Favorite Disney Composer?

[PrincePhillipFan]

This idea just popped into my mind a few days ago and I thought I would pose this questions of who is your favorite Disney composer.

While they're all great in one aspect or another, I think I would pick Buddy Baker as my favorite. I think Buddy and a lot of his older Disney composing predecessors are sadly overshadowed today by the great talent of Menken, but Buddy thankfully more so over the years has received a lot of acclaim for how much of a brilliant and talented composer he was and the memorable projects he brought to all - the Winnie the Pooh shorts, The Haunted Mansion, Country Bear Jamobree, Epcot Center and World Showcase, The Fox And The Hound, Mickey Mouse Club, Wonderful World Of Color, Carousel Of Progress, Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln, and numerous Disney live action films that are too long to even name. Each one he brought a unique idea and challenge to each project.

He solved problems such as the Haunted Mansion and Small World where musical variations had to keep consitantly in sync with another all the time, and at some points even had to calculate out algebraic equations for them to all be in sync and measure out bars with another. Yet the results when he conducted the singers and musicians, and his talents at composing, each variation is almost completely different from the other and brings a unique sense.

So who would you vote for as your favorite composer? I had toyed with the idea of adding the Sherman Brothers into this poll, but I wasn't quite sure as they're more of the songwriters than actual musician composers.

[jpanimation]

The Sherman Bros. is a good choice as they've created some of the most hummable songs in Disney history at both the parks and in the films. Buddy Baker did the same, as far as compositions go, and was Disney's go to guy. John Debney (EPCOT Center theme and Horizons) and (I know you didn't mention him) Bruce Broughton have done wonders for the parks and especially Epcot. All good choices but...

Alan Menken has to take the cake as top composer for me. I was born at the start of the Disney Renaissance and grew up during it, so his sound is what defined Disney for me.

[Sotiris]

Alan Menken all the way.

[rexcrk]

Alan Menken... is there any other choice?

[Cordy_Biddle]

The Sherman Bros. is a good choice as they've created some of the most hummable songs in Disney history at both the parks and in the films. Buddy Baker did the same, as far as compositions go, and was Disney's go to guy. John Debney (EPCOT Center theme and Horizons) and (I know you didn't mention him) Bruce Broughton have done wonders for the parks and especially Epcot. All good choices but...

Alan Menken has to take the cake as top composer for me. I was born at the start of the Disney Renaissance and grew up during it, so his sound is what defined Disney for me.

I can't believe the Sherman Brothers aren't here! They really defined the "sound" of Disney during the 1960s.

[PrincePhillipFan]

I can't believe the Sherman Brothers aren't here! They really defined the "sound" of Disney during the 1960s.

I would have added the Sherman Brothers, but they're more the songwriters and haven't done any musical composing. I was thinking more of musical scoring of entire films, attractions, television, etc.

I think it would be impossible to try and include songwriters - Sherman Brothers, Menken and Ashman, Menken and Schwartz, John and Rice, Churchill and Harline, Atencio and Baker, Atencio and Bruns, Hibler and Sears, David, Hoffman, & Livingston, Moline. The list would be tremendous

[Jack]

Where's Hans Zimmer? He did the one of the best scores for a Disney film, IMO. Alan Menken is amazingly consistent in producing memorable scores too.

[Wonderlicious]

I put down Oliver Wallace, as there's something so soft and touching about the scores he produced. Of course, there are so many wonderful musicians who scored so many wonderful films so wonderfully. And let's not forget the countless song writers and lyricists.

[Escapay]

I picked Oliver Wallace.

albert

[DVDBuff1]

Obviously Alan Menken, but Oliver Wallace was very underrated. Loved his score for Dumbo.

[Vlad]

I picked Alan Menken, but I also love George Bruns (he did an amazing job, adapting Tchaikovsky's music in Sleeping Beauty) and Leigh Harline (for his work in Snow White and Pinocchio).

[rodrigo_ca]

Must I really choose between Alan Menken, Leigh Harline and George Bruns?