Tributes pour in to John Barry

The multi-award-winning composer, most famed for his work on James Bond films, died on Sunday, having been ill for some time.

In an illustrious career, he won five Oscars and was nominated another two times. He also won a Bafta fellowship in 2005 and was made an OBE.

Fellow composer David Arnold, who took over Bond duties from Mr Barry, mourned news of his death. He told fans on Twitter: "I am profoundly saddened by the news but profoundly thankful for everything he did for music and for me personally."

Sir Tim Rice, who co-wrote All Time High, the theme to Octopussy, with Barry called him "a magnificent figure".

He said: "He was a very pleasant man and very well-spoken with a slight Yorkshire tinge to his voice which he never lost.

"He was able to catch the mood of a scene or a whole film by the genius of orchestration with fairly conventional instruments.

"I can remember being quite surprised because he made these great rock 'n' roll records and then you heard these symphonic works as well.

"It is quite extraordinary but film seemed to bring out the very best in him."

TV presenter and classically-trained pianist Myleene Klass also paid tribute, saying: "Terribly sad. The world has lost a genius of a man. John Barry. RIP."

Tributes were also paid locally, by composer Christian Vassie, also a city councillor.

He said: “John Barry reached more people around the world than any other York artist, with melodies and film scores that have touched countless millions.

"The way in which Barry's film scores got straight to the heart of the action and gripped audiences around the planet was undoubtedly part of the magic of so many Bond Movies.

"I believe John Barry’s music and will be listened to in a hundred years time, both because he wrote beautiful and instantly memorable melodies and because he helped to define the language of film music.”