The Lion in Winter

Composed and Conducted by John Barry

1. Main Title
2. Chinon/Eleanor's Arrival (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKjqrEMzlbA)
3. Allons Gai Gai Gai
4. To the Chapel
5. Christmas Wine
6. God Damn You
7. To Rome
8. Herb Garden
9. Eya, Eya, Nova Gaudia
10. How Beautiful You Make Me
11. Media Vita in Morte Sumus
12. We're Jungle Creatures


All Tracks @ 320 Kbps
Deposit Files (http://depositfiles.com/files/ghx4c768y)


Eleanore, Reginae Anglorum,
Salus et vita


Some time ago in the hunt thread, someone asked which are the best John Barry scores. Many answered that his best works were for the Bond movies, while others suggested soundtracks like Out of Africa or Dances with Wolves. I even answered without hesitation the soundtrack of The Lion in Winter, presented here.

This is the first to a series of historical films that Barry scored early in his career, followed by
The Last Valley, Mary Queen of Scots, and finally Robin and Marian.
From the very first notes of the strident 'Main Title', and accompanied by a portentous chorus singing in Latin, it clearly shows that John Barry wanted to create and experiment different genres of the so called "Spy Music", whom he was himself one of the main responsibles of the popularity of that kind of sound.
And that goal was achieved in my opinion, because the bulk of the score evoke an ancient gothic ambience that we can identify with the Middle Age, especially with the use of the choir present in every track of the soundtrack. It is ometimes dark and violent has in tracks like the 'Main Title' and 'Media Vita in Morte Sumus' (a choir that even Goldsmith would be proud to use in a Omen movie sexpot), but in the other hand beautiful and ethereal by a female choir singing in 'Eleanor's Arrival' or in 'Eya, Eya, Nova Gaudia'.

Overall one of the top of John Barry scores in his career.

Thank you very much for this Sanico. :D It's also nice to see someone from the film score hunt thread post in the new format.

Fantastic Score...Great share...many Thanks!!!

Yes Zoran.
The recent events that led to close the original thread, have left me with little motivation to continue sharing, but i decided to give the relaunch of the hunt thread a try.

And also because the whole forum gave me more than i could imagined after all these years, so i'm in debt and will continue sharing or fulfill some requests, as long as i'm enjoying to do so.

Thanks for this, Sanico! I haven't heard this work of Barry's yet.

Thank you so much, Sanicor, for this!

Absolutely one of the best! The movie is incredible, though some of the casting is strange (Anthony Hopkins as Richard the LionHeart???!!!! whazzup with that!!!). The music here is not just an add-on, it is integral to the action. If you haven't seen it, please do! And the script is just full of wonderful dialogue ("Of course he's got a knife. We've all got knives. It's 1183, and we're all barbarians!"). Thanks to Sanicor for bringing this one to the forefront of John Barry's work -- I am completely in agreement that this is one of his best (IS his best, IMHO).

Thanks for this. The music stands alone really well.

I absolutely agree with you! (This and Ipcress File are my Barry's favorites.... but truth must be said I love John Barry's scores.)
You have such a definitive taste! Thanks.....

You are welcome Elliotz. Thanks.

As requested a new link was added.

Thanks for the great Barry score :)

Awesome up, Thanks

THIS was Anthony Hopkins' FIRST movie. During his introductory sequence the agony on face while lifting the sword is real. Filming had been delayed for weeks since he fell from a horse and broke his arm. Peter O'Toole played Henry II twice in movies. This is the best Hepburn film. Amazingly sexual. The movie is intensely dramatic and wonderfully funny; a Christmas story no less. Dazzling dialogue. And the music... John Barry's masterpiece. If you are preparing yourself to have an arguement; watch this film first for a few ripe lines.

"Well, what family doesn't have its ups and downs?"

"Pay attention when I'm trying to vilify you!"

"What shall we hang, the holly or each other?"

"Henry can populate his bed with sheep for all I care, which on occasion he has done."

"That's what tapestries are for."

(reportedly, this was inspired by Carmina Burana though I don't see/hear a resemblance... this recoding is actually a RE-RECORDING and not the original tracks from the film... and there was a recent RE-RECORDING a few years back that doesn't even come close to this disc first issued back in the late 60s)

Thank you. Great music for a great movie!

thank you, sanico
and Joseph, for notifying that it is still live

Thank you for sharing this great soundtrack.