[Nick Zwar]

It’s totally subjective, and of course how one responds to music, but I actually do have some scores, both film and classical, that are “seasonal”, in the sense that I associate them more with certain types of weather or seasons. I agree that Elliot Goldenthal’s HEAT radiates more the warm, urban nightpulse of L.A., not “sweltering heat”.

Scores that are definitely “hot summer” scores for me are:
George Delerue: L’été meurtrier (Which is called “One Deadly Summer” in English)
Ennio Morricone: Lolita (The music is just sweltering hot, very much summer)
Jerry Goldsmith: Chinatown (It just conjures up hot, dry L.A.)
Maurice Jarre: Lawrence of Arabia (D’oh!)

There are some classical compositions that have a summer flair in my mind too.
Felix Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (perhaps obvious, but it’s so)
Joaquin Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez

And, for some reason:
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 4 (that’s probably just me personally)