Some of the best art music produced in our society is movie soundtracks. It’s unfortunate that this type of music isn’t taken more seriously. I, for one, think Jerry Goldsmith was one of the finest composers of the century, but few seemed to notice his death earlier this year. Obviously “incidental” music interrupts the artistic flow of more “pure art” music like symphonies or concerti, but some movie music accommodates its incidental nature pretty well, I think, and in any case the opening-credits and closing-credits themes are often very lovely. John Williams’ Jurassic Park score; Goldsmith’s music for Rudy, or Medicine Man—these are great works.
I think of it because I’m listening to the soundtrack to Finding Neverland, right now, which is one of the prettiest works I’ve heard in a long time. It’s by some musicians I’ve never heard of: composer Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, and pianist Leszek Mozdzer, and it contains some pieces that were written for the movie but not included in it. If you’re fond of piano music, I strongly recommend it.
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