"The greatest ever film composer."
That's Portishead man Geoff Barrow nailing Ennio Morricone's contribution to both cinema and music in just five words. What's striking reading the tributes flooding in to the Italian maestro is the sheer breadth of people who were exhilarated and inspired by his work.
"If you haven’t heard him, use today to discover his beautiful, weird, unique music," adds Blindboy. "It’s perfect to listen to when you’re trying to work. I wrote my books to his music."
"The theme from The Mission is one of the loveliest and emotional pieces of music you'll ever hear," reckons best-selling author Matt Haig. "Morricone wasn't just a film composer. He was a 20th century Bach."
Ber Angley, one of the giants of the Limerick live music industry during the '80s and '90s, reminds us that, "The Mission soundtrack was the intro music on December 17, 1993 when The Cranberries played their homecoming show in the Theatre Royal." We strongly suspect that may have been Dolores' doing...
"I saw with great sadness that one of my musical heroes, Ennio Morricone has passed away today," rues New Order's Bernard Sumner. "His music introduced me to albums and the first album I ever bought was one of his. He made beautiful emotional music and was the master of melody."
"Another of the dwindling line of true greats has left us," says fellow soundtrack man David Arnold. "A master, an originator; he never stopped being mesmerising and was/is an inspiration to most of us who write music. That early stuff... psychedelic, experimental. So much to learn from him but mainly just astonishing to listen to."
Actor Antonio Banderas adds: "With great sadness, we say goodbye to a big master of cinema. His music will keep playing in our memories."
Here are some more of the tributes to the maestro:

“Ennio was an icon and icons just don’t go away"
On #BBCBreakfast composer @HansZimmer reflects on the death of the film and TV music composer Ennio Morricone.https://t.co/poOdCpb3a2 pic.twitter.com/Azliaelk0N

— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) July 6, 2020

Endlessly inspired by his show last year in Dublin. RIP Ennio Morricone https://t.co/in6tCDzkql

— Villagers (@wearevillagers) July 6, 2020

RIP The Maestro, Ennio Morricone. He truly helped define the language of cinema. 🌹

— Sasha Grey (@SashaGrey) July 6, 2020

RIP And now Ennio Morricone. One of the greatest composers of all time. You can hear our tributes to him in Africa Dawn on the Lilyhammer Score, and the new arrangement of Standing In The Line of Fire on Soulfire & Soulfire Live. Like Nick, another tragic loss to our culture.

— Stevie Van Zandt (@StevieVanZandt) July 6, 2020

The late #EnnioMorricone who has passed away, feel a real sense of loss. His music is an essential part of my ⁦@RTElyricfm⁩ mornings. pic.twitter.com/eRzY9xgpO5

— Marty Whelan (@martylyricfm) July 6, 2020

RIP Ennio Morricone; creator of the soundtrack to so much of my life. I met him once, at the BAFTAs; wanted to tell him (in my bad Italian) how deeply I felt about his work and how dear it had been been to me, and only managed to say: "Sono una fan."

— Joanne Harris (@Joannechocolat) July 6, 2020

Our Musical Director @DTConductor remembers our work with #Morricone fondly: "Crouch End Festival Chorus and I were fortunate to work with this musical genius on many occasions, from his first UK concerts in 2001 to his final UK appearance in 2018... (1/2)

— Crouch End Festival Chorus (@thechoir) July 6, 2020

... "He very kindly agreed to be one of our patrons and once said that we were one of his two favourite choirs in the world. Our work with him will live in our memories for ever and represents the peak of our wonderful musical experiences". (2/2)#RIPEnnioMorricone pic.twitter.com/9QCxNuSW0C

— Crouch End Festival Chorus (@thechoir) July 6, 2020

Ennio Moriconne was a God amongst mortals.

We wrote this as a tribute to Ennio from our The Death or Glory Gang EP. Probably more than anything else, his influence runs through everything that we do. Genius doesn’t begin to describe what he was.

May he rest in peace.

— (@WeareSaintAgnes) July 6, 2020

The death was announced this morning of the composer Ennio Morricone at the age of 91. Among his best movie soundtracks was ‘The Mission’ (1986) where the world was introduced to ‘Gabriel’s Oboe’. Long may his compositions live after him. @KANDLEi @CathNewsIreland pic.twitter.com/SeRrHi6Vv2

— Bishop Denis Nulty (@BishopDNulty) July 6, 2020

If proof were needed of orchestral music's enduring power and currency, imagine so many of the all-time great films without Ennio Morricone's colossal scores, giving so many of them their soul. We salute a remarkable composer who has left us all so much to cherish. pic.twitter.com/GOuNM0CXJV

— Royal Philharmonic Society (@RoyalPhilSoc) July 6, 2020

Most English-speakers have never heard Ennio Morricone's extraordinary 1966 Italian pop song 'Se Telefonando.'

I URGE YOU TO LISTEN. He has you surrounded before you even realise it, & then you're soaring into its 8(!) key changes.

One of the best, most dramatic pop songs ever pic.twitter.com/wnzc9RPoYH

— Colin Walsh (@Clnwlsh) July 6, 2020