All right, I’ve got a taste for some epic-sounding music. I’d love song suggestions. To give you an idea of what I consider epic, here’s my current collection:
“Chariots of Fire,”
“Last of the Mohicans,”
“Wild Theme” (Zamfir),
and several songs from the Lord of the Rings soundtracks.
So, folks, what ya got?
If you want to go classical, then think German. Anything by Wagner is epic. Wagner was writing for the ages and, damn well knew it. The Ring cycle, especially the final part, which gave us** Ride Of The Valkeries**, is so spic that you may want to swear off epic for life.
Orff’s Carmina Burana is also written on an epic scale. One of the last segments is one of the most impressive piece of choral music I’ve ever heard. The local classical station often uses it as background music for the fireworks on the 4th of July.
For contemporary epic music, the name that is often associated with Epic Music is John Williams. He did Star Wars, Superman and others that called for music of grand scope and sweep. Most of it is very listenable, even without the movie being shown in accompaniment.
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Theme - Ennio Morricone
Listen to Jethro Tull Heavey Horses album, with The Hobit or oother such type Books. At least half of his stuff is good for the magic and hero novels.
The Great Gate of Kiev from Pictures at an Exhibition.
*Alzo Sprach Zarathustra * Richard Strauss
more Wagner:
Prelude and Lebestold from Tristan and Isolde
*Siefreid’s Funeral March * from Gotterdammerung.
Forgive my spelling.
And some modern guys:
Vaughn Williams Norfolk Rhapsody #1
Aaron Copland Fanfare for the Common Man
Rhapsody’s first four albums (Legendary Tales, Symphony of Enchanted Lands, Dawn of Victory, Power of the Dragonflame) go together to make up one story. They’re in the process of doing another one right now.
I opened this thread to suggest this very thing. Get the whole soundtrack.
Bernard Herrmann(The Ghost and Mrs Muir,Vertigo,Notrth By Northwest,Jason and the Argonauts)
Hungarian composer Miklós Rózsa(Ben Hur,King of Kings)
I don’t know if orchestral rock counts as epic music, but the band Godspeed! You Black Emporor tends to hit me in my epic bone.
They’ve been used in movies, most notably in 28 Days Later, in the beginning when he’s figuring out that the world is empty and there’s that huge thing covered with photos of missing people.
ZJ
The old standard: Mars: Bringer of War by Holst.
Also, the Dies irae portion of Mozart’s Requiem (most recently used for Nightcrawler’s first scene in the most recent X-men movie).
The opening theme of Bram Stoker’s Dracula works for me.
Hmm. Mind if I follow you around and take notes on your music taste? You keep mentioning things I like but need to become more familiar with. Heard a few Rhapsody songs, liked them, never delved deeper for some reason, but I should.
I will recommend a song, too.
Blind Guardian - And Then There Was Silence
Supper’s Ready by Genesis… Apocolypse in 9/8 is as epic as it gets…
Anything from the Conan the Barbarian soundtrack.
Adam
The soundtracks from Lawrence of Arabia, and Alexander Nevsky
Diplomats - Dipset Anthem
Cam’ron - More Gangsta Music
Jay-Z - U Don’t Know
Jay-Z - The Ruler’s Back
Fabolous - Breathe
Basically, if Just Blaze produced it, you’re looking in the right place.
“The Hymns From The Grand Terrace”…Richard Harris
The Children of Dune soundtrack.