Music Analysis - Famous Cowboy/Western Movie/Film Theme Songs

In my study of music composition, I'm trying to find out why certain sounds create certain feelings, so here are some good western movie soundtrack theme songs you can use to find out why "westerns" theme songs sound like westerns:



The links below are general youtube searches for the title (+"theme"). The "direct link" is a direct link to a youtube video version that I think is good (I can't guarantee that it will work in the future):

The Magnificent Seven: DLG Orchestra - Big Screen Western (direct link)
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Ennio Morricone - A Fistful of Film Music - the Musical Hits of Ennio Morricone (direct link)
A Fistful of Dollars: Ennio Morricone - A Fistful of Film Music - the Musical Hits of Ennio Morricone (direct link)
For a Few Dollars More: Ennio Morricone - A Fistful of Film Music - the Musical Hits of Ennio Morricone (direct link)
The Man with the Harmonica: Ennio Morricone - A Fistful of Film Music - the Musical Hits of Ennio Morricone (direct link)
Bonanza: Various Artists - Greatest TV Themes (direct link)
The Return Of The Magnificent Seven: The Original Movies Orchestra - Western Movie Hits (direct link)
How The West Was Won Prelude: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Paul Bateman - Greatest Film Themes - Take (direct link)
Stagecoach - Suite: Hollywood Symphonic Orchestra - John Wayne - Western Classics (direct link)
Hang 'Em High: Starsound Orchestra - Clint Eastwood Movie Themes (direct link)
The Sons Of Katie Elder: The High Noon Orchestra - Western Themes (direct link)
Rio Bravo: The Original Movies Orchestra - Western Movie Hits (direct link)
La Libertad (Alibi): Ennio Morricone - Western Films Music (direct link)


Common elements of western film (westerns, cowboys and indians) music:
* the beat sounds like a horse galloping
* harmonica
* old-sounding piano
* whistling
* violins
* brass instruments, e.g. trumpets, that give a slight mexican/mariachi feel
* simple, clean electric guitar solos, backed by classical guitar rhythms
* jews harp
* gun sounds
* horse sounds
* native american ("indian") warcries
* bell

Here's my spotify playlist that I'll be updating over time with more western songs:
Spotify HTTP link
Spotify URI

Here's wikipedia's Western (genre) page about westerns in general, and here's the page about Western music (although it seems to be more about music during "cowboy" times and modern country music, not music in film "westerns".