The score, of course, remains one of Williams' magnum opuses, probably the most complex yet listener-friendly of his Star Wars period. The most blatant of Superman's intricacies is its diversity - Williams actually composed three completely unique movements for the film, the first of which provides material for the Krypton scenes and becomes the most complex of the trilogy, utilizing dissonance, modernistic orchestration, and exhilarating sci-fi music. The second movement is the shortest, using Coplandesque Americana to underscore the Smallville scenes. Finally, Williams dedicates the bulk of the album to the third movement, home of the trademark comic book superhero music and love theme. Each movement is nearly self-contained, usually relying on its own thematic material, only revisiting leitmotivs of the previous sections to maintain a sense of continuity. Williams composed his usual smorgasbord of themes - 3 different melodies for Superman, the love theme, a fanfare for Krypton, a triplet chromatic figure to represent Kryptonite, a quirky march for the villains, a haunting ode for Smallville, and an oft-neglected theme for Clark Kent. These effective aural calling cards manage to transcend their traditional filmic role of instant recognition and instead reveal subtle shades of the plot, character psychologies, and emotional depth.
As with other Rhino releases, this includes a huge 32-page booklet and lavish packaging. Unfortunately, the liner notes are not quite as detailed and informative as those for the Star Wars Special Editions, but instead cater more to the film-going masses more interested in the scenes that the music underscores than the subtle nuances of composition. Superman's inferior recording quality and preservation unfortunately presented a monumental challenge to the album producers, who managed to remaster the score with an absolute minimum of tape hiss and distortion so that, while the sound quality rarely reaches the pristine clarity of Star Wars and some of Williams' other period scores, it never delves into the realm of damaged tapes and unlistenable flaws that characterize most of the older session tapes. Overall, no self-respecting film score aficionado should deny themselves the splendor of Rhino's sumptuous release and one of John Williams' crowning achievements.
CD1:
1. Prelude and Main Title March (5:29)
For a large group of collectors, this will arguably be the highlight of the album.
Rhino's release presents the world premiere of the film version of Superman's
Prologue and Main Title. Although Williams originally sketched this
out in its entirety, it was never recorded all the way through, forcing the producers
to recreate it editorially from several different sources.
The Prologue is a fascinating, impressionistic introduction to the score
that presents the main fanfare in an innovative arrangement. It begins
with an F Major muted trumpet variation of the fanfare, which soon delves
into modernism with minor-key woodwind triads and a dissonant harp run.
The triads continue, and the listener suddenly realizes that they actually
outline the fanfare. The piece continues to grow in intensity, leading
into a wistful trumpet variation of the fanfare, later echoed by the clarinets
and bassoons under a warm string cluster chord. The triads return,
now in a Wagnerian augmented form with frenzied harp chords. All
of this climaxes in a horn line, and Williams modulates into the key of
C Major in 12/8 time. Here he introduces the infamous march rhythm,
on top of which he adds cluster chords:
[Figure One: March Ostinato]
This sound will define Part III of the score with a much more contemporary, comic-book sound than Star Wars. Williams' tone clusters will come to dominate the score, but he never allows them to appear discordant unless the film calls for it. Soon a rousing brass fanfare rings out, and the march finally climaxes in a brass version of the main theme. Williams actually composed 3 themes to represent Superman: this ringing "super hero" theme:
[Figure Two: Super Theme]
a quieter, cluster-chord theme:
[Figure Three: Cluster Chords!]
and the major fifth interval fanfare that opens the concert arrangement:
[Figure Four: Fanfare]
The first theme is full of major seventh chords and racing string runs. However, it soon quiets into a version of the noble cluster theme, augmented by a subtle woodwind and string reference to the ostinato. This gradually builds, adding virtuoso runs, until it finally erupts into the Fanfare with rapid accompaniment. Then the key changes to F, and the love theme makes one of its only entrances in CD1. Although it has fewer clusters, he modulates it several times, which, along with the upward tonal shape and rapid woodwinds, gives an atmosphere of flying. After an innocent woodwind climax, it modulates once again, this time into B flat Major. Theme 1 blazes back in its full glory with a new variation of the march rhythm - possibly one of the most rousing passages of the score. Once again it modulates, now into G major with a return of the fifth-interval fanfare. A stylized fanfare forms the postlude, along with a building crash.
2. The Planet Krypton (6:39)
This track was expanded by about 40 bars for Rhino's expanded edition,
and is actually made up of three cues. The first, titled "Krypton"
by Williams, was written after the main title had been changed to its familiar
form (The alternate opening can be heard in track 16 of disc 1).
"Krypton" introduces the main thematic material for the planet through
an expansive, Straussian fanfare that continues to build into a huge major
chord, much like the opening to Also Sprach Zarathustra:
[Figure Five: Origins (Krypton - Planet)]
It should be noted that in the alternate, a short, 4-bar brass fanfare was originally written in the middle of the thematic introduction, which ties it to the main theme. The introduction of the trial sequence features a clarinet solo of the Force theme from Star Wars (I think this would have to be some sort of in-joke on Williams' part.) as well as a quieter horn statement of the Krypton theme. This segues into one of the most surreal and atonal passages of the score, a 23-bar section scored exclusively for arp synthesizer, harp, the lowest register of the piano, bass drum, muffled drum, and a log. After a few bars of impressionistic rumblings, a new, dissonant idea for strings enters. This builds into a piercing E flat for trombones, which leads into the next section. (The remainder of the cue is previously unreleased.) This is even more disconcerting - a mixed-meter section with sudden outbursts from piano, harp, chimes, and trombone. In the final bars, an unnaturally low, lumbering horn theme enters on top of the FX. The final cue, titled "The Dome Opens," introduces a dissonant combined brass fanfare over a bed of creeping, chromatic string tremolos. After a few minutes of this, a huge, complex string/woodwind line enters - a lumbering, passionless monster of chromaticism at first, but soon introducing a modernistic technique - 9th interval chords. The track ends with a major seventh brass fanfare, a mysterious woodwind scale, and a farewell to the dissonant chromaticism. In the score, Williams originally composed a finale based on the idea that opened the cue.
BONUS: The Dome Opens (alternate) (2:12)
This isn't on the Rhino CD, but Williams wrote and recorded an alternate
version of The Dome Opens, which is much more modernistic than its new
counterpart (it features hardly any of its counterpart's themes.)
Its opening features ominous trills all over the low registers of the orchestra. Later
there are several impressive brass fanfares and a return to the trills.
As the Phantom Zone appears, a series of dissonant triplet figures enters,
almost like the opening of Star Ship Escapes. However, it also has
a synthesized "white noise" cluster above it all. After another atonal
brass fanfare, the major 9th runs of the film version make a quick appearance
along with the ascending flute scale. The closing returns to the
trills heard earlier.
3. Destruction of Krypton (7:52)
Despite its 8-minute running time, this was actually only one cue in
the score, and probably the most atonal and modernistic section of Part
I. The opening minutes introduce a new meandering, impressionistic
theme for extremely high bassoon that utilizes chromaticism to its fullest.
Under this is a jarring, sliding, atonal monster for low brass and chimes,
as well as a gradually descending chorus of 6 sopranos. This section
intensifies, and after a final dissonant moan, the trumpets break out with
a resounding, fortissimo fanfare that moves from A major to B flat major,
underscoring a majestic outer space shot of the planet.
Although originally inserted as 2 fanfares back-to-back for the album, this
expanded release breaks them up with a return to the chromatic theme for
woodwinds. The dissonant accompaniment shifts to the bassoons, sounding
much like the desert music of Star Wars. The next section introduces
an ominous descending figure for celeste, woodwinds and a Fender Rhodes
synth. After a short interlude that introduces the Kryptonite theme,
the second part of that earlier brass fanfare enters. The next section
presents a similar version of the Fender Rhodes theme, now on flute, and
a new, noble yet bittersweet theme that doesn't appear anywhere else.
It continues to build and climaxes in a brassy cluster chord. Next,
the chorus returns and supports a mysterious flute version of the Kryptonite
theme, augmented by ominous rushes in the cellos and basses:
[Figure Six: Kryptonite Theme]
Notice how the Kryptonite theme chromatically suggests the Krypton fanfare, yet mutates it into an ominous specter of the unknown.
This moment of tranquility is shattered, though, with a series of piercing dissonances throughout the orchestra. After a seemingly endless B natural in the brass, 2 pages of racing, cacophonous action music appear. Then, after an impressionistic, pleading ascent for triadic strings, the epic ending begins, which is arguably a highlight of the entire score. It contains fortissimo brass triads and racing triplet violin arpeggios, as well as one of the most tragic fanfares ever heard in film music. The only downside to this is that it was inserted over another ending, and the edit isn't very clean, creating a jarring increase in tempo and sound quality. However, it remains a definitive highlight of the score.
4. Star Ship Escapes (2:21)
This cue serves as a dramatic postlude to the finale of "The Council's
Decision," featuring Williams in his tragic, operatic mode much
like the finale sections of TESB. It opens with a tragic variation
of the Superman fanfare, which soon builds into grandiose chromatic triplet
chords in the brass, strings, and winds. It has constant subtle hints
of the march rhythm, but blended with Wagnerian chromatics and atonality.
The Superman fanfare also makes several other entrances in a new, grotesquely
mutated form. Williams uses many of the most harrowing woodwind runs of
his career in this cue, as well as a return to the major ninths of "Kryptonopolis."
Later in the cue, he introduces an offshoot of the Superman theme for Clark Kent
(I like to think of it as a theme for Superman's weaknesses), which will be featured more on
CD2:
[Figure Seven: Clark Kent's Motif]
In the final bars, he uses several nearly impossible woodwind 16th note runs accompanied by frenzied string triplets. All of this climaxes in a lengthy timpani solo and low C cadence.
5. The Trip to Earth (2:28)
Titled "Baby's Trip to Earth" on the sketch score, this presents a
virtuoso Williams scherzo based around a contemporary string melody suggestive
of space and the unknown:
[Figure Eight: Flight to Earth]
It opens with a short woodwind section made of extremely difficult chromatic trills and runs. The string theme is next introduced under these runs, as well as an evocative horn triad ostinato. In the second section, a new pattern based on the previous material appears, along with a few impressionistic trumpet versions of the fanfare accompanied by harp glissandi and a subtle melody in the woodwinds above the runs. A chromatic viola ostinato takes over, and an extremely high version of the cue's theme appears in the strings. The music proceeds to get more fragmented and frenzied, almost like a tribute to Bernard Herrmann with its rapid string movements, the usual harp and woodwind runs, and a few startling brass outbursts. A recapitulation of the theme forms another section with more evocative woodwind accompaniment and hints of the fanfare from muted trumpet. A content postlude concludes this exciting track.
BONUS: To Earth (Trip to Earth Alternate) (1:16)
Another of Williams' alternates to be excluded from Rhino's release,
this presents the composer's fascinating first thoughts on the flight sequence,
which was evidently much shorter. It opens with a huge D major chord
in strings, which mutates into F, then back to D as the planet explodes.
Williams mutates these fanfares into various keys, much like Wagner's Magic
Fire Music, accompanied by woodwind scales. The "main theme" of this
cue is one of the most interesting in the score, used in conjunction with
the main fanfare at points. It's usually played on woodwinds, and
continually mutates between B flat major, G flat major, and F# minor.
He uses it almost like the trilled motif in the original, but I find this
much more exciting.
6. Growing Up (2:34)
This begins Part II of the Superman score, underscoring various events
in Smallville. "Baby Makes an Entrance," the first cue here, begins
with ominous bass, but soon introduces a quiet, wistful version of the
Superman fanfare. "Baby Lifts Lorry" is almost an exact duplicate
of the previous cue. The alternate (:29), features Clark Kent's motif,
but evidently Williams thought the original fanfare underscored this more
effectively.
"Racing The Train" comes next, which begins with ominous string glissandi,
but soon turns into an upbeat scherzo based around a charging idea for
French horn, later expanded upon in the strings, with various outbursts
of the Superman fanfare.
BONUS: "Racing the Train" (Alternate) (1:22)
This alternate, again not on the Rhino release, is almost identical
to the film version, but the first version of the horn idea features a
more ominous chromatic triad harmony much like the desert music of Star
Wars. Williams apparently decided to go with the Americana sound throughout the cue.
BONUS: "Kansas High School" (Source Music) (:15)
This is a heavy '50s rock piece for a band. Features tenor
sax improvisation.
BONUS: "Kansas Kids" (Source Music) (:50)
Another '50s rock piece for the same ensemble as the previous cue.
Lots of guitar improvisation. It also has the weirdest tempo marking
I've ever seen in my life - "Heavy Bubble Gum ala the Dragon Lady"
7. Death of Jonathan Kent (3:27)
This poignant cue introduces the Coplandesque Smallville theme, one
of Williams' simplest yet most moving. It first appears in a simple
flute arrangement, which segues into a bittersweet string section with
alternating accompaniment. For the actual death, the composer uses
a stretch of ominous, high string chords, followed by a horn presentation
of the theme. Various orchestral Americana meanderings form the next
minute, and the cue ends in one of the most heartwrenching moments of the
score - a powerful brass cluster chord version of the Smallville theme
accompanied by continually ascending strings and a powerful resolution.
[Figure Nine: Chordal version of Smallville theme. French horns have the treble, while the rest of the brass section takes the cluster chord accompaniment.]
BONUS: Sunday Meeting (Source) (1:10)
This was a short, 16-bar organ piece that sounds almost like Williams
writing a hymn.
BONUS: Late Night Country Music (Source) (:20)
Exactly what it sounds like. It uses the same ensemble as the other
rock source cues, with the tempo marking as "Nashville Shuffle."
8. Leaving Home (4:49)
Out of all the cues in the Williams action-adventure canon, this is
arguably the most mature and poignant. It opens with ominous female
choir, dissonant harp runs, and a return of the Kryptonite flute theme.
The orchestra continues to surge, and climaxes in a dissonant resolution
of the theme. Soon, however, the Coplandesque strings return, playing
a bittersweet elegy, followed by an innocent, masterful oboe presentation
of the Smallville theme. Williams then passes it to the strings,
which add a cluster-laden postlude. A solo clarinet appears with
the melody a final time, before allowing thunderous strings to take it
over, climaxing in a C# major chord. Then the horns perform it a final
time, marking a defining moment in the composer's career as it resolves into one of the most moving climaxes to ever grace a scoring stage.
9. The Fortress of Solitude (9:17)
This lengthy sequence actually belongs in Part I with the
other dissonant orchestration rather than Part II. Williams uses a
conglomerate of his most sublime and multitextured writing here, as well as some of
the most atonal material to escape from his pen. It begins with ominous
woodwind triads and celeste arpeggios, along with the return of the ethereal
female choir. A minor string chord then blends with several minor-key,
depressed renditions of the original Krypton fanfare. The composer
originally wrote a part for arp synthesizer, but it was eventually discarded.
After a short climax, the Kryptonite theme appears briefly, before rushing
into a rapid showpiece for trilled strings and gradually-ascending choir.
Soon, after more Kryptonite, an ominous low string idea and horn fanfare
enters, which later hits the most dissonant material of the score - a slow
string/woodwind glissando that becomes almost earsplitting. Huge,
almost Biblical-sounding major chords take over, and the Krypton fanfare
finally resolves itself into a major key surrounded by content woodwind
arpeggios. A short idea for celeste enters briefly, followed by more
of the fanfare, rudely interrupted by Krypton. Shimmering synths,
ethereal chorus, tremolo high strings, and several quiet versions of Krypton's
fanfare coalesce into a vibrant soundscape, sometimes interrupted by dissonant
brass outbursts. "Father's Instruction," the second cue, includes a variation
of the Krypton music played by arp synthesizer with various ethereal string
tremolo chords. A short section was omitted on the original recording,
which is fully restored here. The arp's part is quite interesting
- it blends both of the Krypton themes into a whole at various intervals,
making one of the most peaceful sections of the score. "Father's Instruction Part II" continues this idea with a bucolic string
melody (again based on the newly-transformed Krypton material) played against more
of Williams' impossibly peaceful, ethereal accompaniment. Part III
of the full score actually begins with the finale of this cue, which resurrects
the main fanfare in its march form for the first time since the main title, bringing it to a rousing
finish.
BONUS: The Fortress of Solitude (Alternate) (3:29)
As you might have guessed, Williams wrote a shorter alternate of Fortress
which didn't make the Rhino album. This shares very little with its
film-version counterpart, although it does utilize many of the Krypton
themes. Whereas the film version had ethereal strings, this uses
warm brass fanfares. It's a fascinating to hear the composer's original
thoughts on this lengthy sequence.
10. Welcome to Metropolis (2:11)
By now, Part III of the score has begun in earnest. The first musical
Metropolis sequence occurs as Clark and Lois are mugged. Williams'
underscore begins with an abrupt string note and dissonant brass chord.
The tone becomes somewhat more comedic with oboe and clarinet meanderings,
as well as a loud section with a large orchestral tone cluster. The
cue ends as the love theme makes its first appearance amidst a section
for pizzicato strings and part of the main fanfare.
BONUS: The Mugger (Welcome to Metropolis Alternate) (1:15)
This unreleased alternate is quite close to its film version counterpart
in sound and orchestration, but almost a minute shorter. It is somewhat
more dissonant and fragmented in parts.
11. Lex Luthor's Lair (4:48)
This lengthy cue could almost be called a 5-minute concert arrangement
of the Villains' theme, usually played on pizzicato strings. It
features a fragmented melody for sordini trombones much like parts of the
Jabba's palace music from Return of the Jedi. A section in the middle
is quite impressive - it sets the theme as an action cue with cluster chords
all over the orchestra (marked "with weight" in the score). More
comedic strains of the theme round out most of the rest of the cue, with
a trademark Williams cue ending.
12. The Big Rescue (5:55)
Arguably the greatest action material of Part III (and the score in
general), "The Helicopter Sequence" opens with a vicious motif for
piercing woodwinds and horns that will eventually become the foundation of most
of the track's material. Upon further inspection, this melodic idea shares
an unnatural similarity with the main motif from "Star Ship
Escapes." Could Williams' have been attempting to draw a correlation
between these two sequences?
[Figure Ten: Motif from "Star Ship Escapes"]
[Figure Eleven: Motif from "The Big Rescue"]
Following the introduction of this scathing figure and the rapid horn riff, Williams introduces a series of modernistic trombone and horn sequences that contain some of the most dissonant material of the cue. This continues to develop, climaxing in a racing 3/4 ostinato for horns and strings that again builds into a series of desperate variations on the track's main material. Williams continues this technique, intercutting the scathing trumpet figure with the dance-like ostinato that seems to set the stage for his later action music in films like Raiders of the Lost Ark. A new section appears for mid-range strings performing a tense, chromatic triplet theme that again reaches an ugly shriek of the triplet action theme. This becomes the cue's climax, since the Superman ostinato and fanfare soon make a triumphant entrance. Most of the cue's second section melds the anxious, piercing action music with grandiose fanfares based on Superman's main fanfare and unimaginably extravagant statements of the love theme. Williams' finale contains a haunting set of variations on the love theme for woodwinds, leading to a final reminiscence of the thematic material. The album producers should be applauded for this accomplishment - apparently the sequence had to be reconstructed from at least 50 different recording snippets.
13. Super Crime Fighter (3:20)
Composed of two cues, "Super Crime Fighter" presents a variety of the most
diverse and exciting music of the score. "The Burglar Sequence"
remains rather comedic and lackadaisical for the majority of its running time,
characterized by a meandering figure for low clarinets and bassoons, as well as
mischievous passages for pizzicato cluster chords in the strings. The
cue's climax returns to reminiscences of "The Big Rescue" with
desperate rising minor chords in the strings and hints of the fanfare. A
playful version of the super hero theme for woodwinds and low strings rounds out
the track, which segues directly into "Chasing Crooks." This
serves as the antithesis to "The Burglar Sequence," becoming an
unimaginably powerful action cue with an energetic reprise of the 3/4 ostinato
from "The Big Rescue," now in 4/4. Whereas this remained the
main attraction during its appearance in the earlier track, it now serves only
as a foundation for even more exciting action music, usually based on the
traditional dissonant brass chords. At one point, the strings introduce a
fortissimo series of syncopated minor chords over the ostinato, giving this cue
strong remembrances of the more intense material from Star Wars. Again,
the Superman fanfare serves as a victory symbol, and the track fades into a deep
C in the low basses.
14. Super Rescues (2:14)
Two more cues comprise "Super Rescues," which serves as a conglomerate
of the more light-hearted material from Williams' urban rescue section
of the score. "The Cat Rescue" presents a playful version of
Superman's cluster chord theme in one of its first appearances since the main
titles, accompanied by light flourishes in the strings and harp. The
second part contains a series of idle descending string cluster chords, a lively
pizzicato arpeggio, and a slow clarinet run. "Air Force One"
quickens the tempo slightly with a diabolical chromatically descending figure
for low brass and various desperate permutations on the main themes.
Finally, after the fanfare rings out strongly in a brass cluster chord, the
ostinato enters, and the rest of the cue hovers around playful variations on the
fanfare in woodwinds.
15. Lex Luthor's Luau (2:48)
Thankfully the only piece of source music to be included on the album, this is a
fluffy easy listening piece for cheesy Hawaiian guitar, meandering electronic
bass guitar, ukulele, vibraphone, and jazzy piano chords. It contains at
least one redeeming factor, though - it's quite easy to program out of the track
sequence!
16. The Planet Krypton (alternate) (4:24)
We now venture back to Part I of the score with this fascinating alternate of
The Planet Krypton, the only alternate underscore take to be included on Rhino's
release. It contains only one true difference from the film version - its
opening, which maintains an awkward segue from the G Major of the opening titles
to a D major version of the Krypton fanfare rather than the G Major that was
finally used. The orchestration of this fanfare is verbatim to the film
version, although several nuances of performance differ. The rest of the
cue, the version used on the original soundtrack album, presents a fascinating
study in contrasts between film and OST versions. Besides the cuts of
material, the primary difference is the mixing - the low piano and synthesizer
rumblings have much more weight and bearing than the film version presented in
track 2.
17. Main Title March (alternate) (4:38)
Warner released this as the End Credits on its first album, although it is
actually an early version of the Main Titles, recorded by Williams when Richard
Donner and Co. apparently decided temporarily to scrap the opening
prologue. Consequently, it begins with a straightforward presentation of
Superman's march ostinato and hints of the fanfares before thundering into the
second part of the traditional concert arrangement, albeit with several
different orchestrations and instrumental balances. The finale omits the
redundant crash ending that the main titles featured, leaving the piece with an
abrupt, dangling quality that serves as a cliffhanger into the second disc...
CD2:
1. Superman March (alternate) (3:48)
Perhaps the most intriguing of the march alternates, this was the very first
recording of Williams' main title, which Varese Sarabande interestingly chose to
use as their guide for reorchestrating the main title for their 1999
recording of the score. Evidently, the prologue was originally much
shorter, and Williams uses a fascinating variation on the thematic material that
would later define the film-version prologue, as well as the wistful, heroic
version of the fanfare that opened the concert arrangement. This version
has several other quirks as well - it is much shorter, leaving out one rendition
of the cluster chord theme and half of the love theme. Its orchestration
is completely unique as well, with such quirks as a trombone presentation of the
love theme, a quieter section leading into the finale, and a series of
convoluted fanfares for the ending.
2. The March of the Villains (3:36)
Williams presents a lengthy concert arrangement of his playful theme for Otis
and Lex Luthor. Even though this remains the weakest theme of the score
with its forgettable bassoon line reminiscent of Prokofiev, the concert
arrangement presents a cavalcade of creative variations that almost serve to
substantiate the theme, transcribed below:
[Figure Twelve: March of the Villains]
Williams remains in his modernistic mode here, with a shifting tonal center that only vaguely hovers around Db Major, much like the lighter music of Prokofiev.
The basis for the suite lies in an alternating figure for string cluster chords over which Williams places continually developing variations of the main motif. It begins with a typical arrangement for bassoons, moves to oboe and tuba, and undergoes a lengthy development with virtuoso string and woodwind lines, always over the cluster ostinato. Williams continues to expand the orchestration of the theme, finally doubling the ostinato, and presenting a full arrangement of the theme for brass with an array of virtuoso woodwind lines and string flourishes. A series of quieter resolutions rounds out the remainder of the track, and the piece ends with a pianissimo run for oboes, clarinets, and piccolos, followed by a final B-flat pizzicato cadence.
BONUS: Lois's Pad (source music)
Williams originally wrote another source cue for Lois' radio, and it features a simple,
inane easy listening melody with cheesy accompaniment.
3. The Terrace (1:36)
Although this piece has no real bearing on the final outcome of the score, it
contains several of Williams' finest permutations of the love theme. Clark
Kent's motif makes a welcome return in the introduction of the cue, accompanied
by sweeping tremolos in the strings. The majority of the track, however,
centers around potent orchestrations of the love theme under a bed of lush
string cluster chords, intercut with passages of Williams' trademark brand of
Americana. A moog synthesizer makes a brief one-measure appearance on the
last page after a glissando, apparently to symbolize the effects of X-Ray
vision. In the end, this serves as a masterful prelude to one of the
score's crowning moments.
4. The Flying Sequence (8:12)
Undoubtedly the highlight of Part III and one of Williams' magnum opuses,
"The Flying Sequence" can be described as a ten-minute concert suite
based entirely on the love theme, which is one of the composer's most original
inventions, creating an illusion of complexity around a series of fundamentally unadorned
arpeggios and turns based on the key of G major, eventually modulating in a
modernistic fashion into other keys.
[Figure Thirteen: Love Theme]
The entire sequence actually contains four cues. "I Like Pink" serves as a perfect introduction to the grandiose proceedings with uncertain, bashful renditions of the love theme. Williams modulates several times, with each change of key elevating the music higher and higher into the stratosphere, finally climaxing in a fortissimo glissando that segues into the next cue. The introduction's most noticeable attributes are its luxuriant cluster chords in the strings that continually add an unmistakable air of Americana to the love theme. In "I Can Fly," the signature piece of the Flying Sequence, the love theme threatens to consume the orchestra with its ravishing beauty. The composer begins with a foundation of A Major clusters and an ostinato in the woodwinds, over which he places an intensely moving rendition of the theme in the highest registers of the strings, conjuring images of the most memorable Golden Age film scores. As horns perform the rapturous refrain, the strings join the ostinato, and the orchestration continues to develop into a glorious monstrosity of brass fanfares, changing the key to C Major. Cellos now receive the euphoric melody, the ostinato continues to expand in the string section, and a new woodwind accompaniment based on the previous brass fanfares appears. Again, Williams broadens the melodies into magnificent brass cluster chords, now almost consumed by rapid flourishes in the strings. After a playful version of the refrain with intoxicating pizzicato arpeggios, the cue finally climaxes into quiet string cluster chords. "To the Moon" introduces a vibrant 12/8 rhythm in the harps, over which Williams places the most impressionistic material of the cue - rubato cadenzas for a solo flute over quiet, nostalgic D major renditions of the love theme. A broad, rapid 3-bar string passage leads into "Flying Part III," which contains perhaps the jazziest material of the score (although nothing close to the slaughter of good taste found in the original version, found at the end of the disc), introducing a subtle backbeat and accompaniment for Fender Rhodes synthesizer to the orchestra. In the film, this was the cue that Margot Kidder and the producers absolutely marred with hideous vocals that unfortunately made their way to the soundtrack album. Rhino's release presents for the first time the full orchestration of the cue in its virgin beauty, unscathed by the hideous vocals, showcasing Williams' sumptuous orchestral accompaniment and more versions of the love theme in its most tender variations of the score. A short postlude resolves the theme and introduces a subtle hint of Superman's fanfare in E major in the horns.
5. Lois and Clark (:50)
Titled "Clark Loses His Nerve" in the score, this brief cue serves as
a perfect companion to The Flying Sequence with a concise treatment of the
rarely-heard theme for Clark Kent in woodwinds followed by quiet reminiscences
of the climax of Superman's fanfare. Subtle hints of the love theme end
the cue.
6. Crime of the Century (3:24)
Although it has no real bearing on the score as the whole, this collection of
three cues serves as a glance into the future of John Williams. The first
cue, "The Truck Convoy," introduces the syncopated, dissonant brass
sevenths that would later define sequences like "Desert Chase" in Raiders
of the Lost Ark. Following this, the strings perform a brief fantasia on
this idea with a collection of tense, broken, syncopated sevenths. Soon,
however, the March of the Villains seizes the music, and a few straightforward
performances of it in tuba and woodwinds round out the cue, which ends with a
collection of tense octaves in the low strings and a percussion cadence.
The second cue, "Navy Missiles," was actually cut together from
various elements of "The Truck Convoy," reprising the arrangements of
the Villain March and the tense action music. "Miss Tesmacher
Helps" functions mainly as a tense suspense cue with a sustained C# and low
pizzicato murmurings in the strings and suspense cadences in woodwinds.
7. Sonic Greeting (2:21)
Perhaps one of the most entertaining action cues of Part III, this blends
Williams' leitmotivs with a completely unexpected cameo. Titled "To
the Lair" in the score, it begins tensely with dark chromatic tones in the
low strings, over which the composer inserts subtle references to the main
Superman fanfare in woodwinds. This pattern continues to grow in
intensity, and Williams now intimates at the heroic ostinato by placing devious
allusions to its rhythm in horns and timpani over the constantly shifting bass
line. As this reaches a fever pitch, the strings receive a rapid melody
rich in chromaticism that presents an ingenious musical cameo - this is actually
a derivative of Richard Wagner's light music for the apprentices in Die
Meistersinger von Nuremberg, a joke that only a select few moviegoers probably
noticed. This motif provides a terrific backdrop for several exhilarating
fanfares of the Superman leitmotivs. A minor motif of alternating muted
cluster chords in the horns as well as a decrescendo of the flurrying strings
ends the cue.
BONUS: To The Lair (Alternate) (2:10)
This alternate plays almost verbatim to the film version - the only difference
is that it repeats the introduction of the Meistersinger motif and omits several
measures.
8. Misguided Missiles and Kryptonite (3:26)
Two of the more disturbing cues from Part III, these mutate the familiar motivs
into malevolent, dissonant entities that bear little resemblance to their heroic
forms. "Misguided Missiles" ("Trajectory Malfunction"
in the score) begins with a piercing D in the low bass, over which Williams
places a mostly-unchanged rendition of the love theme. However, a
diabolical blend of uncertain harp triplets and militaristic string dissonance
plays directly beneath the theme, robbing it of its passionate character.
In fact, this short section ends with the love theme resolving to a diminished
chord. The remainder of the cue continues this brand of bitonal string
wanderings, which climax in a Holstian dotted figure for high violins and
woodwinds. "Kryptonite" features an ominous return of the
Kryptonite motif in flutes and its characteristic female chorus, below which the
composer continues the incessant, unshakeable dissonances of the strings.
A central passage for voices, strings and muted horns foreshadows one of the
more tragic sequences in The Empire Strikes back with a low, tremolo, dissonant
figure for violins and cellos and a return to the ominous alternating motif that
ended "Sonic Greeting," now for voices and muted horns. After an
abrupt pizzicato and harp glissando, the March of the Villains inserts an air of
slapstick into the proceedings, although now nearly consumed by atonal flutes
and cellos. Superman's fanfare makes a brief appearance, but the true
climax of the cue involves an intensely disturbing variant of the hero's
ostinato, performed now by bitonal brass. A Herrmannesque woodwind
dissonance ends the track.
9. Chasing Rockets (4:56)
Again comprised of two cues, "Chasing Rockets" subtly alludes to the
future of John Williams, particularly The Empire Strikes Back. "Miss
T's Rescue," the first cue, begins tensely with hints of the fanfare in the
horns over a shifting bass accompanied by impressionistic cadenzas for flutes
and clarinets. Following a murky section with trombone clusters and
unstable harp figures, a short period of uncertainty grips the orchestra with
Herrmannesque chromaticisms and grinding, modernistic moans of muted trombones,
both of which recall sections of the Star Wars score. The cue's second
part contains rapturous love music for silky string cluster chords that
eventually became a Williams staple. Crescendoing variations of the
Superman fanfare lead into the second cue, titled "Chasing Rockets" in
the score. This kinetic action spectacle becomes a precursor to the Hoth
sequences of The Empire Strikes Back with its electrifying blend of virtuoso
orchestral cadenzas and pealing brass fanfares. The cue begins
energetically with a frenzied alternating eighth-note ostinato for brass and a
pounding B flat sequence in timpani. In the fourth measure, Williams sets
the tone for the entire piece with an absolutely overwhelming brass fanfare for
triadic brass. Robust variations on the various leitmotivs comprise the
next few minutes - the foundation is a creative, pulsing offshoot of the march
ostinato, and there are several almost subliminal statements of the March of the
Villains and the love theme, along with uneasy adaptations of the main Superman
fanfare and cluster theme. Williams promptly interrupts this air of
tension at several points with more of his trademark large-scale cluster chord
fanfares, now with cascading woodwind runs (i.e. the introduction of Hyperspace
from Empire Strikes Back). Surprisingly, one of the central sections
features a return of one of the virtuoso string motivs from Trip to Earth,
although Williams promptly eclipses it with his seventh-interval brass
material. The climax of the piece features discordant triplet figures in
the brass that ingeniously mutate into the Superman ostinato, followed by a
fortissimo pedal point in the bass and recoiling string figures. In this
final section, the composer introduces a brilliant nod to Stravinsky's Rite of
Spring with a brutal motif for muted trumpets and horns over the variant of the
march ostinato that began the piece. Overall, this masterful action opus
becomes one of Part III's many highlights.
BONUS: Kids on the Bus (Source Music)
Apparently Williams "composed" a short, 1-page rock piece to be played on the
school bus's radio. I for one am elated that Matessino and Co. could not locate
this source music - everything except the organ piece is absolutely horrendous,
at least in the context of the score.
10. Superfeats (4:53)
Although undeniably exciting, Superfeats seems to remain a tier below some of
the score's other action material. "The Golden Gate Bridge," its
first cue, begins with fortissimo dissonance in the brass with vague hints of
the fanfare. However, Williams bases the bulk of the cue on an offshoot of
the exciting ostinato that served as the foundation for "The Big
Rescue." This version contains several twists, including a more
discernable melody line that includes several desperate horn calls, as well as a
more syncopated bass rhythm. Other characteristics of the cue include
traditional Williams dissonance between brass instruments to symbolize dark
situations, large string fanfares, and clichéd "Super hero" fanfares
that sound straight out of 1950's serials. Williams makes an extremely
subtle leitmotivic gesture with an exciting chromatic ostinato to represent a
train that is actually a minor-key variation of the train motif from
"Growing Up". Compare:
[Figure 14: Train Motif from "Growing Up"]
[Figure 15: Train Motif from "Golden Gate Bridge"]
"The Rescue of Jimmy" follows without pause, continuing many of the ideas from "Golden Gate Bridge," including the dark brass interplay. One of the score's most innovative sections appears 26 seconds into this cue with a lengthy modernist sequence for seemingly improvisatory piano clusters, random dissonant piccolo glissandi, and assorted moanings from the harp, glockenspiel, and vibraphone. Tradition ultimately takes over, however, with a return to the contemporary horn and brass fanfares and breakneck pace from the previous cue. Other aspects include a continuation of the train ostinato and several instances of the fanfare.
BONUS: Lois's Vocal (Source Music) (1:30)
The last of the source music pieces, this was a heavy rock song designed to be played
in Lois' car.
11. Super Dam and Finding Lois (5:11)
With this suite of two cues, Williams meanders back into his stride with a
collection of some of the best action music to appear in the score.
"Pushing Boulders" adds a tragic spin to the proceedings with
diminished versions of the ostinato, an uneasy triplet figure, periods of
gruesome dissonance, and a catastrophic virtuoso string motif that assaults the
upper registers of the instrument in a way only Gustav Mahler could previously
achieve. Following this comes an ugly recoiling, dissonant figure for
horns, various cannibalized versions of the march, cluster chord theme, and love
theme, and a final onslaught of dissonant woodwinds. "Flying to
Lois" continues this world-breaking rampage of tension with a series of
harrowing variations on the love theme throughout the entire orchestra as Lois
dies. The final section of the cue presents a wistful, haunting horn
performance of her theme over a bed of unresolved woodwinds. In the final
bars, an arp synthesizer effect joins the orchestra.
12. Turning Back the World (2:06)
The climax of the score begins with cry of anger from the trumpets and winds,
followed by a final return to the celestial orchestration of Part I and a brief
reprise of the Krypton fanfare. The midsection contains a stunning
sequence for dizzying shrieks from the piccolos and a dissonant descending motif
for horns. Following a massive orchestral accelerando and crescendo, the
music surges with triumphant swells of the love theme amidst a lush bed of
vibrato strings and trilled woodwinds. Finally, following a brief return to the
descending horn figure, triumph overtakes the orchestra with vibrant violin
renditions of the love theme.
13. Finale and End Title March (5:42)
Superman's Finale remains surprisingly understated, with final tender statements
of the love theme, playful woodwind renditions of the fanfare, and a triumphant
alternating figure for strings, later mirrored by celeste, clarinets, and
flutes. The end credits present a final performance of the traditional
concert arrangement of all the themes, at times with new orchestrations and a
faster tempo.
14. Love Theme from Superman (5:06)
As a perfect encore to Superman's score, Williams presents a fully-developed
concert arrangement of the love theme. An innocent, undulating figure for
horns provides the foundation, on top of which the composer presents ever more
complex and sweeping variations of the theme, always with celestial flourishes
and countermotivs from strings and woodwinds. The interludes possess a
strong Baroque sensibility, which Williams eventually imparts to the theme
itself, preserving the melody from the hideous pop arrangements elsewhere in the
score into a more timeless concert piece.
15. Can You Read My Mind? (alternate) (Performed by Margot Kidder) (2:56)
Prepare yourself for this. Williams originally recorded a heavy pop
rendition of "Can You Read My Mind" for blatant '70's disco
synthesizers, which Rhino presents here, complete with the cringe-inducing
Kidder vocals.
16. The Flying Sequence/Can You Read My Mind (Performed by Margot Kidder) (8:12)
This plays verbatim to the original Flying Sequence from earlier on this disc,
but now with Kidder's hideous lyrics reinstated. Apparently she was
originally supposed to sing them, but was reportedly completely tone-deaf, so
she resorted to speaking them. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
17. Can You Read My Mind? (alternate) (instrumental) (2:56)
As if any collector cared, Rhino's release presents the alternate disco
"Can You Read My Mind" without the vocals so that all can admire its
virtuoso command of synthesizers and backbeats.
18. Theme from Superman (Concert Version) (4:24)
To please the nostalgic and to maintain a perfect finale for the release,
Matessino and Co. include the original concert arrangement of the Superman
march that became so engrained into the psyches of thousands of collectors on the original LP
set. It plays like the main titles, but now with an introduction
of the Superman fanfare as its prelude and with a few of the thematic
repetitions shortened.
In 1978, John Williams raised the precedents set in Star Wars to an
even higher level with Superman: The Movie, creating one of the pinnacles of
modern film scoring. The score conveys an exceptional spectrum of emotion,
such that it could almost be separated into three unique works. Williams
fights this tendency, however, with a library of nearly a dozen unifying
leitmotivs, which manage to follow the Wagnerian standard and jump beyond their
typical, banal function as aural calling cards, instead conveying indescribable
nuances of emotion and character psychology. With a performance by the
virtuoso London Symphony Orchestra conducted by the composer, as well as lavish
packaging, improved sound quality, and nearly the complete score, Rhino's and
Michael Matessino's release of this monument preserves its brilliance for the
ages.
| Music Rating | 10/10 |
| Packaging/Liner Notes | 8/10 |
| Sound Quality | 9/10 |
| Length | 9.5/10 |
| Orchestral Performance | 10/10 |
Sound Clips:
CD1:
2. Star Ship Escapes (2:21)
One of the best of the new cues, this serves as a dramatic postlude
to the Destruction of Krypton. Among other things, look for a return
to the bitonality of The Planet Krypton and the introduction of the Clark
Kent motif.
Visit CDNOW's Superman page for sound clips of every track and a hefty discount!
