Re:Why do modern pop songs have so many writers?
by themadturk on Monday February 20, 2023 @06:42PM
(#34874423)
Many Hollywood composers outsource orchestration as well, often due to time constraints. John Williams is perfectly capable of orchestrating his work, but often doesn't. I understand he leaves very detailed notes for those who do, however.
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Re:Why do modern pop songs have so many writers?
by bodhiandphysics on Monday February 20, 2023 @07:04PM
(#34874641)
In John Williams' case it's particularly funny, since he got his start as an orchestrator! The notable exceptions to this rule on broadway are Kurt Weil and Leonard Bernstein.
Re:Why do modern pop songs have so many writers?
by ciconia on Monday February 20, 2023 @08:50PM
(#34875485)
As far as I recall Bernstein composed Candide on the piano and let someone else orchestrate it.
Re:Why do modern pop songs have so many writers?
by bodhiandphysics on Tuesday February 21, 2023 @01:38AM
(#34877536)
bernstein "touched up" the orchestrations, and of course orchestrated the overture, but you're right. Hershey Kay and Maurice Peress did the orchestrations. West Side Story was also not orchestrated by bernstein (except for the orchestral suite)
Re:Why do modern pop songs have so many writers?
by dbalatero on Tuesday February 21, 2023 @12:24AM
(#34877032)
Yeah, he mentions his orchestrator in this documentary on Empire Strikes Back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT4_ERNVx3Q
Given the time constraints on getting the film scored it makes a ton of sense to have help in that department.
Re:Why do modern pop songs have so many writers?
by michaelrmmiller on Tuesday February 21, 2023 @01:48AM
(#34877590)
Orchestration also means something different these days for most film, TV and game composers compared to the traditional definition. Traditionally, orchestration would be taking a piano or short score and expanding it to be played by an orchestra. Nowadays, almost all media composers create full digital mock-ups of the music first with the entire orchestra and then some. Orchestration then is mostly a process of transcription, typesetting and adjustments for live ensemble so the recording and performance accurately conveys the intent. John Williams and Howard Shore are two of the old guard who write short scores with notes for the orchestrator about what to do. Nearly everyone else is writing for the full ensemble and orchestrating as they go. Then the orchestrators translate that to traditional music notation so it can be played.
Re:Why do modern pop songs have so many writers?
by raverbashing on Tuesday February 21, 2023 @09:41AM
(#34881703)
Yeah
The actual act of orchestration (translating to the different instruments) is an exercise in "backwards compatibility" and musical knowledge. (Because every instrument has a range, a clef, and they play in a range but read on another range, etc, etc because of some weird thing that happened in the 17th century)
Re:Why do modern pop songs have so many writers?
by MichaelZuo on Tuesday February 21, 2023 @10:41AM
(#34882342)
So who is actually writing the sheet music nowadays?
Re:Why do modern pop songs have so many writers?
by bodhiandphysics on Tuesday February 21, 2023 @11:08AM
(#34882706)
generally, as in many things in music, orchestrators work freelance. Music is a low paying field, so the pay isn't great, but its not terrible
Re:Why do modern pop songs have so many writers?
by themadturk on Wednesday February 22, 2023 @01:10PM
(#34900019)
If you look carefully in the endless credits scroll you can see the credits for the orchestrator(s), if the composer doesn't do the orchestration themselves. Herbert Spencer, for instance, is credited for orchestration of Star Wars Ep. 4, A New Hope. He worked as orchestrator on a lot of other John Williams movies and was a film composer in his own right as well.