Film Score

Film and music have shared a mutual relationship since the dawn of cinematography. Early on it was realised that music heightened the drama of what was happening onscreen. During the silent movie era a pianist would often accompany the film and once the talkies began to emerge in the 1920s the soundtrack was not far behind. The golden era of the film score mirrored the golden age of Hollywood, stretching from the 1930s through to the 1950s. Its development was helped by emigré composers fleeing persecution in Europe during the 30s such as Erich Korngold and Franz Waxman. During the 1960s and 70s the film score adapted to the changing times by incorporating other musical styles outside the classical sphere. The 1970s also saw the development of the soundtrack album as a lucrative spin-off in itself which could sell in numbers previously reserved only for rock and pop albums.

Key Works: E. Bernstein: The Magnificent Seven, To Kill A Mockingbird, Goodwin: Battle of Britain, 633 Squadron, Herrmann: North by North West, Pyscho, Taxi Driver, Korngold: Captain Blood, Much Ado About Nothing, Robin Hood, The Sea Hawk, Newman: How the West was Won, Rozsa: Ben Hur, El Cid, Steiner: A Summer Place, Gone with the Wind, Tiomkin: Fall of the Roman Empire, High Noon, Waxman: A Place in the Sun, Rebecca, Sunset Boulevard, Williams: E. T. - The Extra Terrestrial, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindlers' List, Star Wars, Zimmer: Gladiator