Favourite piece of movie music?

[wotgoplunk]

Which piece of music from a movie is your favourite, pretty self-explanatory.

It must be composed specifically for the movie, not a classical piece or rock song used elsewhere.

I like the Jurassic Park theme at the moment.

Click to listen.

[ada]

It has got to be Michael Nyman's score for Jane Campion's 1993 film The Piano - all of it, not just the signature piece.

[thalbergmad]

Lawrence of Arabia for me.

Thal

[Nightscape]

I really like the music in Schindler's List.  I also like the music in Gattaca.  The score in Requiem for a Dream is especially effective as well.

[nocturnelover]

John William's scrores to Star Wars, ET and Harry Potter
also the person who composed the Pride and Prejudice pieces (movie).

[yuc4h]

Pieces composed by Hans Zimmer are generally awesome but I think the best pieces are found from his Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack.

[elspeth]

I love Ron Goodwin's film music, especially the themes from One Of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing, 633 Squadron, and Miss Marple

[sharon_f]

Morricone's score to "The Mission" is extraordinary. Another terrific score is Alexandre Desplat's score for "Birth." An old favorite of mine is Corigliano's score for "Altered States."

[steve jones]

Ooo...

Maybe Thomas Newman's Joe Black theme. Not sure the cue title, but you'd know the music. Sounds a little like Debussy. Great score!

SJ

[pianochick93]

It has got to be Michael Nyman's score for Jane Campion's 1993 film The Piano - all of it, not just the signature piece.

You took the words right out of my mouth!
Though I like "The Piano" best.

[klavierkonzerte]

the movie billy eliot has some nice piano music. i don't know if it's written specifically for the movie but i never listened to them anywhere else, does anyone know these pieces or have the scores?

edward scissor hands has some fine music as well.

interview with the vampire has nice track named sylvias waltz, very devilish.

[opus57]

I like the soundtrack of "The rock" but I'm no sure if it was composed especially for this film... However, I like it. And Hans Zimmer too.

[pianowolfi]

I like the soundtrack to "Once upon a time in the West" by Ennio Morricone.

And "Midnight on the cliffs":

[opus57]

Spiel mir das Lied vom Tod! 

[retrouvailles]

Basically anything that Bernard Herrmann wrote, especially the Concerto Macabre. Can't forget the music from The Shining either, even though its not an original soundtrack.

[pianistimo]

john corigliano's compositions in 'the red violin.'  joshua bell playing them.

[steve jones]

interview with the vampire has nice track named sylvias waltz, very devilish.

Absolutely. Goldenthall has apparently completed numerous ballet works, so I wasnt surprised when I heard his IWTV score. I really like it.

And you're quite right, that waltz is wonderful! Totally parodying the whole macabre, diabolical romantic lark... I love it!

SJ

[steve jones]

Basically anything that Bernard Herrmann wrote, especially the Concerto Macabre. Can't forget the music from The Shining either, even though its not an original soundtrack.

I think it was mostly Penderecki, Ligeti and Bartok.

Penderecki's early work was scary as hell! But really influential for films. Those techniques get used in pretty much EVERY horror score these days.

SJ

[retrouvailles]

I think it was mostly Penderecki, Ligeti and Bartok.

Penderecki's early work was scary as hell! But really influential for films. Those techniques get used in pretty much EVERY horror score these days.

Yeah, that is what I like so much about it. Penderecki's early compositions are masterpieces, and are incredibly effective in the movie. His De Natura Sonoris pieces really do the trick.

From what I hear, his Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima was used in Children of Men, but I haven't seen that.

[02295182]

Of course I love the music in Schindler's List,pretty wonderful.
and, anyone like the theme music in THE ROCK?really excellent piece I think.

[thalberg]

Of course I love the music in Schindler's List,pretty wonderful.
and, anyone like the theme music in THE ROCK?really excellent piece I think.

Oh Gosh, Itzhak Perlman playing that theme on the Soil Strad is sooooooo gorgeous.  You know, they say that is the greatest of all the Stradivarius violins.  It was passed to him from Menuhin.

[goldentone]

Superman!

And Dario Marainelli's score for Pride and Prejudice is superb. 

[soliloquy]

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

[steve jones]

Alien has some pretty good music... if you can ignore the fact that most of it is ripped from the C20th literature.

I love the opening cue to that film. Its so eerie... perfect! Then I listened to Holst Planet Suite and find the exact same motif, almost identical orchestration... tut, tut, Goldstein!

Then there is the tunnel scene with that variation of Bartok. And also very obvious re-writes of Scriabin's Poem of Ecstacy.

Its a wonderful score. Now I know why! 

SJ

[indutrial]

There's one piece of string orchestra music that is used a few times in Scorcese's movie Casino that I like called "Contempt", which was originally used in another movie and composed by the great Georges Delerue. The way that the piece flows in over the closing credits of that movie is fabulous. It sounds inspired by Bach's first cello suite.

I agree with the positive reviews of Herrmann. Him and Morricone are responsible for some of my favorite movie work.

[mattgreenecomposer]

Wow cool thread!

Piano wolfi, I was honestly proud of you for mentioning "Once Upon a Time in the West"!!!!!!   Morricone and Hermann are The geniuses of film music.   Intersting story about that opening scene I heard  Ennio wrote the music and the director cut it to fit his music.  It works absolutely perfectly.

Favorite Scores:
BenHur-Miklos Rosza
Blade Runner-Vangelis
The Abyss-Alan Sylvestrie ...especially the 10 minute orchestral montage at the end WoW!
Predator-Alan Sylvestri-percussion orchestration in the jungle freagin' brilliant.
E. Morricone-anything he's ever done
Vertigo-Bernard Hermann
Howard Shore-Lord of the Rings

[cmg]

Has anyone mentioned Erich Korngold -- the INVENTOR of film music?  Every film composer acknowledges that he/she is nothing without Korngold's pioneering efforts.  John Williams, when he's not paying hommage to Richard Strauss, is tipping his hat to Korngold. 

And Max Steiner??  Without him, Warner Brothers pictures from the 1930s to the 1940s would have been mute mausoleums. 

Bette Davis was so threatened by the effectiveness of Steiner's scores that she famously said -- in her great final staircase scene in "Dark Victory" --  "I don't wnat that *** Max Steiner going up those stairs with me!"

In fact, Steiner DID go up those stairs with her, and it made the movie a classic.   

[cmg]

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

cute.  barely.

[prongated]

John William's scrores to Star Wars, ET and Harry Potter

Is it just me, or did anyone else notice how similar the Harry Potter theme is to Poulenc's Piano Concerto?

Otherwise mine would have to run to such things as:

[soliloquy]

cute.  barely.

What does that even mean?  I was being serious.  Reminds me of the Bartok String Quartet No. 6.  Freaky stuff.

[pita bread]

"Stand Inside Your Love" by the Smashing Pumpkins

[cmg]

What does that even mean?  I was being serious.  Reminds me of the Bartok String Quartet No. 6.  Freaky stuff.

Sorry!  Just experimenting with non-sequitur responses . . . just to see if folks were awake out there.

Actually, I love that movie.

[steve jones]

Is it just me, or did anyone else notice how similar the Harry Potter theme is to Poulenc's Piano Concerto?

Otherwise mine would have to run to such things as:

One of the main Harry Potter theme's is shockingly similar to one of Mendelssohn's 'Songs without Words'. I forget which one, sorry. I think its that emphasis of the tritone as a melodic dissonance.

SJ

[soderlund]

Edward Scissorhands has the best music, of the films I've seen so far. Yes, that's definitely my favourite.

[pianowolfi]

Wow cool thread!

Piano wolfi, I was honestly proud of you for mentioning "Once Upon a Time in the West"!!!!!!   Morricone and Hermann are The geniuses of film music.   Intersting story about that opening scene I heard  Ennio wrote the music and the director cut it to fit his music.  It works absolutely perfectly.

Favorite Scores:
BenHur-Miklos Rosza
Blade Runner-Vangelis
The Abyss-Alan Sylvestrie ...especially the 10 minute orchestral montage at the end WoW!
Predator-Alan Sylvestri-percussion orchestration in the jungle freagin' brilliant.
E. Morricone-anything he's ever done
Vertigo-Bernard Hermann
Howard Shore-Lord of the Rings

Thanks I'd like to get to know some of your mentioned ones

btw, opus 57 mentioned that one too, he just didn't know the English title yet 

[steve jones]

Predator was a good score, I agree with that entirely.

SJ

[anodibu]

Elliot Goldenthal - Titus

[mattgreenecomposer]

Yes Korngold and Steiner, thats a given.  I actually wrote a paper on them in college.  Did you know Steiner was taught piano by Brahms! Insane!
  But the reason I didnt mention them is because there is a formula to their music.  The style of the "Golden Age" of Hollywood remained stagnant.  Scores all sounded the same-Lush strings and grandiose crsecendos etc.  (I'm not complaining it's just what these films called for).
It was really Bernard Hermann who started to change the cliche film scores to something more avante garde that expressed deeper emotions that cannot be put into words in a film.  He showed us  melody isn't always necessary and creating an atmosphere or aura that surrounds a  film is what is most important.
Ennio Morricone did this as well by putting Ligeti type timbres together that created a psychological association with each genre of film. Especially Sergio Leons westerns.

[chopininov]

Although this song was made prior to the movie, I did like "Mad World" in Donnie Darko. Found here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=DR91Rj1ZN1M

The Theme from "Requiem for a Dream" is nice; very emotional, I find. Found here (and no idea why there are whales): https://youtube.com/watch?v=gUtCnARxWxQ

And of course the epic "Oh, giusto cielo!" diva remix in the movie "The Fifth Element". Found here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=LPqPAaie62s

The lullaby from "Pan's Labyrinth". Found here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=96ju7754pXU

The catchy "Twisted Nerve" from Kill Bill Vol. 1. Found here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=1xZVTps2PH8

And finally, the nostalgic "Gollum's Song" from The Lord of the Rings. Found here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=p8T3IxGOHHY

[arensky]

Yes Korngold and Steiner, thats a given.  I actually wrote a paper on them in college.  Did you know Steiner was taught piano by Brahms! Insane!

An interesting life and career... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Steiner

 

But the reason I didnt mention them is because there is a formula to their music.  The style of the "Golden Age" of Hollywood remained stagnant.  Scores all sounded the same-Lush strings and grandiose crsecendos etc.  (I'm not complaining it's just what these films called for).

Every good composer of any kind of music has a formula. American crime movie scores from the late 1960's all kind of sound the same (altered jazz chords, neo-Bartok rhythmic patterns, percussive low register piano writing) as does any other style of film music from a certain period or style film. It's what those films call for, the same way the psychological films of the 50's and 60's call for Hermann's style, which was imitated in certain instances by Leonard Rosenman and Jerry Goldsmith among others(although these two remarkable composers have their own unique styles and skills). Hermann had his imitators which led to a style of film music composition that also became stagnant by the late 1970's. Everything becomes tired and cliche evantually.

It was really Bernard Hermann who started to change the cliche film scores to something more avante garde that expressed deeper emotions that cannot be put into words in a film.

Why does the "avant garde" mode of expression express deeper emotion than the "cliche" style that you do not define? And is Bernard Hermann's music (divorced from the cinema) avant garde for it's time? I don't think so. It's just more modern compared to other film scores of the time. Musical depth is not simply a matter of a more modern style.

He showed us  melody isn't always necessary and creating an atmosphere or aura that surrounds a  film is what is most important.

That's what Steiner, Korngold. Rosza and Newman did. Their music is melodic only when it needs to be. Listen to Steiner's scores to "The Letter", "White Heat" and "Caged" to hear how effectively his music can convey the feelings of insanity and violence without romantic melody. It is not less valid because the music is "tonal", although in these instances the tonality is extended, disguised and altered as it needs to be to fit the on-screen action. And very little "big tune" or memorable melody. Steiner in particular has been stigmatized as a "cliche" composer owing to his extraordinary ability to write great melodic scores and themes like "Gone With the Wind", "Now Voyager" and "A Summer Place". These themes that caught on with the general public and became hits in their own right overshadow his skill as one of the great composers of incidental music of all time.

The thing that annoys me most about this period of movie music is the use of musical cliches or devices, particularly ethnic ones such as the use of cheesy "chinese" or (american) "indian" music when a junk sails by on the screen or the Apaches charge the cavalry, etc.. Quite trite, and Steiner was one of the main perpetrators of this sort of drivel.

But the love and adventure themes are incredible...   

Ennio Morricone did this as well by putting Ligeti type timbres together that created a psychological association with each genre of film. Especially Sergio Leons westerns.

Different sounds for different times. As Morricone adapted Ligeti'smusical language so Steiner and Korngold adapted the styles of Mahler and Brahms.

If you like Hermann, you'll like Rosenman, is you're not familiar with his work, here it is.... https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006260/

He's definitely underappreciated.

[arensky]

Bette Davis was so threatened by the effectiveness of Steiner's scores that she famously said -- in her great final staircase scene in "Dark Victory" --  "I don't wnat that *** Max Steiner going up those stairs with me!"

In fact, Steiner DID go up those stairs with her, and it made the movie a classic.   

You should watch "The Letter" if you haven't already; an incredible Bette and Max collaboration!

[mattgreenecomposer]

Well I disagree with almost everything you said arensky but since your a fellow film music lover I won't go off on a tirade...so "agree to disagree." I respect your opinion...

"The thing that annoys me most about this period of movie music is the use of musical cliches or devices, particularly ethnic ones such as the use of cheesy "chinese" or (american) "indian" music when a junk sails by on the screen or the Apaches charge the cavalry, etc.. Quite trite, and Steiner was one of the main perpetrators of this sort of drivel.

Here your dead right.  Thats why Moriccone was so important.  Westerns up until 1964 had the same scores as most other movies.  Sweeping strings and normal orchestral sounds .  Morricone completly changed this.   Infact, when your see a western today it sounds wierd to our ear if it DOESNT sound like The Good the bad and the Ugly.   So original.  And no, it doesn't sound like Bartok, or Prokofiev, Cage, second Vienese school, or any other modern composer before him.  Its just well...Morricone being Moriccone.

[cmg]

You should watch "The Letter" if you haven't already; an incredible Bette and Max collaboration!

Ah, "The Letter."  Might just be my favorite American studio film. 

The late Pauline Kael, movie critic for The New Yorker, said that Davis' portrayal was the "greatest study of sexual hypocrisy ever put on film."  Steiner's score is terrific, yes.

Another great score is Elmer Bernstein's for "The Grifters." 

Great info in this thread, arensky & matt.  Thanks.

[maul]

Gladiator is NEAT mang. Probably would have to be the original Star Wars trilogy though. Battle of Hoth & asteroid belt are incredibly neat. Also, the last part of the battle in ROTJ between Luke and Vader = epic.

[gilad]

Theme to Saving Private Ryan

[arensky]

Well I disagree with almost everything you said arensky but since your a fellow film music lover I won't go off on a tirade...so "agree to disagree." I respect your opinion...

Ok.  I respect yours too, you have obviously thought about this more than most people.

                                                        

Here your dead right.  Thats why Moriccone was so important.  Westerns up until 1964 had the same scores as most other movies.  Sweeping strings and normal orchestral sounds .  Morricone completly changed this.   Infact, when your see a western today it sounds wierd to our ear if it DOESNT sound like The Good the bad and the Ugly.   So original.  And no, it doesn't sound like Bartok, or Prokofiev, Cage, second Vienese school, or any other modern composer before him.  Its just well...Morricone being Moriccone.

Morricone is quite versatile, film composers since the 60's have to be owing to the variety of styles used in movies since that time. But the musical style of the western in question is linked to the style of filmmaking. Ford's "The Searchers" is a different style of cinema than Leone's "Good Bad and the Ugly". What would those films be like if you switched the scores? How much of a difference would it make in the overall effect that the films make? I think the traditional scoring would not affect "GB and U" negatively, but Morricone would seem a bit strange in "The Searchers" (or maybe not). A lot of this depends on our preconceptions; certain styles and genres of music were used for different styles and genres of cinema, and we end up being conditioned to expect a certain kind of music in a particular genre of film. Leone's aesthetic is modern and abandons the romantic trappings of Hollywood for a sparser and more objective style and so do his scores of his films.   

For a real miscoring, watch "Assault on a Queen" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060135/

Hmmm. The actual credits (I own this on VHS) bill the composer as Duke Ellington but he is not listed here. No matter. Assuming it was Duke Ellington he was trying to repeat his brilliant score to "Anatomy of a Murder", a murder/courtroom movie with a jazz score (obviously). However, this jazz score elicits a hilarious effect when played with footage of scuba divers.  although it works for the crime sequences. This is what I mean about conditioning and preconceptions. Amazing how susceptible we are to what we see and hear on screens...

[ksnmohan]

Peter Gabriel's - with the Sufi strains of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Indian raagas by L.Shankar - in  Martin Sorcese's "The Last Temptation of Jesus Christ" -especially the opening scene of the film.

[retrouvailles]

I recently heard some film music by John Tavener. Amazing stuff. Also, Miklós Rózsa's Ben Hur and Spellbound are worth noting.

[arensky]

I recently heard some film music by John Tavener. Amazing stuff. Also, Miklós Rózsa's Ben Hur and Spellbound are worth noting.

Rosza's scores are amazing, particularly "Spellbound".

[gyzzzmo]

Schindlers List main theme :p
And less dramatic: Forrest Gump main theme, i love playing that one in a cafe and see all the happy faces :p