Following the tragic death of Oscar-winning composer, James Horner in a plane crash yesterday, we felt it right to honour the genius of a man whose masterpieces have graced some of the very best films of our generation. Here’s a handful of some of his finest scores that you can’t afford not to listen to.
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Titanic
One of Horner’s finest – and certainly most famous – musical symphonies. This work, on what was then the highest grossing film of all time, would reward him with two Oscars gongs in 1997.
Avatar
And then, 12 years later, came what remains the highest grossing film of all time. With Titanic’s own James Cameron taking the directorial seat once again, giving musical duties once more to Horner. This is one of the signature tracks on Avatar’s fantastic score, awarding Horner with his most recent – and what would sadly be his last – Oscar nomination.
The Land Before Time
One of the first major film involvements of his career, Horner’s musical accompaniment to this 1988 animated classic is still considered one of his finest pieces.
Braveheart
Though he was uncredited at the time, it was arguably this Mel Gibson starred triumph that put James Horner on Hollywood’s musical map, paving the way for an involvement in major blockbusters that would continue throughout the next two decades.
Apollo 13
Brass band and star spangled it may be, but Horner’s evocative score supporting Apollo 13′s maligned space mission is a thing of beauty.