Who is the best Star Trek composer?
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Goldsmith by a light year. His TMP score is brilliant and innovative in ways not a single one of the others gets close to. Horner's two Trek scores are just carbon copies of other film scores he did in the period, Eidelman is aping Holtz, Rosenman is doing a riff on his Bakshi Lord of the Rings score, and McCarthy puts me to sleep.
Outside the narrow confines of Star Trek when you compare the oeuvre of each you may get a different result than if you just use their Trek work as a point of comparison. For me, by oeuvre, it's still Goldsmith, but by an even bigger margin.
Outside the narrow confines of Star Trek when you compare the oeuvre of each you may get a different result than if you just use their Trek work as a point of comparison. For me, by oeuvre, it's still Goldsmith, but by an even bigger margin.
I just never really cared for the TMP/TNG main theme. Personal preference I guess...
I would have to say Goldsmith, closely followed by Horner and Eidelmann.
But the topic doesn't say "main title", it says "composer". There are a number of themes and motifs in the scores, so are we rating the overall scores or just the most apparent aspects of them?
But, the fact that Goldsmith composed a main theme that I cannot stand to hear reduces his stock significantly in my mind. All things considered though, Eidelman's music is still far and away the best in my opinion. "Assassination" was a brilliant piece.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ctaf35lYVE8
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Maestro Goldsmith by a mile. His TMP score (the complete version that came out 2 years ago and replaced my bootleg) doesn't reside with my other film scores, it resides with my classical music. I work with an orchestra and can respect the complexity of composing, conducting and playing classical music. When I listen to the score, I close my eyes and try to envision the instruments that I'm hearing and it's difficult to believe how he got some of the music to work. There are some very complex pieces of music on that score that are beautiful to hear. I've seen a number of the selections performed live by other orchestras and conductors and they pale in comparison. Nobody can hit like Goldsmith did when the score was recorded.
His other Trek scores I consider supplemental material but TMP was a Master at the height of his powers.
His other Trek scores I consider supplemental material but TMP was a Master at the height of his powers.
There is no way Goldsmith is in the same league as classical composers. I'm sorry, but no.
Goldsmith is by far both the best, and my favorite, composer of the 4 in terms of overall career and in Trek. That said, I actually enjoy Eidleman's score for TUC the most out of all the film soundtracks on an individual basis. Yes, he's aping Holtz, but he's GREAT at it.
Jerry Goldmsmith
James Horner
Michael Giacchino
Cliff Eidelman
Dennis McCarthy
Leonard Rosenman
James Horner
Michael Giacchino
Cliff Eidelman
Dennis McCarthy
Leonard Rosenman
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There is no way Goldsmith is in the same league as classical composers. I'm sorry, but no.
Sorry, what? Just how does composing cues of predetermined length to accompany what's on screen compare with "art music" that is its own audio-only thing? A composer known for film scores may or may not have prospered as a concert hall or court composer in the pre-film era, just as a composer of the pre-film era may or may not have been able to work within the constraints of film.
Spock (that Brahms expert) would want you to think logically about this, my friend.
The composer that Cliff Eidelman is accused of aping is Gustav Holst (1874-1934), not "Holtz" - he was British, despite the name.
I'd take Goldsmith from this list without much contemplation. Throw in Alexander Courage and I'd have a tough choice. Gerald Fried would by my third pick.
There is no way Goldsmith is in the same league as classical composers. I'm sorry, but no.
Sorry, what? Just how does composing cues of predetermined length to accompany what's on screen compare with "art music" that is its own audio-only thing? A composer known for film scores may or may not have prospered as a concert hall or court composer in the pre-film era, just as a composer of the pre-film era may or may not have been able to work within the constraints of film.
Spock (that Brahms expert) would want you to think logically about this, my friend.
The composer that Cliff Eidelman is accused of aping is Gustav Holst (1874-1934), not "Holtz" - he was British, despite the name.
Jerry Goldsmith = sucks (I put it into an equation).
You think the soundtrack to The Motion Picture sucks? Really?
Look, I don't venerate Goldsmith the way some people here do - specifically the ones who think his later Trek scores (with or without co-credit to his son) are TMP's virtual equal - but he gets lifetime Top of the Heap status from me on the basis of Planet of the Apes and Patton alone.
Do you also think his music for Alien sucks? (Occasionally I can hear a point of contact between his scores for TMP and Alien, which it can be presumed were written more or less simultaneously.)
Someone ought to retitle this thread. The real "best Star Trek composers" were the ones who wrote for real Star Trek - that is, the TV series. Many TV series of that era had music with some punch to it, up through the early '70s certainly (Columbo, for example). You know - music that called attention to itself while serving the story at the same time, music with character. This is the milieu that Goldsmith worked in for years (as did many of his contemporaries best known today for their Trek work, such as Gerald Fried and Fred Steiner).
So why precisely does Mr. Goldsmith (or at least the Goldsmith of TMP) suck? Can you get specific? I myself heaped scorn on Leonard Rosenman's TVH score on another thread, but at least attempted to give a musical example or two.
Wow this is surprising.
Goldsmiths TMP score is great and he's has a film score body of work that anyone not named John Williams can match.
To me though Horner's scores for TWOK and TSFS were epic and I rank them just slightly below the original Star Wars triology for best sci fi score ever.
The music itself is amazing but his transitions from scene to scene, often with totally different themes is incredible. TMP had a great score but because the scenes were so long and things were less sudden I think it was a much easier film to make a score for.
I think along with glory and Braveheart it's Horner's best work and a lot better than crap like Titanic that he's more known for.
Well different strokes different folks I guess. I just thought it'd be a lot closer between him and goldsmith.
Goldsmiths TMP score is great and he's has a film score body of work that anyone not named John Williams can match.
To me though Horner's scores for TWOK and TSFS were epic and I rank them just slightly below the original Star Wars triology for best sci fi score ever.
The music itself is amazing but his transitions from scene to scene, often with totally different themes is incredible. TMP had a great score but because the scenes were so long and things were less sudden I think it was a much easier film to make a score for.
I think along with glory and Braveheart it's Horner's best work and a lot better than crap like Titanic that he's more known for.
Well different strokes different folks I guess. I just thought it'd be a lot closer between him and goldsmith.
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