The following is a jury report written by Edmund Meinerts who is one of the members of the Judges Panel of the Filmtracks Composers Challenge:
Note: Each entry is given a rating out of 5.
Here’s a long one folks!
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George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire book series has quickly become one of my favorite fantasy series ever since I discovered them about a year ago, even threatening to dethrone Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings at times with its fiercely entertaining characters, plot twists and constant intrigue. HBO’s series Game of Thrones does an excellent job of capturing the first book – Ramin Djawadi’s underachieving score, however, falls short. He did compose a main title which I feel is actually somewhat compelling, but for the most part, his score sounds cheap and synthesized, and relies far too much on the cheap tactic of using lots of percussion to create tension. For this Filmtracks Composers’ Challenge, contestants attempted to write their own version of a main title to accompany the creative visuals of the show’s opening titles. I assign each entry two ratings: one judging the music based on how well it matches the visuals and what I feel a main title for this particular story needs (though as this is subjective, I haven’t allowed it to have a huge impact on my scores) and the other judging it based on its entertainment value when separated from these visuals. The average of these two is then given as the overall rating. Where no split rating occurs, assume that both are the same as the overall rating. I hope you enjoy reading my long-winded ramblings, and also hope you feel I judged your music fairly. And may I extend my congratulations to everybody who participated – there’s some serious musical talent on this ScoreBoard!
ENTRY #1
In a sentence: A rousing orchestral and choral piece which is dynamic, varied, cohesive and finely tailored to the onscreen imagery.
From the first few seconds of this entry, as it begins with a cymbal crash and ominous full choir over a rapid string pattern, it’s clear that this clip has epic intentions. It establishes its theme on horns as King’s Landing hoves into view. Its staggered, almost waltz-like structure interlocks well with the string ostinati, and while it isn’t the most memorable, it serves the purpose. This theme reappears in several different orchestrations as the piece progresses in order to match the changing locations of the map, which nails the perfect balance between cohesive flow and attention to the imagery (had a different theme been used each time, the piece would be severely disjointed). In this case, noble horns are used for King’s Landing (and the Baratheons, presumably). A dramatic key change leads into a woodwind version for Winterfell and the Starks. The piece then moves into an interlude of sorts as it introduces a separate theme for the Wall which, despite being appealing with its dancing woodwinds, glockenspiel and light choral backing, I personally find too innocent-sounding for such a dangerous locale.
The theme returns with a solo vocal accompanying the horns to represent Pentos (and, by extension, the Targaryens). The clever orchestrational connection between this and the Baratheons’ version of the theme will make sense to those who know the series. Leading into this is a bar of heavy percussion which somewhat stands out of the piece, and I would like to hear this extended into a more primal theme for, say, the Dothraki, but that would require this contestant to score the entire show (something I would heartily welcome, given that this strong piece blows Ramin Djawadi’s out of the water). The fanfare concluding the cue isn’t 100% satisfying (compared to, say, the awesome pounding rhythm from entry #5), but overall the impression is very, very strong. A great way to kick off the contest.
Music As Heard in Context ****
Music As Heard Alone **** 1/2
Overall **** 1/2
ENTRY #2
In a sentence: This piece unspectacularly fulfils its basic purpose, but leans too heavily on Ramin Djawadi’s original main title for comfort.
It will be difficult to refrain from rolling your eyes as this piece begins, as it immediately and obviously states the exact same string pattern as heard in Djawadi’s piece. Here, the ostinato is somewhat faster and accompanied by a percussive rhythm (decidedly out of place with its modern, pad-like sound, though this may be the fault of the composing software and not the composer), but the connection is blatant. It takes a while for the piece to state its theme, and it chooses an unusual, though period-appropriate instrument to carry that melody: the harp. To my ears, this makes the theme sound slightly like one of those “exploring the town” cues from, say, a Zelda game or other fantasy/adventure/medieval RPG, but as with those catchy little Koji Kondo synth ditties, the theme itself is actually quite memorable. As the piece progresses, it picks up a snare rhythm and gives its theme over to the brass, thus making a much stronger impression in its second half despite a somewhat rambling ending. All in all, this piece makes some unfortunate choices – the Djawadi inspiration probably chief among them – and it doesn’t gel all that well with the picture, but the potential is there, especially in the theme. ***
ENTRY #3
In a Sentence: It opens weirdly, with a repetitive midsection and a killer ending; this piece has potential but is frustratingly inconsistent.
I’m not really sure why this contestant chose to open this piece with five seconds of solo harpsichord – that would be more appropriate for a Baroque-period sitcom (Blackadder?) than Game of Thrones – but after that bizarre opening, there’s a lot to like about this piece. It creates a convincingly epic sound with its expansive (though arguably inappropriately hopeful, given the subject matter) theme over dramatic bells and resounding choral backing. At about 0:38 it adds a propulsive percussive rhythm (with hand claps!) to the mix. This combined with the theme at 0:55 sounds impressive at first, but for some reason the prominently-mixed bells at the beginning of each bar started to grate me a little with their predictable tolling, and I got a slight feeling that the theme wasn’t really going anywhere. The last fifteen seconds or so (1:25 on), however, are dynamite, as the slapping percussion and a rapidly ascending string ostinato close with a burst of action music. Using the harpsichord at the very end is taken from the Ramin Djawadi playbook, but it sounds good here (as, admittedly, it does in Djawadi’s piece). This is a very frustrating piece to listen to, as some of it is laughable while other parts are brilliant. In the end, the only viable rating lies somewhere in between…I do love that ending, though, so it does manage to snag a hair above average. *** 1/2
ENTRY #4
In a Sentence: Strange harmonies and (unintentional?) dissonances ensure that this chaotic, disorganized piece doesn’t work on any level.
The fact that the first thirty seconds of this clip are silent doesn’t exactly help matters, but it’s almost preferable to the weirdness that follows. The rhythm, at least, is somewhat coherent, aided by a prominently mixed snare drum that sounds more like that of a drumkit than those used in film scores. The harmonies, however, don’t move in a way that I can readily follow, creating dissonances that don’t sound as though they’re supposed to be there – this is far from carefully-crafted Elliot Goldenthal or Alex North dissonance. To coin a probably overly cruel analogy, it’s a bit like a three-year-old mashing the keys of a piano for a minute and then giving the subsequent sheet music to a (doubtless frustrated) orchestrator. There are moments within the piece where it almost threatens to open up nicely (0:46 to 1:01), but it never does. Just listen to the trumpet triplet at 1:15 and tell me there aren’t “wrong notes” in there. The piece ends abruptly, without any sense of closure, following a series of ominous chords which sound like an unintentional parody of early Danny Elfman. All in all, this piece is completely disorganized and, therefore, simply doesn’t work – particularly as a main title sequence. * 1/2
ENTRY #5
In a Sentence: While this piece does most things right in its attempt to be epic and rousing, its success is hindered somewhat by the anonymity of its theme.
There is a lot to like about this entry. The basic ingredients are assembled: a large-scale ensemble complete with choir, full orchestra and even a triplet-heavy flute line for color, a propulsive, timpani-pounding rhythmic undercarriage and a stoic minor-key theme (occasionally treading into the realm of Media Ventures-inspired easy-listening chord progressions). For the most part, this works very well in setting the tone for this particular series’ opening titles. However, you won’t recall much about it once it’s over, other than perhaps the very satisfying pounding that announces the Game of Thrones title card. The melody, carried mostly by brass and then by flute (or perhaps recorder, a nod to the setting) during an interlude at 0:58, meanders through the chordal shifts without making much of an impression at all. That’s not to say that this piece wouldn’t work quite well somewhere else in the show – it strikes me that this would make a good journey piece, for some reason (a rider galloping across a river, that kind of thing) – but for the main title sequence, is it too much to ask for something a bit more memorable? For that reason, this piece is a better standalone listen than it is a match for the opening title sequence (these usually, though admittedly not always, call for a hummable theme) and that stops it from reaching the very upmost echelons of this Composing Challenge. It is, however, a satisfying and coherent listen.
Music As Heard in Context *** 1/2
Music As Heard Alone ****
Overall ****
ENTRY #6
In a Sentence: A number of minor flaws hold this piece back from being the great opening title it had the potential to be, but overall it is a successful and memorable cue.
This piece wastes no time in slapping you over the head with perhaps its most distinctive feature, a dynamic percussive rhythm of slightly ethnic-sounding medium drums underpinned by strumming guitar chords. The orchestra joins in the fun soon afterwards, with rising string ostinato figures joining the rhythm. The theme here consists mainly of rising phrases offered in call-and-response form between lower-register strings and an appropriately medieval-sounding recorder. The inevitable noble brass throws in a variation on the theme at 0:45, even picking up a choir in the background for that extra ancient-sounding muscle. This all combines to create a piece which is great to listen to and which sounds appropriate for the show, but a few things bother me nonetheless. A few of the ethnicities implied by the instrumentation seem to be somewhat at odds; the strumming guitar (and chord progression, for whatever reason) of the opening has an almost Hispanic feel to it, the percussive rhythm seems African whereas the recorder invokes medieval Western Europe. The mixing isn’t entirely successful either, with the slapping percussion extremely close to the forefront and threatening to drown out the theme (the otherwise delightful recorder, in particular, struggles to be heard). This causes the theme to become less memorable than it might have been had it been presented more to the forefront. Despite these somewhat nitpicky complaints, this is a largely successful piece – and you have to appreciate the fact that this contestant inserted swooshing and metallically slicing sound effects to accompany the title sequence’s imagery! The sound crew, I’m sure, will be immensely grateful. ****
ENTRY #7
In a Sentence:This piece shows that a little restraint and reflection can go a long way, taking its time (arguably too much?) to build to a sadly brief climax.
It’s interesting to see how some entries pound you into submission from the outset with their relentless percussive rhythms, and then listen to a piece such as this, which opens with a pastoral flute theme over soothing waves of harp arpeggios. The sounds could hardly be more different, but for my money, this approach is more compelling. This approach allows the piece’s quite attractive, descending theme to unfold itself in lyrical waves before it picks up some string-chopping propulsion at 0:41. At 1:02, it then unfolds into a flowing, waltz-like variant, with brass sneaking into the orchestration and suddenly (almost awkwardly) erupting into a fanfare-like sendoff for the title card. This ending seems almost too abrupt, but the fact that I wish it were longer does say something about the strength of what is offered. Rather than overwhelming you with bombast from beginning to end, this main title provides an arguably more compelling listen with its building structure. It also boasts one of the more memorable and appealing melodies of the contest, but this is also its downfall – if anything, the theme is TOO appealing in its gentle descending phrases for a series with so many dark and violent moments. There’s no denying the prettiness here, and this cue reserves a spot among the strongest entries – as heard out of context.
Music As Heard in Context *** 1/2
Music As Heard Alone ****
Overall ****
ENTRY #8
In a Sentence: This piece places (almost too) much emphasis on the medieval aspect of the setting, and it therefore does not quite achieve the satisfaction or memorability levels a main title cue demands.
Like the entry before it, this piece does not opt for all-out bombast, opening with a somewhat somber yet lilting tune for a gently strummed acoustic guitar (attempting, I believe, to emulate the sound of a lute) and later woodwinds. The straightforward, alternating chord progression is a clear attempt to play towards the medieval aspect of the story, and while this is appropriate enough on the one hand (and might work very well indeed as underscore during another scene in the show), it is rather underwhelming in the context of a main title. More sections of the faux-orchestra (fauxchestra?) attempt to elevate the theme, with strings taking command at 0:33 and brass plus faux-choral (fauxral?) and undermixed percussion accents at 1:03. I challenge anybody to hum the theme after even half a dozen listens, however, let alone one. The introduction of some ominous low brass dissonance at 1:18 is vaguely interesting, but also vaguely unpleasant and it leads into a finale that doesn’t quite resolve in a way that makes you care enough about the show. This isn’t a terrible effort by any means, but it doesn’t rouse your interest, either as a standalone listen or, more significantly, as the defining musical theme of a series.
Music As Heard in Context ** 1/2
Music As Heard Alone ***
Overall ***
ENTRY #9
In a Sentence:This piece takes a very interesting hybrid approach, striking the right tone with a blend of exotic percussion and ominous orchestral writing for an extremely effective, if not quite satisfying, main title.
Nearly all of the contestants included some sort of buildup to a grand climax, as this is the accepted way to score a rousing main titles (with good reason!), but none does it quite so well as this. The sparse opening is almost ominous, with a rattling, ethnic-sounding percussive rhythm underpinning the simple but catchy-enough theme which is played on a synthetic sound which I can’t truly place, but which might perhaps be some sort of exotic fiddle. The lack of any harmony, major- minor-key or otherwise, is what makes this opening rather ominous – perfect for the show’s ever-shifting loyalties and ambiguous characters. The middle section does drag somewhat, interrupting thematic statements with passages of pure percussion which sound more like an underscore cue than they do like a main title, but when the full version of the main theme bursts out at 1:13, in full brass glory and with swirling string flourishes (for the fantasy element), it’s an awesome moment. The ending of the main title is cruelly abrupt, cutting off the theme while it’s in full force – had this composer reduced the percussion-only sections somewhat and allowed his robust theme to truly soar for a bit longer, this cue would have won a much higher mark in the listenability department. As it stands, however, this is an intriguingly effective and original blend of instrumental sounds which sets the tone better than most other entries in the competition.
Music As Heard in Context **** 1/2
Music As Heard Alone *** 1/2
Overall ****
ENTRY #10
In a Sentence:No plugs are left unpulled in this heraldic, Goldsmithian main title – the most robust of the lot – and it’s a sensational listen out of context, despite the fact that more restraint would have served this particular series better.
First things first: Contestant #10 was quite clearly inspired by Jerry Goldsmith’s score to “The 13th Warrior” for this piece. The five-note timpani ostinato underpinning the opening sequence (compare this to the beginning of “The Fire Dragon”), the metallic clanging and even the first phrase of the theme are all borrowed from that 1999 score. However, that particular Goldsmith score is almost ridiculously rousing, epic and entertaining, and so too is this piece – I’m always willing to forgive a bit of inspiration if it’s well-executed, and this is far from being outright plagiarism. Pretty much everything in this piece absolutely screams medieval adventure – weighty percussion, enormous cast-iron brass themes, sweeping interludes (continuing the Goldsmith motif, there’s a hint of “The Edge” about the rising passage from 0:58 to 1:12), woodwind and string flourishes and a true sense of antiquity about it. All that’s missing is the chanting choir! As the main title to a show based on Beowulf, this would earn an unreserved five stars. And it is definitely the kind of theme which will shake the foundations of your house so much that not only you, but your neighbours too will know that Game of Thrones is on!
However, Game of Thrones – though it contains its moments of heraldry – is less transparent than that. What this theme doesn’t manage to do is encapsulate the intrigue, the backstabbing and the moments of utter hopelessness that Game of Thrones also contains. I must give this contestant the benefit of the doubt, and assume that he (or she, you never know) has never seen the series or read the books. The composer thought he/she was writing music for a heroic medieval fantasy series – in which case the theme is flawless (once you look past the Goldsmith references). Another positive: this piece starts out enormous, but it still manages to progress to an even more enormous and utterly satisfying climax. The cherry on top: the samples here are almost indistinguishable from a live orchestra, putting those used by Ramin Djawadi in the actual show to utter, utter shame. In a word: BADASS.
Music As Heard in Context ****
Music As Heard Alone *****
Overall **** 1/2
ENTRY #11
In a Sentence: This piece is essentially a strong, propulsive piece of action music, but it seems too frenetic for its own boots and doesn’t make much of an effort to match the visuals.
Once this entry lays down its enormous, snare-ripping, almost march-like percussive rhythm, it never lets up. It’s all low brass rips, jabbing string chords and high-register flutes (sometimes playing the sort of ostinato you’d normally hear from middle-range strings in film music these days – an interesting orchestrational choice and one which, surprisingly, works). There is a simple theme for horns and/or trombones, but this is so drowned out in the bombast that it’s hard to pin down. The theme, and indeed the whole piece, is rooted so firmly in its key that the bass note doesn’t change once throughout the entire first three-quarters of the cue! This hinders the music’s variability – much more than what we were offered here, and it would soon become highly tiresome. This key-rooting trick does ensure that the key change and choral addition for the title card has a greater impact, however. As with the previous entry, one gets the impression that this is music for its own sake, and not necessarily those demanded from the series (not a hint of drama, intrigue or any of that subtle stuff here!) or even the visuals, which don’t seem to demand such bombastic action whatsoever. The lack of a stronger theme or the sense of inexorable power that #10 exuded makes this piece comparatively less strong as a standalone listen, too. But you’ll find few entries noisier than this, and for the most part it is impressive noise, too.
Music As Heard in Context ** 1/2
Music As Heard Alone ****
Overall *** 1/2
ENTRY #12
In a Sentence:This enjoyable but somewhat anonymous entry makes for a better listen once separated from the visuals.
The first thing that struck me about this piece is that it has a definite Latin flavor to it – at least, the opening with its strummed acoustic guitar chord and tapping percussion, and why that approach was taken to this series is something of a mystery to me. The second thing that struck me, once the dancing string lines kicked in, was that this piece is reminiscent, not of any specific score, but of the general style of Harry Gregson-Williams. In fact, the opening phrase of the theme which enters at 0:10 reminds me of a motif from HGW’s Cowboys and Aliens – which is intriguing, as I’m fairly certain this was composed before that was released! However, as some of you may know, I found Cowboys and Aliens a distinctly underwhelming score and the same anonymity somewhat plagues this entry. The theme, carried throughout by often pitch-bending flute, is pleasant but unmemorable, and I don’t really feel any sense of progress as it moves through its chord progressions (it remains constant throughout the entire length of the piece, without much in the way of a crescendo). Also, it’s a distinctly positive-sounding idea, somewhat at odds with both the ominous string lines of the introducton and with the show’s subject matter. In all honesty, I found that Latin-flavored ten-second introduction more compelling than the rest of the piece, despite its clearly misplaced tone. All in all this is a solid entry, but one which doesn’t quite match up with the visuals for me. And now, for whatever strange reason, the image of Tyrion Lannister doing the flamenco popped into my head. Thank you, Contestant #12!
Music As Heard in Context ***
Music As Heard Alone ****
Overall *** 1/2
ENTRY #13
In a Sentence: This entry takes an unexpectedly religious approach to the main titles which is dramatic and admittedly original, but not really in the right ways.
I will admit I did a double take when I heard the beginning of this cue. Its timpani-pounding, organ-rolling opening seems more appropriate to a Dan Brown film than Game of Thrones. A church organ of the type used here will tend to make the listener think of, well, a church, something which doesn’t seem to fit this particular story, setting and visuals. Taken on its own, however, it is quite a dramatic effect (especially once the deep male chorus joins in later on), and therefore this entry joins so many others as a piece of music which works better as a standalone listen than it does when married to the visuals. However, the dark religious overtones and melodramatically churning string lines are what stand out more than any particular thematic or melodic material, rendering this music impressive but ultimately anonymous. There is a five-note motif on pan flute (which further stands out as being the only treble instrument in an otherwise very bass-heavy, moody cue) but this doesn’t really serve the thematic purpose to the extent that a main title cue demands. It’s always commendable to hear a composer take an unexpected and original approach, but sometimes it doesn’t work all that well, and this is one of those cases.
Music As Heard in Context ** 1/2
Music As Heard Alone *** 1/2
Overall ***
ENTRY #14
In a Sentence: This piece nails the series’ medieval setting well with a stately, modal main theme which builds to a strong climax.
One of the impressive things about this piece – which it holds over many of the contest’s other entries – is that it confidently and consistently conveys a convincing tone (let’s see any of you write a sentence with that many words using the prefix “con”!). This piece sounds medieval to the core, to the point that I think it would make brilliant menu music for an Age of Empires or Stronghold computer game. Its theme (on horns and later solo cello) is in the Dorian mode, an excellent choice of tonality as it manages to be medieval-sounding, but not alienatingly so. The orchestration is strong, with little counterpoint lines on woodwinds and glockenspiels and the always-dramatic bells adding flavor. There’s a lovely little flute-led interlude, before the primary theme returns triumphantly over a tambourine rhythm to close the piece. All in all, this piece really doesn’t have any significant flaws that I can think of – but for whatever reason, I didn’t love it. It pushes all the right buttons, its theme even managing to stick in my head, but I felt there is a certain spark missing – and I’m sorry that I can’t pin down the specifics of my reservation, as it’s the only thing that holds this piece back from a better mark (maybe it’s the medieval influence, despite its appropriateness here). Certainly one of the strongest entries, though – well done!
Cue As Heard in Context **** 1/2
Cue As Heard Alone ****
Overall ****
ENTRY #15
In a Sentence: This piece is well-composed, but lacks a defining, memorable element, either theme or unique sound, to cling to.
One thing I particularly like about this entry is the use of rising and falling string figures to create a sort of wave-like movement throughout the piece – this effectively creates an atmosphere of fantasy, especially when the glockenspiel is used over the top at the very beginning (a shame this element doesn’t continue on). However, this is about the most individual thing about the piece, as the rest falls back into pleasant, but unmemorable material which would make good underscore, but falls short when used as an opening title. There is a rising-and-falling seven-note motif (four up, three down) which seems to be the cue’s primary motif, but its performances don’t stand far apart enough from the harmony to be memorable. The orchestration is quite good, with the trumpet and horn often working well together, and in general the progressions are quite lovely. The piece even picks up a snare drum to add a bit of intensity as it approaches the end, though the finale is not as explosive as many have been in this contest. Perhaps a bit of better mixing would have allowed a theme to stand out more and give this cue a stronger identity.
Cue As Heard in Context ***
Cue As Heard Alone *** 1/2
Overall ***
The Medal Ceremony
Third Place: As I have two entries whose overall rating is **** 1/2, the bronze medal must go to one of the five entries where I awarded **** in the end: entries 5, 6, 7, 9 and 14. Of these, I feel entries 9 and 14 stand a hair the rest because they are both highly successful in creating a unique and convincing tone. In the end, the honorable fourth-place runner-up is the ethnically percussive entry #9. This leaves the noble, medieval-sounding entry #14 as my choice for this contest’s bronze medalist – congratulations!
Second Place: It’s a toss-up between two entries for the two top spots, as both received a **** 1/2 from me. Silver goes to entry #1, which I felt had one of the contest’s more compelling and memorable themes and is probably the single entry which paid closest attention to the visuals without ever losing its coherency. This was a great way to start the contest – the bar was set high from the beginning. Well done to you!
First Place: Despite obviously tipping its hat to Jerry Goldsmith and a continued niggling feeling that the music is too straightforwardly heroic for this particular series, it is the most flat out entertaining, rousing, epic, memorable and (as I said in my review) BADASS piece I heard during the contest. And the samples used are nearly indistinguishable from the real thing (Hans Zimmer, take notice!). I’m a sucker for this particular kind of slow, inexorable heroic music where you can almost picture a warrior swaggering forth to do battle! The sheer weight of this piece is enough to propel it to a gold medal. Kudos to the composer who wrote the music heard in entry #10 – you are my choice for winner of the Filmtracks Composing Challenge!
Fun Stats
Average Overall Rating: 7.07 (compared to Johannes’ 7.13 and Craig’s 8.53)
Average In-Context Rating: 6.60
Average Alone Rating: 7.33
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Composers Challenge 