Movie composers worth listening to, part 7

This list continues from part 6.

Jay Chattaway

Chattaway scored many episodes of Star Trek from The Next Generation to Enterprise. He’s also scored some movies, and is possibly retired. His flute theme from TNG‘s “The Inner Light” became deservedly popular.

  • The Best of Star Trek – 30th Anniversary Special!
    • Orchestral Suite from the Inner Light

Bruno Coulais

Coulais has scored many French movies. Upcoming work includes Marie Curie.

  • Coraline
    • Dreaming

Harry Gregson-Williams

Gregson-Williams has been busy scoring movies since 1992, and works with Hans Zimmer. He has/had great relationships with Joel Schumacher and Tony Scott. Most of the Prometheus soundtrack was written by Marc Streitenfeld but Gregson-Williams contributed a couple of tracks. Upcoming work includes Alien: Covenant and Coco.

  • Antz (with John Powell)
    • The Colony
    • Guantanamera (Antz)
  • Chicken Run (with John Powell)
    • Main Titles
    • Flight Training
  • Prometheus
    • Life
  • Shrek
    • True Love’s First Kiss

Marvin Hamlisch

Hamlisch scored movies, wrote songs, and conducted orchestras. He was the 2nd person (after Richard Rodgers) to win all 5 of the “big awards” — the Oscar, Emmy, Tony, Grammy, and Pulitzer Prize.

  • A Chorus Line
    • One (Finale)
  • The Spy Who Loved Me
    • Nobody Does It Better
    • Bond 77
    • Ride to Atlantis

Jan Hammer

Hammer is probably most known for his theme for Miami Vice. Although it’s probably not a very good movie, I remembered the theme from Knight Rider 2000 for years.

  • Drive
    • Knight Rider 2000

Junkie XL

Junkie XL, also known as Tom Holkenborg, is known for ultra-fast music with heavy drums. He’s brought this in-your-face style to several movies, and often works with Hans Zimmer. Upcoming work includes The Dark Tower and Justice League.

  • Mad Max: Fury Road
    • Brothers In Arms

Heitor Pereira

Pereira’s score for Despicable Me is immediately recognizable and fits the tone of the movie perfectly. Upcoming work includes The Jesuit and Despicable Me 3.

  • Despicable Me 2
    • Going To Save the World

Max Steiner

Steiner composed for movies from the 1910s to the 1960s. He was one of the first composers to score individual movie scenes, and was very influential. As a child, he received piano lessons from Johannes Brahms.

  • 100 Greatest Film Themes
    • Gone With the Wind – Tara’s Theme

Piero Umiliani

Umiliani composed music for many Italian films. His piece “Mah Nà Mah Nà” was later popularized by the Muppets.

  • Svezia, inferno e paradiso (Sweden: Heaven and Hell)
    • Mah nà mah nà

Nigel Westlake

Westlake hasn’t been prolific as a movie composer, but he also composes, conducts, and plays clarinet outside of movies. Upcoming work includes Ali’s Wedding.

  • Babe
    • This Is a Tale…
    • Round Up

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 18th, 2016 at 9:51 pm and is filed under My thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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