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One of John Barry's very finest scores brought to stirring, vivid life in this new digital recording. It could be said that in some ways this is a companion piece to his Oscar winning The Lion in Winter (1968), but for me this work is even stronger in stylistic and melodic terms, but whatever your own opinion, it is undoubtedly a bold and striking soundtrack that cries out for attention and appreciation.

Right from 'The Last Valley-Main Titles (part 1)' with its sparkling Germanic choral sound, the entire score is a powerhouse of both grand operatic gravitas and sonorous beauty. While elements of this main theme can be found on many cues such 'The Rape of Khutal' and in more subdued form on 'Vogel Leaves the Valley' (one of several previously unrecorded cues included), it really does the composer great credit the way he varies his interpretations and conjures some remarkably powerful variations, particularly 'The Plague Pit', where guttural male voices lead into a tremendously affecting descending motif and the dynamic 'The Villagers Fight for the Shrine' which packs a real wallop. To contrast this moody material Barry counters with 'Entry into The Last Valley', an expressive cue in his best sensitive, romantic manner and this represents another significant theme which he uses tellingly on the low- key 'Vogel's Dream-The Last Valley' and more assertively on 'Departure From Rhinefelden' and finally utilises both of the major motifs in 'Death of Captain/End Title', where a soft, almost mournful recalling of 'Entry into the Valley' segues into a restrained version of the 'Main Title'.

Among the previously unavailable cues that appear, 'Why Not Winter in the Valley?/The Death of Eskesen' is appealingly subtle, as is the moving 'Captain Meets Erica/Winning Erica'. Add to this a number of acapella choir pieces like 'An Evening Song', 'A Children's Song' and the wonderfully evocative 'The Giving Away of the Women-An Offertory Chant' and you have a score with more than its fair share of variety and invention. And when I add that there are a number of other tracks I haven't named that are very worthy of recognition, it becomes clear that this is a rounded work of great depth and merit.

All in all, an extraordinary accomplishment by the composer, superbly performed and orchestrated, brimming with emotion and vitality, darkness and light, wonder and tragedy. If only John Barry had the opportunity to write music such as this again. That's one dream we all should share.

Mark Hockley

Gary S. Dalkin adds:

- In 1965 John Barry composed the music for Bryan Forbes screen version of James Clavell's novel, King Rat, while between 1964 and 1968 Barry scored four Michael Caine films Zulu (1964), The Ipcress File (1965), The Wrong Box (1966) and Deadfall (1968). In 1970 Clavell wrote and directed The Last Valley , which was not only to be the filmmaker's last work as a director before devoting himself to his much more successful literary career, but the final Michael Caine film which Barry has scored to date.

The film is a dark, complex philosophical story of war and adventure involving a group of mercenaries who find shelter is an isolated, peaceful valley during the Thirty Years War. It was one of the last of the 70mm films of the 1950's-1960's, the commercial failure of this and several other titles such as Ryan's Daughter (1970) killing the format. This was filmmaking on the grand scale, with Barry being given a full six months to write his score. It shows, the complete work being among the most thematically rich in all of Barry's canon, this album presenting a new recording of all the music featured on the original soundtrack LP, plus an additional approximately twenty minutes of material. Indeed, hearing this album now I have little hesitation in saying this is a work to rank only a little way behind Barry's masterpiece, The Lion in Winter (1968).

That however may be because in a sense The Last Valley is "The Lion in Winter Part II". It is again a boldly dramatic, Gothic work filled with rich choral writing - women's voices for the peace of the valley, the male chorus for the mercenaries and the war - with no less than six separate choral settings. The main title itself is a stunning martial/choral setting, full of menace and portents of things to come as the male voices take over from wordless female chorus to intone a 17th Century German lament over relentless snare. Elsewhere there is a "A Christmas Song", "A Children's Song", settings of two liturgical texts and a fragment, "The Plague Pit". Between these the lyrical beauty of "Vogel's Dream - The Last Valley", complete with as lovely a melody as Barry has written contrasts with some of the most savage music the composer has written. Against this, there are familiar 1960's Barry touches, some of the string writing, especially when accompanied by tuned percussion, is reminiscent of the early Bond scores.

Even those who don't like Barry, who consider him merely an elevated "pop" composer or someone capable of little more than lush string arrangements should find much to appreciate in this exception score. The time the composer had to work on this music is strikingly evident compared to Silva Screen's simultaneously re-recorded score for Robin and Marion (1976), a work Barry had to produce in three weeks. For Barry fans it is essential, doubly so for anyone such as myself who particularly consider The Lion in Winter to be so exceptional. The recording and performances are excellent. Incidentally, Silva Screen have also released a new recording of The Lion in Winter, coupled with a suite from Mary Queen of Scots (1971).

Gary S. Dalkin

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James Southall

The Lion in Winter is a highly literate, intelligent movie set in France in 1138: starring Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn, it tells the story of how Eleanor, wife of King Henry II, seeks revenge on her husband as he releases her temporarily from prison in order to name his heir to the throne from his three sons; meanwhile, they are busy plotting against each other. John Barry was already well-known by the time, having scored many Bond movies and Born Free, but must still have seemed like a strange choice to score the movie: a highly classical and refined score was required for the movie, something Barry hadn't really written up to that point. He blew away any misconceptions with his brilliant work on the movie, and deservedly won an Oscar for his troubles.

The score features by far Barry's most extensive use of choral music set to lyrics: the opening choral theme is his most portentous, and the choral writing of other cues such as "Allons Gai Gai Gai", "Eya, eya, nova gaudia" and "Media vita in morte sumus" features much variety but a consistent beauty and relevant dramatic thrust. While not up front, the chorus is still usually heard behind the orchestra, and the dramatic piece "To Rome" is nothing short of stunning, becoming one of the most influential pieces Barry has written (though it is rarely acknowledged as such). In my opinion "We're All Jungle Creatures", the finale, is the ultimate piece of Barry film music, beyond comparison with anything else he has written: he wraps up the score with one last use of the heraldic fanfare from his main theme and throws the choir into the mix for an astonishing climax.

The score has been released twice on CD before, both by Varèse Sarabande in the early days of CDs and later by Sony Legacy in 1995. Sound quality was not the best and so Silva Screen decided to augment their growing Barry collection still further, with a re-recording of the entire score, featuring the few minutes of music from the movie that did not appear on the original release. (Most notable among the "new" music is "Fanfare for Philip / The Great Hall Feast" - certainly a welcome inclusion.) I'm pleased to say that both the City of Prague Philharmonic and Crouch End Festival Chorus have done themselves proud with a superb performance, marvellously captured in the detailed recording by engineers John Timperley and Mike Ross-Trevor. Film scores don't get much better than this, and re-recordings don't get any better than this.

Also featured on the album is a 15-minute suite from Mary, Queen of Scots , another period score by Barry. Sadly it has never been released on CD in any form and therefore it would have been nice to have had a lengthier reconstruction, but we should be grateful for what we are offered and this suite is a good representation of the score as a whole. Terry Walstrom's liner notes are a step above from the norm, and ultimately I can't recommend this album enough. A true classic.

James Southall

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John Barry – The Lost Tracks

The following were performed ‘live’ by the John Barry Seven on BBC’s Drumbeat series in 1959. Only one of the shows was pre-recorded (and there is not much chance of that having survived) so unless anybody recorded the shows onto a tape-recorder, it’s likely they will never be heard again.

Television:

Drumbeat:

Jumping with Symphony Sid (JB7 & Millermen)
Topsy (JB7 & Millermen)
Trollin’
Tequila
Roulette
Toots (written by John Barry)
The Rumble (written by John Barry)
Guitar Boogie Shuffle
Black Bottom
Flippin’
Juke Box Fury
Bongo Rock
Teenage Guitar
Flippin’ In
Mason Dixon Line
What is this thing called love?
Peter Gunn
China Tea
Cerveza

The following were pre-recorded by the JB7 as part of the soundtrack to this BBC drama in 1961, along with songs by Ray Brooks & Johnny De Little. As in the case of Drumbeat, there is little chance of this still existing in the BBC archives.

Girl On A Roof:

Not Guilty (written by Trevor Peacock)
I Want You Baby (written by John Barry)

The JB7 made countless radio appearances on shows like Saturday, Club, Easy Beat & Music With A Beat. All of them were pre-recorded so there is a chance at least some of them still exist. They also accompanied a wide variety of vocalists. The following is not an exhaustive list – merely the ones we know about.

Radio:

Easy Beat, Saturday Club, Music With A Beat

All John Barry Seven / John Barry Seven plus Four:

Like Young
Manhunt
The Swinging Preacher
Young Man’s Lament
How High The Noon
Bonnie Came Back
Big Beat Boogie
Easy Beat (written by John Barry)
Beatnik Fly
Too Much Tequila
Tuxedo Junction
No Go (written by John Barry)*
I Remember You
Easy To Love
Chiquita Linda
Saturday Jump
Royal Event
Dumplings
Theme From a Summer Place
Two Way Stretch
No Moon At All
My Old Man’s A Dustman
On The Beach
Shazam
Down Yonder
Lonesome Road
Trouble Shooter (written by John Barry)
St. Louis Blues
Route No. 1

* possibly renamed and recorded

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29^th August:

Taking part:

Music played ‘live’

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22^nd August:

Taking part:

Music played ‘live’:

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Shirley Bassey and John Barry with their gold discs for Goldfinger

15^th August:

Taking part:

Music played 'live': 

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Those present, back row, from the left: Adam Faith, Sylvia Sands, Vince Eager. 
The others: Danny Williams, Bob Miller, The Poni-Tails, John Barry, Stewart Morris.

8^th August:

Taking part:

Music played ‘live’:

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John Barry at the piano

1^st August:

Taking part:

Music played ‘live’:

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John Barry - Drumbeat

25^th July:

Taking part:

Music played ‘live’:

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John Barry conducts - Drumbeat

18^th July (Telerecorded):

Taking part:

Music played ‘live’: