The NPO Klassiek Filmmusic Top 200 has a new leader this year: composer John Williams takes the top spot with Schindler’s List, which received the most votes.
After four years at number one, Ennio Morricone’s Once Upon a Time in the West has dropped to second place in the Dutch NPO Klassiek Filmmusic Top 200. Voters described the Schindler’s List score as “deeply moving,” “touching,” and “perfectly capturing the film’s atmosphere.”
Though NPO Klassiek Filmmusic Top 200 is a Dutch public radio (and partly tv) production, also from abroad you can at least tune in to the live audio streams of the ‘event’. And in case you’re in The Netherlands around that time, it’s of course possible the concert mentioned at the end of this post.
Anyway, the full list was revealed this morning by hosts Ab Nieuwdorp and Carine Lacor during De Klassieken (The Classics), broadcast by AVROTROS on NPO Klassiek. The Filmmusic Top 200 will be aired on Thursday, March 6, and Friday, March 7, from 08:00 to 17:00 CET on NPO Klassiek, with a live stream available on NPO 2 Extra. The list will be presented by Ab Nieuwdorp, Jan van Poppel, Beitske de Jong, Pieter van Nes, Hans Smit, Jet Berkhout, Sander Zwiep, and Carine Lacor.
Both days will conclude with a celebratory afterparty during Podium (NTR). From 17:00 to 19:00 CET, host Maartje Stokkers will welcome guests from the film music industry, along with live performances by composer/pianist Sven Figee (Thursday) and harpist Remy van Kesteren (Friday).
Highest New Entry
This year, 18 new entries have made it into the Filmmusic Top 200. The highest new entry is Skyfall at number 40. The soundtrack for the 23rd James Bond film was composed by Thomas Newman, with the title song performed by Adele, co-written with Paul Epworth.
War and Espionage Themes Dominate
Notably, many war films appear on the list for the first time, including War Horse, Oorlogswinter (Winter in Wartime), and De Aanslag (The Assault). Meanwhile, detective series also made a strong impact this year. The Inspector Morse soundtrack, composed by Barrington Pheloung, surged 73 places to reach number 39. Other debuts include the scores for Midsomer Murders and several James Bond films.
Top Composers
As expected, the list is dominated by industry giants:
- Hans Zimmer – 22 soundtracks
- John Williams – 15 soundtracks
- Ennio Morricone – 10 soundtracks
Zimmer remains the favorite among younger voters, while Morricone and Williams enjoy popularity across all age groups.
Dutch Composers Gaining Popularity
Dutch film scores continue to rise in the rankings. This year, nine Dutch compositions made it onto the list, up from eight last year. New entries include De Nieuwe Wildernis (The New Wilderness) by Bob Zimmerman and De Aanslag (The Assault) by Jurriaan Andriessen.
A List for All Ages
The Filmmusic Top 200 spans generations, featuring classics like Gone with the Wind and Singin’ in the Rain, as well as modern favorites like Disney’s Frozen and the recently released Wicked.
Broadcast Details & Special Programming
Starting March 3, NPO 2 Extra will feature a week of documentaries, films, and film music concerts in celebration of the Filmmusic Top 200.
- Full List Broadcast: March 6 and 7 (08:00-17:00 CET) on NPO Klassiek, NPO 2 Extra, and NPO Luister App
- Filmmusic Concert: March 28 at TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht, as part of the AVROTROS Friday Concert
- Live Stream (success rate might vary from abroad with this one…): Available via npoklassiek.nl/live and NPO Klassiek