The founding member of electronica pioneers Popol Vuh and a frequent collaborator with legendary German filmmaker Werner Herzog, composer Florian Fricke was the man responsible for creating the almost perfect musical compliment for such haunting Herzog films as Aguuirre, Wrath of God and Fitzcarraldo.
A native of Germany born in 1944, Fricke was a key component in creating what author William Van Wert referred to as "the strongest organizing principle in Herzog's films." Popol Vuh, who took their name from the book concerning the death of the Mayan civilization, was the first German band to utilize the Moog synthesizer and anticipated the future of modern electronic music in their worldly ambient compositions. Fricke's musical accompaniment to Herzog's imagery is often considered one of the main factors in helping to visualize emotions hidden within the landscapes and characters of the films the two collaborated on.
In December of 2001, Florian Fricke died peacefully in his sleep in Munich, Germany.
