Nic's Soundtrack Recs

Nic's Music (score) Recommendations

Hello. My name is Nic and I'm a Soundtrack Junkie.

Specifically, instrumental soundtracks or film scores, those that form great symphonies. I abhor the "modern" soundtracks the market is becoming flooded with - the type that takes a few popular songs and adds more of similar style to form 10 second cues during the film. Give me real music, music that you can close your eyes to and be swept away to a place far away. Another planet, another galaxy, another universe...it is the music that makes you both laugh and cry that I crave.

My musical oddessy began with the score to Star Wars. It revived the great classical sound while becoming fresh and invigorating. And from these beginnings, other composers felt able to follow suit and then expand upon the basic theme, using alternative mediums of music. Soundtracks are the equivalent of today's classical symphonies. Instrumental music is rarely accessible by the general public and only through the medium of cinema or television are we exposed to this art form.

Why do I love these and why create a page devoted to them? you may wonder. I often lament the fact that my CD collection is so "limited" when compared to the amount of secular music available. This page is dedicated to others like myself who hear the passion and soul in this music and need help in tracking down those rare finds. If you agree with my choices, trust my recommendations. I have trusted friends with similar taste and been rewarded a hundred times over.

John Williams - STAR WARS

John Williams is The Master. Everything he does is so beautifully melodic or sweepingly grand. He covers the full spectrum in the SW soundtracks alone with music that can make you cry or laugh or dance. And I'm not talking about the main theme here - that gets quite boring after the hundredth or so listen. Try "The Force Theme" (all films), "Escape from Cloud City" (TESB), and "Victory Celebration" (ROTJ). From TPM, we have more haunting tracks such as "Anakin's Theme". "Droid Invasion" is reminiscent of the "Imperial March", both great pieces to headbang to. "Augie's Great Municipal Band" makes you want to dance and cheer, and "Duel of the Fates" is just brilliantly different. John Williams Central

Joseph LoDuca - Xena: Warrior Princess

One of the reasons I love Xena so much is for the music. It's both original and traditional, drawing from ancient themes to create a true tapestry of old and new world music. The Amazon death chants are particularly good, and the "Winter Solstice" tracks (CD 2) are magical. Some songs make me gasp, others are just plain fun. Not to mention the Musical! However, there's also a lot of "action" music (which isn't my favourite). There are 5 Xena soundtracks currently available and my favourite is No. 2 for the diversity and consistent beauty. 1 is traditional "Xena", 3 is The Bitter Suite (the musical episode soundtrack, such clever songwriting), 4 speaks of India as well as Hope, and 5 contains "rock songs" and laments ("Grieving Dance" haunts me). Xena Midi Page - overviews of the soundtracks, midi filees, and links to songwords.

Joel Goldsmith - Stargate: SG1

WHERE is the soundtrack for the series??? I know that there's a soundtrack for the film and one for the premiere episode, but what about the other episodes? Stargate is one show where I am constantly noticing how beautiful and other-worldly the music is. I sit there and sigh as I watch. Particular themes I've noticed arise in "The Nox" or "100 Days", "The Tok'ra" and "The Fifth Race". Everything is so beautifully written. I encourage you to write to TPTB and ask for a soundtrack. I know it would be wonderful. You can leave a note on their website: MGM: Stargate SG-1

Christopher Franke - Babylon 5

Such power and passion was added to B5 through the amazing score that caused us to cry right along with the characters during the battles or deaths. It's also unique, I haven't heard another 'sound' that quite resembles Franke's B5 style. The soundtrack to Sleeping in Light never fails to break my heart, the music the perfect combination of regret and hope to say goodbye. So much of the music of B5 can be described as "tragic". Voices soaring, immense drama, this is cinematic orchestra at its best. The Music of Babylon 5

James Horner - Willow

This was only just rec'd to me and I have never been gladder. Oh, the magic! Tracks 1 and 8 are pure amazing beauty and as I listen I could cry. It transports you away to a magical realm where nothing of this world exists. (I've found my wedding music!)

James Horner, Leonard Rosenman, Jerry Goldsmith, and more - Star Trek: The Films

Forget the television series - I am the first to admit that the television music is (in a word) crap. I can't stand it. Okay, the main themes are nice but if I hear one more dramatic cadence of violins I will scream. Where are the melodies?

You can find them in the film scores. Star Trek II and III have particularly beautiful scores, especially for the parts of death or anything set on Vulcan. (Incidentally, these 2 favourite soundtracks of mine were both composed by the great James Horner.) Who could ever forget "Amazing Grace" in STII? IV has more great music (especially the end credits!) and all films, including the most recent TNG films, have magical main themes. This is quality music and cinematically otherworldly.

Michael Land - Monkey Island, The Dig

Michael Land composes music for computer games. In my opinion, his talent is being wasted. The Monkey Island series has the most addictive, funky and "fun" music I've ever heard in a game and I play the soundtrack over and over. Pirate songs and love themes, they're all great and evocative of the Carribean. The Dig is the complete opposite, an acknowledged Wagnerian sound that speaks of the alien planet so beautifully. I am desperately searching for a copy of "The Dig" soundtrack - if you know where I can get one, pleasee email me! stardestiny@bigfoot.com
The Michael Land Homepage - many great midis.

Joel McNeely - Shadows of the Empire

This Star Wars soundtrack, written for a book, has been sadly overlooked by a great many people. Don't miss this. The piece for Coruscant will take your breath away, so evocative of the great city it is. "The Seduction of Princess Leia" is one of the most delightful waltzes I have ever heard and has me spinning around the room in delight. It's a very SW-ish soundtrack.

Ronan Hardiman - Lord of the Dance

I will forever regret that I never got to see LotD live because it is incredible. This music differs from the rest listed on this page but it's no less enjoyable. In fact, it makes a nice change of pace, concentrating on Irish styles and invoking some traditional melodies. The haunting "Celtic Dream" makes me want to dance in the rain and I do.

David Bergeaud - Earth 2

This too-short-lived show had amazing visuals and a just as amazing soundtrack. David Bergeaud created the perfect mixture of alien and beautiful music to demonstrate life on a new planet. The sheer beauty of the music will make you gasp, in particular, "To New Pacifica - Gaal". Choral voices are so well used. Andy's pages may have links to the soundtrack, and The Journey Continues Network has midis.

James Horner - Titanic

This soundtrack has a vaguely Celtic feel in many places with the use of voice and mournful melodies. It's beautiful and dramatic and sweeps you away.

John Williams - Jurassic Park, ET

To list all of John Williams' work would take an entire page within itself, so I've recommended some of my favourites. Also of note is Indiana Jones for the grand main theme. John Williams Central

James Newton Howard - The Sentinel, Waterworld

This composer has done some great work which always manages to have a "jungle feel". TS soundtrack isn't great in its entirety but there are some wonderful pieces. Ditto for "Waterworld" and the final pieces of this are the traditional magic. A mixture of rhythmic drums, choral work and the soft instrumental.

Conan soundtracks -

The first one, the score to "Conan the Barbarian", is absolutely brilliant. This is ancient majesty in music, we have the rhythmic themes that speak of kings and knights, delightful dance-but-not-quite pieces, and of course beautiful, evocative romance. It's wonderful, and nothing annoyed me!
Not so with the second soundtrack - "Conan the Destroyer". I was disappointed, perhaps the music will grow on me with more hearings but there's nothing spectacular that stands out.

Cirque du Soleil - Journey of a Man

Much of Cirque du Soleil's distinctive French music requires repeated listening to appreciate it. It's often comical with an almost rock-song feel. But not the Journey of a Man soundtrack. This score is sheer brilliance - it's beautiful, sweeping, haunting, the type of music that just carries you away. Highly recommended!

Carter Burwell - Rob Roy

Melodic, mournful and haunting. There are some soaring pieces on this soundtrack. "The Rieving Party" sends chills down my spine.

Disney Soundtracks

The songs are cool, but so is the instrumental music. Particular favourites arise from "The Little Mermaid" (in fact,this is an entire soundtrack I like!) and especially "The Lion King" which has amazing music. "Tarzan" is good too, as is "Aladdin".

Yanni

Yanni doesn't do soundtracks but a lot of his work resembles what I like, particularly the grander themes. He makes so much use of an orchestra along with cultural instruments. "Niki Nana" is so much fun and "Aria" internationally acclaimed. His latest album, "If I Could Tell You", contains more tracks of soaring beauty. Highly recommended, especially for meditation/astral projection.

Bond - Born

Not a soundtrack, but a wonderful new-ish sound from a group who should go far. Think Vanessa Mae's modern pop, and this is a lot what "Bond" produces. There are some exquisitely haunting pieces on this CD, as well as great classics done in rock and roll style - while still managing to be musically pleasing. Don't miss it!!!

A fantastic site with detailed score reviews: Soundtracks - The Epic Sound You do nnot want to miss this site!

Do you have a soundtrack to recomment? E-mail me! stardestiny@bigfoot.com