Ennio Morricone - The Mission
RZ: The Mission had a big impact on my life. It has 'Gabriel's Oboe', and that's why I play the oboe today. That piece is beautiful. The reason I like Morricone is the reason everyone likes him: it's just really moving music. People cry. Like Nino Rota, he's not scared of being sentimental or using emotion. He doesn't shy away. He really goes for the emotional kill.

Some people will hum a melody and have a composer working for them, who will orchestrate bits and arrange and come back with a score. Morricone believes strongly that a composer is someone who writes the music, arranges it, conducts it and doesn't have a huge team of people helping. He'll hold off a chord change for as long as possible so that when it finally comes it's that much more effective.