Customer Reviews

Last Valley - O.S.T.

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first saw this exceptional film as a young fella in the 70s, and its impact has never been forgotten. What makes this film so unforgettable is a soundtrack that is perfect to the premise of the movie, written by the greatest film composer of all time. There are brooding, somber tracks as well as aching beautiful ones. In addition, silvascreen has put together a superb insert that details many interesting facts about the film and John Barry. There are even English translations of the German words to the main title, plague pit, evening song, offeratory chant, children's song and the Christmas song! Hats off to silvascreen for doing the homework on an exceptional album. As far as it not being the original orchestra, I wouldn't have known it were it not for the only negative review posted here at Amazon. The sound is faithful and identical in every respect, and to me, the music is as amazing in Prague as it was in London!

From James Clavell who wore three hats on this project as Screenwriter, Producer and Director...based on a novel by J. B Pick...featuring two top stars from the film scene Michael Caine and Omar Sharif...but the prize goes to our composer with probably one of his finest scores...the legendary icon of film music ~ JOHN BARRY.

Conductor Nic Raine...The City Of Prague Philharmonic...Crouch End Festival Chorus...David Temple(choir master)...what a great line up for our classic score, recorded on HDCD...new digital recording of the COMPLETE SCORE...and a big plus of previously unrecorded material.

James Fitzpatrick(producer) and Silva Screen Records putting quality and excellence as always FIRST...Barry's darker score has considerable melody, always clinging to beautiful counterpoints within each measure...take for instance "AN EVENING SONG"..."AN OFFERTORY CHANT"..."A CHILDREN'S SONG"..."A CHRISTMAS SONG", voices ring pure, clean and true, this is Barry at his finest hour.

You might try other John Barry on Silva Screen Records, all worthy of a good listen ~ "The Lion In Winter"(SSD-1131)..."Raise The Titanic"(SSD-1102)..."Robin And Marian"(SSD-1133)..."John Barry:The Collection 40 Years of Film Music"(4-CD-Set)(SSD-1128) (...)

Total Time: 56:51 on 21 Tracks ~ Silva Screen Records SSD-1134 ~ (2001)

This was a difficult Barry score to find. I owned it originally on vinyl when it first came out, way back when. This re-recording was released in 2001 and I bought it because I love the music. Then in 2007, Intrada released the original soundtrack recording. THAT is the one to own, even if it has slightly less music on it. John Barry was always the best person to interpret John Barry's music, and this score is no exception. Nice try, Nic, but there's just something missing. NOTE: The same goes for The City Of Prague Philarmonic's version of "The Lion in Winter." Close, but no cigar. Get the original if you can.

I first heard this work on our classical station. I checked with our local library, they didn't have it so they did a "universal" search. Only 5 libraries in the country had it and none would send it out of their area. I wanted to hear it over and over again so I bought it through Amazon. This is a fabulous piece of music, beautifully performed, although a bit repetitive. It's also a bit expensive but well worth it. Now I'll have to see the movie.

This is a remarkable piece by John Barry, coming straight from 1970. "The last valley" was not a success at the time, in spite of an excellent script, a bunch of very good actors (Caine is very impressive), a remarkable photography... and an outstanding soundtrack.

The new recording itself (2001) is crystal clear. It comes from the City of Prague Philarmonic. It also adds 20 minutes to the original LP.

Hello outthere!
I'm from austria, actually from the valley and village where this movie was shot and i'm searching this soundtrack now, because i want it to be a present for my mum, who, now 52 was in this movie when she was 16and still talks abour omar shariv, michael chaine and how exiting it was for everybody in the whole valley to have a bit of hollywood here. Is there anyone in europe havin the soundtrack for me to buy from?
xxoo maria
mail: karmaria@gmx.at

Sure, I love Dances With Wolves. And Out of Africa. I cheer Barry on, hoping his career will last another decade, but let's face it. His scores are all basically the same nowadays. Beautiful, stunning, yet all the same.
His truly great scores came earlier. Zulu, The Lion in Winter, etc. etc. The Last Valley is one of these "etc. etc." I highly disagree with the reviewer that gave this CD a C+ just because Nic Raine conducted it. Nic Raine is the best possible man for the job (aside from Barry of course), and Barry rarely conducts anymore. Therefore, it makes sense that Raine conducts it. Furthermore, he did a fabulous job rerecording this work.
Buy this if you like Barry's earlier works. Be warned, though, this ain't no Somewhere in Time.

This album is the one to own. From the impresive main title to its inspiring end title, this is barry at his best. A wellcome adition to the barry list.

If you read the original version of my review and bought this item--Sorry! For so very long, I have awaited this Barry score to be put on CD. I have the original LP album--which I transcribed (parts of) to cassettes--3 or 4 cassettes. My album is "worn out," so when CD's arrived on the scene, I could not burn one from my album. And, my VHS of the movie was not "playable" in my car's CD player or my home CD player...
So, I waited for a CD of The Last Valley score. But, never a CD--till now. I have always thought that this score was Barry's best--and, the main theme/the captain's death still are chillingly ethereal and inspiring, no matter how many times I hear them. To me, they sound like the music of heaven (or, at least, what I hope heavenly music sounds like). BUT, THIS IS NOT A DIGITIZED (RE-)RECORDING OF THE ORIGINAL MOVIE SOUNDTRACK---AS THE COVER IMPLIES.
IT IS A NIC RAINES, AND THE PRAGUE PHILHARMONIC, NEW RECORDING OF THE THE SOUNDTRACK MUSIC/SCORE--NOT BARRY CONDUCTING HIS MUSIC WITH THE LONDON PHILHARMONIC. IT IS BETTER THAN MY SCRATCHY,CLICKS AND POPS, 30 YEAR-OLD LP--BUT, NOT BARRY'S SOUNDTRACK!!! ABOUT A C+!
Ron