Lawrence of Arabia (Maurice Jarre)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i1mI-P9Z3s Its no surprise to me that Maurice Jarres Oscar winning score for Lawrence of Arabia was voted #3 on the AFIs top 100 Film Scores. One of my fondest memories growing up was watching Lawrence of Arabia every boxing day, why this became a Christmas epic for me is inexplicable but there we are. I was perhaps a strange child, but that moment when Lawrence first enters the desert and that classic theme really hits in left me in awe every time. The truly epic combination of eastern and western influences really capture the tone of the film perfectly, to think it was composed in just 6 weeks is nothing short of remarkable. Im a bit of a sucker for a powerful string section in a score, for me there is nothing more moving then a well placed violin in any piece of music, classical or otherwise.
Schindler's List (John Williams)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5Llb8rPrzc I couldnt bear to write about film scores without including John Williams theme from Schindlers List. Not surprisingly another string dominated score that has captured my heart. This is unequivocally the most moving piece of music I have ever heard, just as Maurice Jarre captures the epic feeling from Lawrence of Arabia, Williams encapsulates the grief of Schindlers List masterfully. I dont think Ill ever be able to listen to this score without breaking out into Goosebumps. Hauntingly beautiful is the only way to describe it.
Curtis Evans