StreamingSoundtracks - StreamingSoundtracks.com - Lion In Winter, The - John Barry

#	Track Listing	Length	Played
01	The Lion In Winter John Barry	2:25	137
02	Allons Gai Gai Gai John Barry	1:38	11
03	Richard's Joust / Geoffrey's Battle John Barry	1:18	9
04	Chinon / Eleanor's Arrival John Barry	3:36	45
05	Fanfare For Philip / The Great Hall Feast John Barry	1:21	13
06	The Herb Garden John Barry	4:11	20
07	To The Chapel John Barry	1:45	10
08	Eya, Eya, Nova Gaudia John Barry	2:14	11
09	How Beautiful You Made Me John Barry	2:59	11
10	God Damn You John Barry	4:27	21
11	The Christmas Wine John Barry	2:38	16
12	To Rome John Barry	4:26	23
13	Media Vita In Morte Sumus John Barry	2:02	10
14	We're All Jungle Creatures John Barry	2:48	20
15	Mary, Queen Of Scots John Barry	2:30	37
16	Elizabeth's Ride John Barry	1:24	9
17	Vivre Et Mourir John Barry	2:11	8
18	But Not Through My Realm John Barry	4:46	19
19	Mary And Darnley John Barry	1:46	9
20	This Was Mary John Barry	3:25	63

Listener Rating

40 listener votes for this album.

A review by James Southall found on movie-wave.net

By:	Angel
Date:	4 Jul 2010
Rating:

Barry had never written anything like this before - the combination of Gregorian plainsong and his striking, brassy orchestral music (with more than a hint of jazz about it in the rhythms) is tremendously striking. The portentous opening heraldic blast of the trumpets sets the dramatic tone straight away - there is not a literal war in the film, but the war of words is almost as bloody in its way; Barry leaves the viewer in no doubt as to the strained conflict to come. The Latin plainsong accompanying the piece makes it one of the most powerful main title themes I can remember; pure brilliance.

What follows is every bit as good. The choral harmonies of the a capella "Allons Gai Gai Gai" stunningly beautiful; and speaking of beautiful, it doesn't get much better than "Eleanor's Arrival", even when put up against the body of work of a film composer who has written more gorgeous, lyrical themes than most others combined. Barry has not worked with a choir often, but the effect he is able to generate here is spellbinding. There's a real ethereal quality to some of this music - thoughtful, reflective - "The Herb Garden" in particular is outstanding in that respect.

Of course, a film like this is not going to have a score which is all sweetness and light - and the dramatic potency of some of the pieces is particularly stirring. It's all in the brass - so powerful - nobody could listen to "To the Chapel" and not feel themselves sitting up straight. "God Damn You" is in the same vein; "To Rome" is startlingly similar to the "Map Room" sequence years later in John Williams's Raiders of the Lost Ark, and is also startlingly good; but best of all is "Media Vita In Morte Sumus", featuring probably the most frenzied music of Barry's career, with choir and brass ending the piece in a tumultuous battle.

My favourite track, though, is the conclusion - "We're All Jungle Creatures" - with a stirring arrangement of the main theme bringing the score to a powerful climax. It's classic film music and deserves a place in anyone's collection. The original recording was released on CD first by Varese Sarabande and then by Sony; but my preferred recording is this one on Silva Screen, conducted by Nic Raine, which is surprisingly faithful (given the slightly eclectic nature of the music) and benefits from the improved sonics. It also features a suite from another classic Barry score - Mary, Queen of Scots. I couldn't recommend it more highly.

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