Raiders of the Lost Ark: "The Miracle of the Ark” by John Williams (Score Reduction and Analysis) A full score reduction of the final Ark scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark. I own nothing. Enjoy!
One of the scariest pieces of music ever written for a film and I think quite underrated. It really gives off the sense that what we are witnessing is indeed the wrath of God. The bit at 3:30 actually sounds quite a lot like Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, which makes sense as both pieces are very violent, atonal and primitive and designed to give us a sense of death-agony and terror. It's also interesting because in the original screenplay, the contents of the Ark are explicitly stated to be a "preview of the end of the world", and I can't think of a piece more apocalyptic sounding than this.
The theme for the Ark in this movie is my hands-down, no-contest favorite musical identity for any kind of “mysterious, mystical item” in dramatic music (film scores, opera, stage music). To me, it is reminiscent of the kind of music Wagner wrote for the Tarnhelm (magic Helmet of invisibility) infused with “scary” chords for Hagen in the Ring Cycle but elevated to a whole other level with the advantage of more modernistic, contemporary classical flourishes.
It always bugs me how the full track from the soundtrack album gets shortened in the film itself. That final grand statement of the Ark theme on the album is just magnificent, but it feels so truncated in the film.
@@TheLatiosnlatias02 I don’t think “demonic” is the right word here. It’s actually scarier than “demonic.” Perhaps no single word fully captures what happens at the 3:17 mark when the seemingly harmless angel’s face morphs into that of an Angel of Death. The phrase “holy horror” encapsulates the terror of this moment so much more, I think.
I confirm, being one of the traumatised 4 year-old boys we I first saw this movie... But the scene is still a masterpiece back in the 70's 80's and highlighted by a mythical composition.
Indy and Marion did the right thing, they both kept their eyes shut and respected God’s warning. From now on, they will be forever known as the only survivors of the opening of the ark ceremony.
I am relistening to this Moment, and boy Howdy, *Shivers* the Creeps are Back!!! Without Visuals it's Haunting, with Visuals, I am Scared for my Life!!! But without Visuals, I can see what happened... *Shivers just Remembering* and man John was great doing that!!! This *version of it* tune forever haunt me for the rest of the Franchise when someone touches an Item they shouldn't have, even though I knew the scene when I shouldn't have!!! Everyone: *Touchs something they shouldn't have in this Franchise* Me: Are you Kidding me, don't you know not to touch *Named Object* doesn't anyone remember from Radiers' their faces Melted off!!! Also, I was working on a food-related subject touching a hot Drink product I was Allergic to and my Hands faded some of my skin...And I compared my hands to this scene...It was a Grim Site!!!!
You know, for 11 years, I have always been disturbed by the melting face seen, but after watching the Wolfenstein walkthrough series, I'm not so bothered by the melting face seen anymore.😂😂
This film got screwed at the Academy Awards! Lost best score and best picture to Chariots of Fire?! Give me a break, most people don't even remember what Chariots of Fire was about, whereas Raiders of the Lost ark is LEGENDARY!
Can't say I've ever loved the score for Chariot's of Fire like I do this scene alone, but Vangelis definitely deserves to have an Oscar for something. His way of approaching music without the divide between electronic and acoustic was ahead its time. And with Chariot's he wrote one of the most recognizable movie themes of all time, so while John Williams is the best composer any year he's nominated, this time I'll give it a pass.
Had to come here after your latest video. They actually did a fairly good job making sure most of the edits were subtle in the film, but I'm glad you recreated as it was originally written.
0:00:1:46 seems to be largely centred around Gm, ablate spiced with passing sonorities derived from the two octatonic collections that share the largest number of common tones ((OCT[C,Db) and OCT(C#,D)). Almost polymodal but not quite. Common Williams manoeuvre. I'd interpret the icy wind chord underscoring the lifting of the golden lid as a polychord of Eb7/D (with the F# of the D hidden in the string tremolo chord). The German sixth over the dominant, similar to the Ebm#11/Gm polychord that both opens and closes 10m2 from ROTJ. Gm and Ebm being Darth Vader's cardinal chords (AKA the Tarnhelm leitmotif from Wagner's Ring Cycle). And how about those gnarlicious Williams clusters, that behave like frozen polychordal trills? Sort of reminiscent of the unresolved appoggiaturas of late Ravel (L'enfant et les sortilèges, Piano Concerto in G).
Amazing work, David! As much as I have listened to John Williams, I only ever really listened to the Raider's March when it came to the Indiana Jones soundtracks. This shows I should really look into the not-so-famous cues as well. Also, I know you probably have a lot of cues lined up for videos, but if you get a chance, I would love to see an analysis of the Mysterio Theme fro Spider-Man: Far From Home. After Michael Giacchino had done the Incredibles, I developed a liking to jazz orchestral and big band styles, but after plinking out the Mysterio theme on piano, you realize he uses quite a few, albeit subtle, instances of jazz harmonies especially in the villainous section of the theme. He uses larger chords (i.e Dm7(add9) or you may also qualify that chord as an Am/Dm) and alternating from down a major third in the bass then up a perfect 5th and repeating the cycle. I don't know why, but it just fascinates me the way that he uses harmony in the theme and I would love to see what you would notice if you did an analysis on it. Anyways, keep up the great work!
Yeah, this cluster Chord fest is VERY interesting. I feel like there are A-Tonal moments with all of the cluster chords, just essentially climbing up to a high point of tension. think reading those double flats might throw off even the best sight-readers at the 3:55 mark. I see it as A-flat, B-flat, C, D, E-double flat, and F. Did I get that right, David? I think it's mm. 94.
Second line from top at B94 is written as, bottom note first: A, Bb, Cb, D double-flat (enharmonically C), E, and F. The sort of loop of the flat symbol is always positioned on the same line / space as the note head. The centre of each circle / loop will always be horizontally flat. There are other ways to notate this chord but none are very satisfactory - it's one hell of an ugly chord to write! But it gets the effect you mention: atonality and dissonance creating tension, especially when contrasted with the long horn notes. You basically have 4 notes that are all 1 step apart on the piano. Obviously, this would have been spread over several instruments in the orchestra. Seeing this score, there are obvious similarities to Herrmann's Psycho 'Murder' score; I hadn't realised that before.
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1:21 This part sounds better in the movie, without that silly trilling instrument. At least the “fires of hell” theme after we see the fanged phantom is the correct duration here. On the CD, an interlude has been added to make the transition from dream to nightmare less abrupt.
Nice job, but why did you butcher the music to match the film instead of using the entire piece? That would have made a lot more sense for a proper analysis.
:39 We start hearing speech - till :56 - how are it and the music related to each other (or not)? It is not sung or chanted - how rhythmical is it? Is there any official publication of the text (with translation)?
This was an intelligent and deliberate event, not an automatic response by the artefact but a judgement by the power behind it, responding to the nature of all those present. The idea that the film was trying to convey was that Indy and Marion had reverent respect in their hearts for the God who had commanded the Ark be made, all the others did not and paid the price.
The problem is that Goldsmith scores are MUCH less out there than Williams scores. That's why there's so many Williams analyses: because the Williams scores are easier to obtain.
@@kstsksts6572 most of them are only suites and not the full scores. They are suites that were derived from the original but often reorchestrated, and there's only rarely recordings of the specific suites that are out there.
@@typo1345 That will certainly be excruciatingly difficult for him to do (the Charlie main title one), because the score that's widely out there is only a rough midi sketch that's missing a TON of stuff that ended up in the recording.
there is also in swappano the alien complete score and some parts typeset! also from the omen the complete handwritten! Let's hope we will see a good analysis of them
