The Silver Screen Soundtrack Hour: Jerry Goldsmith

Film music sets the mood and helps elicit the emotional responses that make a good movie a great movie. Each week on CharlottesvilleClassical.org, The Silver Screen Soundtrack Hour takes a listen to music from the wide world of film scores.

This week we turn our focus to American composer Jerry Goldsmith (1929-2004). Goldsmith left a legacy of innovative and influential film compositions. As composer Marco Beltrami said, “(he) bridged the gap between the old Hollywood scoring style and the modern film composer.”

Jerry Goldsmith (1929-2004)

Goldsmith was oft-nominated for major awards, with 18 Academy Award nominations, though he only snagged the prize once, for his work on The Omen (1976). But along the way he left us with some instantly recognizable music, like his work for the Star Trek franchise and his iconic score for Patton (1970).

On this week’s show we’ll sample a variety of selections from Mr. Goldsmith, including music from Alien, Total Recall, Patton, Planet of the Apes, Chinatown, and more. 

Produced and hosted by Ken Nail, The Silver Screen Soundtrack Hour airs on Charlottesvilleclassical.org every Thursday at 9 AM and 6 PM, plus Saturdays at Noon. Visit our Facebook page, or contact Ken on Twitter at @ken_classical.