RIP Maurice Murphy

[TownerFan 4,983]

Quite saddening news for JWFans:

http://www.classicalmusic.org.uk/2010/10/maurice-murphy-legendary-former-principal-trumpet-of-the-lso-has-died.html

He's been the legendary 1st Trumpet of the LSO for 30 years and he played in the great Williams' scores recorded with that orchestra: Superman, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Dracula, The Fury, Monsignor and of course all six Star Wars films. He also played 1st Trumpet in all three Harry Potter Williams' scores.

The Star Wars recording sessions in 1977 appeared to be his first gig with the LSO.

On the LSO website you can find a lovely podcast tribute made in 2007 when Maurice retired:

http://lso.co.uk/mauricemurphy

He was a great musician. He will be missed.

[Incanus 5,713]

He will be missed indeed. Rest in peace Maurice.

[Datameister 2,037]

What? That's so sad. Rest in peace, Mr. Murphy...your rousing contributions to countless recordings will not be forgotten.

[steb74 53]

Oh wow, that is sad indeed

RIP Maurice.

[Josh500 1,615]

RIP.

What was the last JW score he worked on? RotS, right?

[Thor 7,465]

Sorry to hear that. He was one of those names you'd always heard of in film score circles - as one of the top performers (alongside fellow trumpeters like Tim Morrison). Sorry to hear that he passed away so relatively young.

RIP.

[A24 4,326]

I didn't know Maurice played on the Alien scores as well.

[Quintus 5,399]

RIP Great Musician.

[TownerFan 4,983]

I didn't know Maurice played on the Alien scores as well.

He played in several National Philharmonic recordings, if I remember well. He surely was 1st Trumpet on Alien and First Blood.

[STORM 1]

That is sad news!he did make a big contribuion to some film scores with that great sound he had,been listering to quite a few scores with his great playing in!rip maurice murphy

[MovieMusicMaestro 33]

On Monday, November 1, the London Symphony Orchestra will pay tribute to the retired Principal Trumpet player. The all-Williams program at the Philharmonie in Cologne will feature an additional encore, introduced by John Williams.

[davros72 1]

Sad news. As a fellow trumpeter and a film score fan, I've always held him in high regard. Even though he'd been retired for a few years, he will still be missed.

[Ollie 1,059]

Rest in peace Mr. Murphy.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

Just last night I was listening to The Fury, and during "For Gillian" I began to think of all the solos John Williams gave Murphy over the years. Rest in Peace.

[Andy 4,083]

The music would not have been as sweet without him. An inspiring performer.

[John Crichton 4]

He was one of the greats. RIP

[Maglorfin 196]

Oh dear! This is such sad news! Mr Murphy was a brilliant musician and indeed a living legend! I've had the luck of hearing him play live with the LSO on the John T Williams film music concert in Barbican back in 2005 and it was totally unforgettable ... Requiescat in pace!

[Matt C 452]

RIP Maurice. Film scores just don't feel the same without you.

Even though he'd been retired for a few years, he will still be missed.

Murphy did some work as a session player after retiring from the LSO. He worked on Killzone 2 last year, as well as The Dark Knight and The Golden Compass.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,498]

Myself and some friends went to see/hear J.W. conduct at The Barbican, in June, 1982. During the interval, we got talking to some of the LSO members, including Mr. Murphy. I asked him what his favourite J.W. score was, and he said "without a shadow of a doubt, 'Dracula'". A gentleman, and a great player. RIP.

[Andy 4,083]

Interesting story, Richard. Dracula is a surprising and very cool response.

[steb74 53]

Interesting story, Richard. Dracula is a surprising and very cool response.

Interesting indeed, very cool Richard!

It is a nice surprise to hear that and it's very easy to understand why, very touching and expressive at times and incredibly powerful at others.

( .....although, I know you could say that about his playing on any Williams score)

For Mina & Dracula's Death

Damn fine indeed!

[Faleel 5,340]

withought him "The Planet Krypton" wouldnt be the same RIP

[Datameister 2,037]

Or that high climactic note after the helicopter ride in "Journey to the Island", right before the quiet driving-around-in-the-Jeeps music starts. Or the mindblowing sixteenth-notes that underscore the rolling boulder in Raiders.

[Incanus 5,713]

Or that high climactic note after the helicopter ride in "Journey to the Island", right before the quiet driving-around-in-the-Jeeps music starts. Or the mindblowing sixteenth-notes that underscore the rolling boulder in Raiders.

Maurice Murphy to my knowledge did not play at the Jurassic Park recording sessions. Not unless he was specifically brought to US to record it.

[Datameister 2,037]

Bah, perhaps not. One site I saw said that he did, but it could have been wrong.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

What the--a R.I.P. thread that's actually relevant??

This guy's resume would make any musician envious.

[indy4 155]

Very sad. RIP.

[Beowulf 4]

A sad day for music-lovers all over.

RIP Mr. Murphy

[Naïve Old Fart 9,498]

Interesting story, Richard. Dracula is a surprising and very cool response.

Interesting indeed, very cool Richard!

It is a nice surprise to hear that and it's very easy to understand why, very touching and expressive at times and incredibly powerful at others.

( .....although, I know you could say that about his playing on any Williams score)

For Mina & Dracula's Death

Damn fine indeed!

I did not ask him why he thought "Dracula" was his favourite J.W. score (perhaps that's best left to Mr. Murphy), but I guess that that score allowed his playing to come to the fore, instead of being concealed among the rest of the orchestra. "Dracula" does have some fine solo trumpet passages.

[indy4 155]

Tragic news: it turns out Murphy was killed by a mistake a doctor made.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23917925-star-wars-and-harry-potter-musician-died-after-doctor-put-food-tube-into-his-lung.do

[Datameister 2,037]

Doubly tragic. Of course, it's inevitable that doctors are going to make mistakes from time to time, but it's still sad to see it result in an ostensibly preventable death like this.

[Maglorfin 196]

Incredible, and what happened to the doctor whose mistake killed Murphy?!

"The junior doctor involved is receiving further training, mentoring and counselling through his specialist training programme which includes tools to assist with reflective practice."

This is incredible. The guy should lose his job before he could say "quidditch".

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Killed is to strong a word.

[MSM 126]

Incredible, and what happened to the doctor whose mistake killed Murphy?!

"The junior doctor involved is receiving further training, mentoring and counselling through his specialist training programme which includes tools to assist with reflective practice."

This is incredible. The guy should lose his job before he could say "quidditch".

He'll be marked the rest of his life already.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

These mistakes are actually very common in hospitals*. If I recall correctly it happens to 1/5 of hospital patients, though most do not result in fatalities.

Because all tubes used are generic (there's no coding for "feeding" "air" "blood", etc.), or in cases like this where the tube goes to the wrong place (food going into lungs/bloodstream).

*This does not mean if you feel sick you should avoid the hospital...

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

RIP Maurice Murphy. Your immeasurably personality and sound that you got out of that instrument will never be forgotten, not just in the world of films scores, but all those hundreds of concert performances. A legend in every sense.

Also downright angered by the malpractice that led to his death (or significantly contributed to it). But in the end, the blame should be put on the NHS for their incompetency, and the hospital at hand. The coalition cuts won't make matters easier either.

Because all tubes used are generic (there's no coding for "feeding" "air" "blood", etc.), or in cases like this where the tube goes to the wrong place (food going into lungs/bloodstream).

How much more would it cost to mass produce those polymer tubes in different colours, each for a different purpose?

[Fabulin 3,510]

.

 

 

[karelm 2,903]

3 hours ago, Fabulin said:

I recently found this great piece for trumpet with accompaniment, with Murphy as the soloist.

The sound of this trumpet is so familiar to me, that I realized I wasn't enjoying merely the instrument type, but a clear feels-like-home effect of this particular player. I realized that it wasn't just Williams' music, or the qualities of the instrument itself, but also in a large part the consistently present voice of Maurice Murphy on my favourite recordings that inspired me to learn playing the trumpet.

 

I believe Murphy's first day with the LSO was Star Wars 77.  David Cripps (principal horn) and team looked at each other and were all like "wow, holy shit who is this new kid?".  They loved him and David was so joyful when I asked about Maurice, he lit up in recalling his late friend.  These guys also have wicked humor that is best heard from them the way they hazed new or diva maestros. I've heard this by multiple A list orchestras.  Here is an example.  There is a very exposed passage in Richard Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra where the principal trumpet has an exposed high octave leap (see video).  They would always miss the octave and play a 7th or a 9th...anything but the octave causing his colleagues to worry if he'll miss it.  The truth being every pro trumpeter has played this a bazillion times and was just toying with the nerves of everyone else,  Once everyone realizes they've been played with, the joke is on them without a word being said.  That is very funny pro musician humor and an example.  Yes, they'll bring their A game during a concert or session but this inside joke is a very funny example during a rehearsal of the inner world of pro musicians and LSO has lots of those examples.  Sometimes the jokes are section specific.  Sometimes the whole orchestra is in on the gag.  But frequently no words are exchanged.