Purchasing orchestral film scores

Hi guys,

I have been looking at getting hold of some of the orchestral scores from films recently.

Each time I find a score by any of the famous film composers like Ennio Morricone or John Williams, that's available for purchase, it's arrangement differs from the one in motion picture.

Why is that?

Or am I not looking hard enough?

As an example: http://www.halleonar...71&subsiteid=6&

Score from Memoirs of a Geisha arranged by Tedd Ricketts.

Or Gabriel's Oboe by Ennio Morricone http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/0383438/details.html

Again, arranged by...

Is there a way to get hold of these scores in the original arrangement?

Or are there any legal matters that prevent distributors from releasing film scores in the original arrangements?

Thanks a lot for your help

Outside of the Signature Series of John Williams scores, you basically cannot get any original film score manuscripts without knowing the orchestrator/copyist/composer and appealing to them personally. And even then they're often not allowed to share it. So basically you're out of luck — it's unfortunate, but it's just the way things are.

Yeah, it's tough to find those. You're more likely to find midi files on the web than scores. Anyway, I'd suggest that you take the pieces that you like and try to transpose them yourself, it can be a real pain, but it's a great exercise which I often do, I don't really transpose, but make my own midi renditions of the music. Great ear development.

The correct word is *transcribe*.

Thanks a lot guys.

I gues I will stick to John Williams then:)