OF THE YEAR
> • 1. Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, John Williams
> • 2. How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, John Powell
> • 3. Little Women, Alexandre Desplat
> • 4. Mắt Biếc, Christopher Wong
> • 5. Masukaredo Hoteru, Naoki Sato
> FILM COMPOSER OF THE YEAR
> • 1. Bear McCreary
> • 2. Naoki Sato
> • 3. Randy Newman
> • 4. Michael Giacchino
> • 5. John Williams
> BREAKTHROUGH COMPOSER OF THE YEAR
> • 1. Nainita Desai
> • 2. Diego Baldenweg
> • 3. Philip Noll
> • 4. Josepa Beristain
> • 5. John Koutselinis
> BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR A DRAMA FILM
> • 1. Little Women, Alexandre Desplat
> • 2. Mắt Biếc, Christopher Wong
> • 3. A Hidden Life, James Newton Howard
> • 4. Zwingli, Diego Baldenweg, Lionel Vicent Baldenweg and Nora Baldenweg
> • 5. Traumfabrik, Philipp Noll
> BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR A COMEDY FILM
> • 1. Eld & Lågor/Swoon, Nathaniel Méchaly
> • 2. Edmond, Romain Trouillet
> • 3. Padre No Hay Más Que Uno, Roque Baños
> • 4. Remember Me, Pascal Gaigne
> • 5. Le Mystère Henri Pick, Laurent Perez Del Mar
> BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR AN ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLER FILM
> • 1. Masukaredo Hoteru, Naoki Sato
> • 2. 1917, Thomas Newman
> • 3. The Great Alaskan Race, John Koutselinis
> • 4. Dumbo, Danny Elfman
> • 5. Ready Or Not, Brian Tyler
> BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR A FANTASY/SCIENCE FICTION/HORROR FILM
> • 1. Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, John Williams
> • 2. Godzilla: King Of The Monsters, Bear Mccreary
> • 3. Avengers: Endgame, Alan Silvestri
> • 4. Shazam!, Benjamin Wallfisch
> • 5. Captain Marvel, Pinar Toprak
> BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR AN ANIMATED FEATURE
> • 1. How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, John Powell
> • 2. Elcano Y Magallanes. La Primera Vuelta Al Mundo, Joseba Beristain
> • 3. Buñuel In The Labyrinth Of The Turtles By Arturo Cardelús
> • 4. Miniscule: Les Mandibules Du Bout Du Monde, Mathieu Lamboley
> • 5. Frozen 2, Christophe Beck
> BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR A DOCUMENTARY
> • 1. Untamed Romania, Nainita Desai
> • 2. Cyber Work And The American Dream, Chad Cannon
> • 3. Our Planet, Steven Price
> • 4. Nepal: Beyond The Clouds, Cyrille Aufort
> • 5. Finis Terrae, Christophe Zirngibl
> BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR A TELEVISION SERIES
> • 1. Doctor Of Traditional Chinese Medicine [S1], Mark Chait
> • 2. Lost In Space [S2], Christopher Lennertz
> • 3. The Dragon Prince [S3], Frederik Wiedmann
> • 4. His Dark Materials [S1], Lorne Balfe
> • 5. The Orville [S2], Broughton/Debney/Mcneely/Cottee
> BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR A VIDEO GAME OR INTERACTIVE MEDIA
> • 1. Vader Immortal, Cris Velasco (Awesome!)
> • 2. Erica, Austin Wintory
> • 3. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Empire, Gordy Haab and Stephen Barton
> • 4. A Plague Tale: Innocence, Olivier Derivière
> • 5. Rend, Neal Acree
> BEST ARCHIVAL RELEASE – NEW RELEASE/NEW RECORDING OF AN EXISTING SCORE
> • 1. Dial M For Murder, Dimitri Tiomkin
> • 2. Bride Of Frankenstein, Franz Waxman
> • 3. The Cardinal, Jerome Moross
> • 4. Dracula/The Curse Of Frankenstein, James Bernard
> • 5. Valhalla, Ron Goodwin
> BEST ARCHIVAL RELEASE - COMPILATION
> • 1. Nevada Smith: The Paramount Westerns Collection, Various Composers
> • 2. Star Trek: Voyager Vol. 2, Various Composers
> • 3. The Disaster Movie Soundtrack Collection, John Williams
> • 4. Unchained Melodies: The Film Music Of Alex North, Alex North
> • 5. The Joel Goldsmith Collection Vol. 1, Joel Goldsmith
> FILM MUSIC COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR
> • 1. A Hidden Life – A Hidden Life, James Newton Howard
> • 2. The Passion To Heal – Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Mark
> Chait
> • 3. The Night Window – 1917, Thomas Newman
> • 4. Prologue – Zwingli, Diego Baldenweg
> • 5. Traumfabrik – Traumfabrik, Philipp Noll
> • 6. Love Kiss – Swoon, Nethaniel Méchaly
> • 7. The Alethiometer – His Dark Materials, Lorne Balfe
> • 8. Untamed Romania – Untamed Romania, Nainita Desai
> • 9. Reunion – Star Wars IX: The Rise of Skywalker, John Williams
> • 10. Soaring Suite – Dumbo, Danny Elfman.
> All the best!
i agree with williams, powell, sato , chait, baldenwegs, mechaly, howard, noll, lamboley, beristain, armstrong, gaigne, cardelus.
(Message edited on Monday, January 27, 2020, at 11:25 p.m.)
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