Composer Angelo Badalamenti has died

Without him, director David Lynch’s surreal, magical dream worlds would be unthinkable. With music for works such as Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive, Angelo Badalamenti unforgettable scores conjured up that made him Lynch’s longtime regular composer. Badalamenti has now died at the age of 85.

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Angelo Badalamenti’s distinctive music will stand the test of time

Angelo Badalamenti was born on March 22, 1937 in New York. After taking piano lessons at the age of eight, he retired in 1958 and 1959 Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Manhattan School of Music away. Initially, Badalamenti worked as a music producer and as a composer for TV series.

his breakthrough the composer finally achieved through his first collaboration with David Lynch for Blue Velvet. Here he developed the play Mysteries of Love together with the director, for which the singer Julee Cruise contributed the vocals. The song was so well received that Badalamenti would also compose the rest of the Blue Velvet score.

For the theme song of David Lynch and Mark Frost’s Twin Peaks, Badalamenti Awarded a Grammy in 1990. He composed the music for the legendary series purely based on Lynch’s feelings and descriptions, without having seen scenes from Twin Peaks.

A long-term collaboration developed between Badalamenti and Lynch, during which he repeatedly composed music for the director. the melancholic, wafting string melodies are just as unmistakable for Badalamenti’s style as jazzy, swinging saxophone pieces.

In addition to Lynch’s works, Badalamenti composed the music for Nightmare 3 – Freddy Lives!, Happy Holidays, The Comfort of Strangers, The Beach and Cabin Fever, among others.

As a music producer, he has worked with the likes of Nina Simone, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Shirley Bassey, Liza Minnelli and the Pet Shop Boys. In 2011 he was awarded the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers with the Henry Mancini Award honored for outstanding achievements.

Angelo Badalamenti died on December 11, 2022 at the age of 85.