Murray Gold's Score

[Mitty]

I have to say I simply loved the music for episode 1... well, except perhaps for the theme but even that's grown on me now, I just wasn't expecting it to be so different.

It was nice that we got basically all new music for this episode. Nothing we've heard before. It's a new Doctor after all, he deserves a completely new score.

No doubt we'll hear a lot o repeated sequences in the series proper, but I'm looking forward to what else Gold comes up with this time.

And I'm definitely looking forward to the soundtrack!

 

[Psion]

I'm very fond of the music in the new shows. I've been re-watching everything from Eccleston on and the music has been fantastic. I'm not as fond of the newest main theme, though. It's a little underwhelming.

 

[David cgc]

I think, though, that the scene with the car and the apple (just believe me for twenty minutes) would've been a perfect moment to use the old Doctor's theme. I suspect that Gold may have agreed with me, as the arrangement was pretty much the same, except it was Amy's theme that was actually playing.

 

[Bacl]

I liked everything but the new theme.

 

[Tom]

Get use to waiting, a lot of us are still waiting for the specials soundtrack that was mysteriously postponed 3 months ago.

 

[Sci]

Gold's music was truly wonderful (as it usually is), particularly the music that played as little Amelia was packing her bag to wait for the Doctor to come back.

As much as I love his recurring leitmotifs, though, I find myself thinking that the only leitmotif he should bring back is "The Doctor's Theme" (introduced way back in Series One). And that one should be brought back because, well, it's still the Doctor. Maybe bring back "The Master Vainglorious" should the Master return (though I'm not sure how much of "The Master Vainglorious" is unique to the Simm Master and how much is inherent to the Master in total). In a way, this is very much Gold's chance to start over from scratch and built up a whole new Doctor Who musical universe again. And hopefully one a little less obvious than just cueing "Rose's Theme" or "Doomsday" or "Martha's Theme" every time those characters happen to appear onscreen.

 

[Worf2DS9]

I also took notice of Gold's score in the episode and really enjoyed it.

 

[Starkers]

I loved the episode score, still not certain about the main theme however, just seems liked they've over egged the pudding somewhat (and I'm reminded of the jazzed up versions of the A-Team and DS9 themes). It's grown on me and probably will continue to do so, just think simple is best for such an iconic tune.

Like I say though,the rest of the score was superb.

 

[23skidoo]

Well I like the new theme arrangement a lot. That's all of the new season I've seen so far (bring on the 17th!). I know it's become fashionable to knock Murray Gold, but frankly he's the first composer in years who has been able to create music for a TV series that isn't just background noise. Time and again I've either bought or previewed TV soundtrack albums, only to be disappointed that once you go past the theme music, quite often everything else just turns to mush. I include most Star Trek music, Alias, NCIS ...

There have been only a few exceptions in my experience:

Most music composed by Barry Gray for the 1960s Supermarionation shows of Gerry Anderson.

Angelo Bandalamenti's nightmare-inducing Twin Peaks score.

And Murray Gold's work on Doctor Who.

I used to include The Prisoner on this list as well, until I learned that most of the memorable music used on that series, beyond the theme and a few melodies, was in fact stock-library music. Whoever picked the music made brilliant choices, but it's not the same as someone sitting down and doing the whole score, like Gold has done.

Alex

PS Honorable mention to Mission Impossible, even though the entire score of that series seemed to consist of only two pieces of music played over and over: the theme, and "The Plan". And while I loved some of what was done with the BSG music score, especially the reimagining of All Along the Watchtower and the theme, the rest of it I didn't find particularly memorable.

 

[Canadave]

^ Not a fan of Michael Giacchino's work on Lost or Bear McCreary's on Battlestar Galactica? Because along with Murray Gold, they form a very strong top tier of television composers for me.

EDIT: Missed what you said about BSG. I'm surprised, most people I know absolutely love that score.

I'm definitely liking what Gold has done so far this season. He's tweaked his sound, so it's recognizable, but still quite fresh. I like it. I, too, wouldn't mind seeing the Doctor's theme return at some point, though.

 

[The Doctor]

And while I loved some of what was done with the BSG music score, especially the reimagining of All Along the Watchtower and the theme, the rest of it I didn't find particularly memorable.

I feel almost exactly the opposite. Gold has created a few themes that have stuck with me (the orchestral mix of the opening credits is high on the list) while the rest of his work has been fairly repetitive and not at all memorable.

McCreary, however, has managed to create a truely memorable body of work on Galactica. I have been consistently amazed at just how good he is at beautful lyricism and punch-in-the-face savagery; sometimes in the same piece.

 

[Classic Fan]

I loved Golds opening theme for Doctor Whos comeback in 2005. It was darker, moody so to speak than what had gone before.

Other than that, his music for season 1 wasnt all that great. It was just MURRAY GOLD - MURRAY GOLD - MURRAY GOLD - MURRAY GOLD - MURRAY GOLD - MURRAY GOLD - MURRAY GOLD - MURRAY GOLD - MURRAY GOLD - MURRAY GOLD - MURRAY GOLD - MURRAY GOLD - MURRAY GOLD

However, with season two i found his music a lot better, a lot less in your face. When he gave The Doctor and Rose a theme each, then we had Boes theme come in and he gave us back the centre piece for the Who theme after a strange absense in season 1. Season three was great also where we have Marthas theme and Mr. Smith and Nurse Redfern themes. The Doctors Theme was changed slightly, and changed again for season four and the specials.

The Rock/Orchestral theme for season 4 was great though, a change from three years with the 2005 theme, and it was used for the specials and i liked it, his incedental music has got better though. Especially in the past specials and this current season.

I love the new theme though. im in the minority that does. Its modern sounding, a cheery little beat, a few random noises but, hey, it has a classic 70s Who sounding theme under neath and its awsome.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Gold has created a few themes that have stuck with me (the orchestral mix of the opening credits is high on the list) while the rest of his work has been fairly repetitive and not at all memorable.

One of the problems with Gold is that he's not on site in Wales to compose and spot the music in post. This has resulted in mustic that isn't organic to the episode in question and the reuse of movements, sometimes with brutal edits. ("Utopia" is particularly egregious in that regard.)

 

[The]

And while I loved some of what was done with the BSG music score, especially the reimagining of All Along the Watchtower and the theme, the rest of it I didn't find particularly memorable.

I feel almost exactly the opposite. Gold has created a few themes that have stuck with me (the orchestral mix of the opening credits is high on the list) while the rest of his work has been fairly repetitive and not at all memorable.

McCreary, however, has managed to create a truely memorable body of work on Galactica. I have been consistently amazed at just how good he is at beautful lyricism and punch-in-the-face savagery; sometimes in the same piece.

I'm with Stig on this one.

I respect, appreciate, and have no ill will against Murray Gold. But, I was gutted when I heard he was hanging around for Moffat. His style has not only gotten repetitive and, in my ears, lazy, but it's just wrong for Moffat's darkness. Gold is at his best in triumphant, epic operas while RTD rewrites how television is made. I want Moffat to have a much more toned-down feel, because I'm frankly exhausted from all the horns and pomp. Give me quiet and subtle (like the stories) over bombastic supernovas. At least for a while...

 

[Cutter John]

Seems to me the music in Matt Smiths stories has been toned down a lot. Moffatt's decision?

 

[Captain Pike]

So far it's been relatively inobtrusive, compared to earlier seasons. Hope it keeps to that level.

And so far the music has been, generally speaking, inspired. Hope that keeps up too!

 

[Photoman15]

I think I found the "inspiration" for Vale Decem:

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[Tom]

I think I found the "inspiration" for Vale Decem:

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I can hear it in the underlying background rift.

 

[ClayinCA]

I just wish Murray would do a Series 10 soundtrack album. There was some nice music in there...

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Sure. However the most important release of his Doctor Who work was the full Heaven Sent score, which just cannot be surpassed.
I would have been so disappointed if that never saw the light of day.