Lalo Schifrin, composer of Mission: Impossible theme and more than 100 film and TV scores, dies aged 93

[WestMichRad]

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jun/27/lalo-schifrin-dies-aged-93-composer-dead-mission-impossible-theme

Bummer. The Mission: Impossible theme is an all-time favorite of mine.



The Argentinian won four Grammys and was nominated for six Oscars, including five for original score for Cool Hand Luke, The Fox, Voyage of the Damned, The Amityville Horror and The Sting II.

He also wrote the grand finale musical performance for the World Cup championship in Italy in 1990, in which the Three Tenors – Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti and José Carreras – sang together for the first time. The work became one of the biggest sellers in the history of classical music.

Schifrin, also a jazz pianist and classical conductor, had a remarkable career in music that included working with Dizzy Gillespie and recording with Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Sarah Vaughan.

Schifrin’s conducting credits include the London Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic, the Mexico Philharmonic, the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. He was appointed music director of Southern California’s Glendale Symphony Orchestra and served in that capacity from 1989-1995.

More at link

[PJMcK]

1. He made his mark on music history

I met him once at an industry event. When I asked him how he decided to write the Mission: Impossible theme in 5/4 time, he smiled and said, "Why not?"

Brilliant.

RIP

[Shellback Squid]

2. playing the Mission Impossible theme in my head, he was amazing! RIP

[Shellback Squid]

3. just figured out what 5/4 time is, the tempo

[IzzaNuDay]

4. Back in the day, kids loved the MI theme!

Marching bands Starting out with the thundering trill, the drumline bopping to 5/4, and the brass and winds hammering out the melody. It was a revelation to this child not every time signature had to be 2/4, 3/4 or 4/4!

[progressoid]

5. This might be internet lore but...

I saw some guy on FB say that he was a fan of Morse code.

If you think of the Mission Impossible theme as two slower beats then two fast (dash dash dot dot) that's M I in Morse Code.

[iscooterliberally]

6. Every time I turn off the a/c at work to go home it plays a chime.

The chime sounds exactly like part of the MI theme and I always have it playing in my head when I walk out the door to head home. It's a 30 mile commute up I95 in south Florida so it's perfect. RIP Lalo Schifrin.