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John Barry Prendergast OBE (3 November 1933 – 30 January 2011) [ 1][ 2] was an English composer and conductor of film music. Born in York, Barry spent his early years working in cinemas owned by his father. During his national service with the British Army in Cyprus, Barry began performing as a musician after learning to play the trumpet.
Aug 6, 2024 · John Barry British composer who provided the musical scores for more than 100 motion pictures and television programs, notably 11 movies featuring Ian Fleming’s iconic spy James Bond—From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), On Her Majesty’s
- Zulu (1964) Barry used the bold rhythms of real Zulu war chants to bring a majestic, forbidding quality to his sparing score for this suspenseful true story of courage on both sides of the Battle of Rorke’s Drift.
- Goldfinger (1964) Reputedly Barry’s favourite of his own soundtracks, his second full 007 score gleams with brassy panache and features some of his most striking background music, like the vivacious ‘Into Miami’, as well as the Shirley Bassey hit that remains for many the archetypal Bond theme song.
- The Ipcress File (1965) For espionage more gloomy than glamorous, Barry concocted a modern, sardonic sound inspired by the famous Anton Karas score for The Third Man (1949), which was ideal for the bleak world of Len Deighton’s spy Harry Palmer.
- Born Free (1966) Winner of two Oscars (for original score and song), this is a prime example of Barry’s ability to capture the grandeur of spectacular locations (here, the African veldt) alongside the playful intimacy of the story’s domestication of some orphaned lion cubs.
John Barry. Composer: Out of Africa. John Barry was born in York, England in 1933, and was the youngest of three children. His father, Jack, owned several local cinemas and by the age of fourteen, Barry was capable of running the projection box on his own - in particular, The Rialto in York.
- January 1, 1
- York, North Yorkshire, England, UK
- January 1, 1
- Oyster Bay, New York, USA
- A Yorkshire lad. John Barry was one of the all-time great masters of movie music. His career spanned some 50 years - from Midnight Cowboy and Born Free to Dances with Wolves and Out of Africa - taking in 11 James Bond films along the way.
- A trumpeter in the army. The movies and music were in John Barry's blood. He spent his early years working in cinemas in the north of England, owned by his father.
- The John Barry Seven. After leaving the army, Barry took a jazz composing course and went on to work as an arranger for the Jack Parnell and Ted Heath Orchestras.
- Meeting Adam Faith. Barry was employed by EMI from 1959 - 1962 arranging for its singers including Adam Faith. He also composed songs and scores for movies starring Faith.
Jul 20, 2023 · Explore the life and work of John Barry, the legendary composer of James Bond, Out of Africa, Midnight Cowboy and more. Find books, CDs, merchandise and news about his music and legacy.
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Welcome to the official YouTube channel of John Barry, the legendary English composer and conductor renowned for his iconic contributions to film music. Dive...