best film composers now

[William]

I know that listing things is a shallow thing to do but it seems to generate some discussion at least.

My (incomplete) list for the best film composers right now is:

Jerry Goldsmith
He has become, since Herrmann died, the "dean" of American film scoring and is much more imaginative than the other "dean" Elmer Bernstein.

George de la Rue
Truffaut's favorite collaborator and a wonderfully lyrical, melodic composer.

Philip Sarde
Composer known recently for "The Pianist," but his best has got to be the score for the ultra-disturbing psychosis study "The Tenant" by Polanski. The most subtly weird music since "Psycho."

Zbignieuw Preisner
Some may not like his "minimalist" approach, but his music is some of the most completely integrated into the film structure of any I've heard. This composer was incredibly lucky to have formed a relationship early with the greatest filmmaker - Kieslowski - since Bergman.

Carl Davis
The silent film scores he has been doing for the recently re-released Harold Lloyd films as well as others are so good that they have re-defined silent film music, along with:

Timothy Brock
The score he did to the Murnau "Faust" must be heard by anyone interested in film music. It is so much harder to do a silent film score than a sound because there are no crutches - no awesome loud dolby sound FX, no actors blabbering endless dialogue, nothing but pure unadulterated music. Brock in this score created an entire symphonic through-composed masterpiece that has few equals.

Danny Elfman
The only (well-known) recent American to escape from Johnwilliamsitis, a particularly nauseating disease that is always terminal.

[dpcon]

Carter Burwell (Fargo) is certainly an original and inventive voice in film these days.

Thomas Newman (The Player, Road To Perdition) has been a refreshing personality and sound in film.

I don't remember the (Polish I think) fellow's name that scored Bram Stoker's Dracula (Francis Coppola) but I loved that score.

Randy Newman's work for Pixar (Toy Story) has been exceptional. And David Newman (The Nutty Professor) has a very solid traditional sensibility.

I'm sure there are other's but I don't watch as many mainstream films these days because they're so bad.

Dave Connor

[PaulR]

@dpcon said:

Carter Burwell (Fargo) is certainly an original and inventive voice in film these days. I don't remember the (Polish I think) fellow's name that scored Bram Stoker's Dracula (Francis Coppola) but I loved that score.

Carter Burwell's score to Fargo is very good. He got his act together on that, when you think of the score to Blood Simple.

Wojciech Kilar did the score to the Gothic romance by Francis Ford Coppola.

I will have to think more about this and come back to it later.

[PaulR]

@William said:

Timothy Brock.

Sunrise
Nanook of the North
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Storm Over Asia
The Last Laugh

Haven't heard any of this for a while Bill. Same Timothy Brock? Must be I suppose.

Carl Davis

I liked his scoring to the epic documentary narrated by Lawrence Olivier, The World at War.

Jerry Goldsmith

Is arguably the best American filmscore writer nowadays. How old is he now? He must be getting on.

Thomas Newman

One of my personal favourites of the 'modern' era. I noticed his music first in Desperately Seeking Susan and his score certainly made that film acquire a certain magic. Shawshank Redemption is a great film anyway, but Thomas Newman had a hand in making the cult movie it's since become. In fact Randy Newman and David Newman showed they can put music to pictures with the recent Sea Biscuit and before that, Galaxy Quest.

One of my top three filmscore writers that doesn't do that much these days is John Barry. Burring low horns and sweeping string lines with echoey flutes were his trademark. Never mind all the James Bond music, although You Only Live Twice is quite brilliant in my view, but lesser known themes like The Ipcress File is worth anyones study if they are interested in thematic scoring. And Zulu of course.

Ennio Morricone's score to The Mission, although he is not unfortunately current crop film composers.

I also like the type of scoring that goes with the films Howards End and The Remains of the Day. I can't remember the name of the writer.

Best current film composers now? Difficult! Probably Jerry Goldsmith, but it depends on what criteria one uses. I hate it when you start with your lists, because I always get sucked in, or is that suckered in. [:D]

[William]

I agree on John Barry, whose other work is wrongly overshadowed by his James Bond things. No one seems to have mentioned him here before - I wonder why. "Lion in Winter" is the direct origin of Jerry Goldsmith's "Omen" score. Very direct. (I guess Jerry liked it.) And all the LOTR fans eager to duplicate Howard Shore with the use of a big, scary choir sound ought to take a listen to that. The original recording is one of the best played and recorded original soundtracks released at the time of the film I ever heard. The style of it is very original - not leitmotif, but not Herrmannesque either. Not minimalist, but not overwrought Williams operetta either.

His score to the Nicholas Roeg masterpiece "Walkabout" - my God! What a melody! If you can write a melody like that - just one - you have contributed something truly valuable to the world and can relax for the rest of your days. Also "Somewhere in Time" - a long, gorgeously lyrical theme of the most perfect proportions that almost no other composer these days could do. Probably Barry is the best melodist of any still-living film composer.

[dpcon]

Paul,

Amazing once again. World at War is a favorite of mine since my youth and also how I came to know Davis' work. I mentioned that score to the head of the composition department back in college days as I told him I wanted to do something like it. Davis works with Mr. McCartney a lot these days.

I also very much liked the Howards End, Remains of the Day scores. Couldn't miss that wonderful writing. Is that Gabriel Yared? (He did that Ralph Feines WW II Oscar winner I'm pretty sure.)

Goldsmith arrived at his seventh decade recently I believe. He's by far the most versatile composer ever: no one even close. Some people consider versitility (assuming the highest level of talent) as the criteria for greatest ever (Mozart.) On that count JG is at the top of the heap.

Not a phony bone in the man's body btw. Absolutely exudes genius (having spent a fair amount of time with him.) I will tell the story of his reaction to a second engineer accidently wiping a very long 80 piece orchestral cue (which was a keeper.)

As he glared at the guy saying, "That's a Television first."

DC

[PaulR]

Carl Davis

Haaaha! Now you know where the influence for that March came from Dave. I knew I'd get found out sooner or later. I remember some years ago that he had a place in Barnes or Hammersmith and he converted one of the whole floors of his house into a studio that would take a fair size orchestra. I think thats right, although don't quote me. His wife used to be in a Liverpudlian comedy series, so there might be a connection there with Sir McCartney, although Mr. is fine by me. [:'(]

The slightly minamilist scoring to Howards End and The Remains of The Day was by an American (I think!?!) composer named Richard Robbins. Very effective writing, which allows me to seamlessly get on my hobby horse with regard to music to images once again. [8-)] This is what gets me slightly irritated about the LOTR thing i.e. going to listen to a concert of it live. I don't knock it at all actually, if thats one's thing, but is that because of the film, or the score? I've lost the plot on that one. Maybe I'm wrong. Personal taste can cause quite a lot of heat in music circles as we all know.

As Bill posted his choir reference to The Omen, I was heading a post of the very same with regard to the use of the choir on that very same LOTR thread. Coincidence? Who knows!

Speaking of Gabriel Yared. Would that be Sylvia he did? I think he's just had a bummer happen to him with regard to a film coming out called Troy. Any thoughts from anyone?

Later

Paul

[Jon Brooks]

This is so difficult. So many composers use orchestrators these days; I've always believed that almost any composition can sound great if orchestrated effectively.

I'm not surprised to see Goldsmith's high ranking amoung the postings. Definitely one of my role models. I'm surprised James Newton-Howard hasn't been mentioned yet. He's acheived some mind blowing material. I just love the score for 'Dinosaur'.

I must say, any composer/orchestrator that implements french horns in an appropriate manner has my vote! [:)]

Jon

[Audun Jemtland]

Randy Newman, for toy story if he was the composer.

I like disney music, and the score for pocahontas is GREAT!

[dpcon]

Jon,

Actually, I have taken J. Newton Howard to task for writing some really dreadful music. That said, I think Dinosaur is one of his best and shows he's capable of rising to the occasion. Goldsmith is light years beyond JNH in virtually every concievable way musically.

I'll leave it to William to extoll the virtues of orchestrating inferior material as you have suggested. He's far more eloquent on the subject than me.

Gentlemen, there is more than a little Symphony of Psalms in the Omen don't you think?

Dave Connor

[PaulR]

@dpcon said:

Actually, I have taken J. Newton Howard to task for writing some really dreadful music.

Dave

Dave was good Dave. [8-)] I haven't heard Toy Story and that's twice it's come up on this thread.

French Horns and indeed, the whole horn section of an orchestra is my favourite sound Jonathan. Thats definately Jerry Goldsmith/John Barry territory and with regard to The Omen I'm unaware of the similarity, but will defer to your knowledge re: any derivation, Dave. It's the same with L.A. Confidential and On The Waterfront to my ears, but it's still a great piece of atmospheric writing.

Didn't Jerry Goldsmith win 'an award' for The Omen? [6]

[dpcon]

Paul,

Agreed: "Dave" is a delightful score and my favorite from Mr. Newton Howard.

Goldsmiths only Oscar (I believe) is for The Omen. That would mean he didn't win for Patton (astonishing!) so I'll investigate. He should have about 10 Oscars by now really.

I need to listen to Leonard Bernstein's On the Waterfront score as you've mentioned the similarities before.

Dave

[PaulR]

Dave,

At least Jerry Goldsmith won one Oscar. Alfred Hitchcock didn't win any

Paul

[Leon Willett]

I just have to drop in here to say that, whether you love him or hate him, John Williams is a wonderfull, wonderfull musical mind.

If you aren't into his mainstream stuff, listen to minority report, and the nasty chase scenes in episode 2 like "Jango's Escape".

There are a few snobs around that have deemed it "uncool" to apreciate the quality of this man's music, just because he is very popular and can, among many other things, compose a sweet, mainstream theme when the movie calls for it. Evan, I'm talking to you [:O] (pinch of salt, ok? Oh, and the day you reduce a williams chase scene to piano, I'll eat my hat)

[Sid Barnhoorn]

John Williams RULES!!!

As a composer he's been alot of inspiration to me. I don't know if I've got some of his style but you can listen to my Space Suite at:

www.sidbarnhoorn.tk or,
http://sidbarn.magic-systems.net

Tell me what ya think,

Take care,
-Sid.

[Marc B]

Note to mention his highly original score for "Catch me if you can" featuring tenor sax and marimba. Schindler's list is also a powerful score. One may not like his style but JW is a master indeed for both composition and orchestration. His music is so rich and complex with so many layers. His use of rhythm is amazing. His themes memorable. Listen to his scores for Harry Potter they're like vitamins for composers! Compare too the simplistic chordal approach of the Media Venture style (which can be very effective) JW is in league of his own.

Some interesting trivia on Williams. I recently discovered he started out composing for TV on shows like Gilligan's Island! He also wrote the themes and underscore for scifi show like The Land of Giants, The Time Tunnel and of course Lost in Space. These were shows I was listening to as a child and I remember the music fondly. The guy has been writing music for 50+ years
(he's 72)

Another favorite composer of mine is Clint Mansell (Pi, Requiem for a Dream) combining electronic music and acoustic instruments.

[Fred Story]

Sadly, I think one of John Williams' most memorable scores was from a very forgettable movie. Anyone seen 'Seven Years In Tibet'? I've never been able to forget that melody. And I thought his use of Tibetan instruments, while something you would expect, was still original and evocative.

Fred Story

[William]

I still remember (without having seen recently) the old Lost in Space themes - there were two, and they both had unusually good ideas. Also Land of the Giants, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Those stuck out like sore thumbs compared to other TV music. When he wrote those he went by the name "Johnny" Williams.

My problem with John Williams is not John Williams. He is obviously a tremendous musician. It is the movies he has scored. I am disgusted to the point of rage by what the idiots in control of Star Wars and all its imitations do: reduce music to a sound effect. You cannot even hear about 3/4 of what John Williams wrote because it is covered up by explosions. That is bullshit. To hire a great orchestra, with augmented numbers of players, record the entire score perfectly and then reduce it to inaudibilty. I have nothing but contempt for this kind of filmmaking and the hacks who do it.

Stanley Kubrick created a thousand times more power and impact than George Lucas and Steven Spielberg and all their stupid punched up sound effects put together... with TOTAL SILENCE.

That's why I like John Williams' non-heroic, non-action, non special effects film music, like "The Fury" and some others. Simply because you can hear the music and it is used as music.

[Tripit]

No doubt John Williams has had a very huge impact with the film going public ear, but I don't know one other professional working film composer that credits him as a primary influence. I for one was never that endeared to his work, althought I must give him his credit due for not only surviving in a difficult and brutal business, but also for his consistant work and contribution to films over many decades, which in itself is a major accomplishment.

Howard Shore, not my cup of tea. Too much dribble.

Danny Elfman. I remember reading his responses in letters sent into Keyboard magazine some 12 years ago. He was being beaten senseless by some snob music educator from an American music university. I think that today, no one would give him the crap he took then. He has proved himself to be a genuine talent and is constantly producing great work. I wonder where that snob went?

Thomas Newman, one of the best of his generation. Incredible sense of emotion.

Jerry Goldsmith, sets the standard for orchestration in many ways.

John Berry, nobody writes melody as good as this guy, nor makes you hum it walking out of the theater.

James Newton, he's very good, but just missing something in making a personal mark like others.

Ennio, he's freaking briliant. Not so much a all around composer, but very special in the right setting.

[mathis]

@William said:

You cannot even hear about 3/4 of what John Williams wrote because it is covered up by explosions.

[:D] , sorry, I´m not laughing at you, it´s my recent past. I was a sound editor and sound designer the last five years and thought of course the complete opposite way...

But, I tell you: It´s not the sound effects, nor the music which is the enemy, it´s dialog! [[;)]]

Bests,
- M