“I have not given you a great film, but you have given me a great score.” The words of Alfred Hitchcock, notoriously loath to give credit to his collaborators, congratulating Jarre for his work on Topaz (1969), after falling out with Bernard Hermann over the score for Torn Curtain (1969). The renowned French composer Maurice Jarre was known almost exclusively for his work on more than 170 film scores. Born on September 13, 1924, in Lyon, France, his early musical experiences were grounded in classical training. Against his father’s will, he enrolled at the Paris Conservatoire, where he studied composition and orchestration with Arthur Honegger.
After army service in WWII, he played percussion for a number of groups, becoming friends with Pierre Boulez and Georges Delerue, and was appointed musical director of the Théâtre National Populaire. Jarre’s breakthrough came with the collaboration with f ilm maker David Lean that truly catapulted him into international prominence.
Their partnership began with Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), a film that required a score both majestic and memorable to complement its epic narrative. Jarre’s composition for this film became a significant part of its success and established him as a leading film composer. Following this triumph, Jarre continued to work with Lean on a series of highly acclaimed films. His score for Lawrence of Arabia (1962) is perhaps his most famous work, embodying the grandeur and mystique of the Arabian desert with sweeping, evocative themes. The score’s use of exotic instruments and expansive orchestration mirrored the film’s epic scope and played a crucial role in conveying its dramatic narrative, although controversially, the orchestration was mainly the work of Gerard Schurmann, initially one of three composers hired to write the score.
For various reasons, Jarre ended up writing all the music himself, winning his first Academy Award. A second Oscar followed for Doctor Zhivago (1965), further solidifying his reputation, for a score that beautifully complemented the film’s romantic and dramatic elements, making use of the balalaika and Russian folksongs. In addition to his work with Lean, Jarre collaborated with other notable directors, such as Alan Resnais, Jacques Demy, Jean-Paul Rappeneau, and Alfred Hitchcock. Previously unknown in America, he moved to the USA where he worked with John Huston, John Frankenheimer, and Peter Weir, composing scores for a diverse array of films.
His score for A Passage to India (1984) continued his tradition of crafting music that enhanced the narrative and emotional depth of a film, winning him a third Academy Award. Jarre’s approach to film scoring often involved blending traditional orchestral elements with innovative sounds and techniques. He was known for his ability to adapt his musical style to the unique requirements of each film, whether it was creating the haunting melodies for The Night of the Generals (1967) or the vibrant, rhythmic music for The Man Who Would Be King (1975).
His versatility and willingness to experiment with different musical forms made him a highly sought-after composer in the film industry. Jarre also experimented in the 1980s with electronic sounds, the most successful result being the acclaimed synthesiser score to Witness (1985), for which he won a BAFTA.
Jarre’s influence extended beyond film music, as he also composed for stage productions and television, and wrote music for concerts, ballet and opera. He was well respected by his peers, including the film composer John Williams, who wrote on Jarre’s death in March 2009, “He is to be well remembered for his lasting contribution to film music … we all have been enriched by his legacy.”
Listen to the broadcast Film composer, presented by Brian Cornish on Friday 13 September at 3.00pm