Joseph Koo

siuyiu
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Joseph Koo Jul 20, 2014 5:54:10 GMT chinaman and texture like this

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Post by siuyiu on Jul 20, 2014 5:54:10 GMT

i thought it'd be nice to have profiles on the musicians who've created such great themesongs and subthemesongs over the years. obviously, i'm starting with the big wig himself.

Joseph Koo, MBE, BBS

AKA: 顧嘉煇, Joseph Koo Kar Fai, Moran 莫然 (for Mandarin songs)
Born: 1 Jan 1933 in Guangzhou
Family: sister Ku Mei 顧媚

Joseph Koo moved to Hong Kong when he was 17 and stayed with his sister, who was already living there. He worked in a chemical lab during the day and took night courses. He also worked at the nightclubs where his sister sang and later became a band leader. Finally in the 1960s, with sponsorship from Run Run Shaw, he moved to Boston MA to attend the Berklee College of Music and, after graduation, returned to Hong Kong and began composing and arranging for Shaw Brothers, Golden Harvest, and TVB (became their music director). Along with collaborators such as James Wong 黃霑, Mr Koo was a pioneer for Cantopop's growth and popularity as a new genre of music in Hong Kong. Previously, it was only "fashionable" to listen to Mandopop and English pop songs. He has over 1,200 compositions to his name, many of which are themesongs for tv dramas.

Mr Koo emigrated to Vancouver, Canada in 1990 and now divides his time between Vancouver and Hong Kong.

Most Well-Known Works

1960s

明日之歌 theme for the movie 《明日之歌》 Song for Tomorrow
晚安曲 closing themesong for TVB variety show 《歡樂今宵》 Enjoy Yourself Tonight

1970s

啼笑姻緣 theme for TVB series 《啼笑姻緣》

書劍恩仇錄 theme for TVB's 《書劍恩仇錄》The Legend of the Book and Sword

陸小鳳 theme for TVB's 《陸小鳳》Luk Siu Fung, including second theme 誓要入刀山 and subthemes 鮮花滿月樓, 落花淚影, 決戰前夕, 願君心記取, and 情未了

小時候 theme for RTHK's 《小時候》

奮鬥 theme for TVB's 《奮鬥》Conflict

倚天屠龍記 theme for TVB's 《倚天屠龍記》Heavenly Sword, Dragon Sabre

小李飛刀 theme for TVB's 《小李飛刀》Dagger Li

獅子山下 theme for RTHK's 《獅子山下》Below the Lion Rock

春雨彎刀 theme for TVB's 《刀神》God of Sabre

絕代雙驕 theme for TVB's 《絕代雙驕》The Twins

楚留香 theme for TVB's 《楚留香》Chor Lau Heung

1980s

上海灘 theme for TVB's 《上海灘》The Bundand those of its sequels 《上海灘續集》&《上海灘龍虎鬥》

親情 theme for TVB's 《親情》The Brothers

京華春夢 theme for TVB's 《京華春夢》Yesterday's Glitter

用愛將心偷 theme for TVB's 《千王之王》The Shell Game and its subthemes

心債 theme for TVB's《香城浪子》Soldier of Fortune

倆忘煙水裡 theme for TVB's 《天龍八部之六脈神劍》Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils 82, and its second theme 萬水千山縱橫 and subthemes 付上千萬倍 & 情愛幾多哀

忘盡心中情 theme for TVB's《蘇乞兒》The Legend of Master So

隨想曲 cantopopsong for singer Paula Tsui 徐小鳳

themes and subthemes for TVB's 《射鵰英雄傳》LOCH83: 鐵血丹心, 滿江紅, 一生有意義, 桃花開, 肯去承擔愛, 世間始終你好, 千愁記舊情, 四張機

themes and subthemes for TVB's 《神鵰俠侶》ROCH83: 何日再相見, 留住今日情, 情義兩心堅, 問世間

themes and subthemes for TVB's 《笑傲江湖》Smiling Proud Wanderer

始終會行運 theme for TVB's 《鹿鼎記》Duke of Mount Deer 84

theme and subthemes for TVB's 《楚河漢界》The Battlefield: 楚河漢界, 楚歌, 霸王別姬

theme and subtheme for TVB's 《雪山飛狐》Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain

大步上青雲 theme for TVB's 《六指琴魔》The Possessed

當年情 theme for movie 《英雄本色》A Better Tomorrow

留下我美夢 theme for TVB's 《陸小鳳之鳳舞九天》The Return of Luk Siu Fung

只有情永在 theme for TVB's 《賊公阿牛》The Ordeal Before the Revolution

1990s

年少無情 theme for TVB's 《蜀山奇俠》The Gods and Demons of Zu Mountain, including subtheme 不願再纏綿

絕世絕招 theme for TVB's 《射鵰英雄傳》LOCH94

theme and subtheme for TVB's 《圓月彎刀》 God of Sabre 95: 意難平, 圓月下你來依我

無悔愛你一生 theme for TVB's 《真情》A Kindred Spirit

2000s

theme and subtheme for TVB's 《洛神》Where the Legend Begins

2010s

書劍恩仇錄 theme for ATV's 《書劍恩仇錄》 "The Legend of the Book and Sword"

(source: wikipedia)

Last Edit: Sept 29, 2015 20:07:11 GMT by siuyiu

輕舟已過萬重山
the light barge traverses endless mountains

galvatron prime
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Joseph Koo Jan 4, 2023 12:29:30 GMT

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Post by galvatron prime on Jan 4, 2023 12:29:30 GMT

HK composer Joseph Koo dies at 9

HONG KONG – Famed Hong Kong composer Joseph Koo, who is known for songs such as Below The Lion Rock and The Bund, has died at 92.

According to Hong Kong media, he died in Vancouver, Canada, on Tuesday.

Known as the Father of Cantopop, Koo composed more than 1,200 songs in a five-decade career, many of which became classics.

Born in 1931 in Guangzhou, Koo moved to Hong Kong with his family after World War II.

His interest in music came from his elder sister, singer-actress Carrie Koo Mei, who was famous during the 1950s and 1960s.

Joseph Koo got his first big break in 1961 when he published the song Dream, which was performed by his sister and chosen as the theme song for the hit black-and-white movie Love Without End (1961).
He left Hong Kong to study composition at the Berklee College of Music in Boston in the same year, and upon graduation, worked for the Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest movie studios as a film music composer and arranger.

He joined television station TVB in 1967 and composed theme songs for many popular productions from the 1970s to the 1980s.

Over the years, he has collaborated with many songwriters – among them lyricist James Wong Jim, his long-time songwriting partner who died at age 63 in 2004.

Some of their more famous works included Below The Lion Rock, a 1979 theme song for the TV series of the same name which revolved around the lives of Hong Kong residents. First performed by late singer Roman Tam, it became a well-loved anthem in Hong Kong for celebrating the city’s never-say-die spirit.

Another memorable song composed by Wong and Koo was The Bund, a theme song for the 1980 series of the same name starring Chow Yun Fat and Ray Lui.

Koo’s compositions can also be heard in the movies, such as In The Sentimental Past, the theme song for the John Woo crime thriller A Better Tomorrow (1986).

Koo, who was married with two children, went into semi-retirement in Canada in the 1990s and focused on painting. He retired fully in 2015 and moved to Canada for good three years later.

For his contributions to music, Koo received a Member of Order of the British Empire in 1982. The Hong Kong government also awarded him a Bronze Bauhinia Star in 1998 and a Golden Bauhinia Star in 2015.

These were on top of his numerous music accolades at ceremonies such as the Hong Kong Film Awards and Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards.

www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/hk-composer-joseph-koo-dies-at-92

yenchin Moderator Stranger in a Strange Land Posts: 378	Joseph Koo Jan 4, 2023 13:30:32 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by yenchin on Jan 4, 2023 13:30:32 GMT RIP While he has written a lot of classics, somehow I like his "Fist of Legend" and "King of Beggars" a lot.
	風驚雨急自巍立　扁舟也可渡狂潮

siuyiu Moderator Posts: 1,745	Joseph Koo Jan 5, 2023 2:16:31 GMT yenchin likes this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by siuyiu on Jan 5, 2023 2:16:31 GMT RIP! what an amazing life--such indelible contributions to cantopop! a lasting legacy so many dream of having! my fave Joseph Koo compositions (part 1):
	輕舟已過萬重山 the light barge traverses endless mountains

siuyiu Moderator Posts: 1,745	Joseph Koo Jan 5, 2023 2:23:11 GMT yenchin likes this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by siuyiu on Jan 5, 2023 2:23:11 GMT (part 2):
	輕舟已過萬重山 the light barge traverses endless mountains

Admin Administrator Posts: 1,381	Joseph Koo Jan 5, 2023 3:10:40 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Admin on Jan 5, 2023 3:10:40 GMT ah.... another sad news! Rest in Peace! He's indeed a legend!

kyc God Half in retreat Posts: 637	Joseph Koo Jan 5, 2023 9:42:29 GMT via mobile siuyiu likes this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by kyc on Jan 5, 2023 9:42:29 GMT RIP. I think many of his compositions with James Wong as lyricist can never be surpassed.
	只緣海內存知己，始信天涯若比鄰。

chefying
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Joseph Koo Jan 5, 2023 14:37:11 GMT

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Post by chefying on Jan 5, 2023 14:37:11 GMT

Jan 5, 2023 9:42:29 GMT kyc said:

RIP. I think many of his compositions with James Wong as lyricist can never be surpassed.

Yes, I do agree.

If it is any indication at all, the Mainland China production of Legend of the Condor Heroes used his LOCH83: 鐵血丹心 theme for their series. It is sort of China saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." I do like that theme, among many others of Joseph Koo's compositions.

The delightful songs by the Joseph Koo-James Wong combination helped me learn quite a few Chinese words. As a whole they did a much better job helping me learn Chinese than my Chinese tutors - yes, these two surpassed all my bloody tutors combined.

RIP Joseph Koo, and I hope he has a great time meeting up with James Wong in the great beyond.

Last Edit: Jan 5, 2023 14:38:14 GMT by chefying

siuyiu
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Posts: 1,745

Joseph Koo Jan 5, 2023 23:32:16 GMT

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Post by siuyiu on Jan 5, 2023 23:32:16 GMT

this isn't a complete list (and i doubt the source is complete either), but the following are the major collaborations between joseph koo and james wong:

1972:
愛你變成害你 - 潘迪華; 香港首部音樂劇《白孃孃》歌曲

1976:
書劍恩仇錄 - 鄭少秋 / 羅文; 電視劇《書劍恩仇錄》主題曲
狂潮 - 關菊英; 電視劇《狂潮》主題曲
近代豪俠傳 - 關正杰; 電視劇《近代豪俠傳》主題曲
家變 - 羅文; 電視劇《家變》主題曲

1977:
強人 - 羅文; 電視劇《強人》主題曲
倚天屠龍記 - 鄭少秋; 電視劇《倚天屠龍記》主題曲
奮鬥 - 甄妮; 電視劇《奮鬥》主題曲

1979:
獅子山下 - 羅文; 電視劇《獅子山下》主題曲
舊侶難忘 - 羅文; 廣播劇《沈勝衣》主題曲
抉擇 - 林子祥; 電視劇《抉擇》主題曲

1980:
上海灘 - 葉麗儀; 電視劇《上海灘》主題曲
萬般情 - 葉麗儀; 電視劇《上海灘續集》主題曲
上海灘龍虎鬥 - 葉麗儀; 電視劇《上海灘龍虎鬥》主題曲
親情 - 羅文; 電視劇《親情》主題曲
輪流轉 - 鄭少秋; 電視劇《輪流傳》主題曲
名劍 - 鄭少秋; 電影《名劍》主題曲
用愛將心偷 - 汪明荃; 電視劇《千王之王》主題曲
衝擊 - 甄妮; 電視劇《衝擊》主題曲

1981:
楊門女將黃霑顧嘉輝汪明荃電視劇《楊門女將》主題曲

1982:
倆忘煙水裡 - 關正傑、關菊英; 電視劇《天龍八部之六脈神劍》主題曲
萬水千山縱橫 - 關正傑;《天龍八部之虛竹傳奇》主題曲
星夜星塵 - 陳潔靈; 電視劇《星塵》主題曲
忘盡心中情 - 葉振棠; 電視劇《蘇乞兒》主題曲
心債 - 梅艷芳; 電視劇《香城浪子》主題曲
勇敢的中國人 - 汪明荃; 電視劇《萬水千山總是情》插曲

1983:
一生有意義 - 羅文、甄妮; 電視劇《射鵰英雄傳之東邪西毒》主題曲
世間始終你好 - 羅文、甄妮; 電視劇《射鵰英雄傳之華山論劍》主題曲
交出我的心 - 梅艷芳; 電視劇《警花出更》主題曲

1984:
始終會行運 - 張國榮; 電視劇《鹿鼎記》主題曲
柳毅傳書 - 羅文; 歌舞劇《柳毅傳書》歌曲

1985:
雪山飛狐 - 呂方、關菊英; 電視劇《雪山飛狐》主題曲
大步上青雲 - 關正傑; 電視劇《六指琴魔》主題曲

1986:
當年情 - 張國榮; 電影《英雄本色》主題曲

1990:
焚心以火 - 葉蒨文; 電影《秦俑》主題曲

1994:
絕世絕招 - 張智霖、吳倩蓮; 電視劇《射雕英雄傳》主題曲

1995:
無悔愛你一生 - 李樂詩; 電視劇《真情》主題曲

source: etvhk.fandom.com/wiki/%E9%A1%A7%E5%98%89%E7%85%87

Last Edit: Jan 5, 2023 23:33:12 GMT by siuyiu

輕舟已過萬重山
the light barge traverses endless mountains

kyc
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Half in retreat

Posts: 637

Joseph Koo Jan 6, 2023 8:35:04 GMT

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Post by kyc on Jan 6, 2023 8:35:04 GMT

Joseph Koo wrote the songs for many wuxia series, but the one I remember most from GL is Chor Lau Heung or Chu Liuxiang (楚留香). The lyricists were James Wong Jim and Wai Hung Tang (鄧偉雄). It hasn't been mentioned often before, but it's a wonderful song sung by Adam Cheng.

Last Edit: Jan 6, 2023 8:43:42 GMT by kyc

只緣海內存知己，始信天涯若比鄰。

siuyiu Moderator Posts: 1,745	Joseph Koo Jan 7, 2023 6:54:48 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by siuyiu on Jan 7, 2023 6:54:48 GMT
	輕舟已過萬重山 the light barge traverses endless mountains

siuyiu Moderator Posts: 1,745	Joseph Koo Jan 7, 2023 7:05:39 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by siuyiu on Jan 7, 2023 7:05:39 GMT
	輕舟已過萬重山 the light barge traverses endless mountains

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Admin: 青色,颜色的一种,据说是最难以描述的颜色,没有之一。英文:CYAN siuyiu atumiwa : according to baidu it's translated in English as cyan. 00FFF Mar 9, 2022 4:09:11 GMT

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