New Composer and Theme for Series Five?

[Admiral_Young]

I'm curious with the new lighter and retro direction that Moffat seems to be going in does this mean that Murrary Gold is next to be replaced or has it been confirmed he'll be scoring the series? If not then I wouldn't mind if Ben Foster took over the duties as his Torchwood stuff is excellent.

 

[diankra]

I'm curious with the new lighter and retro direction that Moffat seems to be going in does this mean that Murrary Gold is next to be replaced or has it been confirmed he'll be scoring the series? If not then I wouldn't mind if Ben Foster took over the duties as his Torchwood stuff is excellent.

No info! A new logo probably means a revamp of the title sequence, and hence the music, so I wouldn't be surprised if it got a little less drum-bastic, and a bit more eerie.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

I would have no objections to replacing Murray Gold.

I don't dislike Gold's work. Far from it; I think it's quite evocative.

The problem is that Gold isn't on-site and he's not there to spot his music in post. Then, Gold tends to write long passages that are then hacked to pieces -- and repeated out of context -- over the course of the season. Doctor Who needs a composer who can be in the editing room, writing his score, and then matching it, in editing, to the scene.

 

[Tomalak]

Doctor Who needs a composer who can be in the editing room, writing his score, and then matching it, in editing, to the scene.

They don't have the time or money for that.

I think he has to go really. I've liked his music, but I think after four years, it's getting rather repetitive. Since everything else about the show is changing, I'd be surprised if there wasn't a new composer.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Since everything else has changed...i wouldn't mind a changeover for music as well. I've really enjoyed Gold's scores over the past four series, he's become just as much part of the show as anything else. His feel though doesn't seem right for what's coming.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Doctor Who needs a composer who can be in the editing room, writing his score, and then matching it, in editing, to the scene.

They don't have the time or money for that.

I have to ask. What makes you say that?

They certainly do have the time; they have a couple of episodes for the new season in the can already. Okay, the f/x work isn't done, but it's going to be.

And the Star Trek series managed to have the composers write their scores with the episodes largely finished so they could spot the scores in post.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I could go either way. There are some aspects of Gold's music that I absolutely love but others I hate. Having another composer would go well with all of the other changes.

 

[Captain Pike]

TBH, I won't miss him if he goes. I'm not a big fan of the current arrangement of the theme tune and find alot of his incidental and background music too intrusive.

 

[Sci]

Murray Gold is as much a part of the essence of Doctor Who as the Doctor and the TARDIS, and I think he ties with Michael Giacchino as the best composer working in English-language television today. I would hate to see him go.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

That's hyperbolic ridiculousness. That's like saying Russel Davies is as much a part of the essence of Doctor Who as The Doctor and the TARDIS. Just like there have been many showrunners of Doctor Who so have there been composers with their own takes of the original Ron Gainer theme.

 

[Sci]

That's hyperbolic ridiculousness.

No, it's my evaluation of the importance of Gold's original compositions to the over-all program.

That's like saying Russel Davies is as much a part of the essence of Doctor Who as The Doctor and the TARDIS.

Russell T. Davies didn't write every episode of the modern series; Murray Gold scored them all. In fact, those are literally the only constants in the current show -- the Doctor, the TARDIS, and Murray Gold music.

Just like there have been many showrunners of Doctor Who so have there been composers with their own takes of the original Ron Gainer theme.

1. Who's talking about the theme song? I'm talking about the music in the episodes themselves. I'm confident that the Gainer theme will be retained in some form.

2. Yes, but I'm not talking about the original series, I'm talking about the current Doctor Who. Murray Gold's work has been at the heart of the show, and I'd hate to see him leave.

 

[Chaos Descending]

That's hyperbolic ridiculousness.

No, it's my evaluation of the importance of Gold's original compositions to the over-all program.

Those two ideas are not mutually exclusive.

Your "evaluation of the importance of Gold's original compositions to the over-all program" is in fact hyperbolic ridiculousness.

 

[Sci]

That's hyperbolic ridiculousness.

No, it's my evaluation of the importance of Gold's original compositions to the over-all program.

Those two ideas are not mutually exclusive.

Your "evaluation of the importance of Gold's original compositions to the over-all program" is in fact hyperbolic ridiculousness.

Right, the fact that someone has a different and firm opinion than you means that it's hyperbolic and ridiculous.

I think Gold is as important to nuWho as the Doctor and the TARDIS. I'm not saying that another composer can't be equally good, but I do think he's been essential to the success of the show since 2005. I'm not attacking any other composer, and I'm not attacking DW TOS, but nor do I want Gold replaced. Get over it.

 

[The Wormhole]

I'd hate to see Murray Gold go. His music is top rate and among the best a science fiction show has had. While it is true that with everyhting else changing, we'll probably end up with a new composer, but I hope not. Doctor Who without Murray Gold to me is like BSG without Bear McCreary.

And yes, I am aware the BSG mini acutally had someone else doing the music.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

I'd love it if Murray Gold could stick around for a while. I've always felt that putting music on the forefront and making it as distinctive and as memorable as possible works very well on TV, and Gold is versatile enough to make it work. He is by far the best composer in the history of Doctor Who.

I wouldn't mind if he left though. Change is good, especially in Doctor Who.

That being said, I've never liked the current Spinal Tap arrangement for the main theme. The sooner it's gone, the better.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

I think Gold is as important to nuWho as the Doctor and the TARDIS. I'm not saying that another composer can't be equally good, but I do think he's been essential to the success of the show since 2005. I'm not attacking any other composer, and I'm not attacking DW TOS, but nor do I want Gold replaced. Get over it.

Sci, I get where you're coming from. I really do. But I would amend your statement -- Gold is an important piece of RTD Who. Perhaps even an essential piece of RTD-Who. But he's not essential to Doctor Who as a whole, and the revived series will continue with or without him.

If change isn't something you want from your television, Doctor Who isn't the series for you. *shrug*

 

[23skidoo]

Doctor Who needs a composer who can be in the editing room, writing his score, and then matching it, in editing, to the scene.

They don't have the time or money for that.

Nonsense. Thanks to the internet, composers can and do work from their garage, with the stuff e-mailed to them. They don't need to be there. And some composers don't even need a full orchestra. I remember watching a DVD featurette on the guy who composed the music for Wonderfalls. He did it from his garage.

Back to the main question, I only hope whoever they have is at least of the calibre of Gold. Some people don't like his work, but for me he was 100 times better than the dull, unmemorable scores that we had during the original series. I bought a number of the soundtrack albums for the original, and I've only played them maybe once. Except for the Doctor Who Theme and the rare, occasional bit of music, it elevator muzak as far as I was concerned (and I know there are fans of the classic-series composers who will take exception to this; now you know how Gold fans feel when he's cut down). Gold's scores I can listen to over and over again.

If they can get someone who can create such memorable work, then I agree maybe it's time to give someone else a try. If they can't, then I'd say keep Gold.

As for the theme -- and we should make sure we note that we're talking about a new arrangement, as blood would run in the streets of Leeds if anyone suggested a new theme tune -- a new arrangement is a certainty. And some people will love it and some people will hate it. Like I said in another thread, it's a certainty. I'm looking forward to what they come up with.

Alex

 

[auntiehill]

Back to the main question, I only hope whoever they have is at least of the calibre of Gold. Some people don't like his work, but for me he was 100 times better than the dull, unmemorable scores that we had during the original series. I bought a number of the soundtrack albums for the original, and I've only played them maybe once. Except for the Doctor Who Theme and the rare, occasional bit of music, it elevator muzak as far as I was concerned..... Gold's scores I can listen to over and over again.

If they can get someone who can create such memorable work, then I agree maybe it's time to give someone else a try. If they can't, then I'd say keep Gold.

^This. I actually bought the soundtrack season 2 because I LIKED the music that much. I'm not big into soundtracks as a rule, especially for TV, but Gold's work just added one more special element to the show.

I hope he stays. I wouldn't mind, however, if they made the theme less-drum heavy.

 

[Sci]

I think Gold is as important to nuWho as the Doctor and the TARDIS. I'm not saying that another composer can't be equally good, but I do think he's been essential to the success of the show since 2005. I'm not attacking any other composer, and I'm not attacking DW TOS, but nor do I want Gold replaced. Get over it.

Sci, I get where you're coming from. I really do. But I would amend your statement -- Gold is an important piece of RTD Who. Perhaps even an essential piece of RTD-Who.

I believe that's what I said, only I used the phrase "nuWho."

 

[Timby]

I think Gold is an incredibly talented composer. His music is very well-written, and it's a joy to listen to.

However, I think that his music, as good as it is, is equally very wrong for Doctor Who: His scores tend to dominate all other elements of the scenes, shrieking "DAAAA! DAAAAA! DAAAAA! I'M MURRAY GOLD! MURRAY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD! CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS, MOTHERFUCKERS? LISTEN TO THIS! THIS SHIT IS GETTING REAL!" Case in point: "Partners in Crime." Decent enough episode, despite the "just missed 'em" gag being entirely too played out. But Gold's music did. Not. Fucking. Stop. It was all over the place. His "epic" cues have the same problem, and then suddenly the Doctor is no longer a mysterious traveler but a Jerry Bruckheimer action hero.

Given how much everything else is changing, I'd really like to see a fresh "voice" in the composer's seat.