Mancini, Henry

A typical Mancini score is orchestrated for a large-scale band featuring full string and brass sections, but it often features an unexpected instrument—for example, an electric guitar to state the theme from Charade (1963), and a harmonica as the dominant sound in “Moon River.” Mancini frequently created a dark, rounded effect with a French horn section, and showed a fondness for the moods of cool jazz, typically with the brass section playing in slow chordal style, staying in the...