Question

Recommended "film music" / soundtracks (excluding pop)

  • 15 October 2016
  • 4 replies
  • 558 views

We have Kumar's topic on recommended music other than classical and pop. Let's start another one on recommended "film music". As with the other thread I am particularly looking for recommendations that combine artistic merit with good sound/recording quality.

One film the music of which blew me away is The Hours with Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore and Meryl Streep. The music was written for it (at least in art) by Philip Glass. It is interesting to see how images can enhance the musical experience. The corollary is of course that listening to the album without the film could be a bit of a disappointment.

What would you recommend?

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4 replies

recommendations that combine artistic merit with good sound/recording quality.

It is interesting to see how images can enhance the musical experience. The corollary is of course that listening to the album without the film could be a bit of a disappointment.


I guess the first part quoted above rules out Star Wars!

Music/Sound is an essential part of the movie experience - my little granddaughter can see anything on the TV without any qualms if the sound is muted, while she is uncomfortable with the suspense kind of music even for an Animal Planet documentary. But can images enhance the musical experience? An interesting thing that I haven't thought much about although I have to admit that the only Diana Krall I like is on her Live in Paris DVD.

To recommendations - Whiplash. But I suspect that the music will need the images, and as soon as I wrote this, I realised what Emile means; I don't feel the need to listen to the soundtrack on its own, I doubt it will be as good an experience as the movie was.
Badge +2
I love soundtracks. Favourite composers:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clint_Mansell
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B3hann_J%C3%B3hannsson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atticus_Ross
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Richter
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Martinez
https://www.discogs.com/artist/3208457-Nick-Cave-Warren-Ellis
Ennio Morricone https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ennio_Morricone

Rodgers and Hammerstein https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodgers_and_Hammerstein

Maurice Jarre https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Jarre

Many others...
Userlevel 7
Badge +26
I know it's not quite the same as the original request, but I'm a big fan of the "epic" genre as I like to call it. These are usually songs that are used in trailers. If you haven't heard them before, I love the group Les Friction and Two Steps from Hell. Along the same lines, Woodkid is pretty great.

If you're looking for something to put on while you write or clean the house in style I highly recommend starting with the album Les Friction starting with their song Louder Than Words.