Maurice Jarre died yesterday. I am no expert on film music though came to realise the importance of the genre when asked to teach some film music as a Baccalaureat topic.

Maurice Jarre wrote some of the greatest film scores and wiil be sadly missed by cinema goers.
He may become the guardian angel of late starters - apparently he didn't touch a musical instrument until the age of sixteen.

This morning French breakfast television replaced their usual generic with that so haunting melody from "Lawrence of Arabia."

RIP

Thanks for this, Aquarelle. I had to look him up, and can't believe I didn't immediately recognise his name - he did so much.

So glad someone eventually responded! I'm not surprised you had to look him up Crotchetymum. If I hadn't done the Bac work I wouldn't have been able to put a name to the writer of the score of "Dr Zhivago" "Is Paris Burning?" and many other films.

I saw some more short items about him on TV today. He got three oscars for his film music and seems to have been a very nice person. He took the relationship between the action on the screen and the music very seriously - wanting to create an atmposphere of wide open spaces for both "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Dr Zhivago"

I suppose the credits go up the screen so fast that we don't always put a name to the music. But we must, most of us, have hummed at least some of his melodies.

Heard the news on the radio today. RIP.

sorry - late reply! heard it on the radio 3 news yesterday morning. RIP.

Such a lot of film scores! really quite mind boggling.

I quail at the extent of collaboration that must have been required. Locking yourself away and writing a symphony is one thing ........ !

Theres a good 'obit' in the Daily Telegraph today.