Selected Articles

General Music Articles

bendy music and keyboard There is a very wide range of sounds and styles which people call music. Many cultures have their traditional music which can often have very restricted conventions, and their popular music which can be very free and improvisational. On mfiles we focus mainly on Western Classical and Film music, but even here there is an enormous range of styles, moods and cultural conventions. As a navigational aid, here we have collected together all the various music articles on mfiles, from reference texts to exploratory articles.

Classical Music Periods

Ludwig van Beethoven colour portrait People like to classify things and music is no exception. What we often think of as "Classical" music is traditionally divided into a number of periods, which help to classify music by style, instruments used, the purpose it serves, the compositional techniques used by the composer, and the intended impact on the listener. Our article about Classical Music Periods describes the main periods as follows: Early, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern.

Film Music History

Film Reel and film Similarly the Film Music History is a summary of the main trends in film music. We look at the early emergence of Film Music, the classical background of composers first lured into the film industry, the use of newer idioms such as Jazz and Electronic Music. We list many of the key composers from the last century, the emergence of film music as an academic pursuit and the way film music has diversified into a range of different film genres. Finally we speculate on where music might be headed today.

Video Game Music History

video game guitarist One of our newer articles is the one looking at the History of Video Game Music. Though Game Music is the new kid on the block compared with Classical or even film music, it has quickly grown into a recognised art form, with its many fans and a number of games soundtracks being released on CD. The "Video Games Live" show which has been touring the world is essentially a concert of Video Game Music.

Electronic Music

Hammond B3 Organ Electronic Music has been used by Classical and Film Composers for more than a Century. From its early experimental origins, Electronic Processing by Hardware Devices or Music Software has grown to become an essential part of the music business today. This article looks at some of the key electronic instruments, the people who developed them and the pioneers who used them in their music, from the concert hall to film soundtracks to popular music and its ubiquitous presence today.

James Bond Music

man with dinner jacket and gun There have been 24 James Bond films as well as a number of similar Spy thrillers on film and television. Music is an essential ingredient in what goes to make a successful Bond film and "Bond Music" has become a recognisable style which has often been parodied. Our article on The Music of James Bond looks at the origins of "James Bond sound" with principle composer John Barry in the driving seat, and the later composers who developed the sound as the film series evolved with the times. The article also lists all the James Bond films, composers, songs, lyricists and singers.

Star Trek Music

If you include all the Television shows as well as the Feature Films, Star Trek arguably has had an even greater demand for music than James Bond and is correspondingly more diverse. Our Music of Star Trek article looks at all the Star Trek films and television series and those composers who have worked on them (including theme and incidental music), from the early formation of the "Star Trek" universe to its position now as a major franchise which regularly re-invents itself.

Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann: Torn Curtain

Hitchcock and Herrmann: The Birds poster The film director Alfred Hitchcock and the composer Bernard Herrman worked together on 9 films, and this pairing of two creative geniuses crafted some of the most memorable films of all time. Yet these two powerful personalities had a notoriously stormy relationship which ultimately led to the men falling out while working on the film "Torn Curtain". Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann: Torn Curtain is an article by Steve Vertlieb which chronicles their life and work together, illustrated with photographs and posters from their film collaborations.

What is Music?

loudspeaker and music notes The nature of music is something which has puzzled many people over the years. While there are still a lot of unanswered questions about music, our article entitled What is Music? explains some of the basics, and shows why certain aspects of music affect us in different ways. But don't worry: while this involves a number of different scientific disciplines, our explanations use plain English only.

Is Film Music Great?

film countdown Composer John Graham poses the question Is Film Music Great? and, in his quest to find an answer, encounters a number of prejudices which mean that film music has so far often been dismissed in academic circles in favour of the frequently unfathonable realm of "new music".

Film Music Cliches

film and music note Following on from our Film Music History and the article on "What is Music", we take a tongue-in-cheek look at some of the obvious Film Music Cliches which we all recognise. While we understand that these cliches can be thought of as a useful shortcut to achieve an effect, we also recognise that the skilled composer who is able to avoid them can be seen as original and different.

Humour in Music

cartoon mouse pianist Music is usually taken seriously, but not always! In the article Humour in Music we look at the many different ways people can have fun with music. The article is full of examples - from classical music and film music to opera and popular songs, musical comedians and funny musicians, cartoons and puppets, turning duets into duels, playing around with musical styles, strange instruments and funny sounds. For all the examples given there are links to youtube videos, so you can have fun while you read the article.

Horror in Music

Human Skull on leather-bound books As a partner to the above "Humour in Music", the article Horror in Music looks at music which has been written specifically to be scary and evoke scary topics. The examples come from classical music, (including orchestral, choral and even examples for solo instruments), film and television music and themes, operas, musicals and popular music. The article also considers some of the orchestral special effects used by composers for horror music. Again these examples come in the form of links to youtube videos, so you can hear the horrific music while you are reading about it.

Church Music and Hymns

music keyboard with church hymnal The Church has had a major influence on the historic development of music, from various styles of choral and instrumental music to the way we write music on paper. Even though the church's influence has declined, many well-known classical composers have written religious or church music. On mfiles we have arranged a number of Hymns, Christmas Carols and music associated with the church or religious occasions, and we also provide the sheet music and audio files for these.

Funeral Music

a church with a cemetery Funerals are a special occasion of remembrance for a loved one, often but not always associated with the church. Although musical tastes can vary, there are a number of pieces of music frequently used in such ceremonies. We survey a number of composers who have written or referenced funeral music, and provide a number of suggestions for this solemn occasion in the form of sheet music and audio files.

Bugle Calls

bugle with decorative chord Bugle Calls are short simple pieces of music originally developed to give instructions to soldiers, sailors and cavalry men in the armed forces of a number of countries. Our article on Bugle Calls looks not just at the history of bugle calls, but how they have influenced Classical, Film and Popular music for at least two centuries. The article also provides sheet music, midi and mp3 files for many familiar and interesting bugle calls.

National Anthems and Patriotic Songs

National Anthems are generally played and/or sung at formal State Occasions where the audience expresses its National Identity, and its allegiance to the country. They are also often played at International Sporting Events to help identify the nationality of participants, particularly to salute the nationality of the winner or winning team as they receive their medals or awards. Our article National Anthems and Patriotic Songs looks at the origins of several National Anthems and Patriotic Songs, and includes a variety of examples in the form of sheet music of piano arrangements, with midi files and mp3 files.

Wedding Music

wedding rings and a yellow rose resting on sheet music Weddings are another special occasion at the happier end of the scale, and again often (but not always) associated with religious ceremonies. Musical tastes for these events can vary considerably, but we look at some of the more traditional examples of Wedding Music by classical composers and some hymns. Again we give a variety of suggestions for suitable music, and where possible we include suitable sheet music and audio files which can be freely downloaded.

Christmas Music and Carols

Christmas holly and sheet music for Carols Christmas is another occasion with its origins in the church, though often these days Christmas is losing much of its original meaning. Nevertheless there are many traditional Christmas Carols which have become established favourites and we hear every Christmas. On mfiles we have a large selection of Christmas Carols including downloadable sheet music for various instruments, and including Midi and Mp3 fils. This selection includes many well-known favourite Carols, as well as some beautiful but less well-known examples.

Ragtime Music

Scott Joplin - photograph Ragtime emerged as a musical form during the last decades of the 19th Century. In this article, we look at the key features of Ragtime Music, its history and its influences, and some of the key composers who made Ragtime an enourmous popular success. In addition we provide a selection of downloadable sheet music and audio files for a number of Piano Rags by the composer Scott Joplin, who is widely considered to be the King of Ragtime Music.

Folk Music and Songs

Early Folk Musicians Entertaining Folk Music includes Folk Songs (with lyrics) and instrumental Folk Music (e.g. to accompany dancing). Folk Music is often distinguished by its Nationality, with different countries or people having their own cultural folk traditions. However there is a substantial interchange of ideas between countries, and many of the most popular folk songs are recognised in many parts of the world. In the past folk songs were frequently passed from generation to generation by way of oral traditionals, but increasingly printed song-books, recordings and other electronic media facilitate the communication of folk music.

Reference Music Articles

Film Music Oscars

oscar statue picture This reference article talks about the history of the Academy Awards (also known as the "Oscars") as they apply to Film Music. It includes a complete list dating from 1934 to the present, of the winners and nominees of the various music categories of the Academy Awards. Although the music categories have changed their names of the years, and the rules on eligibility have also changed, the main film music awards today are for the "Best Original Score" and "Best Original Song".

Music Awards for 2011 Films

This page looks at the major awards for a single year, specifically the Academy Awards (Oscars), The Golden Globes and the BAFTAs (the British Academy "Oscars"). Here we list the winners and nominees for the music categories in 2012 for films released in 2011.

Music Awards for 2010 Films

This page looks at the major awards for a single year, specifically the Academy Awards, The Golden Globes and the BAFTAs (the British Academy). Here we list the winners and nominees for the music categories in 2011 for films released in 2010.