What a shame. He was only 61.
https://www.yahoo.com/movies/james-horner-obit-composer-titanic-avatar-122222560012.html (https://www.yahoo.com/movies/james-horner-obit-composer-titanic-avatar-122222560012.html)
Tragic! He was one of the best movie composers ever. I love his scores in Mask of Zorro, An American tail, Star Trek, Titanic, The Land before time, and countless others.
Braveheart. I don't think the movie has held up well over the years, but the score to me still remains one of the classic epic, sweeping scores I've heard. At times Horner's score takes complete control and becomes the emotion that should be on screen.
Looking at his resume, what a prolific composer. R.I.P.
Yes, I saw an unconfirmed report last night about the plane crash. I suppose I am one of the few people left on the planet who has not seen Titanic, so I cannot comment on that. $:) However, Braveheart had an exceptional score. The slow melancholy Celtic march used for the execution scene near the end was perfect.
So, do we start to post all the classical themes he lifted or is it too soon?
I've always loved his mashup of Fratres and the Tallis Fantasia:
https://www.youtube.com/v/H9BvcltQbZ4
But hey, great artists steal, right? And when he was at the top of his game, he was truly great.
https://www.youtube.com/v/j_xN0LOLG3I
That is sad news. Loved many of his scores. Apollo 13 and Star Trek II were probably my favorites.
Quote from: Rinaldo on June 23, 2015, 04:05:40 AM
So, do we start to post all the classical themes he lifted or is it too soon?
I've always loved his mashup of Fratres and the Tallis Fantasia:
https://www.youtube.com/v/H9BvcltQbZ4
But hey, great artists steal, right? And when he was at the top of his game, he was truly great.
https://www.youtube.com/v/j_xN0LOLG3I
His Glory soundtrack ripped off Prokofiev, and somewhere he used some of The Planets as a reference, but yeah he's been fairly obvious in some of his scores.
Willow. One of my favorite movies and scores. We'll all miss him. :(
Looking at his Wikipedia article, I am staggered at all the work he did.
Sorry to hear this. I liked Titanic, Braveheart, Avatar and Apollo 13 to name just a few. Very sad news.
Quote from: jochanaan on June 29, 2015, 09:38:45 AM
Willow. One of my favorite movies and scores. We'll all miss him. :(
Underrated.
Quote from: karlhenning on June 29, 2015, 10:34:30 AM
Looking at his Wikipedia article, I am staggered at all the work he did.
+1
Coincidentally, I watched
Braveheart recently for the nth time. A great score indeed.
Quote from: karlhenning on June 29, 2015, 10:34:30 AM
Looking at his Wikipedia article, I am staggered at all the work he did.
Yeah - I always knew he productive, but he was REALLY productive - even more than I remembered.
Ashamed to admit I don't recall his Braveheart OST at the moment, because it's been years since I watched that movie. I have no doubt it will be guaranteed James Horner-quality.
Quote from: Alberich on July 06, 2015, 06:46:30 AM
Ashamed to admit I don't recall his Braveheart OST at the moment, because it's been years since I watched that movie.
I do not recall it either. (Not sure that I am ashamed of that 8) )
American tail, Mask of zorro or Titanic, now there's a score! 8)
Very much enjoyed The Mask of Zorro. (Even with the quasi-James Bond set-piece finale.)
Quote from: karlhenning on July 06, 2015, 06:53:40 AM
I do not recall it either. (Not sure that I am ashamed of that 8) )
There certainly are not many film scores I remember myself at all, something I definitely am not ashamed of, and I'm not sure if the composers should be, either. Plenty at the tip of my earlobes, though.
Quote from: karlhenning on July 06, 2015, 06:53:40 AM
I do not recall it either. (Not sure that I am ashamed of that 8) )
As to Braveheart:
Think Horner....then Titanic, by Horner.....minus any Celine Dion.....as demonstrated here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2YBw_6bpDU
https://www.youtube.com/v/vQuaUR7nX8U
https://www.youtube.com/v/LL--prfnuJ8
His death is a huge loss. He was one of two of the great melodists left. Now, it's really just John Williams and he's an old man. Truly a shame that Horner died while he was experiencing a bit of a renaissance under such an awful accident.
Quote from: relm1 on July 08, 2015, 01:17:04 AM
His death is a huge loss. He was one of two of the great melodists left. Now, it's really just John Williams and he's an old man. Truly a shame that Horner died while he was experiencing a bit of a renaissance under such an awful accident.
Excellent post and point.
Quote from: relm1 on July 08, 2015, 01:17:04 AM
His death is a huge loss. He was one of two of the great melodists left.
As someone with at least a degree of melodic talent, I resent this remark.
And its implication:
Oh, dear! Melody is forever dying out of the world!
Quote from: karlhenning on July 08, 2015, 04:08:23 AM
As someone with at least a degree of melodic talent, I resent this remark.
And its implication: Oh, dear! Melody is forever dying out of the world!
Well, I'm a melodist too but these guys had a profound melodic talent that encapsulated the dramatic/emotional need of a character or scene so perfectly and immediately.
By all means, mourn the loss, and praise his talents. The musical art did not die even with JS Bach, of course.
Quote from: karlhenning on July 08, 2015, 07:00:33 AM
By all means, mourn the loss, and praise his talents. The musical art did not die even with JS Bach, of course.
...True...but musical art was in good hands with those revolutionaries and talent to come and was not a dying art at that time. My opinion.
Opinion noted. You do understand, though, that telling a composer that "music is a dying art in our time" is a hostile opinion?
Quote from: karlhenning on July 08, 2015, 07:47:55 AM
Opinion noted. You do understand, though, that telling a composer that "music is a dying art in our time" is a hostile opinion?
Obviously we are hitting each others buttons on this topic but I note your remark is a misstatement of what I said so if you are going to quote me, please do so accurately. What I said was "melody" is a dying art form especially in film. Melody and music are not equal. Horner was one of the great melodists and there are few around who still care about that especially in movies. It is just not that important to film makers.
Thanks for the clarification; sorry if I have misstated.
Quote from: karlhenning on July 08, 2015, 08:32:07 AM
Thanks for the clarification; sorry if I have misstated.
Now I feel like an ass for being overly sensitive so my apologies.
It's all right! :)
'Melody,' so often really thought about more as 'catchytune' than having anything to do with good or great composing, whatever the genre.
Well, Paul McCartney, master melodist, is still with us, and so are Beat Furrer, John Adams, Georg Friedrich Haas, and many many others. Apollo be praised.
But, there is an up side to this loss; the tens of thousands of decent tune-smiths of this world have all "moved up one."