MAURICE JARRE R.I.P


Sadly, word has reached me of the death of of Maurice Jarre, at the age of 84, from cancer, in Los Angeles.
Jarre of course won three Oscars during his distinguished career, for Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and A Passage to India, but wrote the music for more than 150 films. His fluid and very distinctive style of scoring was not everyone's "cup of tea" but, on his day, he was a force to be reckoned with, and he certainly knew how to compose a good tune. Favourite themes and scores of mine, as well as those for Lawrence and Zhivago, include Villa Rides, The Professionals, The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, The Man Who Would Be King, Crossed Swords, Resurrection, Firefox and Moon Over Parador.
Jarre also won two BAFTAS, four Golden Globes and a Grammy, and was of course also father of Jean-Michel Jarre. Another giant has passed.