Top Fantasy Composers

[Black Dragon]

Who are your favorite fantasy music composers?

My favorites are:

1. Basil Poledouris (Conan the Barbarian, Red Sonja)
2. Howard Shore (Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit)
3. Tangerine Dream (Legend, The Keep)
4. Trevor Jones (Last of the Mohicans, Excalibur)
5. Jerry Goldsmith (The 13th Warrior)

 

[Dante Sawyer]

I'm not sure if (wow this is gonna sound chick-like... hahah oh well) Secret Garden counts as their stuff hasn't really been in movies, but when I listen to their stuff I can't help but think of fantasy-like things.

 

[Leuco]

Great selections. Was that the Last of the Mohicans with Daniel Day Lewis? If so, I liked that a lot too! And Conan... those themes were REALLY awesome. I love it when characters have their own themes. It just takes the story to a different level. That's probably why the do it for wrestling. Speaking of which, do you have a favorite character theme?

I like the

theme.

 

[Joe the Gnarled]

Defiantly John Williams. While the Harry Potter series is the only fantasy film(s) that I can think of off the top of my head that he has done I would feel remiss if I did not include his other magnificent works:
Star Wars series,
Superman series,
Indiana Jones series,
The Goonies,
Jaws series,
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,
Back to the Future series,
Hook (another fantasy movie),
Close Encounters of the Third Kind,
Lost in Space,
Smallville TV series,
Home Alone series,

This list is inaccurate and incomplete. He has done far to many works to list. Here is a link to a complete list:
John Williams - IMDb

 

[Forsta-Phoenix]

A new favourite of mine are Two Steps From Hell, they're a company based in SF who do all kinds of awesome fantasy-esque music and have songs in tonnes of movies, TV series and games.

A pretty awesome song of theirs is actually in a lot of trailers, called Hearts of Courage, here's linky:

 

[Leuco]

Don't forget the catchy Willow theme!

BTW I didn't know John Williams did music for Farris Bueller's Day Off. I just remember the pop music.

Hearts of Courage does sound familiar. Ideal trailer music.

 

[Map the Dragon]

The Last of the Mohicans' soundtrack for the win! It is absolutely the best soundtrack ever! I didn't know that he also did the track for Excalibur...not too many folks these days even remember that flick.

 

[Ophiucha]

I have a certain fondness for Alan Silvestri, particularly the soundtrack to Van Helsing.

 

[Leuco]

That Van Helsing stuff scared me! Neat song though. Very dramatic.
I like Excalibur too-- especially the scene where Arthur restores the land after drinking from the Grail. That was very cool. But now, that song just makes me think about Nike shoes.

You know who else we forgot? Danny Elfman! I like the strings and brass in the theme to Beetlejuice-- and of course his Batman tunes.
Some cool Sci-Fi themes: Blade Runner (Sean Young looks good in that movie, even with funky hair) and Terminator. "Budda bum buh dum. Budda bum buh dum."
And Sunshine! Have you guys seen Sunshine? I think it sounds exactly like flying to the sun!

 

[Joe the Gnarled]

The Last of the Mohicans' soundtrack for the win! It is absolutely the best soundtrack ever! I didn't know that he also did the track for Excalibur...not too many folks these days even remember that flick.

I remember having that song stuck in my head for days when I was a kid.

 

[Meg the Healer]

A lot of them have been named already. But my favorites are these three guys - and how I know their music:

1) Joseph LoDuca (Xena, Hercules, Army of Darkness, Evil Dead, Legend of the Seeker)
2) Christophe Beck (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, The Seeker: Dark is Rising)
3) Jeff Rona (Earthsea)

 

[pskelding]

You forgot the greats...

Basil Poledouris - Conan, and bunches of others
John Williams - Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jaws and bunches of others
Tyler Bates - 300, and others
Jerry Goldsmith - tons of stuff
Ennio Morricone - Good, Bad and Ugly, Fistful of Dollars, Big Gundown and countless others