Yours truly,
John Williams
"I do feel your book is done in a most interesting way. It affords a quick overview of what has not become a very, very broad field. Congratulations!"
-- Elmer Bernstein, late film composer and conductor
"Your film music guide should be available to anyone interested in the Golden Age and beyond."
-- John Morgan, film composer and film score restorer
Praise from a longtime film music fan:
"Your book is a masterpiece. I found something new on almost every page!" -- Howard L
The 8th edition of the book
is available only here!
A GUIDE TO FILM MUSIC is intended for use in classroom teaching, for film researchers, or for any film music lovers.
Twenty-five years ago, Roger Hall decided to write a guide to help those who wish to learn more about film music from the past.
Previous editions of this book (1997, 2002, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2017) are no longer available.
In 1988, Roger Hall began selecting his choices for the best film music of the year for his Sammy Film Music Awards,
named after movie lyricist, Sammy Cahn, who received four Oscars for his songs.
This is now the longest-running awards for film music recordings and many of them are listed in this book.
Unlike some film books that focus on only a few select types of films and use very technical writing, this book
includes over 80 years of film music
and is written
in language that is easily understood.
The title page of the book has a rare page from E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, signed by film composer, John Williams --
Other autograph illustrations in the book include:
Bernard Herrmann, Alex North, Miklos Rozsa, Max Steiner, Dimitri Tiomkin. John Williams.
There are also songwriter autographs by George Gershwin, Jay Livingston, and James Van Heusen, also by lyricists: Ira Gershwin
and Sammy Cahn - whose bold autograph is shown here:
The Dedication page has signed photos by two favorites of the author: composer, Henry Mancini, and lyricist, Johnny Mercer.
Here are the contents of the 8th edition of his book:
- Prologue: Music Memories at the Movies
- I. Chronology: Film Songs and Scores
- II. Main Titles and Themes: Listening to Music
(1) How is the song or theme used? Examples:
(1930's) *"Lullaby of Broadway" from Gold Diggers of 1935.
Main Title from Gone With The Wind (Max Steiner, 1939).
(1940's) "It Might as Well Be Spring" in State Fair (1945).
*Breakfast Montage from Citizen Kane (Bernard Herrmann, 1941).
(1950's) "The Man That Got Away" from A Star is Born (1954).
Rowing of Galley Slaves from Ben-Hur (Miklos Rozsa, 1959).
(2) When is the song or theme employed? Examples:
(1930's) "They Can't Take That Away from Me" from
Shall We Dance (1937).
Main Title of The Adventures of Robin Hood
(Erich Wolfgang Korngold, 1938).
(1940's) *"As Time Goes By" from Casablanca (1942).
* Main Title from Laura (David Raksin, 1944).
(1950's) "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing" (1955).
Main Title from A Place in the Sun (Franz Waxman, 1951).
(3) Where is the song or theme heard? Examples:
(1930's) "Forty-Second Street" (1933).
*Main Title from King Kong (Max Steiner, 1933).
(1940's) "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" from
The Harvey Girls (1946).
Main Title from The Best Years of Our Lives
(Hugo Friedhofer, 1947).
(1950's) *"High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling)"(1952).
Main Title from Around the World in 80 Days (1956).
[* = examples discussed]
- III. Film Scores and Songs from Five Decades - The Top 100
- IV. 100 Essential Scores of the 20th Century
- V.
Comments on Film Music
-- Interviews with Aaron Copland and Virgil Thomson
-- The Composer as Commentator: Bernard Herrmann,
David Raksin, Dimitri Tiomkin
-- The Composer as Critic: Elmer Bernstein
-- The Film Lyricist and Songwriter: Sammy Cahn and Henry Mancini
-- The Movie Critic and Historian: David Thomson and Tony Thomas
- VI. Film Music Awards (Academy Awards and Sammy Film Music Awards)
- VII. Bibliography: Where to Find Information
- VIII. Discography: Recommended recordings on LP and CD
- IX. Story: "The Musical Telephone" - with music composed and arranged by Roger Hall in 1988
- X. NEW Additions! Articles on Elmer Bernstein, Bernard Herrmann, Henry Mancini
- XI. Autographs: Film Composers and Songwriters
- XII. End Credits: About the Author
In Chapter IX, Roger Hall describes his play, "The Musical Telephone,"
based on a chapter in Edward Bellamy's famous 19th century Utopian novel, Looking Backward, 2000-1887. The novel was published in 1888 and was extremely popular in its time. It has remained an important work of literature. One of the items predicted in the book was a "musical telephone," where listeners could hear live music any time during the day or night. There is a description of this play and several sheet music samples by Roger are included.
This play's story could make an interesting film since it has both fantasy and socio-political elements with criticism of excessive greed
and the lack of concern for the poor.
To inquire about a possible screen treatment or stage performance for this one-act play, contact Roger Hall -- click here
About the author:
Roger Hall, has been a music teacher and a respected film music historian and critic. He is also an ASCAP composer.
Roger has taught film music courses in college and adult education programs as well as lecturing widely and has appeared on radio and cable TV.
In 1998, he began Film Music Review, which is now one of the longest-running film music e-zines on the Web.
He is also the founder of the Sammy Film Music Awards, which began in 1988, for the best soundtrack recordings of the year and
every year those chosen receive a Certificate of "EXCELLENCE."
In addition, he is a member of the International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA).
He has several online webinars available about movie songs and also about vintage film scores
at the 25th anniversary edition of Film Music Review.
To contact Roger Hall for possible scheduling of a webinar, write to -- film music program
The 8th edition of the book
from PineTree Press
is now available
exclusively here!
Available as a PDF book with many color and black & white illustrations
and includes a free audio file
from the author's appearance on radio for a John Williams Birthday Tribute.
Your cost for the 8th edition of A GUIDE TO FILM MUSIC book
is only $13.95 payable
through safe and secure PayPal.
Your book and audio file (MP3) will be sent to you directly by email download
and no additional shipping is needed.
To order, click the button below...
Deluxe version
The Deluxe version in a slipcase has the complete 8th edition of A GUIDE TO FILM MUSIC (PineTree Press, 2022),
plus bonus audio files from radio programs with the author about film music,
and a several cable TV programs with the author speaking about film scores and songs.
To order your copy of this special computer disc on DVD-ROM --
click here
Note: Since this disc has Word documents and PDF book it is but not intended for a DVD or Blu-ray player.
This audio album is available separately:
The audio album with 25 tracks and is for non-commercial, educational use and is included on a CD-ROM.
It includes guest segments on Public Radio with film music critic and historian,
Roger Hall,
including his tributes to Bernard Herrmann and John Williams.
Also highlights from Roger's in-person interviews
with two award-winning composers:
Aaron Copland (Oscar for the score to THE HEIRESS, 1949)
Virgil Thomson (Pulitzer Prize in Music for his score to THE LOUISIANA STORY, 1948)
"As Time Goes By" - A Listener's Guide To Film Music (AMRC 0051)
To order this album, go to the American Music Recordings Collection (AMRC)