Lights, camera, action! Learn piano with classic film soundtracks in the ROLI Learn App
Celebrating cinematic masterpieces and the maestros who made them
Musical movie magic
The magic of cinema has always been tied to its music. A score can change how we feel about a character, intensify a moment of suspense, or make an already beautiful scene unforgettable. Think of the menacing two notes in Jaws or the triumphant brass of Star Wars. These soundtracks are part of the stories themselves, woven into the way we remember them.
This week marks the birthday of Hans Zimmer, a composer who has reshaped modern film music with his bold use of electronics, innovative orchestration, and an instinct for capturing emotion at its most powerful. So we thought it would be a great time to celebrate not only the work of Zimmer, but also a chance to reflect on the broader tradition of film scoring, from the composers who came before him to those shaping the present.
These are the voices who defined Hollywood’s Golden Age, brought magic to animated worlds, and gave sound to the epic fantasies and superhero sagas we all know and love. And now, with the ROLI Learn app, you can bring their music into your own hands at the piano, discovering how these pieces work and why they have moved audiences for generations.
From stage to screen
Musical films have been a staple of Hollywood cinema since the advent of sound in film in the 1920s, and no names shine as bright as Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II when it comes to the musical heavyweights. Their partnership produced a phenomenal run of 12 productions, including enduring classics such as Oklahoma!, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. You can play along to “Edelweiss” and “Do-Re-Mi” from The Sound of Music in the ROLI Learn app (“Do-Re-Mi” is sure to be a hit for those of us running through our scales). Other songs from this Golden era include Harold Arlen’s ballad “Over The Rainbow,” written for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. Its wistful melody and soaring vocals earned it the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and it has remained one of the most beloved standards in American popular music.
If we’re talking about musicals, we’d be remiss not to mention Andrew Lloyd-Webber. He follows in the lineage of the legends of the Golden Age of Hollywood, inspired by such greats as the above-mentioned Richard Rodgers, and even taking inspiration from the work of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! to write his first musical, The Likes of Us, at just 17 years old in 1965. Since then, Lloyd-Webber has created an enduring legacy, not only through his stage productions but also through film adaptations of his musicals. These include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and The Phantom of the Opera, of which you can play along to the bright and playful “Any Dream Will Do” and the grand and dramatic “The Phantom of the Opera” in the ROLI Learn app.
Keeping in the spirit of colorful musical productions, John Waters’ 1988 comedy musical Hairspray saw remakes in 2002 and 2007, with the latter the most present in our memories owing to its star-studded ensemble cast of John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, and Zac Efron. You can play along to the musical’s electrifying finale song, “You Can't Stop the Beat,” in the ROLI Learn app, too — its relentless rhythm and joyous energy make it a real showstopper.
Turning towards the more sombre of musicals, stage and film adaptations of Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel Les Misérables have rarely seen a moment out of the spotlight. Since as early as 1932, its enduring relevance was strengthened with the film adaptation starring Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman in 2012. One of the musical’s most recognisable songs, “Do You Hear the People Sing?” is available to play in the ROLI Learn app. Its sweeping, anthem-like quality conveys the revolutionary spirit at the heart of Hugo’s story.
While there tends to be a trend towards recreating the most loved of musicals throughout the years, a new wave of original musical films in recent years, such as La La Land and The Greatest Showman (featuring Hugh Jackman in the starring role again), has ushered in a new era for the genre. Justin Hurwitz’s Academy Award-winning score for La La Land and Pasek and Paul’s modern pop spectacle in The Greatest Showman prove that musicals can still feel contemporary and captivating.
Soundtracking animation
Of course, musicals are not just limited to live action, and a large number of the most beloved musicals of all time come in the form of an animated Disney classic. And if we’re talking Disney classics, we have to talk about Alan Menken. With eight Academy Awards, eleven Grammys, and a Tony, Menken’s music for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas blends Broadway sophistication with Disney magic. From the exuberant brass and playful energy of “Friend Like Me” to the sweeping romance of “Beauty and the Beast,” his work has shaped the childhoods of generations.
Another important songwriter responsible for the timeless song “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” is Randy Newman. Newman’s work, which earned him two Academy Awards, combines warmth, wit, and unforgettable melody, making songs like “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” beloved across generations.
Those of us with a love for Claymation will also be pleased to know that Julian Nott’s iconic composition “A Grand Day Out,” written for the legends of British animation, Wallace and Gromit, can be found among the many songs available in the ROLI Learn song library. Nott’s score is playful and inventive, capturing the charm and humor of Nick Park’s characters.
Fantasy worlds and onscreen action, amplified by sound
As we voyage deeper into the worlds of fantasy, Howard Shore’s work for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies is as crucial in immersing viewers into Tolkien’s fictional world as the visual and narrative aspects. Shore won three Academy Awards for his Lord of the Rings scores, creating distinct musical themes for different cultures and characters, ranging from the light and whimsical to the foreboding and menacing. “Misty Mountains” is dark and haunting, building the world of Middle-earth through sound.
The same can be said of Danny Elfman. After coming to prominence in the 1980s new wave band Oingo Boingo, he went on to score countless films and became a frequent collaborator with Tim Burton. Elfman’s scores, including Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas, balance the weird and wonderful and powerful emotion, capturing the whimsy of Burton’s worlds while conveying human feeling at their core.
He also scored the first two Spider-Man films in Sam Raimi’s trilogy, bringing bold, heroic themes to the superhero genre. But there’s one piece of music attributed to Danny Elfman that we can all recall at the drop of a hat – the Simpsons Theme, which has remained the shows sole theme tune for its 36 season run since 1989, and also featured in the film adaptation released in 2007 (the use of Danny Elfman’s original theme and the subsequent appearance Spider-Pig was a mere coincidence)
A titan among film composers, John Williams’ career spans decades and genres. With five Academy Awards, 25 Grammys, and a place in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Williams’ music is as enduring as the films it belongs to. His work with Steven Spielberg —including Star Wars, Indiana Jones, E.T., Jaws, and many more—has produced some of the most iconic melodies of all time, from heroic fanfares to tender, emotional themes that continue to be revered and referenced across all corners of popular culture.
And with just an undeniable impact as Williams before him, Hans Zimmer stands as one of the defining voices of modern cinema and film scoring. As today is his 68th birthday, it’s the perfect moment to celebrate his extraordinary contributions to film music. With two Academy Awards and four Grammys, his work has left an indelible mark on audiences worldwide. From the sweeping majesty of The Lion King to the pulse-pounding tension of Christopher Nolan’s Inception, Interstellar, and The Dark Knight Trilogy, and the otherworldly grandeur of Dune, Zimmer has transformed how stories are told on screen.
Zimmer’s fearless use of electronics, intricate rhythms, and bold orchestration has expanded the possibilities of cinematic music, creating scores that are as immersive and emotionally powerful as the films themselves. To get a glimpse of what makes his compositions so evocative, you can learn to play Zimmer’s ‘Day One’, the Interstellar theme, and ‘The Battle’ from Gladiator in the ROLI Learn app.
Even more movie magic
This is just scratching the surface of the cinematic world available for you to explore through the ROLI Learn app. You can learn the influential and quintessentially 1980s synth-based and rock soundtracks, including “Axel F” from Beverly Hills Cop and the Top Gun theme by Harold Faltermeyer. You can also explore Thomas Newman’s American Beauty score (yes, there is a relation to Randy Newman— they’re cousins!), Jóhann Jóhannsson’s experimental and ambient compositions for The Theory of Everything, Alan Silvestri’s heroic The Avengers theme, A. R. Rahman’s global hit “Jai Ho” for Slumdog Millionaire, and more.
Learning to play these pieces on piano allows you to experience the craft that goes into creating music for a cinematic world. Through sound, these composers can convey narrative and emotion in such a way that we're able to relive those cinematic moments time and time again, just by listening to them. Check out the list of film songs we’ve mentioned in this article, available to play along to in the ROLI Learn app now:
Alan Menken — Be Our Guest (from Beauty & The Beast)
Alan Menken — Beauty and the Beast
Alan Menken – Colors of the Wind (from Pocahontas)
Alan Menken — Friend Like Me (from Aladdin)
Alan Menken — Prince Ali (from Aladdin)
Alan Menken — I Won't Say (I'm in Love) (from Hercules)
Alan Menken & Howard Ashman — Part of Your World (from The Little Mermaid)
Alan Menken & Howard Ashman — Under the Sea (from The Little Mermaid)
Alan Silvestri — Forrest Gump: Main Title (Feather Theme)
Alan Silvestri — The Avengers Theme
Andy Williams — Moon River*
A. Lloyd-Webber — Any Dream Will Do
A. Lloyd-Webber — The Phantom Of The Opera
A. R. Rahman — Jai Ho (from Slumdog Millionaire)
Danny Elfman — Spider-Man 2 Theme
Danny Elfman — Theme from The Simpsons
The Greatest Showman Ensemble — The Greatest Show
Hairspray — You Can't Stop the Beat (from Hairspray, 2007)
Hans Zimmer — Day One (Interstellar Theme)
Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard — The Battle (from Gladiator)
Harold Arlen — Over The Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz)
Harold Faltermeyer — Axel F (from Beverly Hills Cop)
Harold Faltermeyer – Top Gun: Maverick (Main Theme)
Harry Nilsson — Everybody's Talkin' (from Midnight Cowboy)
Henry Mancini — Baby Elephant Walk
Howard Shore — Misty Mountains (from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)
Jóhann Jóhannsson — Chalkboard (from The Theory of Everything)
Jóhann Jóhannsson — Forces of Attraction (from The Theory of Everything)
Jóhann Jóhannsson — A Model of the Universe (from The Theory of Everything)
John Williams — Across The Stars (Love Theme from Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones)
John Williams — Cantina Band
John Williams — Catch Me If You Can
John Williams — Main Title (Theme from Jaws)
John Williams — Duel of the Fates
John Williams — The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme)
John Williams — Theme from E.T.
John Williams — Theme from Jurassic Park
John Williams — Theme from Schindler's List
John Williams — The Raiders March (from Raiders of the Lost Ark)
Julian Nott – A Grand Day Out (from Wallace And Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit)
Justin Hurwitz — Mia and Sebastian's Theme (from La La Land)
Les Misérables — Do You Hear the People Sing?
Michael Giacchino — Stuff We Did (from Up)
Randy Newman — You Got A Friend In Me (from Toy Story)
Rodgers and Hammerstein — Do-Re-Mi (from The Sound Of Music)
Rodgers and Hammerstein — Edelweiss (from The Sound Of Music)
Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone — City of Stars (from La La Land)
Thomas Newman — American Beauty (from American Beauty)
Vangelis — Chariots of Fire
Discover the world of piano music through your favorite film soundtracks in the ROLI Learn app, and bring a touch of the silver screen to your piano playing, and see the full range of songs available in the ROLI Learn app.
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*We’ve included this composition as it was originally written by Henry Mancini and performed by Audrey Hepburn in the 1962 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
