.gif)
.png)
The legendary film composer John Barry was born in York, England in 1933 and sadly passed away yesterday in New York, USA. From the old world to the new, he almost single-handedly dragged the dreary world of film scoring into the modern era when Ian Fleming's super spy burst onto the big-screen back in 1962. Every action composer since has copied (or payed homage to) his incredibly dynamic style of composing, giving even the most mundane scene a heart-pounding pace and speed. The music from the Bond films is as fresh today as it was back then, and the movies are just that little bit lesser without Barry's big bombastic sound bursting from the screen! (although David Arnold is doing a fine job, and is himself a massive Barry fan).Of course, as well as the Bond series he is also very well-known for many other classic film scores from several decades, including Beat Girl, The Knack, The Ipcress File, Born Free, The Chase, The Wrong Box, The Quiller Memorandum, Boom!, Deadfall, The Lion In Winter, Midnight Cowboy, The Deep, Game Of Death, Somewhere In Time, Raise The Titanic, High Road To China, Out Of Africa, Dances With Wolves, Chaplin and many, many more.
And let's not forget his amazing body of work for the small screen too. With a list that includes Juke Box Jury, The Human Jungle, Vendetta, The Persuaders, The Adventurer and Orson Welles' Great Mysteries amongst many others.
His contribution to film and television was immense and he leaves behind a library of incredible music that will live forever! John Barry, the composer responsible for me getting into the whole "spy thing" will always retain a special place on the shelves of us collector's.
Thanks for the tunes JB!
Thanks for the tunes JB!
5 comments:
John Barry was my favorite film composer. He will be missed. I am very sad today.
Thanks for doing a profile on him.
I'm only sorry that my writing skills aren't up to a more fitting tribute. It's never been my strong suit, hence the fleeting comments on my site :)
It is truly a sad day for film music. It seems that so many modern film composers are churning out bland non-descript "music" instead of writing scores which can stand up on their own, as so many of the old Greats did. Who do we have today to replace the Goldsmith's, Barry's etc?
I can't remember the last time I watched a film and the score caught my attention (not it's job I know but hey!).
Probably the most recent was the Sahara score, which by sheer coincidence stood out because it reminded me of a Barry Bond score :)
When John Williams leaves us I'm afraid that's it for me, the true legends will all be gone!
I must just say that although I'm known here for my love of crime/spy music I am a massive fan of Barry's more melancholy scores. I can hardly hold back the tears when listening to Somewhere In Time and the similar scores of Chaplin and Out of Africa are supremely moving too, not to mention the mood masterpiece that is Raise The Titanic. Barry just had that knack of creating a lush sound.
John Barry, England's finest film composer!
I too am a HUGE fan of Barry's more "melancholy" music. It seemed when he started to primarily write in this style (around King Kong in 1976) people became to dismiss him with such terms as "Mantovani On Prozac" and that a lot of his scores sounded the same after a while. That's probably because a lot of people didn't look deep enough. My personal faves from this time period of his music are "High Road To China", "Across The Sea Of Time" and "Chaplin". Not to mention earlier faves like "Midnight Cowboy, "The Persuaders" and my vote for most underrated Bond score "Moonraker".
I know he became bitter in the last dozen years or so in his life due to directors and movie producers rejecting his works; "The Beyondness Of Things" music was originally made for "The Horse Whisperer" and "Eternal Echoes" was also revived from a rejected score. That and the lack of interest after what would be his final score "Enigma" he turned to more classical composition and his final work "The Seasons" I hope will eventually see the light of day.
I've been blessed in the past half dozen years to have collected some Barry scores through you THXjay and from our fellow collectors that I probably would not have gotten otherwise so I thank you and all of your fellow posters for the opportunity to listen and admire.
I've told friends when I describe John Barry's music one word comes to mind: "flight". I hope he is at peace now flying with the angels. God bless you John.
I'm so sad and really discusted by this news.
Barry is unique.
He's been sampled so much by modern artists.
He is forever contemporary.
I'm crying, he's the best.
He was sampled recently by Buckwild and Celph Titled in the "Eraserhead" track. Sample from "on her majesty's secret service"...absolutely dope track...
He's inspired so many people, none can compare.
Big respect Mr. Barry. Damn my hero is dead today!
So sad. But one day we must all go. Monkeeboy, email me
Post a Comment