Hi ONTD,
this post idea came to me for two reasons. One is that I was listening to the Lord of the Rings score, as I often do, and thinking about how certain pieces can make me cry just hearing the opening notes of the motif. The other is that I just finished Station Eleven, which is about the world ending, but people endure. art and music live on and connect all the characters in beautiful and haunting ways. Art and music provide a reason to live, not just survive. It's a beautiful book, and a lovely show. But that's not what this post is about...
Great scores for films and TV shows elevate the entire work; they provoke our emotions, they provide insight into the characters, and they set the mood and atmosphere. (she says, sounding like a topic sentence from a Music 101 essay...)
So I thought I would make a discussion post on what your favourite scores are. They can be from TV or film. Please post your opinions, videos, playlists, etc. I want to hear it all! and if someone wants to make a companion "Best Soundtracks" post--well, that would be lovely!
Here are some of my favourite scores--not intended to be a ranking--they are merely numbered by which came into my head first.
1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy--Howard Shore
As I said, it's not really a ranking--but if I were pressed, I might have to say that the Lord of the Rings score is my favourite of all time. Anyone who has watched the trilogy can agree with me that the music needs no introduction, and I won't go on and on (I might in the comments). What I think the greatest achievement with this score is that it is so intertwined with the world and scenery and mood of the characters, as all great scores should be. You can hear "the Shire" and instantly picture the peaceful place that Tolkien described so lovingly. You can hear "The Journey to the Grey Havens" and cry instantly (if you're like me).
Here are my favourites from each film:
2. Star Wars (the Original Trilogy)--John Williams
Star Wars is another score that needs no introduction. from the opening titles of a New Hope, that score has been permanently embedded in the public consciousness. is there a better menacing villain theme than the Imperial March? I don't think so (if you disagree, please post your pick!). Since John Williams did the prequels, they have great music too, but I don't really like the movies so sorry for not including Duel of the Fates here, prequel fans! I will say that Across the Stars is a beautiful love theme; shame it is in the worst Star Wars movie of all (stay tuned for my ONTD original ranking the Star Wars films).
Favourites from each film:
3. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon--Tan Dun
If a film makes me emotional, chances are the score had something to do with it. It's not just the beautiful emotional pieces in this film's score--it's the amazing staccato in the fight scenes, it's the tension you feel--it's just incredible and evocative. perfectly befitting this amazing film. Give me a cello (especially played by Yo-Yo Ma) and I'm there.
4. The Lion King--Hans Zimmer
I looked up the Oscar winners for Best Score and unsurprisingly, Disney has won a bunch. The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas. They all have great scores, but I'm giving up to the best of the best. The Lion King has fantastic songs courtesy of Elton John and Tim Rice (Be Prepared--top tier villain song), but the score is also in a class all its own. I actually had to restrain myself from making this a list of favourite Hans Zimmer scores (I had others of his on here, but I pared it down to this). This is a score that is deep in every sense of the word--deep joy, deep sadness and grief, reflection, triumph. One of the best Disney films ever, with the best score of them all.
5. Lost--Michael Giacchino
I know, the other four are movies, and initially while writing, I made this a bit of a longer list with a couple more TV shows tbh, but I just really wanted to post it, so I'm capping at 5. Lost did a lot of things...in an interesting way that did not satisfy all its viewers, but the score is not one of them. We feel the dread the islanders feel through the music. we feel their sadness when the "Life and Death" motif (first played at Boone's funeral) plays. When Penny picks up the phone in the Constant and the music swells...whew. get me some tissues, please.
So there you have some of mine--tell me yours!
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9+my opinions
this post idea came to me for two reasons. One is that I was listening to the Lord of the Rings score, as I often do, and thinking about how certain pieces can make me cry just hearing the opening notes of the motif. The other is that I just finished Station Eleven, which is about the world ending, but people endure. art and music live on and connect all the characters in beautiful and haunting ways. Art and music provide a reason to live, not just survive. It's a beautiful book, and a lovely show. But that's not what this post is about...
Great scores for films and TV shows elevate the entire work; they provoke our emotions, they provide insight into the characters, and they set the mood and atmosphere. (she says, sounding like a topic sentence from a Music 101 essay...)
So I thought I would make a discussion post on what your favourite scores are. They can be from TV or film. Please post your opinions, videos, playlists, etc. I want to hear it all! and if someone wants to make a companion "Best Soundtracks" post--well, that would be lovely!
Here are some of my favourite scores--not intended to be a ranking--they are merely numbered by which came into my head first.
1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy--Howard Shore
As I said, it's not really a ranking--but if I were pressed, I might have to say that the Lord of the Rings score is my favourite of all time. Anyone who has watched the trilogy can agree with me that the music needs no introduction, and I won't go on and on (I might in the comments). What I think the greatest achievement with this score is that it is so intertwined with the world and scenery and mood of the characters, as all great scores should be. You can hear "the Shire" and instantly picture the peaceful place that Tolkien described so lovingly. You can hear "The Journey to the Grey Havens" and cry instantly (if you're like me).
Here are my favourites from each film:
2. Star Wars (the Original Trilogy)--John Williams
Star Wars is another score that needs no introduction. from the opening titles of a New Hope, that score has been permanently embedded in the public consciousness. is there a better menacing villain theme than the Imperial March? I don't think so (if you disagree, please post your pick!). Since John Williams did the prequels, they have great music too, but I don't really like the movies so sorry for not including Duel of the Fates here, prequel fans! I will say that Across the Stars is a beautiful love theme; shame it is in the worst Star Wars movie of all (stay tuned for my ONTD original ranking the Star Wars films).
Favourites from each film:
3. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon--Tan Dun
If a film makes me emotional, chances are the score had something to do with it. It's not just the beautiful emotional pieces in this film's score--it's the amazing staccato in the fight scenes, it's the tension you feel--it's just incredible and evocative. perfectly befitting this amazing film. Give me a cello (especially played by Yo-Yo Ma) and I'm there.
4. The Lion King--Hans Zimmer
I looked up the Oscar winners for Best Score and unsurprisingly, Disney has won a bunch. The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas. They all have great scores, but I'm giving up to the best of the best. The Lion King has fantastic songs courtesy of Elton John and Tim Rice (Be Prepared--top tier villain song), but the score is also in a class all its own. I actually had to restrain myself from making this a list of favourite Hans Zimmer scores (I had others of his on here, but I pared it down to this). This is a score that is deep in every sense of the word--deep joy, deep sadness and grief, reflection, triumph. One of the best Disney films ever, with the best score of them all.
5. Lost--Michael Giacchino
I know, the other four are movies, and initially while writing, I made this a bit of a longer list with a couple more TV shows tbh, but I just really wanted to post it, so I'm capping at 5. Lost did a lot of things...in an interesting way that did not satisfy all its viewers, but the score is not one of them. We feel the dread the islanders feel through the music. we feel their sadness when the "Life and Death" motif (first played at Boone's funeral) plays. When Penny picks up the phone in the Constant and the music swells...whew. get me some tissues, please.
So there you have some of mine--tell me yours!
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9+my opinions