From: felix@ocf.berkeley.edu (Felix Ling)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current
Subject: Re: DEEP SPACE NINE MUSIC.
Date: 28 Jan 1993 00:32:23 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: planecrash.berkeley.edu
Keywords: music

In article <1993Jan24.223636.13980@crash> mdc@crash.cts.com (Milo D. Cooper) writes:
>	I devalue the music of _Deep Space Nine_ as I do for more
>than one reason, but the outstanding reason is this: the Star Trek
>legacy is extremely distinctive, and the music of this new series
>possesses no unique personality in the slightest.
>	The theme disappoints me the most.  It is appalingly nonde-
>script, even when not compared to the easily recognizable themes of
>the first two series.  Shows like _The A-Team_, _Gilligan's Island_,
>_Three's Company_, and even _Jeopardy!_ and _The Price is Right_
>boast more definitive and appropriate theme music.  The incredible

I think you're confusing nondescript with not-very-loud.  The music
*is* actually rather unusual, and you would be very hard pressed to
find another show which had music of a similar style.  People are
finding the music unlikable *not* because it doesn't stand out, but
because it doesn't sound like other music they like.  Everyone compares
it to the _Next Gen_ theme, and asks why can't it be more like it.
Or they compare it to music from _Star Wars_ or other space shows, and
ask why couldn't the DS9 music be more like that.

I, for one have never been that impressed with Williams' music.  His
work on _Star Wars_, _Indiana Jones_, _Superman_, etc., could all really
almost be interchangeable if you think about it.  Recognizable?  Of
course, but mostly because he writes (or even borrows, sometimes) this
catchy theme which he'll repeat over and over again throughout the
course of the movie.  I also am not fond of those who try to imitate
Williams' style, like, say, Jerry Goldsmith when he wrote the ST:TMP
theme.  Personally, I preferred Horner's work in II and III much more
(and I don't even think it's his strongest work.  His work on _Glory_
and _Field of Dreams_ stand out more, I think).

As for the DS9 theme song, yes it has several problems, but I still find
it to be a lot more interesting and different than any other television
theme songs.  First of all, most TV themes basically start and end on
the same level, dynamically and emotionally (The A-Team is a prime
example), and a few might tag on an intro with a contrasting mood or
style (like ST:TNG, which has that slow music during the voice-over).
DS9, however, actually starts at a very low, quiet level, and slowly
builds intensity througout, much like Ravel's Bolero (which, I guess,
you'd find to be boring).  Anyway, here's how I'd break it down.

It starts out with this yearning, yet almost lonely-sounding solo horn
line.  Then a second horn joins it and they go through a variation of
the first line, slightly building in volume.  Then, as they reach a
small peak, capped with a cymbal roll, a solo trumpet comes in with
the main theme, which contains several motives from the lines introduced
by the horns.

Admittedly, this main theme has a minor problem with it.  It's
basically this short fanfarish line repeated three times, but with
differing endings.  The third repetition is identical to the first, but
adds a tag which ends somewhat unsatisfactorily, I think.  I, personally,
would have preferred a little more variation between the three, and
perhaps make the last few notes of the tag to have a little more movement.

Anyway, the music then builds a little more as it moves into this
rather majestic sounding section in the horns, where they play a rhythm
similar to that in the main theme.  The strings play a rather simple
accompaniment, which I think could have been expanded.  Again, the
section ends much like the main theme did, and it sounds somewhat
unsatisfactory.

But now, the music has built up even more, and the main theme comes
in much more forcefully.  This time, however (and I love this), when
the fanfare line repeats the third time, the chord in the accompaninment
changes so that the line doesn't sound as stable as it was, and it isn't
resolved until the tag.  Unfortunately, the tag is basically *unchanged*
from before, and thus, after steadily building throughout the whole song,
it seems to end rather abruptly.  Perhaps, it would have been better to
reach a peak at the end of the third repetition, and then slowly die back
down, so that the ending is a little more subdued (really loud, emphatic
endings have the danger of sounding really corny, sometimes.)

So there it is.  It's got problems, as I pointed out, but it does
have some very interesting parts, too.  But most importantly, the
whole work does not sit still, like most theme songs, but gradually
builds up higher and higher throughout the song, which not only
distinguishes it from other theme songs, but is also quite effective,
musically, I think.  Listen to it a little more.  I think it'll grow
on you.

Felix Ling
--
   Pulaski walked to the Turboshaft doors, stepped in, and plummeted down
ninety-nine floors, yelling, "Dammit, Jean-Luc!  I'm a doctor, not a
skydiver!"  She landed with a resounding thump and croaked, "I've fallen,
and I can't get up!"
   "She's dead, Jean-Luc," announced Dr. Beverly Crusher.
				-excerpt from "Still Looking for Things"