Maurice Jarre

1.1. Childhood and education

Born in Lyon, France, on September 13, 1924, Maurice-Alexis Jarre was the son of Gabrielle Renée (née Boullu) and André Jarre, who worked as a radio technical director. Initially, he enrolled in engineering studies at the Sorbonne. However, against his father's wishes, he soon shifted his focus to music. He subsequently enrolled at the Conservatoire de Paris, where he dedicated himself to studying composition and harmony, choosing percussion as his primary instrument.

2.1. Early career in France

After completing his musical education, Jarre became the director of the Théâtre National Populaire in France. His initial foray into film scoring began in France in 1951, where he composed the score for Alain Resnais' film Toute la mémoire du monde.

2.2. Film scoring

Jarre's career in film scoring marked a significant shift in 1961, when his talent gained international recognition, leading to extensive collaborations with major directors and a distinctive evolution in his musical style.

2.3. Television work

Maurice Jarre also contributed significantly to television productions. His television scores include the theme for the short-lived 1967 Western series Cimarron Strip on CBS, the music for the critically acclaimed miniseries Jesus of Nazareth (1977), directed by Franco Zeffirelli, and the score for Shōgun (1980). He also composed the theme for PBS's Great Performances. His last project, in 2001, was the television mini-series Uprising, which depicted the Holocaust.

4.1. Marriages and children

Jarre was married four times, with his first three marriages ending in divorce. In the 1940s, he married Francette Pejot, a member of the French Resistance and a survivor of a concentration camp. Their marriage produced a son, Jean-Michel Jarre, who would later become a highly influential French composer, performer, and music producer, recognized as one of the pioneers of electronic music. When Jean-Michel was five years old, Maurice separated from Francette and relocated to the United States, leaving Jean-Michel to be raised by his mother in France.

In 1965, Jarre married French actress Dany Saval, with whom he had a daughter, Stephanie Jarre. His next marriage was to American actress Laura Devon, lasting from 1967 to 1984. During this marriage, he adopted her son, Kevin Jarre, who went on to become a screenwriter with credits including films such as Tombstone and Glory. From 1984 until his death, Maurice Jarre was married to Fong F. Khong.

6.1. Achievements and positive reception

Maurice Jarre's musical legacy is defined by his significant achievements and widespread positive reception. His scores for films like Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, and A Passage to India earned him three Academy Awards, solidifying his reputation as a master of epic film scores. He also received multiple BAFTA Awards and Golden Globes, further demonstrating the critical acclaim for his work. The American Film Institute recognized the enduring quality of his compositions by ranking his score for Lawrence of Arabia as #3 on their list of the greatest film scores. Fellow composers, such as John Williams, acknowledged his profound influence, stating that Jarre's contributions had enriched the entire film music community. He was widely regarded as one of the most sought-after composers in the film industry of the 20th century, praised for his ability to craft both subtle background music and grand, sweeping themes, employing both traditional orchestras and pioneering electronic sounds.

6.2. Criticism and controversies

Maurice Jarre's legacy is not without its controversies, most notably regarding the inheritance of his estate after his death. His final will stipulated that his entire estate and intellectual property rights would be bequeathed to his widow, Fong F. Khong, effectively disinheriting his three children. Since Jarre had been a resident of the United States for decades, his will was subject to California law, which, unlike French law, allows for the establishment of a family trust and the distribution of an estate with greater freedom.

His children attempted to challenge the will and overturn it, seeking to claim their reserved inheritance portion as typically mandated by French law. His final wife asserted her exclusive rights to the royalties held by the French music copyright society (SACEM). In 2017, the Court of Cassation (France's highest court for civil and criminal matters) upheld a 2014 lower court ruling that granted exclusive rights to the reserved inheritance to the trustee, Fui Fong Khong. The judges argued that the principle of reserved inheritance (which ensures a portion of an estate passes to direct heirs) had been declared unconstitutional in France since 2011, citing its inequality. They also asserted that the absence of reserved inheritance in Jarre's case did not violate French international public order, particularly as the plaintiffs were not in precarious financial situations. This ruling was subsequently affirmed by the European Court of Human Rights in 2024, confirming the French court's decision.

6.3. Influence

Maurice Jarre's musical legacy significantly impacted subsequent generations of composers and the broader film music industry. His innovative blend of traditional orchestral scores with pioneering electronic sounds, particularly evident in his 1980s works, expanded the sonic palette available to film composers. By demonstrating that electronic scores could be as intricate and effective as orchestral ones, he paved the way for greater experimentation and diversity in film scoring. His grand, sweeping themes for epics and his ability to craft intimate, character-driven scores showcased a versatility that inspired many. His enduring popularity and the critical acclaim for his work ensured that his compositional techniques and thematic approaches continued to be studied and admired, leaving a lasting imprint on the art of film music.

6.4. Misattributed quotes and media handling

A notable incident involving Maurice Jarre's public image occurred after his death with the widespread misattribution of a quote. Shortly after his passing, a sentence stating, "One could say that my life itself has been one long soundtrack. Music was my life, and my life was music. I shall die with the memory of my music," was added to his English Wikipedia article. This quote was, in fact, entirely fabricated by Shane Fitzgerald, a student at University College Dublin in Ireland. Despite multiple attempts by Wikipedia users to request a source for the quote and subsequently remove it, the fabricated statement was widely cited by numerous news organizations around the world.

Fitzgerald later revealed that he had intentionally created the quote to demonstrate how indiscriminately information is consumed in the digital age, stating, "Wikipedia passed. The media failed." He further commented that if he hadn't come forward, the quote would have "100% remained Maurice Jarre's famous last words." This hoax affected media outlets in countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, and India, and rapidly spread across numerous blogs.

The British newspaper The Guardian admitted and apologized in an editor's column for publishing an article that cited the false information from Wikipedia. However, Fitzgerald criticized many bloggers and media outlets, stating they were "quick to accuse me as the source of misinformation rather than acknowledge their mistake in failing to verify internet information." Even after the information was exposed as false, the fabricated quote continued to spread globally.

This incident has fueled discussions, with some arguing it exposed the recklessness of modern journalism, while others contend that fabricating and spreading "fake news" globally is inherently wrong. It is frequently cited alongside the Henrik Batuta incident as a case study in misinformation and media responsibility.

7.1. Film

7.2. Television