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==Film scoring==
==Film scoring==


In 1961 Jarre musical life experienced a major turn when the movie producer Sam Spiegel asked him to write the score of [["Lawrence of Arabia"]].<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003574/bio]</ref> He was able to win an [[Academy Award]] for each of his first three movies.
In 1961 Jarre musical life experienced a major turn when the movie producer Sam Spiegel asked him to write the score of [["Lawrence of Arabia"]].<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003574/bio]</ref> He made a life achievement by winning an [[Academy Award]] for each of his first three movies.


Jarre continued making movie scores that earned his several awards and recognition. He scored by [[Luchino Visconti]]'s ''[[The Damned (film)|The Damned]]'' (1969), [[John Huston]]'s''[[The Man Who Would Be King (film)|The Man Who Would Be King]]'' (1975.
Jarre continued making movie scores that earned his several awards and recognition. He scored by [[Luchino Visconti]]'s ''[[The Damned (film)|The Damned]]'' (1969), [[John Huston]]'s''[[The Man Who Would Be King (film)|The Man Who Would Be King]]'' (1975.


He was again nominated for an [[Academy award]] for scoring [[Mohammad, Messenger of God]] 1976 by Mustafa Al Akkad. He followed with ''[[Top Secret!]]'' (1984), ''[[Dead Poets Society]]'' (1989) on which he won a [[British Academy Award]] and ''[[Jacob's Ladder (movie)|Jacob's Ladder]]'' (1990).
He was again nominated for an [[Academy award]] for scoring [[Mohammad, Messenger of God]] 1976 by the director and producer [[Mustafa Al Akkad]]. He followed with ''[[Top Secret!]]'' (1984), ''[[Dead Poets Society]]'' (1989) on which he won a [[British Academy Award]] and ''[[Jacob's Ladder (movie)|Jacob's Ladder]]'' (1990).


His television work includes the score for the miniseries ''[[Jesus of Nazareth (film)|Jesus of Nazareth]]'' (1977), directed by [[Franco Zeffirelli]] . Jarre's television work also includes ''[[Shogun (TV miniseries)|Shogun]]'' (1980), and the theme for [[PBS]]'s ''[[Great Performances]]''. Now officially retired, Jarre scored his last film in [[2001]], a TV movie about the [[Holocaust]] entitled ''[[Uprising (film)|Uprising]]''.
His television work includes the score for the miniseries ''[[Jesus of Nazareth (film)|Jesus of Nazareth]]'' (1977), directed by [[Franco Zeffirelli]] . Jarre's television work also includes ''[[Shogun (TV miniseries)|Shogun]]'' (1980), and the theme for [[PBS]]'s ''[[Great Performances]]''. Now officially retired, Jarre scored his last film in [[2001]], a TV movie about the [[Holocaust]] entitled ''[[Uprising (film)|Uprising]]''.

Revision as of 09:05, 26 May 2007

Maurice Jarre

Maurice Jarre (born in Lyon, France, September 13, 1924) is a French composer of film scores noted for the scores of many motion pictures, in particular those of David Lean -- Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor Zhivago (1965), and A Passage to India (1984). All three of these scores won Academy Awards.

Early life

Jarre Started studying music at a late age, unlike many of his fellow famous musicians. He first enrolled at an engineering school at the Sorbonne. However, he decided to pursue his education in music instead. He left the Sorbonne, against his father's will, and enrolled at Conservatoire de Paris study composition, harmony and chose percussion as his major instrument. He became the Théâtre National Populaire director, and recorded his first movie score in France in 1951. [1]

Film scoring

In 1961 Jarre musical life experienced a major turn when the movie producer Sam Spiegel asked him to write the score of "Lawrence of Arabia".[2] He made a life achievement by winning an Academy Award for each of his first three movies.

Jarre continued making movie scores that earned his several awards and recognition. He scored by Luchino Visconti's The Damned (1969), John Huston'sThe Man Who Would Be King (1975.

He was again nominated for an Academy award for scoring Mohammad, Messenger of God 1976 by the director and producer Mustafa Al Akkad. He followed with Top Secret! (1984), Dead Poets Society (1989) on which he won a British Academy Award and Jacob's Ladder (1990).

His television work includes the score for the miniseries Jesus of Nazareth (1977), directed by Franco Zeffirelli . Jarre's television work also includes Shogun (1980), and the theme for PBS's Great Performances. Now officially retired, Jarre scored his last film in 2001, a TV movie about the Holocaust entitled Uprising.

Music Style

Jarre wrote mainly for orchestras, but began to favor to synthesized music in the 1980s, mostly for practical rather than aesthetic motivations, many critics feel.[citation needed] Jarre denies this and has pointed-out that his electronic score for Witness was actually more laborious, time-consuming and expensive to produce than an orchestral score. Jarre's electronic scores from the 80s also include Fatal Attraction, The Year of Living Dangerously and No Way Out. A number of his scores from that era also feature electronic/acoustic blends, such as Gorillas in the Mist, Dead Poets Society and Jacob's Ladder.

His most famous work includes the broad, exotic theme for Lawrence of Arabia and the Russian-flavoured "Lara's Theme" from Doctor Zhivago. His other works include the music for Witness, his passionate love theme from Fatal Attraction, and the moody electronic soundscapes of After Dark My Sweet. His score for David Lean's Ryan's Daughter (1970), although set in Ireland, completely eschews Irish music styles, owing to Lean's preferences. In the 80s, Jarre turned his hand to science fiction, with scores for Enemy Mine (1985) and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985). The latter is written for full orchestra, augmented by a chorus, four grand pianos, a pipe organ, digeridoo, fujara, a battery of exotic percussion and three ondes Martenot (which feature in several of Jarre's scores, including Lawrence of Arabia, Jesus of Nazareth and The Bride). In 1990 Jarre scored the supernatural love story / thriller Ghost. His music for the final scene of the film is based on "Unchained Melody" composed by fellow film composer Alex North.

Private Life

Maurice is the father of Jean Michel Jarre. His youngest son Kevin is a screenwriter, with credits on such movies as Tombstone and Glory.

Triva

He has a star in Hollywood since 2001. [3]


Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

He has been nominated for nine Academy Awards, and has won three:

Grammy Award

Jarre won the 1967 Grammy Award for Album of Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special for Doctor Zhivago.

Other awards

External links