Mainly instrumental and in no particular order: 
- The Last of the Mohicans (1992) – R. Eldelman/T. Jones – “Promontory”
- Schindler’s List (1993) – John Williams – Main Theme
- The Village (2004) – James Newton Howard – “The Gravel Road”
- The Piano (1993) – Michael Nyman – “The Heart Asks Pleasure First”
- Blood Diamond (2006) – James Newton Howard – “London”
- The Man in the Iron Mask (1998) – Nick Glennie-Smith – “Surrounded”
- Pearl Harbour (2001) – Hans Zimmer – “Tennessee”
- Atonement (2007) – Dario Marianelli – “Briony/Come Back”
- Shame (2011) – Harry Escott – “Unravelling”
- King Arthur (2004) – Hans Zimmer – Main Theme
- Indecent Proposal (1993) – John Barry – Main Theme
- The English Patient (1996) – Gabriel Yared – “As Far as Florence”
- Far From the Madding Crowd (2015) – Craig Armstrong – Opening
- Out of Africa (1985) – John Barry – “I Had a Farm in Africa” (Main Title)
- Cousins (1989) – Angelo Badalamenti – Love Theme
- Gladiator (2000) – Hans Zimmer/Lisa Gerrard – “Now We are Free”
- The Painted Veil (2006) – Alexandre Desplat – “River Waltz”
- The Godfather (1972) – Nino Rota – Love Theme
- Inception (2010) – Hans Zimmer – “Time”
- Brave Heart (1995) – James Horner – Main Theme
- Gone with the Wind (1939) – Max Steiner – “Tara Theme”
- The Fountain (2006) – Clint Mansell – “Death is the Road to Awe”
- Forrest Gump (1994) – Alan Anthony Silvestri – “Forrest Gump Suite”
- Titanic (1997) – James Horner – “The Portrait”
- Requiem for a Dream (2000) – Clint Mansell – “Lux Aeterna”
- Sunshine (2007) – John Murphy/Underworld – “Sunshine (Adagio In D Minor)”
- Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) – AR Rahman – Opening
- Pride & Prejudice (2005) – Dario Marianelli – “Dawn/Your Hands Are Cold”
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) – John Williams – Prologue
- Rain Man (1988) – Hans Zimmer – “Leaving Wallbrook – On The Road”
Notable mentions: Hans Zimmer’s Way of Life (The Last Samurai); Dario Marianelli’s Evey Reborn (V for Vendetta/Interstellar); Jan A.P. Kaczmarek’s Main Theme (Unfaithful); and Thomas Newman’s Main Theme (Revolutionary Road).
Do you have a favourite film score?
Spotlight on Film 
I actually really like the original Matrix and Inception’s soundtrack. Even Man of Steel…
But I also love some of them on your list!! ❤
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Listen to Full Circle by Colin Towns, aka The haunting of Julia. A little known horror film from 1978. Once you have listened , play it again and shut your eyes.
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Why no Jerry Goldsmith or Danny Elfman? They’ve written many scores with hauntingly beautiful music (such as Legend and Powder for Goldsmith and Edward Scissorhands and Black Beauty for Elfman). Awful lot of names missing from that list.
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Thank you for your suggestions. My list is, obviously, purely subjective.
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Many good selections, but I agree with filmscorehunter about Goldsmith and Elfman. I’d suggest Goldsmith’s main theme for “Chinatown.” However, the more shocking omission for me is Ennio Morricone. “The Mission” or “Cinema Paradiso” are two of the best scores ever.
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Ha, I cannot see what the hype is all about Elfman and Goldsmith – I detect nothing too out-of this-world in their pieces. Please note that this list is the most “beautiful” soundtracks list, not the most “thrilling” ones. But I DO agree with you about Ennio Morricone 100%. My previous draft included both scores for “Cinema Paradiso” and “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. Thanks for reading.
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I love the Piano score, it has such drama and passion to it.
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“There are times that the passion for the Art goes beyond the compatibility of the existence! It’s like an Ideal Mission!”
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Very true.
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I love this list. The next time I’m working on a massive writing project, I’m going to play all the music you’ve listed here. I think it’ll be an inspiring session. 🙂
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Thank you! I am glad to finally find someone who shares my taste 🙂
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Your number 1 is my number 1….the most beautiful soundtrack ever. I have days when I just put on the music and am transported into the movie…but in a unique way that I can’t explain – like I’m there and the music brings it all alive. Just can’t “verbalise” the feeling…sorry. It is just so passionate. I’m exhausted emotionally by the time I get to the Clannad piece at the end…which is so heart-wrenching. Look up Luca Stricagnoli – he does a brilliant rendition of the title theme purely on guitar.
BUT…you have so many other amazing soundtracks listed. I also enjoy parts of the Robin Hood (the 2010 one) soundtrack.
In general, there’s something about “Big”, “Epic” music (I guess music in general)! How it has the magic to transform a scene!
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Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. The music is sometimes such an important “emotional” component of the movie – like its soul or heart, defining the movie. Thanks, I will check out Luca Stricagnoli’s cover. I like covers as well. Just recently, I also got to know Yumeji’s Theme extended soundtrack from In the Mood for Love. Just beautiful.
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Besides writing great reviews, you appreciate great music too 🎶😊 I love all your choices. I tried to write a post about movie scores and could not finish. It is still in the draft stage…too many to choose from in such a limited format.
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Thank you, and I do so understand your dilemma. There are so many tracks to choose from, and if I were to revise my list I would probably add at least ten new ones I discovered. I am also will be keeping an eye on your post if you decide to finish it.
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Thank you 😊
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An interesting idea, I like some of the originals and some of the suggestions. My biggest dispute is with the 2015 ‘Far From the Madding Crowd’. The 1967 film and its score by Richard Rodney Bennett are both superior.
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Fair enough. That is not the first time I hear that the 1967 film is superior in all respects. You are probably right, even though I also much prefer the 1998 series.
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No THOMAS NEWMAN???? Criminal.
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Thomas Newman? What track would you suggest? Excellent, probably, memorable – hardly. That may explain why the man has never won an Oscar. I don’t think he ever will either.
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I meant to add a winking emoji ; )
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I JUST FINISHED ADDING MANY OF YOUR SUGGESTIONS TO MY YOUTUBE SOUNDTRACK PLAYLIST. THANKS FOR A GREAT COMPILATION OF COMPOSERS I’VE NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE WHOSE MUSIC PROBABLY STANDS OUT MORE THAN THE FILMS THEY WERE IN.
I’M GLAD IF YOU COULD CHECK MY OWN LIST AT https://OFMOVIESANDLIVES.COM/MUSIC TO YOUR EARS.
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Hi!
You probably made this list before The Phantom Thread came out, but you might like that one…
And Philip Glass did The Hours. Very beautiful!
Some of Bladerunner was very haunting, too……
Great list! 🙂
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Hello! Thank you, and yes, I definitely made this list before The Phantom Thread came out! I love this film. Thanks very much for these suggestions. I will follow up on all of them! I am now listening to Philip Glass’s score and it is exquisite.
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Frank Cordell’s score for: ‘The Voice Of Merrill’ (1952), is one of the most beautiful I have ever heard. Another beautiful – and highly expressive – score, is the one Walter Goehr composed for the David Lean version of: ‘Great Expectations’ (1946).
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Many thanks! I wasn’t aware of those, but I will check them out asap!
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How did Gabriel’s Oboe from the Mission (Ennio Morricone) not make it??
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All the titles in the oriignal list are English language films. If these are the ‘most …’ then there are a host of fine musical soundtracks in foreign language titles. Just one I love, ‘1900’ with the score by Ennio Morricone.
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Well-spotted! I have taken some heat over the years for not including Ennio Morricone and his image now haunts me day and night 🙂
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Great list, its helping me to complie a playlist, however I’d suggest Yumeji’s Theme from In the Mood for Love, Wong Kar Wai and Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence by Ryuchi Sakomoto.
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