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Lalo Schifrin was born Boris Claudio Schifrin in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 21st June 1932, into a cultured, musically inclined family. His father, a violinist and concertmaster of the Teatro Colón orchestra, introduced him early on to the world of classical music, and young Schifrin began piano studies at the age of six.
As a teenager, he became equally absorbed in jazz, absorbing the rhythms and harmonies of the genre while continuing his classical training. He enrolled briefly at the Paris Conservatoire in the early 1950s, where he studied with renowned composer Olivier Messiaen and immersed himself in contemporary music. While in Paris, he played jazz piano in clubs at night, honing a musical duality that would define his style for the rest of his life.
Upon returning to Argentina, Schifrin worked as a jazz pianist, arranger, and composer. His talent soon brought him into international circles. In the mid-1950s, he met Dizzy Gillespie, who later invited him to join his band. Schifrin moved to the United States and became Gillespie’s pianist and arranger, contributing significantly to Gillespie’s big band sound with pieces like "Gillespiana", a suite that fused jazz and Latin elements with classical overtones. This collaboration helped establish Schifrin's reputation in the jazz world and signalled his capacity to blend genres with innovation and elegance.
By the 1960s, Schifrin began to focus increasingly on film and television scoring. He moved to Hollywood and quickly distinguished himself with a bold, dynamic style that often fused jazz, Latin, classical, and avant-garde idioms. One of his earliest major film scores was for "The Cincinnati Kid" in 1965, where his music underlined the psychological tension and swagger of the Steve McQueen vehicle. However, it was his work in television that first brought him widespread recognition. His theme for "Mission: Impossible", with its unusual 5/4 time signature, staccato urgency, and unforgettable rhythmic motif, became one of the most iconic television themes of all time. The piece embodied Schifrin’s knack for making complexity seem effortless and catchy.
During the late 1960s and 1970s, Schifrin scored numerous action, crime, and suspense films, many of which benefited from his use of tense, syncopated rhythms and lush orchestrations. He composed the score for "Bullitt" in 1968, where his jazz-infused cues matched the film’s minimalist dialogue and kinetic editing, particularly during the famous car chase through San Francisco. In "Dirty Harr"y (1971), he created a pulsing, eerie soundscape that underscored the moral ambiguity and grit of Clint Eastwood’s character. The film’s musical language—featuring electric instruments, dissonance, and funk-inspired rhythms—felt both contemporary and experimental, and it influenced the sound of crime thrillers for years to come.
Schifrin also scored "Enter the Dragon" in 1973, one of Bruce Lee’s most celebrated films. The soundtrack combined Eastern instrumentation with funk grooves and symphonic touches, heightening the film’s sense of cross-cultural intensity. His versatility and productivity made him a go-to composer for thrillers, horror, and even comedies. He brought a dramatic flair to "Amityville Horror" (1979), crafting a haunting choral motif that enhanced the supernatural dread.
In addition to his screen work, Schifrin composed concert music, including symphonic works, jazz suites, and chamber pieces. He often blurred the boundaries between genres, writing works like "Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra", "Jazz Mass", and "Latin Jazz Suite", all of which highlighted his passion for synthesis and rhythm. He conducted many of the world’s great orchestras and championed music that honoured his Argentine roots, jazz heritage, and European training.
Throughout his career, Schifrin received multiple Grammy Awards and Academy Award nominations, though an Oscar eluded him. His music was celebrated not just for its technical proficiency but for its cinematic instinct - he had an uncanny ability to match music to character, tension, and atmosphere. His "Mission: Impossible" theme was revived decades later for the Tom Cruise film series, testifying to the durability of his work.
Lalo Schifrin’s legacy stood as one of the most distinctive and versatile in 20th-century composition. Whether writing for orchestra, jazz band, film, or television, he approached music with intellectual rigor and streetwise flair. His ability to fuse genres, create memorable themes, and adapt to changing musical landscapes made him one of the most influential composers in screen history.
Lalo Schifrin died at the age of 93, on the 26th June 2025, in Beverly Hills, California, USA, of complications from pneumonia.
© Jim Liddane
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