Snow Files of the Week

[SadEyes]

Snow Files of the Week: "We're married again/Lucy Remembers" from the mini-series "Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All" (1994).

This is one of Mark's more unusual scores. Whilst already working on the first season of "The X-Files", for which Mark composed more dark ambient soundscapes, he also worked on this mini-series. It's a full orchestral score with beautiful themes and motifs.

The album was released by Milan Records and you can still find it for reasonable prices.

Enjoy!

 

[SadEyes]

Snow Files of the Week: "Overlooking Tradition/The Challenge/Chain Gang" from "Harsh Realm" (1999).

The short-lived Chris Carter show of course also had a musical score by Mark Snow. His approach was more industrial than on the other Carter shows "The X-Files" and "MillenniuM". But nevertheless he wrote some very haunting tunes for that show, too.

The score was released on CD by La-La-Land Records, paired with Mark's music for the "X-Files" spin-off "The Lone Gunmen". The CD is sold out!

Enjoy!

 

[SadEyes]

Snow Files of the Week: "Cortege" (1999/2002) from the "Cold Spring" sampler "The Chamber".

Here we have a very rare occasion, where Mark didn't compose for a movie or a tv series. The track "Cortege" was supposed to be an appetizer for an all non-movie album called "Death...be not proud", consisting entirely of new compositions by Mark.

The release date was set for spring of 1999, there was even a tracklist (Intonation, Cortege, If Hitler Had Autism, Mr Jones, Quietude and Colonel Parkinson). But apparently, that never happened, at least I coulnd't find anything concerning the album. It's not even listed on the label's website. The only thing, that was released, seems to be this track.

I sent a message to the label and got a very surprising response. Mark indeed started working on the album, but he had more and more soundtrack work on his hands, that he just didn't have the time to continue working on this album. The label still has a master for the album with a running time of 25 minutes and they now want to contact Mark again, if he still wants to finish it. So, sometimes asking is not a bad thing. 😉

The track shows Mark in his dark ambient mode. This is for all those dark-and-moody-loving X-Files fans.

Enjoy!

 

[SadEyes]

Snow Files of the Week: "Capsules/A Mother Never Forgets/Mulder’s Memories" from "The X-Files: The Event Series", episode "Founder's Mutation" (2016).

As the X-Files returned in 2016 so did Mark Snow. His music for the new episodes is familiar, but with enough new elements to keep it interesting. The score is more minimalistic overall, but nevertheless Mark wrote some wonderful themes.

"Founder's Mutation" is the second episode of the event series. It evolves around a scientist who is experimenting on children with genetic anomalities to cure them. Scully and Mulder have visions of their son William, who is genetically different too. At the end of the episode Mulder fantasizes about his son William being grown up to schoolboy-age. He plays with him, builds a rocket and launches it and witnesses his abduction, just like he did with his sister. Back in reality Mulder looks at a photo of William. The music by Mark for this scene, "Mulder's Memories", is surely one of the most beautiful tracks of the event series.

The tracks were taken from the 2CD set, released by La-La Land Records. The set is limited to 3.000 copies.

Enjoy!

 

[SadEyes]

Snow Files of the Week: "Suite from the Pilot" from the tv show "Dark Skies" (1996).

Mark Snow composed the score for the pilot, but was not further involved with the show. Michael Hoenig (former Tangerine Dream member) took over scoring duties for the rest of the show. The growing success of the X-Files back then was surely something, that got Mark involved. It's no surprise, that he made his score sound like something from the X-Files.

This suite was included on the score album with the music by Michael Hoenig, released by Perseverance Records, limited to 1000 copies. The CD is sold out.

Enjoy!

 

[SadEyes]

Snow Files of the Week: Suite from "MillenniuM - Season One" (1996/97).

Chris Carter's second show began its three years run with the highest ratings, that a pilot ever had on the FOX network. Later, the show struggled with lowering ratings, which led to the cancellation after the third season. Nevertheless, the show gained a loyal fanbase, which still supports the show.

Mark's music is even darker than it was on The X-Files, but always with a ray of hope. He uses a violin sound for the main character Frank Black, which often accompanies his journey with variations of the main theme. This was also an different approach, while on The X-Files Mark didn't use the main theme within the episode's music very often. "MillenniuM" still is very special to Mark, he really poured his heart and soul into the show's music.

During the show's initial run, no score album was released. The first thing, that appeared, was an iTunes-only album called "The Best of MillenniuM", consisting of tracks from all three seasons. In 2008, La-La Land Records released a 2-CD set, limited to 2000 copies. This set sold out a year later and was re-released in 2015, limited to 1.000 copies.

Enjoy!

 

[SadEyes]

Snow Files of the Week: Suite from "Millennium - Season Two" (1997/98).

Chris Carter essentially left the show after season one, due to arguments with FOX and because he had his hands full producing the first X-Files movie. He gave his showrunner status to James Wong and Glen Morgan, who already wrote and produced several X-Files episodes, Carter remained as Executive Producer nevertheless.

The second season not only has the much loved christmas episode "Midnight of the Century", but also the much anticipated Halloween episode "The Curse of Frank Black". Both are represented in this suite, which contains music from the first volume of MillenniuM music, re-released in 2015 by La-La Land Records, limited to 1.000 copies.

Enjoy!

 

[SadEyes]

Snow Files of the Week: Suite from "MillenniuM - Season Three" (1998/99).

Despite the dark and apocalyptic ending of season two, "MillenniuM" came back for one more year and so did Mark Snow. While the violin is still the main instrument within Mark's score, he added some pretty cool things to his music for the final season. There are the heavenly choirs in "Omerta", the haunting piano piece for Agent Emma Hollis and the dark and brooding ambient music for the final episode.

The suite contains music from the sold out 2-CD set, released by La-La Land Records in 2008.

Enjoy!

 

[SadEyes]

Snow Files of the Week: "Harold & Chrissy/Closure", from "The X-Files", episode "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" (1996).

"Jose Chung's From Outer Space" is one of the wackiest episodes of season three. Written by Darin Morgan, it takes the pillars of the show and turns them upside down in a way. Is the truth really out there? And if so, who's truth is it?

"Harold & Chrissy" opens the episode, when two teenagers are abducted by aliens. This event sets off a string of even stranger events, before Jose Chung comes to the conclusion, that maybe we aren't alone in the universe, but on this planet, in our own separate ways, we are all alone. This final scene is scored with one of the most beautiful themes, that Mark has written for the show, "Closure".

This piece of music also closes the over thirty minutes long suite of X-files music, that is featured on the sampler "The Snow Files". But in the suite, it has been altered slightly, with a choir added to the mix.

The music from "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" also appeared completely on a promotional CD, that was meant as a FYC CD for the Emmys.

These two tracks were released on the first volume of X-Files music from La-La Land Records. This volume is limited to 2.000 copies.

Enjoy!

 

[SadEyes]

Snow Files of the Week: "Jack O' Lantern/Battery/790 Days" from "MillenniuM", episode "The Curse of Frank Black" (1997).

What would Halloween be without "The Curse of Frank Black"? A very popular episode amongst fans of "MillenniuM", it features everything you could hope for on this night: Strange happenings, Demons, black cats, witches, ghosts and an overall dark and tense atmosphere. Mark brings the moody episode to a higher level with his dark and spooky music. At the end of the episode, Mark even incorporates a piece of classical music into his score, the "Sarabande" by Georg Friedrich Händel.

The music was released on the first volume of "MillenniuM" music by La-La Land Records in 2008. This edition sold out and was re-released, limited to 1.000 copies.

Happy Halloween!