I really really love modern classical music - what I call “theatrical music”. Stuff like John Williams and Basil Polidouris - you know, the big theatrical music scores.
I love Vangelis’ “Conquest of Paradise” from 1492.
I love O Fortuna (okay, not exactly a movie piece).
“Russian Navy Hymn” as performed in the Hunt for Red October (Basil Polidouris).
The Jurassic Park theme is one of the most spectacular scores I’ve ever heard (John Williams).
Another all-time favourite of mine is the Jupiter piece in Gustav Holsts’ “The Planets”.
Is anyone creating this kind of music outside of movie score purposes? Can you experts recommend some more titles along these lines? I just can’t get enough of it.
Fairly recent, but before the movies: Johann de Meij wrote a “Lord of the Rings” symphony. I quite enjoy listening to it, especially while reading the books.
I personally dislike modern theatrical-classical music.
but if youre looking for this kind of stuff, definately check out james horner. he wrote the score for braveheart, which i personally think is better than any of william’s work. also check out alan silvestri, who wrote the main tune for forrest gump. and look for music by copeland. his song “hoe down” appears in the “beef” commercials, and his “theme for a common man” appeared in some aurora commercials some 5 or so years ago.
as far was other modern (but not theatrical-style) music, i highly recomennd hovhaness, who wrote music for non-movie/musical purposes (he died late 20th century).
I didn’t mean to imply I only like modern music - more that I like “powerful” classical music - and it seems a lot of such music can be found in movies.
ANY kind of music along those lines is good - old or new.
If anyone can name something comparable to the Jurassic Park theme, I will personally endow you with millions of dollars of my fortune when I become rich
Alexander Nevsky is AWESOME, movie and score. Check out both. Non-movie classical music, hmmm…
Stravinsky, Pulcinella
Hindemith, Mathis der Maler
Shostakovich, Festival Overture and Fifth Symphony.
Mahler, symphonies (all of them!)
Most Samuel Barber pieces
Ferde Grofe, Grand Canyon Suite
And of course, the great-grandfather of movie music, Richard Strauss:
Also Sprach Zarathustra
Ein Heldenleben
Alpensinfonie
Till Eulenspiegel
Tod und Verk… Verk… sorry, can’t spell in German.
There really aren’t that many composers alive today that write tonal music for the concert hall like you hear in movies. No offense meant to anyone who likes movie music, but it’s all rehashed, the Star Wars original trilogy especially. If you like this kind of music, you’re better off going to the original Mahler, Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Strauss, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, etc. Williams has imitated all of these composers very blatantly when writing scores. The reason you like Williams is because you know it from hearing movies. You see the movie, and by the end you know all the themes from the score. People like what they know. Let’s be glad not many people know Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire.
You might check out Yngwie Malmsteen’s Concerto Suite For Electric Guitar And Orchestra In E Flat Minor Op. 1. Purists might not like the electric guitar, but it’s not as if it’s the focus of the album–it really is used as just another instrument (to some degree).
For powerful Classic music, check out allmost anything conducted by Solti. I have the double CD “Thunder and Lightning” which is a fantastic set of Solti conducted heavy-classics.
