Dun dun da da! Dun dun da da! Dun dun da da! Dun dun da da …Doo de doooo… doo de doooo.. doo de doooo Da Da!!
Got it? The theme from Mission Impossible, just one of the hugely successful and iconic pieces of music composed by Lalo Schifrin. Now 86, Schifrin will be presented with an honorary Oscar on November 18th.
Watch: Mission Impossible, performed by Lalo Schifrin, and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra.
The Argentine composer best known for his Mission: Impossible theme has written scores for more than 100 films, including Bullitt, Cool Hand Luke, The Cincinnati Kid and Dirty Harry.
Listen: Main Theme from Bullitt, by Lalo Schifrin
He made just one visit to Ireland, in 2012 on the occasion of his 80th Birthday when he conducted a very memorable concert of his film music with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. I was there, and it was one of those unforgettable concerts, one that everyone who attended it, will never forget.
Listening back to the concert the other day, I was reminded of how moved Lalo Schifrin was to be in Dublin. He acted as presenter, composer, pianist and conductor on the night and his opening introduction was filled with emotion. Add to that an audience who conveyed that admiration right back at him with heartfelt cheers as they welcomed the opening notes of yet another Schifrin favourite. The RTÉ Concert orchestra was on top form and worthy of all the complements paid to them by the composer on the night.
Listen: Main Theme from Enter The Dragon, by Lalo Schifrin
This Saturday, on Movies and Musicals on RTÉ lyric fm, I will include a selection of excerpts from this concert recorded in The National Concert Hall as well as my pre- concert chat with Lalo Schifrin.
Schifrin has been nominated for six Academy Awards, for Cool Hand Luke (1967), The Fox (1967), The Amityville Horror (1979), Voyage of the Damned (1976), The Competition (1980), and The Sting II (1983) and nominated for three Golden Globes. He has won five Grammy Awards out of twenty-two nominations, and is a worthy recipient of an honorary Oscar this weekend. Congratulations Lalo!
Movies and Musicals with Aedín Gormley, this Saturday on RTÉ Lyric fm 1-4pm, featuring Lalo Schifrin conducting the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in the NCH in 2012 - listen back after the broadcast here.
