Search - John Barry :: The Last Valley

In the Autumn of 1637, twenty years into the Thirty Years' War, what began as a conflict between the Catholics and the Protestants had degenerated into a nightmare free-for-all, with mercenary armies fighting only for personal gain and destroying everything in their path. The 1970 film The Last Valley follows a university teacher (Omar Sharif) trying to evade soldiers as he scrambles through the desolate countryside, evading soldiers and simply trying to survive. He stumbles onto a beautiful valley, untainted by the war around it at the same time a group of soldiers and their captain (Michael Caine) discover it. Tensions between the peasants and the soldiers follow as the story unfolds to its inevitable spring-time resolution. The Last Valley was the final directing project for James Clavell, who went on to become a successful novelist (Shogun). John Barry was famous for his contribution to several different genres: romance (Out of Africa, Somewhere in Time), James Bond (a genre of its own), and historical films among others. With The Lion in Winter and Zulu already under his belt, The Last Valley comes in the middle of a cycle that would shortly thereafter include Mary Queen of Scots and Robin and Marian. For The Last Valley, Barry sets forceful, driving music for war against a hauntingly beautiful theme for the peaceful valley. Using massive chorus as well as large orchestra, the main title flows with power and medieval color. Again and again throughout the score, Barry uses the chorus in different guises, perhaps delivering one of his most haunting and powerful works. The INTRADA release of The Last Valley is the premiere release of the original Barry recording on CD, preserving Barry's assembly of the original Dunhill LP from original master tapes. This release is limited to 3000 units.