James Horner

[Symon]

Died in a plane crash today. He loved to fly and often said his best work was for aviation films. "You go up, and then you go around, and around, and then you write a score about it."

God bless James, and fly with the angels. John

[mind_messing]

Yeah, I was sad to see that myself. He was probably my favorite film composer. The Apollo 13 soundtrack is one of my favorites.

[John 3rd]

I was going to Post on this John. Thanks for starting the thread.

Next to John Williams, I think James Horner's music is the most iconic of the modern day composers. Think of Star Trek II--III, Aliens (my favorite), Titanic. Glory, and Avatar. Great scores and music that could really enhance a scene.

Have prepared myself for losing Williams (due to his age) but losing Horner at only 61 is a horrible shock and loss to film.

[Delaware]

Very sad. I was a fan, as well as a fan of James Newton Howard.

[geofflambert]

Did you happen to know him personally, John? One of the great film scorers, like Bernard Hermann, John Williams, Ennio Morricone and Alan Silvestri. They make good movies great.

[geofflambert]

That trill in Enemy at the Gates, it's improv. I'm not sure how you would write it down on sheet music. Every time the trumpet plays it it's a little different. Every time I hear it I'm like "what was that?" [&:]

[geofflambert]

Forgot Jerry Goldsmith, another great.

[geofflambert]

No one seems to want to write further on James Horner, but I thought I would bring up a couple of other fellows who did a job well at least once, no match for the aforementioned. First Philip Glass for Mishima, the tragic story of a Japanese nationalist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVAUnKK1DdQ

After that Michael Nyman who scored Prospero's Books, a film based on Shakespeare's The Tempest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j63uqYTuEVk

I think they're worth listening to at least once.

[Symon]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
I was going to Post on this John. Thanks for starting the thread.

Next to John Williams, I think James Horner's music is the most iconic of the modern day composers. Think of Star Trek II--III, Aliens (my favorite), Titanic. Glory, and Avatar. Great scores and music that could really enhance a scene.

Have prepared myself for losing Williams (due to his age) but losing Horner at only 61 is a horrible shock and loss to film.

Thank you John 3rd. Jim's movie music was iconic. He had this sense about him where he could visualize a scene and then write a perfect score for it. He ate and breathed his internal models. Yeah, Williams is good for wild theater openings and thundering backgrounds, but Jim was a little bit everyday righteous.

Did I know him? What the heck does that matte? He is what he was, and there ain't no more.

[geofflambert]

Ok, did he know you? Does anyone know you? Don't tell me The Shadow knows you.

Totally agree on his product. Very, very good. Hitch could only go to Herrmann to score his movies. Many went to Williams but in his time I'd say Horner was without peer.

[Chijohnaok2]

I would add Dimitri Tiomkin to the list of memorable film composers. His sound tracks included the films "High Noon", and "The Alamo".
He did soundtracks on a number of Frank Capra and Alfred Hitchcock films as well. He also created theme songs for a number of TV westerns.

[geofflambert]

Not this one: "Bang! bang! bang! bang! bang! bang! bang! bang! bang! bang! bang! bang! Da dum dum de dum dum ..." [:D][&o]


That would be Herschel Burke Gilbert. I think I got the numbers of bangs right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdOf5eCuK8g