# Best orchestral soundtracks **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2006, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-soundtracks/351916 "2006-04-09T03:04:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-soundtracks/351916/1 "2006-04-09T03:04:20Z")
The other thread seems to be sticking to musical play soundtracks; hence, different thread. By “orchestral” I mean primarily orchestral, so some vocal solos or exotic instruments do not disqualify a soundtrack. By standbys are definitely **The Lord of the Rings** and **Children of Dune** , the latter of which definitely deserves a higher profile, IMHO. I’ve also recently discovered the **Braveheart** soundtrack, which is not quite up to that standard but is still quite good. **Gladiator** ’s pretty nice too. I’ve noticed that I tend to like the more mainstream, bigger-budget soundtracks better; this is probably due to the availability of larger orchestras and more time for the composer to do his thing. Nevertheless, the élites are free to label me an unwashed plebian 😛 So, what are your favorites? ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-soundtracks/351916/2 "2006-04-09T03:10:45Z")
I really like orchestral soundtracks - I can listen to them while working without being distracted by the lyrics. My favorites include Lord of the Rings and Gladiator (already mentioned), Last of the Mohicans, The Incredibles, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Chocolat. I also have a two-disc set of “John Williams Greatest Hits”, with the most famous movie themes he’s composed (including Star Wars, ET, Indiana Jones, Jaws, Empire of the Sun, Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List, among others). ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-soundtracks/351916/3 "2006-04-09T05:09:04Z")
Cliff Martinez’s work for the Steven Soderberg version of [**Solaris**](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE57A1FDD46A87F20D79C3053CBBB72E00DDB51F8813E23454D92BB345C910E7ED749A0DAB0B8B671AB70B0FD2EA45C43D2C8E453FFD6643E2DFC93&sql=10:2sy67ul030jj) is excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-soundtracks/351916/4 "2006-04-09T05:30:34Z")
The American Film Institute’s [100 Years of Film Scores](http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/scores.aspx). ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-soundtracks/351916/5 "2006-04-09T11:49:25Z")
I’ve always enjoyed John Williams’ scores to Star Wars, Indiana Jones and other Spielberg/Lucas flms. I also enjoy Alan Sylvestri’s work (Back to the Future, the Abyss). ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-soundtracks/351916/6 "2006-04-09T13:44:01Z")
I will maintain to my dying day that Goldsmith’s score for The Twilight Zone: The Movie is one of the finest ever. And Horner’s Star Trek II remains one of my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-soundtracks/351916/7 "2006-04-09T15:48:13Z")
Conan the Barbarian, anyone? It’s sort of a bridge between Excalibur and LotR. (Incidentally, probably the most influential piece of music on orchestral soundtracks has got to be O Fortuna. Not only the above three but just about all fantasy soundtracks borrow heavily from it.) ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-soundtracks/351916/8 "2006-04-09T20:18:54Z")
I used to own the Star Wars soundrack on CD. I wish I could find those CDs. That is by far the best soundtrack I’ve ever heard. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-soundtracks/351916/9 "2006-04-09T20:22:56Z")
Requiem for a Dream is my favorite. Very haunting. ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-soundtracks/351916/10 "2006-04-09T21:51:47Z")
I like the one from Amelie. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-orchestral-soundtracks/351916/11 "2006-04-09T21:58:43Z")
I never get tired of the soundtrack of **Lawrence of Arabia**. Great movie, great music.