Neal AcreeI can't begin to put into words how devastated I am to hear about James Horner's passing. All I can do is share some of my own memories about the composer who has been such a huge influence on me and one of the main reasons I decided to be a composer myself.
I had the honor of meeting James Horner a few times over the years and even got to help deliver a writing table to his home in 1998. When I saw him again at the SCL Oscar reception in 2010 I was amazed that he not only remembered me but was as warm and gracious as he had always been to me. I had always heard conflicting stories about him be he was never anything but kind to me.
I first met him while doing cartage (setting up equipment) at the Titanic sessions in '97. As unglamorous os a job as that was at times, I got to meet almost all of my biggest composer idols and even watch them conduct some of my favorite scores. Of all of them, Horner's sessions were some of the most memorable. This was the era of Braveheart, Apollo 13, Titanic and the now gone Todd-AO scoring stage. It was a magical time for film music and for recording in Los Angeles and there are few things I am more grateful for in my life than having had the opportunity to have been there to see it in the small way I was. When I finally worked up the courage to say hello and tell him what a big fan I was, he was extremely gracious and from that point on, always gave me a smile when he saw me.
By this point I had already decided that I wanted to be a composer and being that he was my biggest influence at the time, I've often felt that he was one of the main reasons I did. I've always felt that his focus on writing emotional, melodic music is what made his scores among the best ever written and I've always strived to learn how to connect emotionally with the audience the way he did.
Horner often used art analogies to communicate about music (using musical colors to pain emotions). As an artist and a composer myself this always resonated with me and I often find myself communicating ideas in similar terms. I studied his scores and practiced conducting to them early on. Before I found my own voice as a composer, his was one of the ones that resonated the most through me early on.
One of the coolest things about working the Horner sessions was that his main keyboard player Ian Underwood eventually gave me a keyboard and volume pedal that had been used on Horner's sessions and even by Horner himself. I use them to this day and am even more humbled now by the legacy they touched in such a small way.
If I had to pick a favorite score of his, it would have to be Legends of the Fall, not only for it's sweeping and memorable themes, but for Horner's masterful work to picture. Such an emotional, gut wrenching score and a testament to his true genius. But there are so many more that moved and influenced me profoundly. His music was the soundtrack to my childhood and the gateway into the career that I am so grateful for.
All of the music and memories aside, my thoughts are with his family. The loss of any human being so young in their life is such a tragedy. Though he may have died doing what he loved best, his loss is much deeper and more profound that many even realize. Godspeed, Maestro. |
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