February 21, 2007

  • Notes on a Scandal

    Well, I have now heard all but the Babel score of the 5 nominations for "original film score."  The last one on my list was this latest release of Philip Glass' Notes on a Scandal.  Out of many of the composer's offerings for film, this one continues to expand upon his musical language in rather unique ways.  The constant trance-like pulses are still there but now have a richer harmonic sound that shifts far more frequently and often in unusual and unexpected directions.  Thematic material is grafted onto this accompaniment but is integrated more into the overall orchestration.  This latter is perhaps the discovery that Glass has made after his interesting music for The Illusionist from earlier in the year.  That score had actual discernable melodic content that sometimes seems almost disconnected from the pulses that accompanied it, a musical illusion if you will.  Roving Mars a score written for an IMAX film was cast in a classic Glass style that critics who dislike his music would say could have been written for anything.  Notes is a score that results when you experiment with trying to integrate both into one musical entity.  The result is fascinating. 

    My favorite Glass score is the last one written for the "Qatsi" series, Naqoqatsi, with Kundun a close second.  This one definitely is on the list for finest scores of 2006.

    Updated Oscar thoughts

    So one has to ask how is it possible that the Academy managed to pick at least a couple of standout scores from last year.  Both The Queen and Pan's Labyrinth have the kind of potential that could get their scores nominated.  Notes on a Scandal could be the dark horse candidate but my guess is that few will have paid much attention to it.  The Good German is an equally fine effort by Thomas Newman and one of the best scores of 2006.  So that just leaves good old Babel.  I've said my peace on this already.

    The last few years, the Oscar has gone to scores with fantasy themes (ok, Brokeback Mountain being the exception to the rule...well maybe not).  That said, Navarrete could become the first Spanish composer to win an Oscar which would be a big deal for Spanish cinema.