Two notes and a shark that barely shows up
Jaws (1975) · John Williams
Spielberg's mechanical shark broke down whenever it touched salt water. Many scenes had to be shot without showing the monster, only hinting at it, and the music filled that gap.
Film scores and soundtracks
Cinema is for listening too
Film music concerts in Spain and around the world, scene-by-scene score analysis, and guides to hearing the great composers on official platforms.
Upcoming concerts in Spain
- Zimmer, Williams and 100 Years of CinemaBilbao
- Music of Morricone, Zimmer & WilliamsPamplona
- Psycho! Live in ConcertSabadell · Psycho with live music
- Psycho! Live in ConcertBarcelona · Also on 1 November
- DraculMadrid · Film Symphony Orchestra
- DraculValencia · Film Symphony Orchestra
- Music of Morricone, Zimmer & WilliamsSeville
- John Williams and Great Film ChoirsBarcelona
Essential film composers
Twenty-four names to get into film music: who they are, how they sound, which films to watch and which pieces to hear.
- John Williams
- Ennio Morricone
- Hans Zimmer
- John Barry
- Howard Shore
- James Newton Howard
- Vangelis
- Jerry Goldsmith
- Joe Hisaishi
- Alberto Iglesias
- Bernard Herrmann
- Hildur Guðnadóttir
- Alexandre Desplat
- Ludwig Göransson
- Michael Giacchino
- Danny Elfman
- Thomas Newman
- Alan Silvestri
- Nino Rota
- Maurice Jarre
- Ryuichi Sakamoto
- Roque Baños
- Fernando Velázquez
- Javier Navarrete
The music, scene by scene
Four legendary themes
Many famous themes are recognisable from their first leap between two notes. Four examples to hear on YouTube.
JawsMinor second · one semitone
The smallest interval in the Western scale. Two notes this close grind against each other, and repeated they become a threat.
Listen on YouTubeHarry Potter (Hedwig's Theme)Rising perfect fourth
A clean upward leap played on the celesta. The music-box timbre gives it a fairy-tale air.
Listen on YouTubeStar WarsRising perfect fifth
The leap that launches the fanfare. The fifth is the interval of trumpets and bugle calls: it sounds like adventure.
Listen on YouTubeThe Wizard of Oz (Over the Rainbow)Rising octave
The same note, an octave higher. Harold Arlen opens the song with that huge leap, which gives it its sense of longing.
Listen on YouTube