Jerry Goldsmith has been writing film scores for over 40 years: they became his passion after an inspirational teenage visit to see a film scored by Miklos Rozsa.

His work ranges from Gunsmoke and Perry Mason through Planet of the Apes and The Omen (for which he won an Oscar) to Basic Instinct and The Mummy, along the way he's collected 16 Academy Award nominations!

Jerry wrote the music for several of the Star Trek films - the Motion Picture, First Contact, Final Frontier, along with the incidental music for the Next Generation and Voyager.

You sent in questions for an e-mail interview, now read his answers.

(From L. Keek) How much can you influence a movie with your music or are you told what to compose by the Director?
It's a joint effort between the director and the composer.

When you learned the piano, were you taught improvisation and did that help your composing skills? (From Sarah)
No, I was not taught improvisation. I studied harmony, counterpoint, orchestration and composition.

Where do you get the inspiration for such a variety of music? For example, John Tavener spends a month each year in a monastery, do you also need to withdraw and recoup? Do you read sci-fi books? (From Simon and Malisa)
There is no time to withdraw since we work on very short schedules and must produce music at a very rapid pace. No, I do not read science-fiction books.

Do you think the wide availability of cheap music technology will improve the quality and variety of incidental music composition? (From John)
No!

The breathtaking score for the film Planet of the Apes in 1968 achieved its unique musical textures by purely orchestral means and without the use of synthesizers. If you were scoring its remake today, would you use the same approach? (From Heathcliff)
Probably not. I would probably take advantage of the new technology.

Your film music, like that of your great friend Alex North, maintains a remarkable combination of intuitive beauty and advanced compositional technique. Do you think that Hollywood, under ever greater commercial pressures, will be receptive to that kind of musical subtlety from composers in the future? (From Heathcliff)
No. We seem to be reverting to more conservative approaches, both in the music and the film-making processes.

What's your favourite out of all the film scores you've ever written and what's your favourite Star Trek composition? (From Owain, Michael and Don)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture on both counts.

Are you friendly with other Hollywood composers such as John Williams and John Horner? What did you think of John William's performance of Star Trek: The Motion Picture with the Boston Pops? (From Jonathan)>
I'm friendly with John Williams, but did not hear his performance of Star Trek. I'm sure it was quite good.

When you worked on Star Trek: The Next Generation and First Contact did you work alongside Alexander Courage or did you develop his ideas? (From Ron and Jon)
They were all my own ideas.

Do you like Star Trek the programme and if so which series is your favourite? (From Tom and Stuart)
Star Trek: Voyager.

Could a Vulcan appreciate music? (From Herk)
No.

Have you ever got in a fight with John Williams about which is better - Star Wars or Star Trek music? (From Matt)
John and I never fight.

When an audience watches a movie that you've scored, are their feelings driven by your music or by the words and pictures? (From Angela)
A combination of all.

Do you believe in the 'Music of the Spheres'? (From Saul)
I'm not acquainted with 'Music of the Spheres'.