In just five measures, Lalo Schifrin made history. His theme for the Mission: Impossible television series became one of the most recognizable soundtracks of the 20th century, defining what suspense, tension, and action sound like. On Thursday, U.S. media confirmed that the Argentine composer passed away at his home in California at age 93, closing a career that was anything but ordinary.

Author of more than one hundred film and television scores, Schifrin won four Grammy Awards and received 19 nominations — including three in a row in the 1960s for the melody that accompanied Jim Phelps and his team in the original Mission: Impossible series. Decades later, that very tune — reinterpreted by other musicians — would score the blockbuster franchise starring Tom Cruise, proving that a great musical idea can transcend generations.

But to reduce Schifrin to a single theme would be as unfair as it would be inaccurate. His name appears in films as diverse as Bullitt, Enter the Dragon, Dirty Harry, and The Sting II. He was nominated for six Academy Awards before receiving an honorary Oscar in 2018, presented by longtime collaborator Clint Eastwood. “He created tension, sparked adrenaline, and gave stories their heartbeat,” the Academy remembered Thursday.

From Buenos Aires to Hollywood

Born on June 21, 1932, in Buenos Aires, Lalo Schifrin had music in his veins. The son of a violinist at the Teatro Colón, he was influenced by classical European tradition and studied under the father of future conductor Daniel Barenboim. But his heart beat to the rhythm of jazz.

In Paris, where he studied with Charles Koechlin and Olivier Messiaen, Schifrin led a double life: scholar by day, jazzman by night. He played in clubs with musicians from around the world and performed at the legendary 1954 Festival at Salle Pleyel.

After returning to Argentina, he formed an orchestra with saxophonist Gato Barbieri and played alongside Astor Piazzolla. But it was his collaboration with American trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie — including their 1960 album Gillespiana — that launched him into the U.S. music scene. In Hollywood, Schifrin found the perfect stage for his eclecticism, impeccable ear, and rhythmic brilliance.

A Musical Bridge

Pianist, conductor, composer of jazz and symphonic music, Schifrin was a bridge between worlds. His work connected Argentina and the United States, action films and classical tradition, academic scores and street improvisation.

Perhaps that’s why, even in silence, his name still resonates. In every movie where the beat accelerates and suspense builds note by note, his influence is present. As the Academy put it: “We will always remember the composer who turned every heartbeat into emotion, and every silence into suspense.”

Schifrin has completed his final mission. But his legacy — like the 5/4 time signature in Mission: Impossible — continues to leave its mark on the pulse of pop culture.