Camille Saint-Saëns

Max Steiner

The Charge of the Light Brigade

The Jazz Singer

Score, notation, in manuscript or printed form, of a musical work, probably so called from the vertical scoring lines that connect successive related staves. A score may contain the single part for a solo work or the many parts that make up an orchestral or ensemble composition.

Also known as an original soundtrack (OST), this musical selection can include original songs or pre-existing songs that played during the film or were specifically recorded for the film.

10 Classical Music Composers to Know

• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–91)
• Johannes Brahms (1833–97)
• Richard Wagner (1813–83)
• Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–93)
• Frédéric Chopin (1810–49)

The Bodyguard

The 50 best film scores of all time

• Chariots of Fire – Vangelis.
• Star Wars – John Williams.
• The Mission – Ennio Morricone.
• Dances with Wolves – John Barry.
• Out Of Africa – John Barry.
• Gladiator – Hans Zimmer.
• The Lord of the Rings – Howard Shore.
• Schindler’s List – John Williams.

Best-selling soundtrack albums

The 8 most iconic movie theme songs of all time

• My Heart Will Go On, Titanic, 1997.
• Theme song from Mission: Impossible, 1996.
• The Raider’s March, Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981.
• (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life, Dirty Dancing, 1987.
• He’s a Pirate, Pirates of the Caribbean, 2003.
• Main Title, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, 1977.

11 Tips to Get Into Film Scoring That Actually Work

1. Create a Showreel and a Composer CV.
2. Keep up with the Latest Trends.
3. Build an Online Presence.
4. …But Don’t Forget Face-to-Face Meetings.
5. Learn to do Realistic Orchestral mock-ups.
6. Reach out to Other People in the Industry.
7. Learn Other People’s Jobs.
8. Don’t Limit Yourself to Movies.

Well, it’s not easy. Becoming a film composer is a highly competitive field. Most of the well-known film composers already had established reputations in other musical fields before moving into film. You can go to school and get a degree in film composition, but most of these programs are master degrees.

Do you NEED a degree to be a film composer? No, absolutely not – and honestly, nobody in the business wants to see your degree. They want experience and they want results.

John Williams, Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman have net worths ranging from $75 million to $120 million and get paid scoring fees as high as $2 million per picture. But, for what it’s worth, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual income for film composers is a little over $50,000 a year.

Film Composer

• Description: Composers create original music such as symphonies, operas, sonatas, radio and television jingles, film scores, and popular songs.
• Knowledge Required: Music theory, music interpretation, composition, conducting, performing.
• Skills: Musicians must be knowledgeable about a broad range of musical styles.

Composers apply musical knowledge of rhythm, melody, tone and texture in a variety of ways. They have to be aware of the possibilities and limitations of each instrument, including the human voice. Some composers use electronic tools, such as computers and synthesisers in their writing.

Who does a composer work with? Composers work closely with the director, producer, and music editor (if there is one), as well as communicating with the sound designer and editor.

four years

Composing takes a lot of hard work. In fact, you have to have some serious intestinal fortitude to make it through. But the payoff is great at the end. Discipline will also allow you to write a lot of music, which is a key ingredient to becoming a better composer.

Musical Inspiration How composers get this inspiration is as varied as the musical product themselves. Some get it from reading, others observing the world. Many have inspirations from life events. Inspiration may not be in the form of a flash of brilliance in your mind.

You Gotta Know These 20th-Century Composers

• Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971).
• Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951).
• Benjamin Britten (1913–1976).
• Aaron Copland “COPE”-lund (1900–1990).
• Sergei Prokofiev (1891–1953).
• Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975).
• Béla Bartók (1881–1945).
• Charles Ives (1874–1954).

Although a composer doesn’t necessarily need to be able to play an instrument to a high standard, they do need to understand the mechanics of the instrument, its limitations and capabilities. This isn’t really a matter of genius, just of study and knowledge. It’s certainly not “intuitive” – it’s learned.

English Language Learners Definition of compose : to come together to form or make (something) : to create and write (a piece of music or writing) : to practice the art of writing music.