After you compose the scores for Battlestar Galactica, Eureka, Caprica, and The Walking Dead to name a very small few, what more could you ask for? How about scoring the FRIGGIN’ LAST SHUTTLE LAUNCH EVAR! Sorry about that but how could one not get completely excited about that.
Composer Bear McCreary is most known for his scoring work in sci-fi epics like Battlestar Galactica made quite possibly the biggest jump in his career: from sci-fi to sci-fact! When tapped for possibly composing a fanfare for STS-135 at the urging of actor/producer Seth Green and Michael Dougherty, McCreary apparently couldn’t say no. And honestly, thanks for that.
From the man himself:
I wanted to capture this dichotomy with my fanfare. A solitary trumpet begins the composition, resting above a gentle timpani roll….
However, the trumpet soon gives way to soaring brass and strings, punctuated by pounding low brass and percussion. This is the musical equivalent of engines flaring and flames roaring; the emotional impact of lifting off and breaking free of the Earth’s gravity, following mankind’s inevitable destiny into the stars.
My only complaint is that I can’t buy this now. Check the link for a taste of what the folks at the NASA Launch meetup got to hear as Atlantis and her crew started on their final trip.
Source: Bear’s Battlestar Blog
