Seven Years in Tibet

[Augie 1]

I guess so, too, publicist. Maybe he was late on board, but he had still some time to

do it. And Barry, he quit so often...

Williams, perhaps, saw his chance for writing some Eastern music, and took it. He also

was very keen to to do "Geisha", 8 years later.

[Miguel Andrade 1,725]

It was Williams who first brought Geisha to Spielberg attention -- as the story goes, after falling in love with the novel, he bought two more copies and gave one to Spielberg, sending the other one to Ma, with a note that maybe they one day could collaborate in a film version.

Spielberg was reported as interested in directing the film version early on, which would make Williams the only possible choice for composing the score.

At some point Spielberg moved to other ideas and the directing was offered to Marshall and we all know that Williams asked the director to write the score.

So, Williams was thinking of Geisha for as long as the book originally came out.

[Augie 1]

Which was published in 1997.

[Miguel Andrade 1,725]

You're right... For some reason I was thinking of '99...

[Augie 1]

A true scholar!

Sheet Music!

[KK 3,313]

Seven Years in Tibet was one of my first Williams scores, and it always gets to me. There is true power behind the majesty of Williams melodramatic themes. And he captures the feeling of the film so well. It is truly one of his best dramatic efforts.

A shame its so underrated nowadays, to the extent that its almost forgotten amongst most.

[Augie 1]

There's nothing quite like it.

[KittBash 361]

]

I actually prefer the US release with narration. But then again, the three Frank McCourt biographical novels are my all time favorites. "Angela's Ashes" in particularly, I lost count the number of times I've read it.

Well loving the books that much would certainly negate the narration getting the way. Too bad I don't love the books cause that narration always stops me cold when I try to listen to the album. Almost like Brad pitt on the cover of 7YIT almost stops me from ever playing that one

[Miguel Andrade 1,725]

Brad Pitt face on the cover does have that effect

But I do enjoy music with text. Love Copland's "Lincoln Portrait" and Williams' original version of "American Journey", as broadcasted in December 31, 1999.

[Augie 1]

I agree! He also sports this stupid haircut in the film; made it look like a Farrelly movie.

[Jilal 681]

So, Williams was thinking of Geisha for as long as the book originally came out.

Yes. I read that somewhere. He always wanted to score it.

[hornist 1,261]

Seven years in Tibet album goes to the same category as Patriot; never listened those trough but love the first track.

But what a main title those have, I give them a listen actually quite often, awesome pieces of music.

[Josh500 1,620]

@Maurizio

Why not check the John Barry Filmnotgraphy for some basic information.

http://www.johnbarry...lmnotgraphy.php

Well, it says there "he had conversations with the director but never signed"...

So it wasn't a replacement. Maybe the director wanted John Barry, but he never got him!

And I doubt Barry wrote anything for this movie (except maybe play around with some ideas in his head). . . and why would he? He didn't sign on after all.

"Angela's Ashes" would make another hot topic. I always see it as a Noughties movie,

as it came out very late in Europe, and I didn't own the cd before January 2001.

Masterpiece. It was always one of my favorite moody Williams scores. Ii only grew

on me.

There are some wonderful underrated JW scores from the nineties!

Seven Years in Tibet, Sabrina, Nixon, Angela's Ashes, Sleepers, Stepmom, Amistad...

Rosewood is the only score I never got into. In fact, I've listened to this only once so far, I think. I wonder what everybody thinks of it.

A shame its so underrated nowadays, to the extent that its almost forgotten amongst most.

I don't think this score is forgotten, certainly not amongst us.

[Augie 1]

Rosewood is very catchy. Give it another chance.

[Miguel Andrade 1,725]

Rosewood is the only score I never got into. In fact, I've listened to this only once so far, I think. I wonder what everybody thinks of it.

I love "Rosewood". I remember very well getting it, back in early '97, during a trip. I instantly put it on my Discman and fell in love for this score.

[Josh500 1,620]

Let's start a new Rosewood thread...

[ymenard 68]

Let's not forget Elegy For Cello And Orchestra, which is a beautiful and great expansion of Regaining a Son.

[Josh500 1,620]

Let's not forget Elegy For Cello And Orchestra, which is a beautiful and great expansion of Regaining a Son.

Indeed!

By the way, has the main track "Seven Years in Tibet" ever been re-recorded? Either by JW or somebody else?

Anybody know?

[Augie 1]

Nope.

[stewdog1 50]

I'm ashamed to admit that I have never listened to this score. This needs to be rectified ASAP. I've picked it up several times in the store to purchase but for some reason always put it back.

As for Arnold and The Patriot, I thought he was busy with "The World is Not Enough" at that time.

[Josh500 1,620]

And yes some of Williams' most lyrical, haunting and perhaps most personal musical expression comes in these scores, often not shouted on the top of the lungs by the symphony orchestra but sung out only by a handfull of instruments or just the soloist.

I do not think that some of his concerto material found into these scores by mistake. Something in these films inspired him in the same way than writing a concerto might.

Agreed!

This main theme probably ranks among the best of Williams's career! I put it on the same level as "Hymn to the Fallen" and (almost) "Theme from Schindler's List." There is something very deep and meaningful here, something profound and even existential. It's as if JW (through the orchestra and the cellist) is pondering the meaning of life in a slightly melancholic, passionate way...

By the way, the bridge (from 2:04 onwards) is so gorgeous, it elevates the piece to a whole another level!

[Augie 1]

I compared the first and the last track once again.

The last one (reprise) which runs a few seconds longer is either a slightly different alternate take in a way that it is almost not noticeable. Or the same as the first track, but, in that case, the first track was mixed differently.

It always seems to me that the first track beats the pants off the last track - it sounds richer, more emotional, more effective. The last track sounds weaker, although you would need a sound engineer to compare them, scientifically.

[Romão 2,473]

So, I was re-watching the movie yesterday, and its problems remain and the score is, for the most part, sandly underused. But there are quite a few tracks that are not present on cd (and vice versa). I was specially taken by this sweeping of statement of the Tibet/Dalai Lama theme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH2QKIX39W0#t=33

[Oskar 80]

Cue list:

Seven Years in Tibet (1997) - John Williams
Orchestrated by John Neufeld

1m3 Leaving Ingrid (Cue A)
1m3 (Insert) Leaving Ingrid (old Cue A)
1m3A The Rescue of Peter
1m4
1m5 Young Dali Lama (Cue B)
1m7 Meeting the Sherpa
3m1 Transported to Prison
3m2 Alone In Prison
3m4 The Barbed Wire Scene (Cue C)
3m6A The Escape
3m7-Long The Second Escape
3m11 Stealing Food
5m2 Sixty-Eight Kilometers
5m5 Heinrich's Slow Growth (Cue E)
5m5A Escaping the Bandits
5m6 Horsemeat and Rescue
7m1AX The Capitol City
7m3 Western Clothes
7m5 Peter and Pema
9m1 Thinking by the Water
9m3 Meeting the Dali
11m4 Prophetic Dream
11m9A The Generals Enter
11m10 Praying Through A Telescope
13m1 Prepraring the Defense
13m2 The Tibetan Defeat
13m3 The Chinese Takeover
13m11 The Dali Lama's Investiture
15m2 Regaining A Son (new)
15m3 End Credit
The Child of Tibet

source: Film Cue Database

[Incanus 5,890]

Fantastic! Thank you for posting this Oskar!

[fommes 165]

We need a complete version of this pronto!