---

« Previous Entries
Cue of the Week: “Magic of the Ancients”
Friday, February 5th, 2010
This week’s music selection is just a few days old, so try not to wake it with loud noises. An enigmatic and mystical-sounding piano introduction gives way to a rising orchestral crescendo. A few touches of electronica supplement the predominantly acoustic timbre. Just the right mood for unearthing ancient tomes, invoking wrathful demons, or other activities you might have planned for the weekend.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Magic of the Ancients
Posted in COTW, Journal | No Comments »
Cue of the Week: “Snow Running”
Friday, January 29th, 2010
This week’s selection is an oddball cue that’s a bit hard to categorize. It’s perhaps best described as a rhythmic/minimalist groove with an eclectic instrumental set. The driving sleigh bell brings winter associations, but the eastern-sounding musical scale makes the tone tense rather than jovial. You can probably listen to it more quickly than I can come up with a meaningful description.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Snow Running
Posted in COTW, Journal | 1 Comment »
Cue of the Week: “Walking”
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
This week’s music selection is from the short thriller Dead Line. Detuned piano, fiddle drones, and exotic bells create a disquieting atmosphere to accompany the image of lone figure walking through the Nevada desert at dusk.

(Click on the play button to stream.)

	Walking
Posted in COTW, Journal | 1 Comment »
Cue of the Week: “Against Time”
Friday, January 15th, 2010
We kick off the new year with one of my own personal favorites, the opening titles to the feature film Against Time. In the film, a teen whiz kid (Ean Mering) is accosted by a seemingly deranged old man (Robert Loggia) claiming to be his future self, here to stop a terrible mistake his past self is about to make. The clincher: time travel has supposedly disoriented him so much that he can’t remember what the mistake is.
Music written for opening titles tends to be an emotional synopsis of some element of the film. Here I was trying to capture a sense of passion and yearning, both of youth and old age, as well as a touch of the supernatural flavoring of time travel.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Against Time
Posted in COTW, Journal | 1 Comment »
Cue of the Week: “The Troops Arrive”
Friday, December 11th, 2009
Here’s a bit of noble militaristic heroism, also from the Empire Earth 2 score. Recording once again courtesy of the Budapest Film Orchestra.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	The Troops Arrive
Posted in COTW, Journal | No Comments »
Cue of the Week: “Morituri Te Salutant”
Friday, December 4th, 2009
This choral and orchestral piece opens up Empire Earth 2 with a healthy serving of sturm und drang. Chorus and orchestra both recorded in the beautiful renovated Magyar Radio studios in Budapest.
One problem facing composers writing the archetypal “chanting chorus” piece is what to do about lyrics. One school of thought is to not bother - after all, you’re mostly going to hear the vowels. But not wanting to give the chorus a stream of nonsense syllables, I took it upon myself to cobble together a miniature Latin war poem. Finding words that both made sense and rhymed turned out to be quite an effort, even with the generous assistance of some Latin scholars I reached via the Internet. To those who’ve learned this intricate language: I salute you!

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Morituri Te Salutant
Posted in COTW, Journal | 1 Comment »
Cue of the Week: “The F-Zone (Main Titles)”
Friday, November 13th, 2009
This week’s selection is the opening theme to one of my first feature film scores, written for a political thriller called The F-Zone. The moody main theme for strings alternates with a more lyrical secondary melody for oboe, played here by Jon Clarke. Recorded at the (sadly now-defunct) O Henry recording studio.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	The F-Zone (Main Titles)
Posted in COTW, Journal | No Comments »
Cue of the Week: “Poker Night”
Friday, November 6th, 2009
This week’s selection is a bit of 1940s-esque big band swing, originally written for a poker video game. We recorded with a dynamite pickup ensemble, including some longstanding musical collaborators.
And, since I have your attention: come check out my Facebook artist page, which you can reach via this convenient link. I promise, I won’t invite you to join any agrarian, mafia, or vampire-related online games.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Poker Night
Posted in COTW, Journal | 1 Comment »
Cue of the Week: “Meeting in the Fields”
Friday, October 30th, 2009
My music has been used in three separate and unrelated adaptations of the novel Anthem: an audio book, a stage play, and now Greg Bowyer’s in-progress feature film project. I wrote this cue to accompany the guy-meets-girl-in-post-apocalyptic-wrecked-society moment early in the film.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Meeting In The Fields
Posted in COTW, Journal | No Comments »
Cue of the Week: Excerpt from “Identity” Concerto
Friday, October 23rd, 2009
This is a very special Cue of the Week - and not just because it’s the first that’s been run in two weeks. Today’s selection is an excerpt from Identity - Zhongshan Zhuang, a concerto for orchestra and guzheng (Chinese zither). This playful passage is an excerpt from our promotional album, which features emulated orchestra but a live recording of guzheng virtuoso Chang Su.
Of course, there’s nothing like the real thing. Those in the Greater Los Angeles area are invited to come to the premiere of the piece tomorrow night, October 24th at 8pm at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse. Tickets and information may be found at the Hanyii Productions website.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Identity - Excerpt From Movement 3 (The Grandchildren Play)
Posted in COTW, Journal | 1 Comment »
« Previous Entries

• View entries

  All journal entries
  Cue of the Week only

• RSS

  Entries (RSS)

• Archives

  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • June 2007
  • October 2005
  • June 2005

---

Michael Gordon Shapiro is proudly powered by WordPress