Bernard Herrmann Centennial

On June 29, we celebrate the Centennial of the birth of the late Bernard Herrmann, (arguably) my all-time favorite cinematic composer. Herrmann was the composer of reference of my entire youth, and the reason that I fell in love with classical music, opera and learned to have equal passion for, and better understand, the work of other cinematic music composers. While other great film composers are Herrmann's equals in my mind, by an inch I most personally relate to my love for Herrmann's scores.

Kundun

One of my top 10 favorite films of all time is Martin Scorsese's Kundun. It is Scorsese's brilliant telling of the story of the early life, and escape to freedom from Chinese oppression, of His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet.

For me, among the most important elements of the film is the inimitable, Oscar®-nominated score by the other of, IMHO, the greatest late 20th Century classical and cinematic music composers, Philip Glass. I feel the score to Kundun is Glass's finest film work--this even considering his majestic music for The Hours, Mishima and the "Qatsi" Trilogy.

I cry every time I hear the music from the final part of the film--represented in the YouTube clip below.