Apollo 13 by James Horner

Continuing our James Horner theme, we look at his score for Apollo 13. With his solo trumpet theme, Horner totally captures the American pioneering spirit which is so well portrayed by the cast of Ron Howard's film. More...

Tristram Cary - electronic pioneer

Tristram Cary scored many conventional films, albeit with a tendency towards modernism. However he had a strong interest in Electronic Music, and wrote many electronic works for film, television, stage & concert hall, and his Electronic Music Studios designed early synthesisers. More...

Frederic Chopin's Nocturnes

A Nocturne is music inspired by night-time, often relaxed and poetic. Frederic Chopin published 18 during his lifetime, and we present his Nocturne No.20 in C# minor which was published after his death. See and hear this amazing work in these formats:

• Nocturne No.20 in C#m - video & sheet music
• Nocturne No.20 in C#m - PDF sheet music
• Nocturne No.20 in C#m - download Midi File
• Nocturne No.20 in C#m - download MP3 File

Conrad Pope - film composer

Though known mainly for his prolific work as an orchestrator, Conrad Pope has scored a steady stream of movies. His most recent score was for "My Week with Marilyn" which dramatises a period in the life of screen icon Marilyn Monroe More...

Gremlins by Jerry Goldsmith

The Gremlins score has an anarchic mix put together by master composer Jerry Goldsmith - synths and sound effects augmenting a traditional orchestra, with Christmas Carols and Ragtime. It's a strange mix but score and movie complement perfectly. More...

Francis Lai - film composer

Francis Lai has now been added to our film composers section. Most famous for "Love Story" and "Un Homme et Une Femme", he accompanied Edith Piaf and also scored "Bilitis" and the music which was to become the theme for the BBC's Panorama. More...

MI:Ghost Protocol by Michael Giacchino

Michael Giacchino returns for the latest Mission Impossible film Ghost Protocol. Both film and soundtrack are the best in the series to date, the music swinging between moments of nail-biting tension and all-out action, cleverly integrating Schifrin's much-loved television theme. More...

Mozart and his Piano Sonatas

Mozart's genius is apparent in his symphonies, concertos, masses and operas, but it also shows in his chamber music. He learned to play keyboards from an early age, and his piano sonatas seem to spring from an endless supply of musical inspiration:

• Piano Sonata in B-flat (K.333) - 1st movement
• Piano Sonata in C (K.545) - The "simple" one (1st movement)
• Piano Sonata in A (K.331) - Rondo Alla Turca (3rd movement)

The Rum Diary by Christopher Young

Christopher Young is known mainly for his horror scores, but he is a versatile composer. The Rum Diary is a jazz-based soundtrack which is full of fun-loving music, often led by saxophone with a live sound and feel-good warmth. More...

John Williams' The Adventures of Tintin

From the start John Williams' The Adventures of Tintin (his first animation score) is character-driven with some whimsical orchestration and a Gallic flavour. Yet before long its rich thematic material and boundless energy will carry you headlong into mystery and adventure. More...

Bernard Herrmann: Psycho

Continuing our Horror Theme for Halloween, we look at that most iconic horror film score Psycho by Bernard Herrmann. Herrmann's strings-only approach mirrors Hitchock's black and white palette, proving that less can be more. More...

Titanic by James Horner

100 years after the ship sank, things connected to The Titanic are still making a splash. We review James Horner's music for Titanic, now re-released in a couple of special editions to mark the centenary. Though the synth sections seem dated, the score works well dramatically. More...

The Right to Love: An American Family

The Right to Love: An American Family is a documentary film about a gay family who present their daily lives on Youtube. Composer Edwin Wendler approaches the subject with a light yet layered touch, creating a wonderful score. More...

The Hunger Games: James N. Howard

Avoiding heroic action and bombast, James Newton Howard has taken a more subtle approach in The Hunger Games. His score is subtle, following the dystopian future depicted in the books and director Gary Ross' satirical vision. The result sets the scene for what may be a great film series. More...

Graeme Revell - film composer

We have also added Graeme Revell to our list of film composers. He has scored "Dead Calm" and many other thrillers, but also some stylish comic book and fantasy material including "Daredevil", "Tomb Raider" and "The Crow". More...

Robert B. Sherman (1925-2012)

Robert B. Sherman has died aged 86. With brother Richard he composed songs for the Disney Classics: Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Sword in the Stone, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Happiest Millionaire, The AristoCats, The Slipper and the Rose and Winnie the Pooh movies.

Henry Mancini: Reinventing Film Music

Henry Mancini: Reinventing Film Music is a new book about the film music of Henry Mancini. The author John Caps analyses the composer's success and attributes it to a solid understanding of film music's function, but utilising a more popular sound derived from the Big Bands but embracing the minimalism of pop and jazz styles. More...

War Horse by John Williams

In War Horse composer John Williams bridges from the idyllic countryside of Devon to the ravages of war-torn France. His multi-faceted score balances sentimentality with a genuine yet understated sympathy for the many characters caught up in this "war to end all wars". More...

Scott Joplin and Ragtime composers

We have some new ragtime music composed by Scott Joplin, Scott Hayden and James Scott. All these new pieces are for piano, and the sheet music can be downloaded in PDF format. Our full catalogue of piano rags with information about ragtime composers is available from our Ragtime Music page.

• Pleasant Moments (Ragtime Waltz) - Scott Joplin
• A Breeze from Alabama by Scott Joplin
• Sunflower Slow Drag - Scott Joplin & Scott Hayden
• Frogs Legs Rag by James Scott
• Grace and Beauty (A Classy Rag) by James Scott

Alex North: A Streetcar Named Desire

With his moody soundtrack to A Streetcar Named Desire composer Alex North completely rewrote the rulebook, making an important turning point in the history of film music. His ground-breaking score was the first to use jazz, and was a major influence on later composers. More...

Elliot Goldenthal: Titus

The Shakepearean adaptation Titus is one of Elliot Goldenthal's best collaborations with partner Julie Taymor. His music mimics the production's anachronistic mixing of cultures. Goldenthal is an expert at this, and the classical, bombastic and jazzy mix is one of his best film scores to date. More...