Ennio Morricone, the Oscar-winning Italian composer who gave life to over 500 titles for film and television, passed away on Monday at the age of 91. In the wake of his passing, close friends and colleagues all offered their thoughts and condolences.
Hans Zimmer led the charge this morning during an appearance on BBC Breakfast. “Ennio was an icon and icons just don’t go away, icons are forever,” he said of the late composer. “The first movie I ever saw was Once Upon A Time In The West. I heard the music and saw those images and I said, ‘That’s what I want to do’.”
Director John Carpenter, who worked with Morricone on 1982’s The Thing, tweeted: “A friend and collaborator, his talent was inestimable. I will miss him.”
Similarly, director Edgar Wright offered his condolences on Twitter, writing: “Where to even begin with iconic composer Ennio Morricone? He could make an average movie into a must see, a good movie into art, and a great movie into legend. He hasn’t been off my stereo my entire life. What a legacy of work he leaves behind.”
Not surprisingly, Morricone’s passing has had quite an impact on the music industry. Metallica, New Order’s Bernard Sumner, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, Massive Attack, Chance the Rapper, and several other artists have all shared tributes this morning.
Below, you can read them all and see the influence Morricone had over the world.
“Ennio was an icon and icons just don’t go away"
On #BBCBreakfast composer @HansZimmer reflects on the death of the film and TV music composer Ennio Morricone.https://t.co/poOdCpb3a2 pic.twitter.com/Azliaelk0NAdvertisement— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) July 6, 2020
Brilliant composer Ennio Morricone has passed away. A friend and collaborator, his talent was inestimable. I will miss him.
— John Carpenter (@TheHorrorMaster) July 6, 2020
Where to even begin with iconic composer Ennio Morricone? He could make an average movie into a must see, a good movie into art, and a great movie into legend. He hasn't been off my stereo my entire life. What a legacy of work he leaves behind. RIP. https://t.co/qZX6qE10ke
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) July 6, 2020
What's so incredible about The Good, The Bad & The Ugly score is that 'Ecstasy Of Gold' is the penultimate track. Ennio drops one of the most amazing cues of all time and then immediately follows another all timer. https://t.co/00VCCYwfD2 https://t.co/1nNK7wrkRX
Advertisement— edgarwright (@edgarwright) July 6, 2020
"I saw with great sadness that one of my musical heroes, Ennio Morricone has passed away today. His music introduced me to albums and the first album I ever bought was one of his. He made beautiful emotional music and was the master of melody."
– Bernard Sumner pic.twitter.com/yBBK5GYDLe
— New Order (@neworder) July 6, 2020
R.I.P. Ennio Morricone
Your career was legendary, your compositions were timeless. Thank you for setting the mood for so many of our shows since 1983. pic.twitter.com/ac1QZ9QLPs— Metallica (@Metallica) July 6, 2020
few have as much impact on the entire world of music than Ennio Morricone …
this is my personal favorite from a (for some reason) lesser known film about a piano player who lives on a ship for his whole life.https://t.co/poWzeANLGI
RIP
film – The Legend of 1900 feat Tim RothAdvertisement— blobtower (@blobtower) July 6, 2020
RIP
Ennio Morricone
The Greatest ever film composer. pic.twitter.com/6IxCYuJWlH— Geoff Barrow (@jetfury) July 6, 2020
RIP Ennio Morricone 🥺💙 https://t.co/DBBhIMAWqj
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) July 6, 2020
Addio Ennio – geniale compositore. https://t.co/mbDgF3XdXa
— Massive Attack (@MassiveAttackUK) July 6, 2020
RIP And now Ennio Morricone. One of the greatest composers of all time. You can hear our tributes to him in Africa Dawn on the Lilyhammer Score, and the new arrangement of Standing In The Line of Fire on Soulfire & Soulfire Live. Like Nick, another tragic loss to our culture.
— Stevie Van Zandt (@StevieVanZandt) July 6, 2020
Ennio Morricone has passed at 91. Can’t say how much he meant to so many of us 🙏🏽
— Steven Drozd (@stevendrozd) July 6, 2020
https://twitter.com/therealelp/status/1280122894740324352
Ennio Morricone a unique sound magnificent melodies,a major influence & constant source of inspiration: Love and respect.
Ennio Morricone un son unique, des mélodies magnifiques, une influence majeure et une source d’inspiration constante: avec amour et respect.#EnnioMoricone pic.twitter.com/H9oiCXk0qaAdvertisement— Jean-Michel Jarre (@jeanmicheljarre) July 6, 2020
With great sadness, we say goodbye to a big master of cinema. His music will keep playing in our memories. Rest in peace #EnnioMorricone. pic.twitter.com/KWwJbfHzRx
— Antonio Banderas (@antoniobanderas) July 6, 2020
Movie lovers everywhere. If you have a projector, throw open your windows tonight and project this onto a wall, a cliff, a sheet, a billboard, to celebrate how #Enniomorricone made movies soar: https://t.co/e3QBrqhwzA
— mark cousins (@markcousinsfilm) July 6, 2020
Over the next few days, a lot of good people are going to tell you how great Ennio Morricone was and how much he meant to film music.
AdvertisementBut I would like to invite you to just listen to this for yourself.https://t.co/J4jF1p1H11
— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) July 6, 2020
Goodbye Ennio Morricone, one of the best film composers of all time. pic.twitter.com/vo49eoKIaB
— N O S ⋊ Ɔ I ᴚ ᴚ Ǝ ᗡ ⊥ ⊥ O Ɔ S (@scottderrickson) July 6, 2020
