Peter Thomas (composer)

Peter Thomas (1 December 1925 – 17 May 2020)[1] was a German composer and arranger with an active career of more than 50 years. He was known for his TV and film soundtracks such as Raumpatrouille, the Edgar Wallace movies film series, and the Jerry Cotton film series.[2]

Peter Thomas
Born(1925-12-01)1 December 1925
Died17 May 2020(2020-05-17) (aged 94)
Occupation
  • Composer of film scores
  • Bandleader
OrganizationPeter Thomas Sound Orchestra

Life

Thomas was born in Breslau, Silesia.[2] In the 1950s, he played as a musician for the RIAS broadcaster, typically live.[2]

The restored Brandenburg Gate in Berlin was re-opened in 2002 with a live version of the main theme of the Raumpatrouille soundtrack.[2]

In his directorial debut, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), actor George Clooney used three tracks of Peter Thomas' music originally composed for Edgar Wallace movies of the 1960s (in their original mono versions). The 1990s avant-garde band Mr. Bungle performed his piece "Love In Space" on several dates of their 1995/1996 tour for Disco Volante. UK Plunderphonics and avant-garde band, The Perrinormal, name Peter Thomas as one of their main influences, alongside John Barry and Lalo Schifrin.

For some of his exceptional scores, Thomas used a self-developed musical instrument called "ThoWiephon", today being exhibited in the Deutsches Museum in Munich, standing near the famous Theremin, also being used in many movies. According to UCM.ONE, a Movie company currently releasing a movie with the Soundtrack composed by Peter Thomas, he died on 17 May 2020 in Lugano.

Films

References

  1. "Filmkomponist Peter Thomas – Mister Raumpatrouille ist tot" (in German). Deutschlandfunk. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  2. "Peter Thomas" (in German). Josef Weinberger Verlag. Retrieved 19 May 2020.

Further reading

  • Gerd Naumann: Der Filmkomponist Peter Thomas – Von Edgar Wallace und Jerry Cotton zur Raumpatrouille Orion. ibidem-Verlag, Stuttgart 2009, ISBN 978-3-8382-0003-3 – ISSN 1866-3397
  • Joachim Kramp, Gerd Naumann: Das große Album der Edgar-Wallace-Filme. Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf Verlag 2013, ISBN 978-3862652570
  • Peter Thomas: Filmmusik von Peter Thomas, piano music, Firmament. Music: "Natascha" – "Wie ein Traum" – "Die Schlangengrube und das Pendel" – "Der letzte Mohikaner" – "Ask me Later, Alligator" – "My Friend Phil" – "Jerry '67" – "Caught At Midnight" – "Jerry-Cotton-Marsch" – "Das Geheimnis der weißen Nonne" – "Der Bucklige von Soho" – "Twisting Monk" – "Hexers Nightclub" – "Blue Romance" – "Theme For Lucy" – "Walking Dandy" – "Poker Face" – "Die seltsame Gräfin".
  • Tobias Hohmann, Thomas Wehlmann, Klaus Hintermeier: Edgar & Bryan Edgar Wallace. MPW. ISBN 978-3-942621-00-7.
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