I knew John Barry's music from the Bond films, naturally, and was surprised by his score to "Born Free" for its departure from his jazzy, hip scores for Bond.
When I heard this score, however, I was mesmerized by the depth of his talents. Most of his score complements the film's rugged and somewhat violent nature, but this cue ("Chinon-Eleanor's Arrival") stunned me -- bowled me completely over -- and I have since been a die-hard fan of all his works!
In this scene, Eleanor of Aquitaine, wife of King Henry II, has been summoned by her husband to attend a Christmas court. He has kept her imprisoned (with luxuries of the time, of course) and in this scene she arrives.
I think many of you may say, "Oh, heck, Ron! Everyone knows this music!" I know that to be untrue as it has only been a few months since I discovered a very devoted film music fan had never heard it before.
So, it's for anyone unfamiliar...and for those who love the score, as well.
An amazing cue. Here are the lyrics from screenwriter James Goldman: Eleanore, Reginae Anglorum, salus et vita (To Eleanor, Queen of the English, health and life).
Ron, for those us who have known - and loved - Barry's music for years, we're never surprised when someone discovers a cue which takes hold of them and demands their attention. The Lion in Winter (1968): Chinon/Eleanor's Arrival is a perfect example and I hope you'll find other tracks, scores even, which will make you re-assess your knowledge (experience) of his work.
Certainly, like many others, his JB007 scores were my introduction and I still love them all but many of his other scores have allowed a much wider range. I prefer his score to The Last Valley (1971) which also includes choral work.
Coincidentally, that track was one of my choices last week when I demo'd a new Hi-Fi streamer. I can assure anyone interested that the album is available on Tidal and that track sounds superb. But that should be of no surprise
I've just recently re-watched BECKET and THE LION IN WINTER back-to-back. Two marvellous films with scores to suit by Rosenthal and Barry, respectively.
Easily a highlight in Barry's career. Excluding those best score Oscars won because of a popular song, I think best score Oscars are won by one or two memorable scenes with just the perfect music. All of JB's Lion in Winter score is magnificent, but I think it is this cue and the main title music, ominously churning forth over those grisly shots of gargoyles that won Barry his third of five Oscars.
Every time I play this score, all I can remember is those two John Barry nuggets Robert Wood and Richard Jolley (from Movie Boulevard) telling me* - every time I saw them at a Film Fair or some such - how Goldsmith only won his Oscar for THE OMEN by ripping off THE LION IN WINTER by John Barry.
*a young, card carrying Goldsmith nut job at the time.
Yeah, I remember they used to say that. Bait, really.
However, having brought that up there's a danger some folks will pick on that and send this thread on that tangent, it ending up being a Barry versus Goldsmith thread that gets typically bitter.
So, for anyone watching and who feels tempted, please let's not do that. Let's just appreciate the score at hand.
I knew John Barry's music from the Bond films, naturally, and was surprised by his score to "Born Free" for its departure from his jazzy, hip scores for Bond.
When I heard this score, however, I was mesmerized by the depth of his talents. Most of his score complements the film's rugged and somewhat violent nature, but this cue ("Chinon-Eleanor's Arrival") stunned me -- bowled me completely over -- and I have since been a die-hard fan of all his works!
In this scene, Eleanor of Aquitaine, wife of King Henry II, has been summoned by her husband to attend a Christmas court. He has kept her imprisoned (with luxuries of the time, of course) and in this scene she arrives.
I think many of you may say, "Oh, heck, Ron! Everyone knows this music!" I know that to be untrue as it has only been a few months since I discovered a very devoted film music fan had never heard it before.
So, it's for anyone unfamiliar...and for those who love the score, as well.
I remember the night of The Academy Awards when THIS film was up for its own 'Lion Share'. I was just a Junior High Schooler watching the show with my family. The film won 3 Oscars, and each time the film won, the orchestra would play out the main title theme. THIS, was probably the very beginning of my love of film music. I did not know who John Barry was, but THIS music heard whenever the film won, made its lasting impression upon me!
I remember the night of The Academy Awards when THIS film was up for its own 'Lion Share'. I was just a Junior High Schooler watching the show with my family. The film won 3 Oscars, and each time the film won, the orchestra would play out the main title theme.
Only twice, actually--for the Best Screenplay and Best Original Score awards. The film's third award, Best Actress, was a tie between Katharine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand. The orchestra played "People" from FUNNY GIRL, as the recipients came on stage, probably because Streisand was the only one of the two present at the awards. THE LION IN WINTER director Anthony Harvey accepted the Best Actress award for Hepburn.
…. but this cue ("Chinon-Eleanor's Arrival") stunned me -- bowled me completely over -- and I have since been a die-hard fan of all his works!
Same thing happened to me in this past year. I’ve always loved John Barry, but mostly only his later more languid scores. But this year it dawned on me that (beyond a few James Bond scores) I had almost nothing from before his mid eighties output! Guided by quite a few people who’ve chipped in on this thread already, I set about fixing that. It’s never too late to make new film music discoveries, and that’s what is best about FSM and this board!
I remember the night of The Academy Awards when THIS film was up for its own 'Lion Share'. I was just a Junior High Schooler watching the show with my family. The film won 3 Oscars, and each time the film won, the orchestra would play out the main title theme. THIS, was probably the very beginning of my love of film music. I did not know who John Barry was, but THIS music heard whenever the film won, made its lasting impression upon me!
My strongest memory of THAT night was the overwhelming disappointment and anger when Cliff Robertson's name was called instead of Peter O'Toole's for Best Actor. It still rankles as one of the Academy's greatest miscarriages of justice.
Here's the only-recently released version of the Main Title and Eleanor's Arrival that was originally meant for Barry's 1972 "The Concert John Barry" album:
