Composers Score Scores
Q.
Which film and TV scores do you particularly enjoy? Would you listen to the music on its own, or only in its screen context?Looking across the decades, which scores do renowned film and TV composers respect and enjoy the most?
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A.
BBC Classical Music asked 60 top film and TV composers to offer their top fives. Much debate will, of course, ensue. I offer outrage on behalf of Wolfgang and ‘Amadeus’. Perhaps they were focused on predominantly original scores?
The list is interesting, nevertheless. What did these composers say?
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BBC Classical Music. The Eleven Best Music Scores of All Time. 2025
i. Psycho. Music by Bernard Hermann. Film released in 1960
ii. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Music by John Williams.1982
iii. The Mission. Music by Ennio Morricone. 1986
iii. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Music by Ennio Morricone. 1966
iii. Blade Runner. Music by Vangelis. 1982 (modified scores released later)
vi. Vertigo. Music by Bernard Hermann. 1958
vi. Cinema Paradiso. Music by Ennio Morricone. 1988
vi. American Beauty. Music by Thomas Newman. 1999
ix. How to Train your Dragon. Music by John Powell. 2010
ix. The Godfather. Music by Nino Rota. 1972
ix. Chinatown. Music by Jerry Goldsmith. 1974
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For more on Hermann’s Psycho score:
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Header Photo: Andrej Lišakov
