Today was a morning like any other - except that I didn't sleep last night and woke up at 4am. Not one to lay in bed, awake and unproductive, I got in some early work on a music project. At 5am, I took a break to check social media. My heart sank. One of the foremost film composers of our time, James Horner, died in a plane crash last night. Without mincing words to try and explain his influence, here are 5 pieces of music that inspired not only me, but millions of musicians around the world.
1. Titanic theme
A runaway success for James Cameron, this movie took the world by storm. Alongside the tragic love story of Jack and Rose were James Horner's haunting melodies that drove us all to tears. This movie came out when I was about 12 years old, and it was the first time that a film score stopped me dead in my tracks.
2. ''You don't dream in cryo'' from Avatar
In another partnership with James Cameron, Horner composed the ethereal sounds of Pandora in this smash hit movie from 2009. The score for this film was so perfect that many people left the theatre in a daze, having been completely immersed in the plot and characters throughout the movie. Horner's score perfectly framed this alien world, using wordless vocals, heavy percussion, horns, and chromatic string orchestration. It is truly a work of art, and this first track sums up the entire score the way an overture acts as a glimpse into an opera.
3. ''The Secret Wedding'' from Braveheart
I remember the first time I saw Braveheart - I think I was about 18, and I fell in love with this score. Historical inaccuracies notwithstanding, this score perfectly illustrates the Scottish Highlands, romance, intrigue, and the fight for freedom.
4. ''Heritage of the Wolf'' from Balto
Like any Millennial, my first exposure to James Horner was through his beautiful score for the animated film, Balto. In my opinion, Horner is the only one to compete with Alan Menken (composer for The Little Mermaid, Tangled, etc) for the all-time best animated score, and Horner did it without gimmicks.
5. ''Bad Dreams'' from Aliens
The Alien franchise has seen a resurgence in resent months, due to the popularity of the first person shooter video game that won Game of the Year and rumors of a 5th Alien movie. Still, the sequel was arguably the best, and definitely had the best score of the quadrilogy. Horner set the stage for this alien thriller, and had us all squirming in our seats, terrified, before we even saw an alien. That takes talent.
James Horner always said that he chose his projects carefully throughout his career, and it shows. His impressive library of film scores highlights his successes as a composer and will continue to inspire and thrill listeners and film score enthusiasts for years to come. Rest in peace, James Horner. We will not forget you.
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