Akira Ifukube has passed away.

Heck, somebody should post this, though very few will care here.

From Bob Eggleton on Yahoo Groups:

Thursday February 9, 1:38 AM

'Godzilla' series composer Akira Ifukube dies at 91

(Kyodo) _ Music composer Akira Ifukube, who is most famous for his work on

the movie "Godzilla," died of multiple organ failure Wednesday night at a

hospital in Tokyo, his family said. He was 91.

 

Ifukube was born in Kushiro, Hokkaido. A graduate of Hokkaido University,

Ifukube self-taught composing and created music for major movies since the

1950s, including "Gembaku no ko" (Children of Hiroshima) in 1952 and

"Godzilla" in 1954.

 

His theme of "Godzilla," which expressed the horrors of the monstrous

creature, has widely influenced foreign movies.

 

Ifukube's portfolio of work also include the 1956 "Biruma no Tategoto" (The

Harp of Burma) and the "Daimajin" series from 1966.

 

The composer of "Nihon Kyoshikyoku" (Japanese Rhapsody), which is considered

a masterpiece, Ifukube served as the president of the Tokyo College of Music

between 1976 and 1987.

 

Ifukube was awarded a Person of Cultural Merit, one of Japan's highest

honors, in 2003.

 

and

More Info:

 

The "Godzilla" composition, Mr.Ifukube akira,Tokyo College of Music former

president has dead 01:48 on February 09, 2006 The style filled to ground

worldly energy was made into the characteristic, and Mr.Ifukube akira, a

person of cultural merits and a Tokyo College of Music former president,

died from the famous composer by the music of a movie "Godzilla" in the

hospital of Meguro-ku, Tokyo on the 8th. They were 91 years old.

Kushiro-shi, Hokkaido birth. Composition was begun by self-education from

the old-system junior high school, and the "Japanese rhapsody" made during

the Hokkaido University agricultural department enrollment in school made it

young to rank 1st in the composition contest held in Paris for 35 years

etc., and attracted international attention. Touching Ainu's song and dance,

since it is young, after graduation establishes the style which the rhythm

stirred and was filled to ground worldly energy, enacting the official of

Hokkaido etc. "ground worldly labor

ious works, such as orchestra music, and vocal music music "GIRIYAKU

fellows' old songs" which asked the ethnic minority for the subject matter,

were produced. the postwar period and Tokyo music academy (the present Tokyo

Geijutsu Daigaku musicology department) and Tokyo College of Music --

teaching -- Yasushi Akutagawa, Mayuzumi Toshiro, Teizo Matsumura et al. --

many excellent composers were brought up. On the other hand, it dealt with

the movie music which exceeds 300, such as "a harp of Burma", and "Gautama

Buddha", and was sung with the expert of movie music. Especially, the Eiji

Tsuburaya special-ability supervisor's Toho movie "Godzilla" (54 years) was

begun, and there was notability beyond a classic fan in having taken charge

of the music of 30 or more monster films. Reappraisement progressed and, as

for old age, many performances and making CD's were performed.

He scored all of the best Godzilla music, and came up with the sound for his voice. Plus he was said to have scored around 700 movies. The man was amazing, and just retired two years ago.

Oh...and he never won a Grammy.