sunday sounds : our lives have soundtracks

March 7, 2010 in Uncategorized

Randy Newman, I Will Go Sailing No More//Toy Story

Our lives have soundtracks. What's yours? Who is composing it? You.

I talked to Mr Brilliant this morning about "sunday sounds" and the Oscars. "Do you know who Alfred Newman was?" he asked. He sent me an email a few minutes later:

Do you know who Alfred Newman was? In his day he was slightly less decorated than John Williams and at least as equally well known. He received 45 Academy Award nominations—winning nine Oscars—and was nominated 20 years in a row (between 1938 and 1957). He wrote music for over 200 films.

What is more, greater, perhaps, is that he was the head of the Newman Family, who collectively wrote music for perhaps 750 films and TV programs. The family includes his brother Lionel Newman (adapting and conducting scores for hundreds of movies, scoring dozens for film and TV); another brother, Emil (scored over 50 films); son David (scored 85 films); another son, Thomas (scored 75 films, including Finding Nemo, Shawshank, American Beauty, WALL-E, Green Mile); grandnephew Joey (dozens of scores for movies, TV and video games).

In addition to these Newmans is also Randy, a nephew, whose massive production eclipses uncle Thomas.

And so, on Oscar day, Sunday Sounds from Mr Brilliant and the Newmans.

Alfred Newman – 12 O'Clock High

Thomas Newman – American Beauty

David Newman – Ice Age

About Patti Digh

Patti Digh is an author, speaker, and educator who builds learning communities and gets to the heart of difficult topics. Her work over the last three decades has focused on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and living and working mindfully. She has developed diversity strategies and educational programming for major nonprofit and corporate organizations and has been a featured speaker at many national and international conferences.