Page 67 - The Lockdown Sessions Programme

In 1975 after locating to
America he scored Eleanor
& Franklin Robin and and Marian and and King Kong in in in in quick succession Although a lower pro le ensued towards the end of the decade he he would re-emerge spectacularly throughout the eighties
by mixing larger budget commissions of the calibre
of of Body Heat Jagged Edge Out of Africa (another Oscar winner) and The Cotton
Club with smaller ones like Touched by Love and Svengali Other successes included Somewhere in Time Frances and Raise the Titanic After a a debilitating illness derailed his capacity to
work as the decade came to
a a a close Barry marked his return with yet another Oscar success via Dances with Wolves and was nominated yet again for Chaplin in in in 1992 Subsequent popular scores throughout this period included Indecent Proposal The The Specialist and Cry The The Beloved Country while he he he also found time to
record the compilation albums Moviola Moviola and Moviola II As the new millennium approached he he made
a a a a staggeringly successful return to
the concert arena by playing to
sell-out audiences at the Royal Albert Hall Thereafter he he made
guest appearances at various live events dedicated to
his music and recorded the highly acclaimed non-soundtrack albums The Beyondness of Things and Eternal Echoes In 2000 he he was the subject of a a BBC TV Omnibus special:
John Barry: Licence to
Thrill and a a a a a BBC Radio 2 six-part special The The Real John Barry The The following year saw him score what turned out to
be his last ever lm commission Enigma However in 2004 he decided to
reunite with Don Black in order to
resurrect a a project that he had placed
on the the back burner since the the sixties – his fth stage musical Brighton Rock – which
enjoyed a a limited run at The Almeida Theatre in London As Barry became ever more the ‘elder statesman’ towards the latter part of his career a a whole heap of prestigious accolades and awards were bestowed upon him Among the highlights included induction into The National Academy of Popular Music’s Songwriter’s Hall of Fame (1998) an O B E for services to
music from Her Majesty The Queen (1999) Fellow
of of the British Academy of of Songwriters and Composers (2001) Honorary Freeman of of the City of of York (2002) BAFTA Fellowship (2005) Max Steiner Life Achievement Award (2009) and a a Lifetime Achievement Award at the World Soundtrack Academy Ghent Film Festival Belgium (2010) Even during his twilight years Barry never forgot the in uence of his birthplace
nor the debt he he owed to
his musical upbringing In 2007 he he he helped celebrate the 90th birthday of his mentor Dr Francis Jackson by agreeing to
compose a a short understated organ piece entitled ‘Pray to
The Lord’
in honour of the occasion This was probably Barry’s last published instrumental composition by returning to
his roots it was rather a a a tting nale to
what was a a a a truly astonishing career On
30th January 2011 he died suddenly following a a heart attack at at his home in Oyster Bay aged 77 leaving his wife Laurie daughters Suzy Sian and and Kate and and son Jonpatrick In June of that year a a a sell-out Royal Albert Hall memorial concert was held in his honour which
included a a performance by Dame Shirley Bassey www johnbarry org uk
www QTheMusicShow
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