Film Music Reporter

Richard Robbins has passed away at age 71 on Nov. 7 of Parkinson’s disease at his home in Rhinebeck, N.Y. The composer who is best known for scoring most Merchant-Ivory films was born on Dec. 4, 1940, in South Weymouth, Mass.. He received two Academy Award nominations in 1993 and 1994 for Howard’s End and The Remains of the Day starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. He also was honored with a BAFTA for 1985’s A Room with a View starring Maggie Smith and Helena Bonham Carter. His other film credits for director James Ivory and producer Ismail Merchant include 1998’s A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries, 2003’s Le Divorce starring Kate Hudson and Naomi Watts and his last score in 2005 for The White Countess starring Ralph Fiennes and Vanessa Redgrave. Robbins is survived by his longtime partner Schell, his brothers Donald, William, John and Peter and several nieces and nephews. (The Hollywood Reporter)