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The music of Star Trek, part 2
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Jerry Goldsmith's first Star Trek score was for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, famously a down-to-the-wire job, which included musical technology that was cutting-edge at the time (1979). He later went on to score four other Star Trek films: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek: Nemesis. Goldsmith also wrote the theme for Star Trek: Voyager. The stirring theme for Star Trek: The Next Generation was from Star Trek: The Motion Picture, often considered the best Star Trek Movie score. Godsmith, who died in 2004, is the composer most associated with Star Trek, and he was hugely successful with other projects as well; he wrote the theme for The Waltons.
In 1982 James Horner wrote the score for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, his first score for a mainstream motion picture. Horner also composed the score for Star Trek III: The Search for Spock in 1984.
Dennis McCarthy composed the score for one film, Star Trek: Generations. Best known for television work, he also wrote the theme music for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and contributed music for Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise ("Archer's Theme", used over the end credits). McCarthy produced an album in 1991 for Brent Spiner, Ol' Yellow Eyes Is Back.
The musical choice most controversial among Star Trek fans was the use of the lyrical theme "Where My Heart Will Take Me" by Diane Warren for the series Star Trek: Enterprise. The song, sung by British tenor Russell Watson, was a radical departure from the stirring instrumentals typically used for Star Trek, and moreover was the first Star Trek theme not composed originally for the show. An earlier version of the song titled "Faith of the Heart" and recorded by Rod Stewart had been used in the movie Patch Adams, with Robin Williams. Some fans hated it so much they petitioned for its removal; others loved it, but even for those who loved it, it took some getting used to.
Charlie Bridgen's article on Star Trek movie scores at Den of Geek is a must-read.
In Part 3, Michael Giacchino's score for 2009's Star Trek
In Part 1, Alexander Courage's theme for the original series
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