# The Essential Music Library: Film Music/Musicals **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 28, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012 "2005-11-28T04:22:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/1 "2005-11-28T04:22:07Z")
The Essential Music Library project is an attempt to get the many musical minds of the SDMB to sit down and discuss what works are absolutely necessary for a well-stocked musical library. There will be roughly 20 threads detailing a variety of genres so that we can get the depth that would be missing from a single-threaded discussion and the breadth necessary to cover what’s out there. This thread’s topic is film music and musicals. Previous threads: [Project Planning](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=335665) | [Classical](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=336834) | [Rock](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=337956) | [Jazz](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=339051) | [Modern Rock](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=340081) | [Blues](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=341203) | [Punk/Post-Punk/New Wave](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=342310) | [Opera/Choral Music](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=343551) | [Rap/Hip-Hop](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=344056) | [Gospel](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=344690) | [Electronica](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=345226) | [Contemporary Classical](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=345831) | [Pop](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=345832) ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/2 "2005-11-28T04:37:01Z")
I haven’t participated in the other threads, but I’m interested in musicals so I’ll get my subscription in here now. I’d say there definitely needs to be some cast recordings of Andrew Lloyd Weber shows, but I’m not entirely sure what. Probably **Phantom of the Opera** or **Joseph** , the former for the recognizability and the latter for the sheer variety. Stephen Sondheim is necessary. I’d say probably **Into the Woods** John Williams. **Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope** or **Raiders of the Lost Ark** **Tommy** by the Who. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/3 "2005-11-28T04:42:53Z")
Danny Elfman deserves a nod for something. I’m partial to the Nightmare before Christmas soundtrack, but there are other choices. ---
**Author:** ![max\_yasgur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@max\_yasgur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/max_yasgur)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/4 "2005-11-28T04:53:32Z")
My 2 cents. \*\*Henry Mancini \*\* “Pink Panther”,“Charade” etc. **Elmer Bernstein** “The Great Escape” The Magnificent Seven”, etc. **Bernard Herrmann** “North By Northwest”, “Psycho”, “Vertigo”, etc. **Jerry Goldsmith** “Papillon” “Poltergeist”, etc. **John Barry** “Midnight Cowboy” “Out Of Africa”, etc. **Maurice Jarre** “Lawrence Of Arabia”, etc. **Max Steiner** “Gone With The Wind” “King Kong” **Nino Rota** “The Godfather” “Romeo & Juliet” **Yann Tiersen** “Amelie” **John Williams** ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/5 "2005-11-28T15:35:19Z")
I think John Williams has a best-of album, which is probably worth picking up if you’re just a beginner. The theme from Indiana Jones is probably just as recognizable as the theme from Star Wars. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/6 "2005-11-28T16:50:01Z")
Andrew Lloyd Webber: Jesus Christ Superstar Original Concept Album Evita Original Concept Album Phantom of the Opera OLC Original Cast of Hair OLC of Les Miserables OBC of Rent Foreign Language Casts: Original French Les Miserables 2CD live German Starlight Express Austrian CATS Germany’s Tanz der Vampyr ---
**Author:** ![Enterprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/76d3ee/32.png) [@Enterprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enterprise)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/7 "2005-11-28T17:01:22Z")
**Musicals** [ul] [li]Andrew Lloyd Webber – Phantom of the Opera, being the best of his output, I think. Avoid Cats, which I find dull and disjointed.[/li][li]1776 – A great tribute to a great man, and one of the funnest musicals I’ve seen.[/li][li]Little Shop of Horrors – Another fun musical, even though it started life as a B-movie[/li][/ul] **Film Music** [ul] [li]Rachel Portman – The Ciderhouse Rules[/li][li]John Williams – Star Wars, Indiana Jones, as the most recognizable themes around[/li][li]Hans Zimmer – Pirates of the Caribbean, an amazingly powerful (if occasionally repetitive) score[/li][li]Howard Shore – The Lord of the Rings. As with nearly everything about the trilogy, the sheer size and scope of that score astound…and the variety is also immense.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/8 "2005-11-28T17:08:41Z")
I’d also recommend all of Bjorn & Benny of ABBA’s musicals: Original Concept CD of Chess. If you can find the Danish release of CHESS (with Zubin Varla), BUY IT IMMEDIATELY. The 3CD set of Kristin from Duvemala London Mamma Mia! for the sheer fun of it. Stephen Schwartz too: Godspell Original Cast OBC of Pippin, The Magic Show and Wicked. OBC of Avenue Q ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/9 "2005-11-28T17:22:44Z")
> [@Enterprise](#): > > Little Shop of Horrors – Another fun musical, even though it started life as a B-movie And the opposite applies to another great work, the Rocky Horror Picture Show. ---
**Author:** ![lonesome\_loser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@lonesome\_loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lonesome_loser)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/10 "2005-11-28T17:32:07Z")
{url=“[http://imdb.com/title/tt0068011/](http://imdb.com/title/tt0068011/)”]Zachariah…The first electric western. Country Joe and the Fish The James Gang Doug Kershaw What’s not to like? ---
**Author:** ![lonesome\_loser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@lonesome\_loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lonesome_loser)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/11 "2005-11-28T17:33:39Z")
[Zachariah](http://imdb.com/title/tt0068011/)…The first electric western. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/12 "2005-11-28T17:38:54Z")
The Russian soundtrack to the Chicago Movie is something everyone should hear. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/13 "2005-11-28T17:43:41Z")
I guess I’ll go to bat for some of the older stuff: **Musicals** **Jerome Kern** – Showboat (I think it’s considered one of the first real musicals) **Cole Porter** – Anything Goes (lots of standards, including the title song, I Get a Kick Out of You, You’re the Top) **Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer** – St. Louis Woman **Rodgers and Hart** – Babes in Arms (many recognizable songs, including The Lady is a Tramp, My Funny Valentine, Where or When), and On Your Toes **Irving Berlin** – Annie Get Your Gun **Rodgers and Hammerstein** – Oklahoma! and Carousel **Film Music** **John Williams** – In addition to everything else mentioned, the scores of E.T. and Close Encounters. Really, just get a collection of his stuff. **Danny Elfman** – There’s a collection called “Music for a Darkened Theater” **Prokofiev** – Depending on how far back you want to go, he wrote film scores for some early Soviet movies. **Ennio Morricone** – Lots of stuff; just get a collection. **Bernard Herrman** – Ditto. The guy wrote everything from Citizen Kane to Taxi Driver. **Vangelis** – Chariots of Fire. Okay, so it’s the most mocked film score of all time, but it’s well-known for a reason. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/14 "2005-11-28T17:43:50Z")
Essential Broadway recordings: Cole Porter: Kiss Me Kate Irving Berlin: Annie Get Your Gun Rogers and Hammerstein: The King and I Rogers and Hammerstein: Oklahoma! Frank Loesser: Guys and Dolls Frank Loesser: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Meredith Willson: The Music Man Lerner and Lowe: My Fair Lady Hamlisch and Kleban: A Chorus Line Warren and Dubin: 42nd Street Adler and Ross: The Pajama Game Adler and Ross: Damn Yankees Bernstein and Sondheim: West Side Story Bricusse and Newley: Stop the World I Want to Get Off Bock and Harnick: Fiddler on the Roof Leigh and Darion: Man of La Mancha Kander and Ebb: Cabaret Kander and Ebb: Chicago Movie Musicals: Warren and Dubin et. al.: Lullabye of Broadway: The Best of Busby Berkeley at Warner Brothers Freed and Brown: Singin’ in the Rain ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/15 "2005-11-28T17:53:05Z")
> [@Garfield226](#): > > Stephen Sondheim is necessary. I’d say probably **Into the Woods** And _West Side Story_, his collaboration with Leonard Bernstein. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/16 "2005-11-28T18:54:17Z")
Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Schwartz’s _Mass_ Andrew Lloyd Webber’s _Aspects of Love_ and his latestet [i/The Woman in White\*. Kander and Ebb’s _Kiss of the Spiderwoman_ ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/17 "2005-11-28T19:00:42Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I’d also recommend all of Bjorn & Benny of ABBA’s musicals: > Original Concept CD of Chess. If you can find the Danish release of CHESS (with Zubin Varla), BUY IT IMMEDIATELY. > The 3CD set of Kristin from Duvemala > London Mamma Mia! for the sheer fun of it. > > Stephen Schwartz too: > Godspell Original Cast > OBC of Pippin, The Magic Show and Wicked. > > OBC of Avenue Q This is sort of an aside, but I had the “London Concept Cast” recording of Chess a while back (lent it to someone and it never made it back to me, grrrrrr). Is that the one you’re talking about? I’ve been meaning to replace the CD, and I wasn’t sure if I should maybe get the OBC recording (which I’ve never heard), and I’m too poor a theatre geek to buy both, sadly. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/18 "2005-11-28T19:07:58Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > I guess I’ll go to bat for some of the older stuff: > **Vangelis** – Chariots of Fire. Okay, so it’s the most mocked film score of all time, but it’s well-known for a reason. Also, his score for Blade Runner was pretty great. One of my favorite is **Leonard Rosenman** , who, among other scores, had two fabulous ones in the original Lord of the Rings movie and also for Star Trek IV. **James Horner** , who is incredibly prolific, did one of his best works in Star Trek II (yes, I’m a trekkie, but also a music geek, and trust me, these are both phenomenal scores). ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/19 "2005-11-28T19:08:35Z")
Yes, the OLC with Murray Head & Elaine Paige. The Broadway cast is only a single CD and it’s not very good. The Danish release (in English) that I mention often is now OOP, but so damn good if pricey. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012/20 "2005-11-28T21:15:45Z")
**Gabriel Yared** : [The English Patient Soundtrack](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000000XET/102-9870001-8392147?v=glance) **Peter Gabriel** : [Passion - Music for The Last Temptation of Christ](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000065V9J/102-9870001-8392147?v=glance) \*\*Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman \*\*: [The Last of the Mohicans - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000042MY/102-9870001-8392147?v=glance) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-film-music-musicals/333012.md?page=2)