Selected Audiophile Film Score Recordings

This list of recommended film score recordings is not meant to be a list of best film scores. Some great scores are not included because of poor sound (and some poor scores not included despite great sound). I’ve listed a few recordings that aren’t generally available (Kings Row, Brainstorm, North by Northwest, A.I., Return of the Jedi) simply because they represent an exceptional combination of notable music and good sound. Most of the others are available at www.screenarchives.com, www.ArkivMusic.com, or other on-line sources.

• Barry: Dances with Wolves, expanded soundtrack reissue, Sony SACD

• Bource: The Artist, original soundtrack, Sony

• Elfman: Batman Returns, expanded soundtrack reissue, La-La Land (2 CDs)

• Giacchino: Up, original soundtrack, Intrada

• Gold: Exodus, new complete recording, Tadlow Music (2 CDs)

• Goldsmith First Knight, expanded soundtrack reissue, La-La Land (2 CDs)

• Goldsmith: Poltergeist, expanded soundtrack reissue, Film Score Monthly (2 CDs)

• Goldsmith: Star Trek: The Motion Picture, expanded soundtrack reissue, La-La Land (3 CDs)

• Herrmann: Battle of Neretva/The Naked and the Dead, new recordings, Tribute Film Classics

• Herrmann: Citizen Kane/Hangover Square, new recordings, Chandos

• Herrmann: The Kentuckian/ Williamsburg: Story of a Patriot, new recordings, Tribute Film Classics

• Herrmann: Fahrenheit 451, new complete recording, Tribute Film Classics

• Herrmann; North by Northwest, new complete recording, Varèse Sarabande

• Herrmann: Psycho, new complete recording, Varèse Sarabande

• Herrmann Vertigo, new recording, Varèse Sarabande

• Horner: Brainstorm, original soundtrack, Varèse Sarabaande

• Jarre: Lawrence of Arabia, new complete recording, Tadlow Music (2 CDs)

• Korngold: Between Two Worlds/Symphonic Serenade, new recordings, Decca/London

• Korngold: Kings Row, new recording, Varèse Sarabande

• Korngold: The Prince and the Pauper, new complete recording, Tribute Film Classics

• Korngold: The Sea Hawk/Deception, new complete recordings, Naxos (2 CDs)

• Korngold: The Sea Wolf/The Adventures of Robin Hood Suite, new recordings, Chandos

• Mancini Breakfast at Tiffany’s, soundtrack reissue,

• Mancini: The Pink Panther, soundtrack reissue, Speakers Corner 180-gram LP

• Rózsa: Ben-Hur/Quo Vadis, reissued extended suites, Vocalion (2 CDs)

• Steiner: The Adventures of Mark Twain, new recording, Naxos

• Steiner: The Charge of the Light Brigade, new complete recording, Tribute Film Classics

• Steiner: King Kong, new complete recording, Naxos

• Tiomkin: The Fall of the Roman Empire, new complete recording, Prometheus (2 CDs)

• Waxman: Rebecca, new recording, Varèse Sarabande

• Waxman: Sunset Boulevard, new recording, Varèse Sarabande

• Waxman: Taras Bulba, new complete recording, Tadlow Music (2 CDs)

• Williams: A.I., original soundtrack, Warner Brothers

• Williams: E.T., expanded soundtrack, MCA

• Williams: Far and Away, original soundtrack, MCA

• Williams: Hook, expanded soundtrack, La-La Land (2 CDs)

• Williams: Jurassic Park, original soundtrack, MCA

• Williams: Return of the Jedi, Gerhardt-conducted re-recording, RCA

• Williams: The Adventures of Tintin, original soundtrack, Sony

• Williams: War Horse, original soundtrack, Sony

• Zimmer: The Thin Red Line, original soundtrack, RCA

• Star Tracks, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Erich Kunzel, cond., Telarc

• Star Tracks II, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Erich Kunzel, cond., Telarc

• Hollywood Dreams, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, John Mauceri, cond., Philips

• Hollywood Nightmares, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, John Mauceri, cond., Philips

• RCA Classic Film Score Series, National Symphony Orchestra, Charles Gerhardt, cond., Sony reissues

• Decca-London Phase 4 Bernard Herrmann Recordings, Bernard Herrmann, cond., Decca-Eloquence reissues

• The Film Scores of Bernard Herrmann, Esa-Pekka Salonen, cond., Sony SACD Speakers Corner 180-gram LP