French born film composer Maurice Jarre died of cancer in Los Angeles today at the age of 84. Jarre was born in Lyon, Rhône, Rhône-Alpes, France on September 13, 1924. He is the father of electronic composer Jean-Michel Jarre. He rose to prominence late in his life with a breakthrough score for “Lawrence of Arabia” in 1962 for which he received an Academy Award for Best Score. He won two more Oscars for “Doctor Zhivago” and “A Passage to India”. In all he scored more than 150 films scoring for such directors as David Lean, Alfred Hitchcock, John Huston and Luchino Visconti. Jarre also wrote symphonic music for theater, ballet and television. Maurice moved to the United States in the 1960s, was married four times. In February he received a lifetime achievement award at the Berlin International Film Festival. Director Dieter Kosslick summed up Jarre’s music to a tee by saying, “Film composers often are left in the shadows of great directors and acting stars. It’s different with Maurice Jarre – the music of Doctor Zhivago, like much of his work is world-famous and remains unforgettable in cinema history.”Maurice Jarre composed the music for four Euro-westerns: “Villa Rides!” (1968), “El Condor” (1970), “Red Sun” (1971) and “Shadow of the Wolf” (1992).
I was fortunate to meet Mr. Jarre at a dinner honoring Ennio Morricone some 15 years or more ago. To see and talk to these people who have created so many beautiful scores for the films we love is just as wonderful as meeting the actors and directors of the the films. RIP and thanks for all the wonderful music you created over the years.
ReplyDeleteMy first real introduction to film music was when my mother bought the LP soundtrack to LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. I fell in love with it and wore it out playing it. I still have that LP in my collection. Goodbye, Mr Jarre. You will be missed.
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