The new documanry, Apollo 11, features never-before-seen film footage of NASA’s historic first successful mission to land a man on the moon, on July 20, 1969.
The highly-acclaimed film (currently rated 100% on Rotten Tomatoes) features a score by composer Matt Morton, who chose to score it using an expanded palette of orchestra + electronics – but only using instruments that would have been available in 1969.
Apollo 11 Trailer:
Morton says that every instrument and effect used in the score existed at the time of the mission in 1969 including the Moog modular Synthesizer IIIc, the Binson Echorec 2 tube echo, the Mellotron sample playback keyboard and the instruments of the orchestra.
Here’s a video Morton shared of some of his initial work with his large-format modular system:
The soundtrack is currently available via Amazon as digital downloads and via streaming services.
You can preview two tracks from the score below:
https://soundcloud.com/milanrecords/matt-morton-countdown-from-apollo-11-soundtrack
https://soundcloud.com/milanrecords/matt-morton-transearth-injection-from-apollo-11-soundtrack?in=michael-rutchik/sets/apollo
Tracks:
1. The Burdens and the Hopes
2. Countdown
3. Liftoff and Staging
4. Translunar Injection
5. Eagle Extraction
6. Translunar Journey
7. Solar Corona
8. Lunar Orbit Insertion
9. Powered Descent
10. We Landed on the Moon
11. Adios Amigos
12. Number One on the Runway
13. Rendez Vous
14. Transearth Injection
15. A Special Thank You
16. We Must Be Bold
17. Welcome Home
it’s super nice sounding but sounds very 80s, the beginning portion reminded me of the music for “the right stuff” one of my faves!!
We’re you hoping for some swinging ‘switched on’ sounds?
“switched on?” no, i was thinking more like “silver apples of the moon” 1967, or maybe something like “the andromeda strain” soundtrack 1971, more indicative of the time and how synths were used in movies then.
i do really like what he did though and i’m going to but the sound track.
though a bad guess your snark still made me smile!
My impression is that he’s trying to do what the movies does – take things from the 60’s and make them relevant to modern movie goers. From everything I’ve heard, both the director and composer have done great work.
Though you gotta admit that throwing in a swinging ‘switched on’ and ‘Mooged-out’ track would have been fun!
More cowbell?
In Transearth injection, the beginning sounds just like Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer, Pete Bellotte “I Feel Love” then moved to a Tangerine Dream like sound. And yes reminds me the films The Right Stuff https://www.mixcloud.com/centaury37/bill-conti-the-right-stuff1983-ost-suite/ and For All Mankind https://www.mixcloud.com/centaury37/for-all-mankind-1989-ost-suite/
Neat idea to only use equipment from that era and before. Sounds great.