Richard Robbins (composer)

Richard Robbins
Born(1940-12-04)December 4, 1940
South Weymouth, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedNovember 7, 2012(2012-11-07) (aged 71)
New York City, New York, U.S.
GenresFilm score
OccupationComposer

Richard Stephen Robbins (December 4, 1940 – November 7, 2012) was an American-born composer, best known for his motion picture scores for the Merchant Ivory films.

Robbins was born in South Weymouth, Massachusetts. In November 2012, he died of Parkinson's disease at the age of 71. He died at his home in New York.[1]

Personal life

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Robbins began playing the piano at the age of five. He graduated from the New England Conservatory in Boston, and later received a fellowship through a fund established by the philanthropist Frank Huntington Beebe to continue his studies in Vienna.[2]

Robbins was gay, and had a relationship with Ismail Merchant, and probably James Ivory, with whom he worked on several films.[3] He lived his later years with his long-term partner, artist Michael Schell.[2]

Awards

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Robbins was nominated for an Oscar in 1992 for his score for the film Howards End (performed by Martin Jones) and in 1993 for The Remains of the Day.[4] Additionally, he won a Sammy Film Music Award in 1992 for Howards End.[5]

Filmography

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Robbins wrote the score for the following films unless otherwise noted:

References

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  1. ^ "Composer Richard Robbins dies at 71". 3 News NZ. 13 November 2012.
  2. ^ a b Trounson, Rebecca (18 November 2012). "Richard Robbins dies at 71; film composer had 2 Oscar nods". Archived from the original on November 20, 2012 – via LA Times.
  3. ^ Gilbey, Ryan (12 March 2024). "I got you an Oscar. Why do I need to pay you?". The Guardian.
  4. ^ Bergan, Ronald (13 November 2012). "Richard Robbins obituary". The Guardian.
  5. ^ "The Sammy Film Music Awards - Complete List".
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