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John Barry RIP


Teasing the Korean

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This prose-poem is a personal retrospective in memory of a man who brought beautiful music to my ears for half a century.-Ron Price, Tasmania

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I never even heard of John Barry(1933-2011). He died yesterday. He was an Oscar winning English film score composer. He was best known for composing 11 James Bond soundtracks and was hugely influential in determining the 007 series' distinctive style. His career spanned the same years I have been a member of the Baha’i Faith, the decades 1960 to 2010. Barry was employed by the EMI record company from 1959 until 1962 arranging orchestral accompaniment for the company's recording artists. From 1962 Barry transferred to Ember Records where he produced albums as well as arranging them.

1959 and 1962 were also big years for me as my young life was just getting air-borne. In 1962 I began my matriculation studies in Ontario, my most demanding academic year; that same year I also moved with my parents to a nearby town helping to form the first Baha’i spiritual assembly.-Ron Price with thanks to Wikipedia, 1 February 2011.

One of the most famous signature tunes

in film history, the James Bond Theme,

came from your composing talents. This

would be a big turning point for you, and

you would go on to become one of the most

celebrated film composers……winning five

Academy Awards and four Grammy Awards

with scores for The Lion in Winter, Midnight

Cowboy, Born Free, and Somewhere in Time.

My life had no signature tunes, but it did have

a signature, about that there is no doubt, if I go

back those five decades-half a century-singing

a song that rose up from the Siyah-Chal and the

dust in the barrack-square of Tabriz long ago.

Westward that song moved, worldward, and

now the earth is flooded with the felicity of

this new song, this Godsong. Have you heard

it John—now that you are in the Land of Lights?

Ron Price

1 February 2011

Edited by RonPrice
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Can anyone recommend a good compilation of his work? I've seen several on Amazon but am not sure which is the one to get.

Very difficult to recommend comps by prolific film composers. In addition to the large catalogs and stylistic shifts common to many artists, film composers' output is further varied by the genres of the films they've worked in.

My ideal Barry comp would include the Connery-era Bond flicks and a few select others from that era. Others would say "Born Free" or "Dances with Wolves." My suggestions would be far too subjective to provide a decent starting point.

Edited by Teasing the Korean
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Wow I'd forgotten that Barry did the music for The Knack. It was made by Richard Lester between his two Beatles films and has been pretty much forgotten. It's very much of its time and was considered hot stuff in 1965.

I'd be curious to see it again. Always did like pre-Phantom Michael Crawford.

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51bKvrHRI5L._SL500_AA300_.jpg

This one gives a nice survey. As much Barry as I've needed (so far!!!).

1. Persuaders

2. Midnight Cowboy

3. Ipcress File

4. Knack

5. Wednesday's Child

6. Space March (Capsule In Space)

7. Girl With The Sun In Her Hair

8. Vendetta

9. Danny Scipio

10. James Bond

11. Goldfinger

12. Diamonds Are Forever

13. From Russia With Love

14. You Only Live Twice

15. Thunderball

16. On Her Majesty's Secret Service

17. 007

18. Walk Don't Run

19. Beat For Beatniks

20. Hit And Miss

21. Born Free

Though this one has a few more tracks, including some later scores:

51MDeqe04PL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

1. James Bond Theme - Barry, John Seven

2. Goldfinger - Bassey, Shirley

3. Midnight Cowboy

4. Out Of Africa (I Had A Farm In Africa)

5. John Dunbar Theme

6. You Only Live Twice - Sinatra, Nancy

7. On Her Majesty's Secret Service

8. Ipcress File

9. View To A Kill - Duran Duran

10. Girl With The Sun In Her Hair - Barry, John Orchestra

11. 007

12. Zulu - Barry, John & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

13. Knack

14. Chaplin

15. Lion In Winter

16. Moviola

17. Persuaders

18. Seance On A Wet Afternoon

19. Born Free - Monro, Matt

20. Thunderball - Jones, Tom

21. Somewhere In Time - Williams, Roger (1)

22. Beyondness Of Things - English Chamber Orchestra

23. We Have All The Time In The World - Armstrong, Louis

24. Diamonds Are Forever - Bassey, Shirley

Edited by A Lark Ascending
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