RIP Vince De Rosa, Hollywood's Legendary French Horn

[TownerFan 4,983]

Another legendary studio musician left us. The great Vince De Rosa died yesterday at the venerable age of 101. He has been Hollywood's premier French Horn player for over forty years, playing on countless film scores, including many by John Williams. He was Principal Horn on such scores as The Cowboys, Earthquake, The Towering Inferno, Jaws, Close Encounters, E.T., just to name a few ("I can honestly say that what I know about writing for the French horn, I learned from Vince De Rosa," said John Williams). He's considered to be the most heard French Horn player of all time as he also played on zillions of television gigs and record dates.

 

He wasn't just a musician, but a true legend, and a great human being as told by anyone who knew him.

 

https://www.hornsociety.org/ihs-people/honoraries/26-people/honorary/78-vincent-derosa

[Edmilson 7,465]

RIP 

 

Is it my impression or are we getting news of musicians who played for JW dying in a almost monthly basis?

[Holko 9,526]

1 hour ago, TownerFan said:

He was Principal Horn on such scores as The Cowboys, Earthquake, The Towering Inferno, Jaws, Close Encounters, E.T., just to name a few

Can someone help those of us who aren't too good at telling brass instruments apart and name a few cues/segments to highlight him?

[bruce marshall 1,315]

Wow!

What a career!

I should know the name.

I do now.

 

RIP VR

 

 

 

[Andy 4,138]

I was just listening to Jaws today and listening particularly for French Horn.  An incredible legacy.  RIP.

[bruce marshall 1,315]

You can hear it play a short counter melody at : 0:34 of " Across the Moon".

I'm sure there a more prominent examples

[Faleel 5,350]

8 hours ago, Holko said:

Can someone help those of us who aren't too good at telling brass instruments apart and name a few cues/segments to highlight him?

Father and Son from Jaws intro

1:51 The Cover-Up from CE3K (I think?)

1:01 Forming the Mountain

3:50 The Departure from ET.

1:54 Main Titles to the Cowboys

3:25 Twoering Inferno Main Title

 

 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,534]

Another unsung Hollywood legend gone.

R.I.P. 

I'll listen to EARTHQUAKE, later. It'll be "something for Rosa".

 

 

[Bespin 8,483]

After a great Flute player, we lost a great Horner player, also linked to John Williams.

 

It's rare for horns to follow flutes.

[publicist 4,643]

RIP.

 

I think he did this brilliant opening solo (starting after ca. 00:30), which makes this rather Inconspicuous theme come alive.

 

 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,534]

What an astounding score! No wonder that it was Jerry's favourite.

[BB-8 3,478]

 

[karelm 2,914]

8 hours ago, BB-8 said:

 

My awesome friend and classmate made that film!!!  Go Annie!  Her husband is Dylan Hart who is a big time horn player himself and played on the Star Wars sequel trilogy and so much else.  These two awesome people are carving their path as the next generation of memorable horn performers that future players will look up to.  Annie is one of the sweetest people and educators as she's a horn professor as well and wrote a book about auditioning and performance anxiety...a serious problem many talented musicians suffer with.   She worked very hard on this film and I remember her saying her hope was to catalog the recollections of the vintage players, many of which were no longer employed when she made it.  It's a recurring story that the old guard finds it harder to find work as newer (sometimes cheaper) players are either more available or have more stamina for more gigs (for example, you work a full day and then have to work a second shift, becomes way harder as you get older especially for brass players when you lose your chops over hours of overuse).  I hear the same thing from other players.  It's sad but the career takes a physical toll and eventually the younger people have more stamina.  Being a professional musician is basically like being a professional athlete.  It's rare that you make it to retirement age in top shape.  Annie wanted to interview some of those horn legends when they were still around to talk about their prime experiences most of which was in their past. 

[Steve 593]

Where can one watch/find this film?

[TownerFan 4,983]

22 hours ago, publicist said:

RIP.

 

I think he did this brilliant opening solo (starting after ca. 00:30), which makes this rather Inconspicuous theme come alive.

 

 

 

According to the musicians roster, De Rosa didn't play on this. It was either James Decker or Richard Perissi.

 

However, Vince was 1st chair horn on Star Trek TMP and boy was he prominently featured on that one.

 

On 19/07/2022 at 8:21 PM, Holko said:

Can someone help those of us who aren't too good at telling brass instruments apart and name a few cues/segments to highlight him?

 

Vince was never credited as featured soloist on any JW score, but he was principal on virtually everything from the late 1960s until The Last Crusade in 1989, so whenever you hear a French Horn solo in any of the scores recorded in LA during that time frame it was Vince. The ones in E.T. are perhaps the most stirring. Personally, I love the Earthquake main title: