Alternate Version of "The Enterprise" by Jerry Goldsmith
- Thread starter Indysolo
- Start date
That was interesting. The not-quite-final version of the main theme doesn't work as well, though there's a lot that was carried over into what's actually in the finished film.
Wow, I loved that! 
If only to hear it in its entirety. I'd only heard teasy tidbits on the DVD extras. Reminds me a lot of the music from Supergirl, with a bit of the Alien feel in places (the non-creepy scenes.) I was also amazed at how much of it was similar, or even identical in spots, to the final work as Captain Paranoyd mentioned.
I heard a bit of a melody from his original Dry Dock Departure music too; begins with passing shot of the hex-spotlights and continues as the pod begins to descend downward past the saucer's impulse engine. It is the same "motif" used in the dry dock scene, right as the enterprise is seen from the front in full glory pulling out of the dock. It's my favorite portion of that un-used take.
Gleefully happy me.
If only to hear it in its entirety. I'd only heard teasy tidbits on the DVD extras. Reminds me a lot of the music from Supergirl, with a bit of the Alien feel in places (the non-creepy scenes.) I was also amazed at how much of it was similar, or even identical in spots, to the final work as Captain Paranoyd mentioned.I heard a bit of a melody from his original Dry Dock Departure music too; begins with passing shot of the hex-spotlights and continues as the pod begins to descend downward past the saucer's impulse engine. It is the same "motif" used in the dry dock scene, right as the enterprise is seen from the front in full glory pulling out of the dock. It's my favorite portion of that un-used take.
Gleefully happy me.
I have to agree. But this has some nice stuff that my mind will enjoy processing with the visuals. Especially that motif I was liking from the other scene. Starts around 4:50 (I didn't even think about time in my last post)
I don't think so. I think that was just the DVD with the unused music dubbed over the actual sound. So unless there is an unfinished FX shot in the actual film, I doubt it.
What's funny is that one early listener claimed he heard "covered wagons" and another (Wise, I believe) heard "sailing ships." In other words, Goldsmith managed to convey Roddenberry's concept (Wagon Train to the Stars/Horotio Hornblower in Space) all but perfectly. Still, the finished version crystallized it into "Star Trek."
You can hear the finished version struggling to emerge. Love that brassy mess!
You can hear the finished version struggling to emerge. Love that brassy mess!
Well said. Now that I've listened to it several times, I am hearing that motif I gravitate towards at least 3 times along with material that always accompanies it prior... Sounds like a good ole fashioned theme to me. Maybe not a strong one, but thematic nonetheless, as I understand the term. I wonder why everyone including Goldsmith himself indicated that there just "was no theme" in this early attempt?
Deleted 2
Vice Admiral
Well, Goldsmith tries to do many things in those six-and-a-half minutes, so I wouldn't consider it an amazing balancing act. To the casual listener, I'm sure there's a horde of mating elephants and a porcelain factory in the music as well.
I can understand the need for a theme in this scene. Dramatically, it's very dull, so you really need something to latch on to. The melody that's struggling to get out as the pod makes its approach turn towards the Enterprise would've been more gentle than the one we got, though.
I get the "covered wagons" reference.
As I was listening, I kept expecting John Wayne to pop up over a hill somewhere.
As I was listening, I kept expecting John Wayne to pop up over a hill somewhere.
interesting variation, thanks.
It was great to see an alternate take on this cue, but I'm glad they had Goldsmith rework it. I've always thought that his score for TMP was a stylistic departure from his previous works. The first take sounded more like his earlier works, while the final version set him off in a different direction.
It is interesting and cool to hear. But I agree with the original assessment on the DVD. It has no theme and the theme it does have is more suited to sailing ships.
Naw, more for the Sea Hawk of the movie of the same name more likely 
Yea, it just did not have the feel for finally seeing the Enterprise after 10 years.
Yea, it just did not have the feel for finally seeing the Enterprise after 10 years.
This is cool but the final version is epic. I'm so glad they changed it.
Charlie
Charlie
Yes, it didn't fit, but for the most part I got what he was trying to do. If it had been made in the 60's, it might have worked gloriously.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ9e917etNY&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ9e917etNY&mode=related&search=
^^^ Yeah, that's the awesome drydock departure cue. Its even better when its in sync. That drydock scene is the ONLY one that I think manages better than the other unused cues. I think I can accept it more knowing that such a huge portion of the FX were recycled into The Wrath Of Khan with an entirely different take on the music. In essence with the two official versions from the first and second features and now with this little alternate cue, I have no less than 3 awesome drydock departure scenes. It's a bit disappointing that it ends so early compared to the final production however. I wonder if he planned on putting a separate cue for the rest of the scene to Jupiter?
Overall however, I just think all that unused stuff (I've been able to hear a few more cues of it now) is just too flighty for the serious tone of the film. Even the departure scene has a tinge of the flighties at the very first second of the opening, which is not heard in the Youtube video.
Everyone claims there is no theme, but I hear the same theme repeatedly in almost all of it. The problem is, its a theme with sentiment and no statement. Don't know how to describe it any other way. Its very much an underdeveloped version of what we eventually got and there are parts of it I really, really like.
The alternate version of Spock's Arrival is the worst. Talk about covered wagons. It starts with the same somber music as McCoy departs and the partition closes shut, and then instantly leaps into a flighty, pleasant, little rendition of the same "nascent" theme; almost as if fairies are flying along with the shuttle Sarak. It's all pleasant to listen to, and even though I don't find anything objectionable about the music itself, it's just painful to hear knowing what it was intended to accompany.
It's a bit disappointing that it ends so early compared to the final production however. I wonder if he planned on putting a separate cue for the rest of the scene to Jupiter?Overall however, I just think all that unused stuff (I've been able to hear a few more cues of it now) is just too flighty for the serious tone of the film. Even the departure scene has a tinge of the flighties at the very first second of the opening, which is not heard in the Youtube video.
Everyone claims there is no theme, but I hear the same theme repeatedly in almost all of it. The problem is, its a theme with sentiment and no statement. Don't know how to describe it any other way. Its very much an underdeveloped version of what we eventually got and there are parts of it I really, really like.
The alternate version of Spock's Arrival is the worst. Talk about covered wagons. It starts with the same somber music as McCoy departs and the partition closes shut, and then instantly leaps into a flighty, pleasant, little rendition of the same "nascent" theme; almost as if fairies are flying along with the shuttle Sarak. It's all pleasant to listen to, and even though I don't find anything objectionable about the music itself, it's just painful to hear knowing what it was intended to accompany.
The melody is pretty close to the final theme, and it is a melody that we hear in various cues throughout the film. But that's just it -- it works better as a variation or complement upon a theme than as a main theme in itself. It's a motif, sure, but it's not a central theme for a whole movie.
Interesting how the first couple of bars are pretty much the same melody as the final theme, just with the second note repeated and with a different tempo. But it just kind of fizzles out after that, leaves us dangling. It needed those next two bars to make it complete. Not to mention the B melody.
Aside from the theme, what both cues, particularly the drydock cue, are missing is that nifty, pulsing Starfleet ostinato underneath the melody. That gave those scenes more pace and energy, which definitely helped them. (I always regretted that Goldsmith never reprised that ostinato in his later ST scores, except in a couple of cues in NEM which unfortunately are not on the soundtrack CD.)
Interesting how the first couple of bars are pretty much the same melody as the final theme, just with the second note repeated and with a different tempo. But it just kind of fizzles out after that, leaves us dangling. It needed those next two bars to make it complete. Not to mention the B melody.
Aside from the theme, what both cues, particularly the drydock cue, are missing is that nifty, pulsing Starfleet ostinato underneath the melody. That gave those scenes more pace and energy, which definitely helped them. (I always regretted that Goldsmith never reprised that ostinato in his later ST scores, except in a couple of cues in NEM which unfortunately are not on the soundtrack CD.)
