This is literally a list of the film scores that were voted into Classic FM's Hall of Fame for 2024. Again, I apologise for ads in the links.
#257 - Also Sprach Zarathustra - A cheat here, I think. This is an iconic piece of music by Strauss in 1888, but use 80 years later for 2001: A Space Odyssey. Not many will realise it is a classical piece.
#242 - The Big Country - That wonderfully upbeat Western classic.
#240 - The Great Escape - Another golden icon here.
#235 - The Unforgettable Year 1919 - Not one many will have heard of. A highly appreciated Soviet film from 1951.
#214 - Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - A modern classic, which is now a basis for other scores based on the high seas. It became an instant classic.
#213 - Emma - The main titles track from the 1996 film. A very pretty, calming and romantic track from Rachel Portman.
#210 - Band of Brothers - A film I am yet to see, but very well received. Another modern piece that has infiltrated movie music folklore.
#202 - Once Upon A Time in the West - Part of this track is one of my favourite piece, but the whole score is amazing. What's even more amazing is that it is the lowest ranked on Ennio Morricone's piece that were voted in!
#200 - The Da Vinci Code - Tom Hanks' religious murder mystery drama does have a wonderful score. It's inspiring, dramatic, uplifting and driving all in one.
#198 - Wilde - This Stephen Fry biopic of Oscar Wilde is as heartbreaking as it is moving. The score underlines this, which is melancholy and saddening. A very moving piece.
#191 - Saving Private Ryan - Another masterpiece from the legendary John Williams. "Hymn To The Fallen" has the feel of a memorial moment, inspiration and peace as well as sadness and longing. Quite stunning really.
#190 - Braveheart - Mel Gibson's classically inaccurate Scottish war film comes in with "For the Love of a Princess". This is romantic, as expected, and invokes imagery of the vast Scottish wild landscapes.
#177 - To Kill A Mockingbird - From the 1962 film, Elmer Bernstein's main theme is so simple but dramatic. I haven't seen the film at the time of writing, but knowing what I do about it, I can see why it is so popular. It reflects the nature of Atticus Finch.
#173 - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - Another classic from John Williams. It is simply iconic in it's chirpy and upbeat nature.
#152 - Inception - Inception is just a weird film, but Hans Zimmer puts the weird in the music so it fits really well. "Dream is Collapsing" is the piece that makes it into the top 300, and this is tense, dramatic and eerie, fitting the tone of the film and this particular sequence.
#149 - The Lion King - An absolute classic throughout its entire soundtrack. "The Circle of Life" heads the film, and here you can see the opening to the original film with the music.
#140 - The Magnificent Seven - Elmer Bernstein fills our speakers with another fantastic and iconic piece. A truly wonderful piece that everyone knows.
#129 - Ladies in Lavender - Ladies in Lavender is a 2004 film starring two giants of British cinema, Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. This piece is uplifting, simple and very pretty.
#123 - Dangerous Moonlight - This track includes the "Warsaw Concerto", which is tense and dramatic, but classically 1940's. Originally, the filmmakers wanted Sergei Rachmaninoff to compose the film score, but Richard Addinsell proved perfect for the job, as this shows.
#111 - Out of Africa - John Barry won the Academy Award for this piece. The score builds to match the vast landscapes of Africa, but underneath there is a hesitance within the music which might just be me reading too much into it! It's beautiful, though.
#108 - Interstellar - A modern 2001: A Space Odyssey, Intersellar is a film that really pushes the boundaries of Science-Fiction. I thought it was stunning, but this particular track, S.T.A.Y., really puts the emphasis on the impact of time. These astronauts have gone beyond what anyone else thought possible and they have to come to terms with that and keep their sanity as time messes with them. This piece is weird, wonderful, sad and eerie.
#99 - Raiders of the Lost Ark - John Williams at it again. One of the most iconic film scores ever.
#96 - Walking the Dog from Shall We Dance - George Gershwin is a wonderful writer for jazzy numbers. This is sprightly and spirited and perfect for Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
#89 - William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet - I wasn't a fan of this version of Romeo & Juliet, but this is a very romantic piece and captures the moment where these lovers can forget their families feud.
#86 - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Ennio Morricone is another one of the greatest film composers, and this is the track that defines music for Westerns.
#72 - Dances with Wolves - John Barry is another all-time great. Another sweeping composition with "The John Dunbar Theme" here won him his 5th Academy Award and it's no wonder why.
#57 - Harry Potter "Hedwig's Theme" - John Williams, once again. A generation of film-goers and book lovers will have grown up with this piece playing in their heads.
#45 - Jurassic Park - John Williams is probably the GOAT of modern composers, just by how many of his works are in this list. Who doesn't know the Jurassic Park Theme? It's grand, uplifting and playful.
#43 - Gladiator - Gladiator is a fantastic film, with a brilliant score from Hans Zimmer. Here, "Now We Are Free" shows his ability to portray sadness, peacefulness and joy together. It is an amazing piece to accompany some beautiful images on the screen.
#40 - Star Wars - The ultimate movie theme tune. You don't need to be told it's John Williams again. Just listen!
#26 - Lord of the Rings - One of the most epic film franchises ever has one of the most beautiful scores and it has elevated Howard Shore onto another level. "The Breaking of the Fellowship" is just so ethereal and peaceful and helps you seen the emotion that Frodo should be showing!
#12 - The Mission - I've not seen The Mission but this piece is a beautiful one and such a contrast to Morricone's other works that I know. I love his use of wind instruments here and the cellos running underneath the main melody.
#10 - Schindler's List - Not surprising the John Williams claims the top film score spot. Such a great use of traditional sounding music from the communities affected by Schindler's involvement. Stunning.
33 of the 300, 11% of the Hall of Fame, come from film scores. I'm not counting Also Sprach Zarathustra as that was not written for the screen! It goes to show, however, how music affects us in different ways, through different mediums. I'm not sure I agree with the order, but they are all fantastic to listen to.
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