Maurice Jarre Quotes

Powerful Maurice Jarre for Daily Growth

About Maurice Jarre

Maurice Jarre (1924-2009) was a French film composer renowned for his evocative and memorable scores. Born in Lyon, France, he developed an early love for music, inspired by his father, who played the violin in a local orchestra. By the age of 15, Jarre had already composed his first symphony. After studying at the Paris Conservatoire, Jarre began his professional career as a composer and conductor for various French radio programs. His big break came in 1958 when he was asked to compose the music for David Lean's epic film "The Bridge on the River Kwai." This score won him an Academy Award and catapulted him into international stardom. Throughout his career, Jarre collaborated with many prominent directors, including Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Dr. Zhivago (1965), A Passage to India (1984), and Ghost and The Last Temptation of Christ (both 1989). His scores often incorporated traditional musical elements from the locations where the films were set, blending them seamlessly with modern orchestral arrangements. Jarre's music is characterized by its emotional depth, sweeping melodies, and rich orchestration. Some of his most famous works include the theme for Lawrence of Arabia, the love themes from A Passage to India and Ghost, and the haunting instrumental piece "Adagio for Strings." Despite his success, Jarre was often criticized for his use of synthesizers in film scoring, which was still relatively new at the time. However, he embraced this technology and used it to create innovative and groundbreaking soundscapes that continue to influence contemporary film composers today. Maurice Jarre's legacy lives on through his extensive body of work, which has left an indelible mark on the world of film music. His scores evoke powerful emotions, transporting audiences to far-off lands and immersing them in the stories unfolding on screen.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife."

Maurice Jarre's quote emphasizes that music serves as a universal means of expressing the intangible essence of our lives. It transcends conventional languages to communicate deeply emotional experiences, providing comfort and harmony in an otherwise turbulent world. The power of music lies in its ability to resonate with our inner selves, fostering peace amidst chaos and helping us find solace during times of strife.

"The cinema is a poetic medium, and music heightens that poetry."

This quote by Maurice Jarre underscores the symbiotic relationship between film and music. In essence, he suggests that cinema, as an art form, has a poetic quality, capable of evoking emotions and telling stories. He further emphasizes that music enhances this poetic aspect, adding depth and intensity to the narrative. Just as poetry can be enriched by the choice of words, cinema is enriched by the right music, creating a harmonious blend that amplifies the emotional impact of the visuals.

"Every note should count, every silence sing."

The quote by Maurice Jarre emphasizes the importance of intentionality in music creation. Every note played has significance, contributing to the overall composition. Similarly, the spaces between notes (silences) are just as important; they create rhythm, add emphasis, and give shape to the melody. In essence, he's suggesting that every element – the notes and the silences – should be carefully considered to create a harmonious and impactful piece of music.

"I always try to find the heartbeat of the film, the emotion, the soul, the spirit, and make it resonate in the music."

Maurice Jarre's quote emphasizes his approach to composing film scores, aiming to capture the essence and emotions portrayed on screen. The "heartbeat" symbolizes the core feelings or themes of a movie, which he seeks to express musically. By resonating with the audience emotionally, his music mirrors and amplifies the spirit and soul of the film itself. This profound connection between visual storytelling and auditory expression is what makes a great film score.

"Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything."

This quote by Maurice Jarre suggests that music holds immense power in enriching our lives and the world around us. It imbues the universe with a sense of purpose (soul), stimulates intellectual growth (wings to the mind), fuels creativity and inspiration (flight to the imagination), and adds beauty, joy, and positivity (charm and gaiety) to life and everything in it. Essentially, music is a force that transcends mundane existence, elevating our experiences and enhancing our humanity.

Nowadays, if a studio assumes that his film is bad, there is always an executive that gets more nervous than usual and thinks that if they change the music, the film will become a masterpiece.

- Maurice Jarre

Bad, Always, Studio, Assumes

In that long sequence, when Lawrence enters in the desert to rescue a lost man, Lean listened the music I wrote and wanted to extend the scene to let my work stay completely.

- Maurice Jarre

Work, Long, Wrote, Rescue

With Hitchcock I had little relationship. I was called to replace Bernard Herrmann, his favorite composer, in Torn Curtain, after the bitter fight between them.

- Maurice Jarre

Torn, Composer, Bernard, Curtain

I began to write a kind of waltz and in a little more than an hour I had the theme written.

- Maurice Jarre

Kind, Hour, Began, Waltz

But, yes, now I wouldn't do some of those soundtracks the way I did them.

- Maurice Jarre

Now, Some, Yes, Soundtracks

The idea in The Man that Would Be King was that the music should recreate all that majestic surrounding and emphasize the adventure, but also speak about the frustration or, rather said, the curse of both protagonists, even before happened what happens them.

- Maurice Jarre

Idea, Rather, Before, Recreate

Some months ago, while I was preparing a new work, I told a young cinema executive my intention of including in a soundtrack two themes from Bach. But when he asked me which has been the last hit from that Bach?, then I knew that I had no longer place in cinema.

- Maurice Jarre

Young, Some, Been, Preparing

For Ryan's Daughter I used a total of eight harps, something that was, at least, weird.

- Maurice Jarre

Weird, Ryan, Total, Harp

A Passage to India. It is my favourite movie.

- Maurice Jarre

India, Movie, Passage, Favourite

Soon I worked during twelve years in theater works of the prestigious Theatre National Populaire. It was the best time of my life, the most difficult, the most interesting, the most exciting.

- Maurice Jarre

My Life, Prestigious, Works, Twelve

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