Batman

Released by Warner Bros. Studios in the summer of 1989, Tim Burton's gothic, big­ screen depiction of DC Comic's Batman was a worldwide phenomenon. It shattered multiple box-office records and gave rise to a franchise that, to date, has grossed nearly $5 billion dollars. Much of that success was due to an aggressive marketing campaign, an acclaimed visual style by Burton, and a classic score by film composer Danny Elfman.

Elfman was inspired to write the main title march while on a plane ride back to Los Angeles after visiting the set in London. His only choice was to sing the various parts into a tape recorder in the privacy of the plane's lavatory. Upon returning home he had to make sense of what he recorded against the roar of the jet's engine in the background. Among the results was the famous 6-note theme which perfectly captured the superhero's original dark and brooding tone from the 1940s-era comic books. The score, performed by the Sinfonia of London Orchestra and conducted by Shirley Walker, utilized a massive ensemble boasting no fewer than 5 flutes, 6 trumpets, 40+ different percussion instruments, and a full choir. Now musicians, music students, conductors - any music lover - can study Batman in this durable, high-quality edition, carefully reproduced and edited from the original handwritten manuscript.