Photo of the The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in concert. Sourced from New York Post article “The Lord of the Rings” is coming to the stage. We found tickets under $70 by Matt Levy, originally published November 29, 2022.
We sure love the movies, don't we? Apart from seeing the amazing talents of various actors and actresses, or the highly creative artwork of animators or special effects wizards, we can also go to the cinema and enjoy music of the highest caliber. Many of the greatest films of all time also come with some fantastic musical scores, some of which stand as among the greatest modern musical works. Some enthusiasts may even assert certain film scores being among the best music ever.
The history of music in film is a long one, that even predates voice over films. While the very earliest films were completely silent, they were often accompanied by live music, to help liven up the experience. Thomas Edison, one of the inventors of the kinetoscope and the first moving pictures, also invented and patented the phonograph, which could record and play back sound. Edison, aware of the impact of the growing cinema industry, recommended both live and recorded music for some of the films his laboratory created. Over time, his recommendations would form the backbone concept of using music alongside film.
The first film to have its own original score originated in France, the 1908 film Assassination of Duc of Guise.
Perhaps surprising nobody, the first film to feature a commercially released soundtrack of its own, including recordings and original music, was Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in 1937. The films of Walt Disney Studios have heavily featured and marketed music ever since, and there have been many releases of their songs throughout the years.
UNSPECIFIED – JANUARY 01: (AUSTRALIA OUT) Photo of Max STEINER (Photo by GAB Archive/Redferns)
In the 1930s, the biggest name in film composition was probably Max Steiner. Steiner's works include King Kong, Casablanca, and Gone With the Wind, along with many others in the catalogues of RKO Pictures, Warner Bros. and MGM.
UNSPECIFIED - Photo of Maurice Jarre. Sourced from Film Music Society, opens a new window , March 30, 2009.
By the 1960s, dedicated film scoring was the industry norm, though popular music was often included on necessity. One of the biggest names of the 1960's was French composer Maurice Jarre, who scored for Doctor Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia, and several Alfred Hitchcock films.
Robert and Richard Sherman with Walt Disney, performing their anthem to optimism, "It's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow." Sourced from Film Music Society, opens a new window , March 6, 2012.
Around the same time, Walt Disney Studios brought more acclaim to its own music, working alongside the brothers Richard and Robert Sherman. The Sherman Brothers specialized in theatrical musicals, and helped revitalize music in the Disney film catalog. Of the many films and plays they scored over the years, you can enjoy favorites such as Mary Poppins, Charlotte's Web, and Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland.
John Williams conducting in studio (1975). Sourced from The Legacy of John WIlliams, opens a new window .
Ever since the late 1970's, cinema buffs might argue that we have been living in the Golden Age of film compositions. Several names have risen to prominence over the years, but none loom as large or as memorable as the legendary John Williams. Williams has composed for many of the most popular films over the years, with many team-ups with the equally legendary George Lucas and Steven Spielburg. Williams had been composing for nearly fifteen years before composing the ominous foreboding string thrums of Jaws in 1975. Some of his highlights include Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Superman, Jurassic Park, Home Alone, Harry Potter, and several of the anthems for The Olympics.
The best of John Williams & the Boston Pops
Howard Shore in 2010. Sourced from One Wiki To Rule Them All, opens a new window .
One man, even one as such talented as Mr. Williams, cannot possibly score every film produced, nor is Mr. Williams the only talent. Other names loom large in modern film composing. As pictured at the top of the blog, Howard Shore brought life to the Lord of the Rings franchise. Other films on his resume include Silence of the Lambs, Mrs. Doubtfire, and The Aviator.
John Shearer/Invision/AP. Sourced from Variety, opens a new window , March 27, 2022.
Hans Zimmer is another modern legend. His most popular movie soundtrack happens to be the first animated film he ever composed for: The Lion King. Zimmer's resume is quite impressive, including films such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Madagascar, Man of Steel, The Last Samurai, Pearl Harbor, Batman Begins, Dunkirk and Bladerunner 2049.
Adelaide Festival. Adelaide Entertainment Centre. March 14, 2015. Credit Paul Sanders. Sourced from Stage Whispers, opens a new window , unknown article date.
As Williams did for Superman, Danny Elfman brought music to Batman. Another major composer, Elfman's film career started with composing the score for PeeWee's Big Adventure. What followed was a long partnership with Tim Burton, in which Danny Elfman composed for many of his films, as well as working closely with fellow director Sam Raimi. Some of Elfman's film compositions include Batman, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Sleepy Hollow, the Men in Black franchise, Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2, and the live-action remakes of Alice in Wonderland and Dumbo.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Image property of Andrés Jiménez (ramindjawadi.com). Sourced from Film Symphony, opens a new window , June 28, 2022.
The final composer to be discussed herein might be the most modern artist on this list, and one of the future leaders in film composition. Ramin Djawadi assisted Hans Zimmer with work on Iron Man and Pirates of the Caribbean. One of his earliest compositions was for Blade Trinity and the Blade tv series. Djawadi also expanded his talents into the realm of video games, composing the soundtracks Gears of War 4 and 5, among others. Djawadi's most notable work, however, is in the realm of television, where he composed for HBO's Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.
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