The Gladiator Soundtrack

[alanB]

I recently got the soundtrack to the movie Gladiator after seeing others on the forum recommend it.

It has to be one of the most hauntingly beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard!  Also gives the system a real work out.  I seem to be addicted to it (my neighbours are probably planning a lynching party  ).

Where can I find similar music - all the classical I've listened to up to now has been OK but a bit dull to be honest.

Anyone have any recommendations?

[chipwelder]

Difficult, but you might look to other soundstracks...

Classical is very dull if recorded poorly. It is quite hard to get decently recorded classical music... ITO labels... Hyperion is often good, Helios too, Telarc OK, DG often OK, Erato very natural, RCA is nice, Proprius is also good. Although if it is the music you don't like you won't get any joy I'm guessing. However I'm guessing you would lean to the Romantic period and some classical as well, the impressionists would possibly do a few things you might like... often they're a bit odd though, too me in any case.

Pieces I like:
Mendelsohn violin concerto's.
Shostakovich Jazz suites.
Ravel Piano, flute and violin and I think cello quartets.
You might like some of the modern choir stuff like John Taverner and of course Carmina Burana... but difficult to get a good recording and a good system to properly portray it...

[Byrd]

Alan - Try other soundtracks by the same composer. Eg's are Last Samurai, Brocken Arrow etc.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=music&field-artist=Hans%20Zimmer

Also maybe consider looking at other movie soundtracks. I find soundtracks, in general, pretty good. They are there to provide film with an emotive subtext, so the better ones should make you feel things more than the usual.

[alanB]

Thanks guys

Mr Zimmer seems to have been involved in quite a few movies I see!  Which certainly gives lots of scope for other options! 

I must admit up to now I had generally ignored movie sound tracks but when one thinks about it, some of these movies have massive budgets and the composers/musicians have a relatively free hand from an artistic point of view (no pressure from some music company executive to be more like Britney Spears for eg), and the main market for the music is definitely not teenage iPods - which should all add up to some good, well recorded music if the people involved are worth their salt.

I'll have to go do a bit of shopping.....

PS the only other piece of classical orientated music I listen to regularly is Camina Burana (I think its a Grammaphon recording).  Its OK, but nothing like Gladiator IMO!  Apart from the grandeur I like it because it has the words in Latin and English in the sleeve and its fun to sing along and pretend you can speak Latin (...after a few glasses of wine ....you have to be there I suppose).

[Chef Le Funk]

Alanb

If you like the flavour of Gladiator i would recommend you listen to Dead Can Dance

Lisa Gerrard the co-lead singer for the band Dead can Dance is the one singing the vocals on the soundtrack. Extremely haunting

Chef

[Mervin]

Memoirs of a Geisha

[Noxville]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Zimmer <-- provides his Discography.

I like his Pirates of the Caribbean [and the club remixes] that came out quite a lot [surprisingly].

[Enigma_2k4]

I concur, I love soundtracks too! I picked up Pirates of the Caribean off Kalahari.net, I received it today! Very very cool, I've been stressing my systems quite a lot with this!

The star wars sound track can also be quite good if you can find a good recording.

As for Carmina Burana, it's by Carl Orff and it quite an intimidating piece, it's used in many adverts and movies over the years. Quite enjoyable!

[MMitch]

Another great soundtrack along these lines is the soundtrack to "Conan the Barbarian" by Basil Poledouris (also a prolific music for movies composer).

[Hi-Phibian]

The Mission. (my fave soundtrack I think, on Jap black frisbee). You should not regret purchasing it.
The movie is worth watching too.

[Steve Ignorant]

try man on fire or even black hawk down if the gladiator floats your boat

[Uriah]

The killing fields sound track is very good as well imho,

[Prince]

The Mission. (my fave soundtrack I think, on Jap black frisbee). You should not regret purchasing it.
The movie is worth watching too.

-I agree - amazing music. Ennio Morricone is a genius....Then there are other of which my favourite is Eric Serra -Leon "The Professional" & Le Bleu "The Big Blue"

[Steve Ignorant]

-I agree - amazing music. Ennio Morricone is a genius....Then there are other of which my favourite is Eric Serra -Leon "The Professional" & Le Bleu "The Big Blue"

Try out The Fifth Element also Eric Serra

[Prince]

Try out The Fifth Element also Eric Serra

-Definitely will..