Finding Courage with Film Music
Film music plays the indispensable function of accentuating emotions and moods in a film. The wonderful fusion of vision and sound is what creates the magic that immerses you in the world of the motion picture.
Many of these music pieces have become cultural mainstays, earworms recognised by people of all walks of life who may not speak the same language. You’ll have heard them played during weddings and graduation ceremonies for their inspiring tunes.
During challenging times like this, music can go a long way towards bolstering our spirits. Here are some signature pieces by iconic film composers that you can listen for free from our online music resource, NAXOS Music Library (instructions on how to access it are at the end of the article).
May these works bring out the heroism in you to tide through difficult times.
1. Superman: Main Title Theme by John Williams
John Williams, one of the most recognised film music composers, is known for his long-term partnership with Steven Spielberg in over twenty films.
Directed by Richard Donner, the 1978’s Superman: The Movie is well known for its heroic and positive theme music, March. Apart from tying together the original movie and its sequels, this piece chronicles the rise of Clark Kent from a farm boy to the world’s greatest superhero, as well as his memorable comebacks after his near defeat by his nemesis.
Do also check out other scores by John Williams from films such as Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, E.T. and War Horse.
Get the track here.
2. Is She with You? from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice by Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL
Hans Zimmer has emerged as a prominent film composer in recent decades, and is known for his works with director Christopher Nolan in top-grossing films like The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception and Interstellar.
For Batman v Superman, Zimmer collaborated with composer Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL) to produce refreshing and unconventional tracks mixed with orchestral and electronic effects. Is She with You?, or what some would call the Wonder Woman theme, is a highly intense piece that plays during the scene when Wonder Woman stands fearlessly with her compatriots before launching their attack on Doomsday.
Get the track here.
3. Braveheart: For the Love of a Princess by James Horner
Better known for his collaboration with director James Cameron in films like Avatar and Titanic, this influential film score by James Horner appears in Mel Gibson’s 1995 Braveheart. One of the highlights from a powerful film about historical Scottish patriot Sir William Wallace is For the Love of a Princess, a hauntingly melodic piece that carries itself well against the rousing bagpipes that characterise much of the soundtrack.
Get the track here.
4. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: Main Theme by Howard Shore
Howard Shore’s music for The Fellowship of the Ring transports you to the magical world of Tolkien’s Middle-Earth as you follow Frodo’s journey from the blissful world of the Shire to the formation of the fellowship at Rivendell. Variations of the Fellowship theme can be heard throughout the film trilogy, recalling the courage, perseverance, friendship and hope needed to overcome the challenges of destroying the One Ring.
Get the track here.
5. Laputa: Castle in the Sky by Joe Hisaishi
Joe Hisaishi is an internationally- acclaimed Japanese composer who scored for director Hayao Miyazaki’s anime films like Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro. This particular work, known as Carry You, is the end theme for 1986’s Laputa: Castle in the Sky. This piece was one of the highlights of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra concert conducted by Hisaishi in March this year.
Get the track here.
Accessing the NAXOS Music Library (NML)
Follow these steps to enjoy free music on your phone:
1. Go to the NLB eResource page where you will see the NAXOS Music Library.
2. Log in the eResource page with your myLibraryID (sign up at account.nlb.gov.sg).
3. Once logged in, sign up for a playlist account at the NML page.
4. Install the app and activate your playlist account to begin using.
Enjoy!
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Text by
Chong Thong Yang
National Library Board
