Wednesday, September 13, 2017

The theme for Star Trek Discovery does not build into anything grand yet...it shows promise.

This is the new title theme from Star Trek: Discovery. For the record, I liked all the themes from the various Star Trek's with the exception of Enterprise. I just found the electric guitar and vocals to be too jarring for me to fall in love with the Rod Stewart-esque beginning for Enterprise. My favorite beginning is the one for Deep Space Nine. 
If you like music, you should click play and listen to the whole thing. Seriously, just do it. Here are my thoughts after having listened to it:

1) It shows promise. For Star Trek, I want the main theme to draw me into the grandeur and wonder of the world of Trek. I want to be immersed. And yes, Enterprise didn't do this for me.

2) The theme needs to be memorable. This particular one is not as beautiful as DS9 or Voyager's, but I think it'll do. It may grow on me.

3) I'm not completely sold on the trombones at about 1:58. I think they'd be better served at the beginning and not the end. Just my opinion as it is the classic Star Trek theme.

4) Does it seem to have a Game of Thrones influence from about 1:11 on? Listen and let me know.

5) Overall, it seems a little choppy. To clarify, the opening notes give way to a small ostinato which you expect to build to something but doesn't. And then the Alexander Courage fanfare (original Star Trek theme) just cuts it off. But really, it's hard to do better than Dennis McCarthy.

Now if you have time, compare the above theme to the below theme from Deep Space Nine as played by the City of Prague Philharmonic and as composed by Dennis McCarthy. Needless to say, I have always loved the DS9 theme because it has trumpets! It has power! It has majesty! Anyways...this new one is going to have to grow on me. Sigh...I suppose I'm a music snob.

6 comments:

  1. Funny how everyone is now recognizing that DS9 was the best of the best in all things, isn't it?
    New theme is good. Definitely better than Enterprise. The vocals just didn't fit.

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  2. The Discovery theme sounds like a blend of various Star Trek themes. It sounded good to me. The beginning reminded me of the original Star Trek. The DS9 one seemed kinda slow to me. I guess I'd say it's a tie for me.

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  3. It does sound GOT-y. TNG and DS9 are my favorites.

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  4. I liked the Enterprise theme, but as something to listen to on the radio. I'm more of a skip the opening credits nowadays, though.

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  5. Wow, I'd completely forgotten the DS9 theme, and until now I'd never heard the entire version. Very impressive, like one of those great movie themes from years gone by.

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  6. I just watched the first episode and the intro seemed better with the credits although it did feel a little too bland in a couple of sections. The trombones belting out the original theme music near the end corresponds to the moment Gene Roddenberry's name appears on screen as series creator. It was a nice touch.

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