darrenburnfan

All Equally Loved:

Sir Malcolm Arnold for
THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI
THE INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS
WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND
THE INSPECTOR
THE LION
THE HEROES OF TELEMARK
DAVID COPPERFIELD (1969 version)

Sir Richard Rodney Bennett for
NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA

John Barry for
ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE

John Williams for
JANE EYRE (1970 version)

Miklos Rozsa for
THE THIEF OF BAGDAD (1940 version)
IVANHOE (1952 version)
KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE

Clifton Parker for
TREASURE ISLAND (1950 version)
NIGHT OF THE DEMON
SEA OF SAND
H.M.S. DEFIANT

Tristram Cary for
THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER (1961 version)
SAMMY GOING SOUTH
QUATERMASS AND THE PIT (1967 version)

Elmer Bernstein for
THE MIRACLE (1959 version)

Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter for
A DOG OF FLANDERS (1959 version)

and, last but not least:

Maurice Le Roux for
THE RED BALLOON (1956)

batman

Re Vangelis.

Depends if the original poster meant Brit Film Composer or Brit Film Composer.

He did COF so I reckon he does.

"Aha Mr Aubergine ... that's where you're wrong!"

moonfleet

Yes, Miklos Rozsa

....Who scored the Moonfleet theme(tatata !!), and the beautiful Valse Crépusculaire for Providence

Moon.

'Very difficult !!' 'Craazy !!'

Steve Crook

And don't forget The Thief of Bagdad (1940) with the song with the most cringe inducing rhyme

I want to be a sailor,
Sailing out to sea.
No plowboy, tinker, tailor's,
Any fun to be.
Aunts and cousins,
By the baker's dozens,
Drive their men to sea,
Or highway robbery.
I want to be a bandit,
Can't you understand it?
Sailing to sea is life for me,
Is life for me.

"I want to be a bandit,
Can't you understand it?"
What an amazing rhyme

Actually, although Miklós Rózsa wrote the music for that and for the other music in the film, the lyrics for that song were credited to "Robert Denham" - a pseudonym for Sir Robert Vansittart, chief diplomatic adviser to the British Foreign Office in 1939. Brought in by his friend Miklós Rózsa to write the lyrics for one of the songs in The Thief of Bagdad (1940). Sir Robert had had much experience serving in the Middle East. He spoke various languages of the area and was well versed in the old stories and mythology. So when Korda wanted to put together a film that was an amalgam of various stories from the Middle East, Sir Robert was willing and able to help them. However, he was still serving in the diplomatic corps and didn't want to use his own name in the on-screen credits for such a light-hearted film (he had previously contributed to Sixty Glorious Years (1938), but that was a worthy film about Queen Victoria). So it was agreed that he would take the name of the studio (Denham) as his on-screen surname.

Steve

moonfleet

Dear Mr Guardian of P&P Temple

Thank you for so much precise informations. I think (heard about) that M.R was friend with compatiot Alexander (the great) Korda. So, maybe this leads him to compose for The Thief of Bagdad.


Moon.

'Very difficult !!' 'Craazy !!'

Steve Crook

I don't know if they were close personal friends but Miklós Rózsa worked with Korda on quite a few films in the 1930s and 1940s.

Check out The Miklós Rózsa Society for more information about him

Steve

Rangebuster

OK so he was born in India but his father was in the British Army. There are many good reasons to watch Hammer's Dracula and the atmospheric music by James Bernard is one of them.

alan gowdy

A single favourite BRITISH film music composer? It would have to be...

John Barry.

"Don't forget... one of petrol, two of meths"

pegastar

Thanks for all the recommendations, lots to listen to!
Just found out Michael J Lewis who is one of my favs and did the score for the animated The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is making his own movie and has samples of the score on his website You Make My Day - The Movie definitely worth checking out. Wrote songs for it as well, can see music video here

Rob Compton

On a quick scan of this thread I don't think anyone has yet mentioned Alan Rawsthorne, a distinguished composer who wrote many film scores. Two of his best are the affecting music in "The Cruel Sea" and in "The Captive Heart"

Wonderful music.

Alan Rawsthorne <--- link


rgds
Rob

smudge

John Barry - number 1 without a doubt.

Close second in my personal faves would have to be Richard Rodney Bennett.

Smudge

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

Marky B

John Barry - without a doubt. My fave of his,Dances With Wolves.
I liked RVW's contribution to film scores,but he is over all my favourite composer.
American film composer,John Williams. Fave,Schindler's List and his music for Jaws became a character rather than background fodder. Note the menacing music as the shark looms up to a victim. Note the lack of music when all the bathers are out on 4 July and the menace in the water were two scamps with a plastic fin.
Favourite European composer,Ennio Morricone:Once Upon A Time In The West.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

kelp

This just produces lists from some contributors, but it's nice to know who, and why that particular piece is your favourite.
I would go along with Vaughan-Williams what an incredible talent. But my own "listen and Listen Again" piece is the theme from "North By North West". It really does conjure up the atmosphere of that film, so descriptive and exciting. I have both a Vaughan Williams CD and the "North By North West" cd in my car and can't get enough of them.
Sad old Kelp.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR...YOU MAY GET IT!

Reeldigger

I like Bernard quite a lot although I've met those who find his Gothic style a bit heavy-handed. People tend to forget he produced some very appealing romantic themes, even in movies like Frankenstein Created Woman, Taste the Blood of Dracula, She, etc. I kid you not!

Marky B

Sad old Marky B as well.
North By North West is not only my favourite Hitchcock movie,it is my favourite music for his film.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.