Film composers at 85+ still around?
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Which film composers are still around, age 85 and above? And which of them are still active? He or she MUST have turned 85 to qualify, no young whippersnappers below that age!
Born 1941:
Gheorghe Zamfir — still active
John Williams (the guitarist) — retired
Bob Dylan — still active
Jürgen Knieper — retired?
Eleni Karaindrou — still activeBorn 1940:
Giorgio Moroder — still active
Herbie Hancock — still active?
Vladimir Cosma — still active
Paul Williams — retired?
Frank Duval — retired?
Charles Fox — retired?
Franco Godi — still active?
Nando de Luca — retired?Born 1939:
Wendy Carlos — retired
Franco Micalizzi — still active?
Giancarlo Chiaramello — retired
Gian Paolo Chiti — retired
Francesco Santucci — retired
Tony Hatch — retired
Gian Piero Reverberi — retiredBorn 1938:
Howard Blake — retired?
Charles Calello — retired?
Paul Chihara — still active
John Corigliano — still active?
Eric Demarsan — still active
Sven Libaek — retired?
Denny Zeitlin — still active
Jonathan Tunick — retired
Bruce Smeaton — retiredBorn 1937:
Michael Gibbs — retired?
Philip Glass — still active
Anthony Hopkins — still active
David Shire — retired?Born 1936:
Steve Reich — still active
Born 1935:
Bruno Zambrini — retired
Carlo Martelli — retired?
Dick DeBenedictis — retired
Terry Riley — still active
Arvo Pärt — still activeBorn 1934:
Charles Gross — retired?
Dave Grusin — still active?
Barry de Vorzon — retired?
Paul Glass — retired?
Patrick Gleeson — retired?
Jan Klusàk — retired?
Christian Bruhn — still active?Born 1933:
Tôn-Thát Tiét — retired?
Jerzy Woy-Wojciechowski — retiredBorn 1932:
John Williams — still active
Sigurd Jansen — retiredBorn 1931:
Dizzy Reece — retired
Herb Pilhofer — retired
Bobby Lamb — retiredBorn 1930:
John Scott — still active?
Clint Eastwood — still active
David Amram — still active
François Rabbath — retiredBorn 1929:
Stu Phillips — retired?
Toshiko Akiyoshi — retiredBorn 1928:
George Dreyfus — retired?
Samuel Adler — retired
Thea Musgrave — retiredBorn 1927:
Gerhard Heinz — retired?
Dick Hyman — still active
John Kander — still active?Born 1926:
Laurence Rosenthal — still active
Aleksandr Zatsepin — retired
Philip Springer — retired
David Lee — retiredBorn 1925:
??
Born 1924:
Terry Gibbs — retired
Born 1923:
Johnny Pate — retired
Born 1922:
Ray Anthony — not a composer, but played on many soundtracks.
I’ve added 1941 as a year now that we’re in 2026 and added a couple of names (yes, I know John Williams the guitarist and Bob Dylan aren’t film composers as such, but they’ve done at least one each). I’ve also looked quickly through the list to see if anyone has died since the last time, but only found Michel Portal, who passed away 3 days ago, no less, and has been removed from the list. Feel free to tip me. It’s always a bit of a morbid enterprise, this, but ultimately useful.
Didn’t read in any mainstream media about Michel Portal’s passing. But arte has just put up again a jazz concert from 2021 if anyone is interested:
That’s probably because he’s relatively niche outside France. But certainly a legendary jazz figure that has died. 90 is very good innings. Thanks for the concert clip!
He’s actually quite known as a jazz figure over here I think. But maybe I just missed the news in the endless stream of news…
What do you guys think? Should I have Paul Simon and Bob Dylan on there, for 1941? They’ve scored a film, but are hardly film composers?
Technically anyone who writes any film music is also a film composer even if no a primary film composer. Bob Dylan did at least score a classic western and won an oscar for a film song so would surely qualify. What did Paul Simon do outside of the Siman & Garfunkel songs for THE GRADUATE?
Well, there’s ONE-TRICK PONY (1980) and SHAMPOO (1975), although I’m not sure about the extent of original film score writing. Probably none.
Thanks for the suggestion of Herb Pilhofer, Jon.
What do you guys think? Should I have Paul Simon and Bob Dylan on there, for 1941? They’ve scored a film, but are hardly film composers?
Neil Young did that guitar mumbling on Jim Jarmusch’s Dead Man. Does this put him in a row with Jerry Goldsmith? I don’t think so.
Neil Young did that guitar mumbling on Jim Jarmusch’s Dead Man. Does this put him in a row with Jerry Goldsmith? I don’t think so.
Did anyone say that?
Did anyone say that?
As the question popped up if Bob Dylan belongs to that list of old film composers, yes, in a way.
Yeah, some of these are tricky and borderline. There are other names on the list that at least warrant discussion as well:
Gheorghe Zamfir – mostly famous as a pan flute player on many soundtracks, he’s actually written a few scores as well.
John Williams (the guitarist) — has played on soundtracks, including – most famously – “Cavatina”, and written the score for EMMA.
Paul Williams – mostly a songwriter, has contributed on many film songs, and presumably written a score or two.
Anthony Hopkins and Clint Eastwood — more famous as actors, but have written several scores
Arvo Pärt, Terry Riley, Steve Reich — mostly minimalist concert music, but presumably also a few, lesser known scores
Thea Musgrave — mostly opera and classical music. Some film music?
Terry Gibbs — mostly a studio musician, did he write any scores?
Ray Anthony — a studio musician. He didn’t write any scores. But included him at the end nonetheless, since he played on so many soundtracks. And he’s so ancient at 104
Elisabeth Waldo — mostly known as an ethno musician, but she DID write a couple of scores. At a whopping 107, she’s also the oldest “celebrity” in the world, I think.
I’m open to discussing pros and cons of having all of these on there.
What is certain is that Johnny Pate, at 102, remains the oldest film composer in the world. Yes, he did many other things as well, but with 9 original scores on his resume, there’s no doubt about his qualification.
But I think, it is an interesting question. From when can you call a musician a film composer? Thom Yorke was created two film scores, but does mostly other stuff. Does this make him a film composer?
If film music is just a side activity, when are you a film composer? What are the preconditions to be called a composer in general? That you write down notes? And if you don’t? Is Joe Jackson a film composer? With two published and one rejected score? I don’t know.
Probably yes.Technically, you are a film composer the moment you write original music for a film, I suppose. But one should draw a distinction between working on a single project and a wider profession as such. But where does the line go between sporadic and profession? You and I both started threads on composers who’ve done just one or a handful of scores, Gerate, and I’m none the wiser.
I suppose it will be an entirely subjective interpretation. I could put out a random number, like 5 media projects, in order to qualify, but that would still exclude a great many composers who have written great music for a handful of films. It’s very tricky.
Is Philip Glass still film composer as he did lots of them but even more classical works? Philip Sainton with his only(?) MOBY DICK score would not be a film composer and probably would have not liked tot be called like that.
You could even start to argue if a “songwriter” is actually a “composer” if you start to compare the complexity of a usual song with elaborated classical works.
Usually a “something” composer is used for whose primary focus is on that specific area. Most of today’s composers work in various fields with more or less priority in a field which even may change over time. Didn’t even Goldsmith prefer the term “composer” only although he primarily worked in that field?
I would say any one who work in movies is “also” a film composers. But it must be an actual score and not just a song here and there.
Philip Glass definitely qualifies. What’s he done, like 50-60 scores? Either way more than several composers who have only contributed to films.
I double-checked the list, just in case, and appears I have to remove two names. Bob Alcivar died in September of last year, age 87. And I don’t know why Guy Warren was on there. There’s a Ghanese musician by that name, but he died in 2008. Don’t know if another Guy Warren was on there initially, but there you go.
Philip Glass definitely qualifies.
Of course he does. I was just illstrating how problematic the term “film composer” is in my view.
Never heard of Guy Warren before and somehow had to look up Bob Alcivar, too…
I think it was Dr. Jacoby who mentioned Elisabeth Waldo when I ran this thread on FSM. That was years ago, and she’s still with us at 107, as previously mentioned.
Anyways, while I don’t believe her two scores are released on album, I’m listening to her work now for the very first time, i.e. the 1959 album MARACATÚ and the album SACRED RITES from 2006, which I believe combines two of her 50s albums in one. I’m not a big fan of the “sound effects”, and while these may generally qualify as exotica, some of it is just straight-up folk music as the ethnomusical researcher that she is. Only sporadically merging with jazz and other styles to become PROPER exotica. Intriguing stuff, but I will not be running out to buy these, I think.
(by the way, when time allows, we should speak a little bit about EACH of the composers on this list, especially the less famous ones).
Let’s chat about these oldtimers already!
First the 1941 people:
Gheorghe Zamfir — still active
Most of us are familiar with his pan pipe playing on soundtracks, like most famously ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA and PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, and he’s an icon of the instrument. For better or worse, there would be no PAN PIPE MOODS CDs without him. But he DID write some original music for films as well. For example LA GUERRE DU PÉTROLE N’AURA PAS LIEU (1975) and BODAS DE SANGRE (1977). I’m not familiar with them, or any other of his original film work.
Paul Simon — still active
You know what, I’m going to remove him from the list after I’ve written this. It’s too farfetched to have him on a list of film composers; I’m not even sure of the original dramatic instrumental underscore contribution he’s made.
John Williams (the guitarist) — retired
Everyone knows “Cavatina” and its use in THE DEER HUNTER, but he’s played guitar on other soundtracks too, like A FISH CALLED WANDA. For original film music, there’s EMMA’S WAR (1987), but I think there are a couple more? He stays.
Bob Dylan — still active
Like Paul Simon, it’s kinda absurd to have him on the list just because of PAT GARRETT & BILLY THE KID (1973).
Jürgen Knieper — retired?
Now here’s a name I’ve known forever, but whose work I’ve never really checked out. I’m aware of CHRISTIANE F. – WIR KINDER VOM BAHNHOF ZOO (1981) and WINGS OF DESIRE (1987). Apparently he also scored Wenders’ fascinating documentary ROOM 666, but I can’t remember any original music in it, just talking heads like Antonioni, Spielberg, Godard and others.
Eleni Karaindrou — still active
A personal favourite of mine. I came to her relatively late in the game, probably the late 2000s, but I’ve loved her work ever since, especially the collaboration with Angelopoulos. THE BEE KEEPER remains my favourite of her work, as I mentioned in the “composer/director collaboration” thread.
You know what, I’m going to remove him from the list after I’ve written this. It’s too farfetched to have him on a list of film composers; I’m not even sure of the original dramatic instrumental underscore contribution he’s made.
At least the songs in THE GRADUATE are more integral than Grusin’s bit of original score.
Everyone knows “Cavatina” and its use in THE DEER HUNTER, but he’s played guitar on other soundtracks too, like A FISH CALLED WANDA. For original film music, there’s EMMA’S WAR (1987), but I think there are a couple more? He stays.
Of course and if only to confuse people accidentally stumble upon this thinking that is that other composers 😉 (Who is also annoyed that basically any online vendor lists both together all the time?)
Jürgen Knieper — retired?
As already mentioned a quite important film composer over here especially for his collaboration with Wim Wenders but also did more and alsa some TV. Will try to collect some stuff as there is not much available officially (anymore) I think.
Born 1940:
Giorgio Moroder — still active
What more is there to say? My 5th favourite composer, he has his own thread here.
Herbie Hancock — still active?
More infamous than famous in film music circles, due to his ROUND MIDNIGHT Oscar win, ahead of Morricone’s THE MISSION. But of course he’s a jazz great. Haven’t really heard many of his other film scores.
Vladimir Cosma — still active
Long-time favourite without ever having really dived DEEP into his rich work. “Consistently versatile” is a description that fits him well.
Paul Williams — retired?
Most famous as a singer, and his contribution to various film songs, but I believe he wrote some original scores too.
Frank Duval — retired?
I love his BITTE LASS DIE BLUMEN LEBEN, as well as his work on DERRICK (like the hit “Todesengel”). Need to check out more.
Charles Fox — retired?
Another versatile guy. His avantgarde score for BUG was just released, but my favourites are THE GODS MUST BE CRAZY II and OH GOD! BOOK 2.
Franco Godi — still active?
Not familiar with him at all.
Nando de Luca — retired?
Not familiar with him at all. I believe he’s most famous as a pianist.
Born 1939:
Wendy Carlos — retired
Legend! I’m glad she’s still around, but it’s easy to forget because she’s been off the radar for many, many years. But her legacy lives on in other people’s scores and music…just a few days ago, I heard Nathan Micay approximating her CLOCKWORK ORANGE sound in the TV series INDUSTRY.
Franco Micalizzi — still active?
Giancarlo Chiaramello — retired
Gian Paolo Chiti — retired
Francesco Santucci — retired
Tony Hatch — retired
Gian Piero Reverberi — retiredGotta be honest, I’m not really familiar with ANY of these. I hope some of our resident Italian experts (slint?) can fill us in here. Well, Tony Hatch is not Italian, but I’m not familiar with him either.
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