Tragic news this morning, as we learned that composer James Horner has passed away in a plane crash at age 61. Read an official announcement about it here. Horner composed the iconic "ST II: Wrath of Khan" score, and so many other memorable soundtracks, and his genius will be missed.
My friend and past collaborator Jon Lawhon, who is an even greater soundtrack buff than I am by far (and more eloquent) has written a tribute to Mr. Horner, which I am featuring below as a guest post.
An immense talent of a man has been silenced.
I can recall emotionally stirring moments from Apollo 13, Braveheart, Field Of Dreams, Star Trek 2 and 3, Glory and Titanic, all of which were certainly due to the performances of the actors and the directors' skills; but a significant factor in the creation of that emotion was the music accompanying the scenes.
The man responsible for those wonderful scores has been tragically taken in a plane crash. James Horner has been in my top tier of favorite film composers for many years. In addition to the aforementioned films, he scored Avatar, A Beautiful Mind, An American Tail, Jumanji, Batteries Not Included, and many others.
The news made for a mournful afternoon for me. Much of his music has become a part of my DNA, and I feel a loss inside. But thanks to the practically everlasting recording mediums available to us, his heart will go on. I have posted one of his most amazing and beautiful pieces.
I will miss you, James.
To quote the title of a track from his "Deep Impact" score; "Goodbye And Godspeed."
