While the Raiders March is used quite frequently throughout Raiders of the Lost Ark it would be wrong to suggest that it's a one theme score. There's the old fashioned passion of Marion's Theme which slips nicely into sub-genre of Williams romance and along the same lines as Han and Leia's indelible theme from The Empire Strikes Back. Then there's the portentous Ark Theme, the officious and stern march for the Nazis and the minor ideas such as the mysterious oboe melody for The Medallion which, give every key element of the film a readily identifiable motif. Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of those scores where every track has something going for it, but there are of course many stand out highlights.

After a nice arrangement of the Raiders March that acts as a prelude to the album presentation of the score (if not in the film), there is suspenseful and creepy music as we find Jones raiding a Temple in South America. Barely a whisper of the march is heard, instead there's much tension and skittish musical responses to the dangers lurking around every corner. Only with Flight From Peru does Williams let the cat out of the bag and the march takes its place as an emotional trigger for when Indy is doing something heroic. The ability of the melody to appear as a brief hint as well as a full length theme is a testament to its inspired construction.

While most of the action is played seriously, The Basket Game makes for a more light hearted scherzo, notably scored for pizzicato strings, even if the ending is somewhat more subdued when Indy believes Marion to have been killed in an explosion. Airplane Flight and the lengthy Desert Chase both give much air time to the Raiders March, perhaps a little too much for some people, but Williams' ingenious counterpoint gives it different dramatic meaning as Indy either appears to be winning or losing the battle. The music associated with the Ark isn't as biblical as one might expect, the final sequence of The Miracle of the Ark demonstrating its power as too much for mere mortals. Some disturbing trumpet fanfares and other genuinely frightening musical effects add greatly to the potency of the scene.

One could also mention the choral grandeur of The Map Room: Dawn and the gentle use of Marion's Theme after the Desert Chase, but as a top Williams score, is one that should be owned and listened to. Only when great composers such as Bernard Herrmann apply their skills to fantasy adventure films such as those for he penned for Ray Harryhausen, is the true potential for creativity reached. Williams' is perhaps a little more traditional (at least sometimes, the Ark music is quite inspired) than Herrmann's efforts, but as an accompaniment to one of the finest adventure films ever made and as a thrilling composition in its own right, it's top rate stuff. Scores for this kind of film, or indeed films in general, don't come much better. The performance of the London Symphony Orchestra is outstanding in every respect and this expanded edition from Silva Screen is a model of great presentation both in terms of musical production and excellent liner notes. An essential film music classic.