As part of my studies in audio production, I would like to learn more about movie soundtracks and other instrumental pieces or elements of sound that accompany moving picture. As a fan of both films and music, this area of study is very much in line with my interests, and to reflect this, I have curated a playlist on the streaming platform YouTube showing a playlist of influences, both content and professional identities alike.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL07cgevq_sZNsI-78kxM0o99j1qxaGnsb
This playlist is composed of several themes and tracks from successful 21st Century motion pictures. The tracks are all scores and most contain no lyrics, but are instead an instrumental.
A great many of these playlist tracks are from movies that I have enjoyed over the years, in particular works from German composer Hans Zimmer, who’s music I admire greatly (my thoughts on Zimmer and how he has influenced by practise as a musician have been discussed in a previous blogpost). Other artists that are featured in the playlist are other film composers that work similarly to Zimmer, including Howard Shore and James Newton Howard. I think their music is written in comparable styles because of the way that they all attempt to utilise the symphonic orchestra to its full extent, and compose songs that have a ‘larger than life’ impression.
I feel that music such as the ones in this playlist, with big sweeping melodies and tracks that have the ability to create emotional ambiance, and in some cases, can make great movies even greater. For example, some of the tracks, including the theme from The Lord of the Rings (track 13) and Harry Potter (track 12) movies, have become particularly well known and are cultural icons in their own right.
In the most effective of movies, are the ones that are able to create totally unique cinematic universes. I believe that a big part of this comes from the composing of a unique musical score.
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