James Horner, the celebrated composer of several Hollywood smash-hit films including Titanic and Avatar, died on Monday in a plane crash at the age of 61, US media reported.
Hollywood trade magazine Variety reported the composer died when his personal aircraft crashed in Santa Barbara, California.
“Brilliant Composer James Horner, friend & collaborator on 7 movies has tragically died in a plane crash. My heart aches for his loved ones,” wrote director and colleague Ron Howard on Twitter.
Horner won two Oscars for his work on historical drama Titanic. One for the song My Heart Will Go On performed by Celine Dion and the other for the film’s score.
Dion released a statement expressing her grief. “Rene and I are deeply saddened by the tragic death of James Horner. He will always remain a great composer in our hearts. James played an important part in my career. We will miss him. We offer his family and friends our deepest sympathy.”
He was also nominated for an Academy Award on numerous other blockbuster movies including Apollo 13, Braveheart and Field of Dreams. His first nomination came in 1986 for heart-pounding science fiction film Aliens.
Horner’s most recent Oscar nomination was for the 2009 sci-fi epic Avatar, directed by James Cameron. Working on that film and Titanic meant he was the composer for the two highest-grossing films of all time. He is listed on the Internet Movie Database as having 95 soundtrack credits and 158 composer credits.
“My job is to make sure at every turn of the film it’s something the audience can feel with their heart,” Horner said in a 2009 interview with the Los Angeles Times.
American film touchstones of the 1990s such as Patriot Games, Searching for Bobby Fischer and Jumanji were also composed by Horner.
With expansive and emotive soundscapes, Horner’s scores carried films to their climax and accompanied top actors as they delivered some of their most moving performances.
Tender kisses in The Amazing Spider-Man, grand battles in Troy and moments of stirring drama in A Beautiful Mind were all set up by Horner’s hand.
Top actors and directors in the television and film world paid tribute to Horner online.
“Incredibly saddened to hear about the loss of James Horner. I grew up loving his work. He leaves behind a spectacular musical legacy,” television series creator Seth MacFarlane tweeted.
“There is nothing that shaped my movie-going experience more than the musical genius of James Horner. He will live on through the ages,” tweeted actor Rob Lowe.
Actor Ron Perlman, who starred in Enemy at the Gates, said he was “lucky to be able to say I was in a movie that was scored by James Horner.”
“Flights of angels dear sweet beautiful mind...,” he wrote on Twitter.
Other composers also spoke of Horner’s lasting influence on their careers.
“James Horner, thank you for inspiring a young me to pursue a career in film music. Thank you for your music. Rest in peace.” wrote Steve Jablonsky who composed music for the Transformers film series.
Alexandre Desplat, who won an Oscar for his score for The Grand Budapest Hotel, wrote: “It is a tragedy for us all composers to hear about James Horner’s accident. We have lost one of our most talented and respected colleagues. His music will remain always.”
Horner also scored popular animated films The Land Before Time (1988) and An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991).
He was nominated for an Oscar for the song Somewhere Out There in An American Tail.
