http://youtu.be/XNSsv86lsok The music to Steven Spielberg's Holocaust film Schindler's List is some of the saddest and most poignant in the history of film. This is one of Williams' most personal and visceral scores, and it is astonishing that another one of his best scores (for Jurassic Park) was released the same year. The solo violin work, most recognisable in "Theme from Schindler's List," is exquisitely performed by Itzhak Perlman. The theme is a haunting remembrance of one of the most tragic periods in human history. The music fits Spielberg's imagery perfectly, and the effect is accentuated by the film being in black and white. The score is extremely consistent; there is not a weak track in the entire album. The music is often touching and is appropriately dark, but there is hope here too. Prepare yourself for a heartbreaking auditory experience. Highlight tracks include: "Theme from Schindler's List," "Jewish Town (Krakow Ghetto Winter '41)," "Immolation (With Our Lives, We Give Life)," "Remembrances," "Schindler's Workforce," "I Could Have Done More," "Stolen Memories," "Give Me Your Names," and "Theme from Schindler's List (Reprise)."
1. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
https://youtu.be/qNLQoKF0wOA The best music that John Williams ever wrote for a film is from a galaxy far, far away. His triumphant return to the Star Wars universe is a thing to behold. The score for The Empire Strikes Back is more complex, more emotional, and more musically diverse than its predecessor, which is a monumental score in its own right. Williams masterfully blends cues for action, adventure, character drama, contemplation, and mysticism into a cohesive masterpiece. So many tracks deserve a mention here: the titanic cue for the battle of Hoth, the sweeping love theme "Han Solo and the Princess," the exhilarating chase cue "The Asteroid Field," the intense battle between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in "The Clash of Lightsabers," and of course, one of the most famous tracks in all of film, "The Imperial March." This might be the best film score ever, and it is an absolute must-hear. Highlight tracks include: "Main Title/Ice Planet Hoth," "The Battle of Hoth (Ion Cannon/Imperial Walkers/Beneath the AT-AT)," "The Asteroid Field," "Han Solo and the Princess," "Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)," "Yoda's Theme," "Yoda and the Force," "Betrayal at Bespin," "Carbon Freeze; Darth Vader's Trap; Departure of Boba Fett," "The Clash of Lightsabers," and "The Rebel Fleet/End Title."