# Give me some epic music. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 14, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289 "2005-10-14T22:13:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/1 "2005-10-14T22:13:58Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![marque\_elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@marque\_elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marque_elf)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/2 "2005-10-14T22:38:54Z")
> [@Speaker for the Dead](#): > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/3 "2005-10-14T22:58:08Z")
**The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Theme** - Ennio Morricone ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/4 "2005-10-14T23:21:08Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/5 "2005-10-14T23:36:38Z")
The Great Gate of Kiev from Pictures at an Exhibition. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/6 "2005-10-15T00:24:18Z")
\*Alzo Sprach Zarathustra \* Richard Strauss more Wagner: _Prelude and Lebestold_ from Tristan and Isolde \*Siefreid’s Funeral March \* from Gotterdammerung. Forgive my spelling. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/7 "2005-10-15T00:49:01Z")
And some modern guys: Vaughn Williams _Norfolk Rhapsody #1_ Aaron Copland _Fanfare for the Common Man_ ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/8 "2005-10-15T00:51:25Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/9 "2005-10-15T00:52:51Z")
> [@vl\_mungo](#): > > **The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Theme** - Ennio Morricone I opened this thread to suggest this very thing. Get the whole soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![priapus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@priapus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/priapus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/10 "2005-10-15T01:02:16Z")
Bernard Herrmann(The Ghost and Mrs Muir,Vertigo,Notrth By Northwest,Jason and the Argonauts) Hungarian composer Miklós Rózsa(Ben Hur,King of Kings) ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/11 "2005-10-15T01:22:09Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/12 "2005-10-15T02:18:00Z")
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). ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/13 "2005-10-15T15:16:57Z")
The opening theme of Bram Stoker’s Dracula works for me. ---
**Author:** ![rinni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f6c823/32.png) [@rinni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rinni)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/14 "2005-10-15T15:19:16Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > 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. 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 ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/15 "2005-10-15T15:31:12Z")
**Supper’s Ready** by _Genesis_… Apocolypse in 9/8 is as epic as it gets… ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/16 "2005-10-15T15:37:31Z")
Anything from the _Conan the Barbarian_ soundtrack. Adam ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/17 "2005-10-15T16:17:52Z")
The soundtracks from _Lawrence of Arabia_, and _Alexander Nevsky_ ---
**Author:** ![party\_store](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@party\_store](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/party_store)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/18 "2005-10-15T16:41:02Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Roboto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@Mr.Roboto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Roboto)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/19 "2005-10-15T17:25:07Z")
“The Hymns From The Grand Terrace”…Richard Harris ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289/20 "2005-10-15T19:22:37Z")
The _Children of Dune_ soundtrack. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-some-epic-music/326289.md?page=2)