I'm thinking about getting TOMBSTONE but I don't remember it at all.

The film ELECTION with Matthew Broderick (which is NOT a western) regularly uses one of MORRICONE's themes in it (I think its' GOOD, BAD and the UGLY), and it's really hilarious!!!

Anyway...if I wanted to expand my ENTIRE score collection to be more inclusive of westerns can ya'll think of let's say 10 or so that would/SHOULD be on that list???

I'm lookin for stuff that has a classic western sound and plays well on its own. For instance, I never saw SILVERADO but I hear its a great movie; BUT does the score play well on its own? Or would I have to see the film finally to fully enjoy it?

Ironic that a Texan has virtually NO western scores huh?

help

Thanks in advance!!!!

Tombstone
Silverado
The Magnificent Seven
The Searchers
Wyatt Earp

And more that I can't think of off the top of my head.

Other than that, start going through the Goldsmith ones!

I'll just mention TWO that I don't think you should be without!?

The Big Country - Jerome Moross (Brad ain't talking turkey!)

The Good,The Bad and The Ugly - Ennio Morricone.

Silva just did some sort of re-issue of Big Country with Tony Bremner conducting, and a newly recorded main title conducted by Nic Raine. Should be mui bueno.

I have Bremner's re-recording of Citizen Kane, and it's just fabulously well done.

NP -- Goldsmith Main Titles, Vol 4, "Alien," moving right along into "Basic Instinct." actually works rather well...

Silverado
Tombstone
The Magnificent Seven (Ryko version)
Wyatt Earp
Dances With Wilves
The Cowboys
Far and Away (Oklahoma land race cues)
Wild, Wild, Wild West (Ok I admit it I like this score)
Return of the Magnificent Seven (mostly recycled from the first movie)
Quick and the Dead

But also try Alfred Newman's "How the West Was Won", for that "classic" sound.

For an epic scope, check out Sonic Images' re-release of "Lonesome Dove" (What? It hasn't been mentioned yet? Unbelievable!) This one is just a great score, period.

For the highly dedicated, track down the "Cowboys" track from Mancini's "Sunset", which is an amazing Western theme.

For the adventurous, pick up Edelman's "Shanghai Noon" (In Stores Now!)...a fantastic blending of eastern and western themes (leaning heavy on the western, but hearing "Home on the Range" played on traditional Chinese instruments, well....it's just a lot of fun...)

Another great Moross western score is The Valley of Gwangi, but you might have some difficulty tracking that one down.

And while we're on the subject of Moross westerns, you should also check out the LSO recording of his first symphony, which is very western in style.

Saying that Silverado plays well on its own is a vast understatement. It's a really fun score, one that makes me sad to think that perhaps Bruce Broughton should have been born a few decades earlier when westerns were more common. His western writing is awesome. (Ditto for the excellent but much darker Tombstone.)

Another absolutely essential one is Elmer Bernstein's The Magnificent Seven. It's theme alone is an historical milestone of film music, probably the single most-recognized western theme ever, unless perhaps The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly holds that record....

That brings me to Mr. Morricone. I must confess that I'm not too familiar with his western scores, so all I can tell you is go with Al's suggestion of picking up "Legendary Italian Westerns" as it will give you a great idea of his western stylings.

Just three days ago I ordered every single Jerry Goldsmith western Intrada had to offer. Obviously I can't comment on how each score holds up yet, but I can assure you of how much I loved the themes from The Wild Rovers, Take a Hard Ride, Hour of the Gun, and all the others that I was willing to spend $115 all at once for them. I suggest you go to the Deconstructing Goldsmith web site (I don't have the address, but I'm sure someone will give it to you) and check out the clips of his westerns.

I'll also give the nod to Mark McKenzie's Frank and Jesse. The traditional western style is not used much, but it's a fabulous score anyway.

Finally, if you're interested in getting a more complete selection of western music, then you are in dire need of an Aaron Copland compilation. I recommend that you get either Leonard Bernstein's Copland compilation with the New York Philharmonic, or Erich Kunzel's with the Cincinatti Pops.

There, I think I've said enough for now.

James
NP - now I can't get Hour of the Gun out of my head!

A great title from last year, not quite a western but close enough, is "Ride With The Devil" (Mychael Danna). Highly recommended!

Another vote for "Wyatt Earp" (JNH), OOP but well worth tracking down on ebay. Easily one of Howard's best!

And yes, "Frank & Jesse" (McKenzie) is quite good (perhaps still avail. at Intrada on the cheap).

I've also been rather partila to Sons of Katie Elder.

did Victor Young score any westerns, that I should get?

HMMM..How about

• The Magnificient Seven (Bernstein)
  
• A Fistful of Dollars, For A Few Dollars More, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Morricone)
  
• Once Upon a Time in the West (Morricone)
  
• The Cowboys (Williams)
  

All must-haves. And I'm ashamed to say that I still haven't heard the Goldsmith western scores.

"The Big Country"
"For a Few Dollars More"
"The Good The Bad and The Ugly"
"Hang 'Em High"
"The Magnificent Seven"

All of these are on CD and should be easily found....

THE BIG COUNTRY---This is pretty much the best Western score there is IMHO

THE WILD BUNCH---There are other good Fielding Westerns but this is the best of them

Laurie Johnson conducts Great Western Scores of Dimitri Tiomkin---This CD has marvelous cues from RED RIVER, RIO BRAVO, DUEL IN THE SUN & HIGH NOON

WYATT EARP

SILVERADO

HOW THE WEST WAS WON

THE MAGNIFICENT 7---There are other great Bernstein westerns too like The Commancheros, Sons of Katie Elder, but this is the place to start

RIO CONCHOS

Morricone, Hmmmm.....I like the Legendary Italian Westerns (Vol. 2 ) CD as it has the two Dollars films and other great cues and songs and its cheap. But, is the material as good as GOOD, BAD & UGLY or ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMER. or one of my favorites, A FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE, not to mention THE ROVER, 2 MULES, etc. I guess I'll chime in with GBU--if you like the style of it, you won't go wrong getting more Morricone

Nothing wrong with The Cowboys, the beautiful Dances With Wolves (though Monte Walsh strikes me as more 'Western' in flavor), Lonesome Dove, 3:10 to Yuma, and a number of Steiner westerns like Dodge City or They Died With Their Boots On.

Lastly, I love RED SUN, but it's out of print. The suite on the Silva Westerns Vol. 2 is OK though if you can't locate the original.

Other ones, well the reivers while technically not a western, it still has those elements incorporated.

The Missioury Breaks, now there is a very different Western score. Williams at his very unself best. Lol. I'm just laughing today. hehe

anyone mentioned Goldsmiths Young Women? Was that the title. Anyway, great Western sound.

How about...wait Young Women was Broughton, which is also good. So what was the one Goldsmith did, the one with the girl from ET? To lazy to go upstairs and check.

Ready to say goodbye?

Goodbye

quote:

---

Originally posted by Scott:
Well, I'm glad someone remembered Williams "Cowboys". Marian, both thumbs up to ya.

---

Still one of his best. I used to not pick up the CD countless times because it's ony 30 minutes long. Fortunately, I got it in the end. A must-have!

Now I should really order all those FSM titles soon.

ha! just kiddin' yo.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Graham Watt:
"Bad Girls", Scott. One of Goldsmith's best from the 90s, for me.

---

Graham,

thank u so much. You are a Gentelman and a scholar.

Scott

I love the wacky theme that was used in the film's trailer, but I don't remember it being in Bernstein's score. Anyone know where the trailer music is from?

http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Academy/9059/goldsmith.htm

Among the bits they have that still have not been released are: a wonderful short suite from ONE LITTLE INDIAN; and two separate pieces from RIO LOBO. His TV theme HOLLISTER is also very westernish.

My favorite Goldsmith western (and one of my favorite Goldsmith scores) is 100 RIFLES -- but I sometimes wonder if that's a "western" score in the traditional sense. His excellent BANDOLERO, WILD ROVERS, HOUR OF THE GUN and BREAKHEART PASS (among others!) are more obviously "Western" scores. I think EXTREME PREJUDICE is a western in disguise, and that's another of my very very favorites of his -- but if you played it, you might never hear "western" in the sense you'd probably expect.