I've loved this music for years since I first saw the film too. Incredibly moving music. I watched the film again today and this music playing over the scene in France at the start where Sam Neil cycles off as Streep watches and he looks as he passes and then gives the most subtle gesture of 'Adieu' and it was so moving I cried. The creation of something so light and yet so beautiful caught between the characters and the music. Thank you for sharing this music for me to listen to. :)
Thank you James Stuart for posting this brilliant soundtrack. I've been searching for it ever since I saw the film in 1985 and fell in love with the music. You're a scholar and a gentleman!
I made an analog copy of the same themes (beginning and end) onto cassette back when I saw the movie on VHS in the 1980s... The cassette no longer works, but the theme runs through my head from time to time because of the melancholic beauty it holds--but I found myself completely frustrated for being able to either buy or otherwise lay my hands on a current rendering. So it was great to hear your capture of these themes, despite the edits... Thank You!
Hi James, I have this piece on CD. It’s called something like the best of Bruce Smeaton various...I’ll dig through and find it if you like and relay all the CD info. Please just let me know when you get the chance. This piece has always stirred my heart, and I searched forever trying to find it. Thank you so much for allowing other listeners to experience the sad beauty that this music pours into us.
The CD is titled: Bruce Smeaton: Film and Television Themes it's no longer available on Amazon. I wish someone would post a clean track of this from the CD.
This 'valse triste' perfectly captures the paradox of the lead character: the romantic idealism and deep disappointment which clash to bring Susan to her to her multiple acts of manipulative ambition. Shakespearean in tone, Susan is one of the great (female) characters of 20th century theatre - and, in the film version - misunderstood by many a critic. Her apparent mental instability is an aside; what Hare is offering us is true tragedy: the self-destruction of someone by her own ideals. All through the film you admire Susan. Why? Because she is mostly right - she's just going about it the wrong way (?) - and the two final heartbreaking scenes, the last on the hillside - accompanied by this music - summarizes in miniature an entire generation of people who came out of WW 2 with high ideals and could not adjust to the banal, materialist, conformist, not-quite-as- progressive-as we-hoped Cold War culture, much of which still colours our sensibilities today. More often than not I find myself on that same hillside, but my sorrow lies in the fact that I cannot say with any conviction, "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful? There will be days and days and days like this..."
Autostade I always loved this film, & looking at it for the first time in decades tonight on TV , I still find it haunting, thought provoking and moving. Love your beautiful touching comment🙏
This is a beautiful theme. Thanks for posting it. It's a shame that creative, new beautiful music can mostly be found as only movie themes. It's as if you need an excuse to make nice music, as in a movie theme, whereas popular music these days seems to me mostly just dissonant noise.
you could prob say the same about Pop music from 1981. obvs there's a stark contrast between Pop and Soundtrack music, they're not comparable. anyway, check out Jonny Greenwood for an artist making beautiful film scores today
Since you have the actual DVD can you tell me something -does the main title contain dialogue and sound effects? If it does, that would be the reason for any edits. I haven't seen the film in at least 15 years (when I recorded this from VHS), so I cannot recall. Many main title sequences do contain lots of dialogue and/or sound effects and if they do, I usually will not bother recording them. There are exceptions (and this may well be one of the them) and if so I edit around the offending sections. I find dialogue, etc incredibly distracting and take away from the impact of the music.
![5 Pieces by Hans Zimmer \\ Iconic Soundtracks \\ Relaxing Piano [20min]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Os47nMrjw_Y/mqdefault.jpg)
![5 Pieces by Hans Zimmer \\ Iconic Soundtracks \\ Relaxing Piano [20min]](/img/tr.png)
I've loved this music for years since I first saw the film too. Incredibly moving music. I watched the film again today and this music playing over the scene in France at the start where Sam Neil cycles off as Streep watches and he looks as he passes and then gives the most subtle gesture of 'Adieu' and it was so moving I cried.
The creation of something so light and yet so beautiful caught between the characters and the music. Thank you for sharing this music for me to listen to. :)
Thanks. Lovely and wistful, like so many things in life that are just out of reach.
Thank you James Stuart for posting this brilliant soundtrack. I've been searching for it ever since I saw the film in 1985 and fell in love with the music. You're a scholar and a gentleman!
Many thanks, agutterfan!
I have loved this theme for years and have been unable to find a long version. Thanks for posting it!
Glad you found it.
Thanks for posting, haunting music.
You're most welcome.
I made an analog copy of the same themes (beginning and end) onto cassette back when I saw the movie on VHS in the 1980s... The cassette no longer works, but the theme runs through my head from time to time because of the melancholic beauty it holds--but I found myself completely frustrated for being able to either buy or otherwise lay my hands on a current rendering. So it was great to hear your capture of these themes, despite the edits... Thank You!
Thank you so much for posting💖🙏
You're very welcome : )
The film score for this film was brilliant. Brilliant film as well. Would love to see it again but it doesn't seem to be available anywhere.
Hi James, I have this piece on CD. It’s called something like the best of Bruce Smeaton various...I’ll dig through and find it if you like and relay all the CD info. Please just let me know when you get the chance. This piece has always stirred my heart, and I searched forever trying to find it. Thank you so much for allowing other listeners to experience the sad beauty that this music pours into us.
The CD is titled: Bruce Smeaton: Film and Television Themes it's no longer available on Amazon. I wish someone would post a clean track of this from the CD.
This 'valse triste' perfectly captures the paradox of the lead character: the romantic idealism and deep disappointment which clash to bring Susan to her to her multiple acts of manipulative ambition. Shakespearean in tone, Susan is one of the great (female) characters of 20th century theatre - and, in the film version - misunderstood by many a critic. Her apparent mental instability is an aside; what Hare is offering us is true tragedy: the self-destruction of someone by her own ideals. All through the film you admire Susan. Why? Because she is mostly right - she's just going about it the wrong way (?) - and the two final heartbreaking scenes, the last on the hillside - accompanied by this music - summarizes in miniature an entire generation of people who came out of WW 2 with high ideals and could not adjust to the banal, materialist, conformist, not-quite-as- progressive-as we-hoped Cold War culture, much of which still colours our sensibilities today. More often than not I find myself on that same hillside, but my sorrow lies in the fact that I cannot say with any conviction, "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful? There will be days and days and days like this..."
Autostade I always loved this film, & looking at it for the first time in decades tonight on TV , I still find it haunting, thought provoking and moving. Love your beautiful touching comment🙏
This is so well stated and so true.
@johnny burt Indeed. Autostade67 nailed it better than most film critics.
Finally ❤️
This is a beautiful theme. Thanks for posting it. It's a shame that creative, new beautiful music can mostly be found as only movie themes. It's as if you need an excuse to make nice music, as in a movie theme, whereas popular music these days seems to me mostly just dissonant noise.
I agree. It seems most of todays 'scores' are unlistenable. Although, of course, there are some exceptions. But, very glad you found this.
you could prob say the same about Pop music from 1981. obvs there's a stark contrast between Pop and Soundtrack music, they're not comparable. anyway, check out Jonny Greenwood for an artist making beautiful film scores today
ok boomer
where can we buy these tracks?
Unfortunately, they are not available for purchase There was never a soundtrack release. I recorded these 2pieces from the VHS tape.
Why are there edits?
Not sure what you mean by edits. There are 2 pieces of music in the video: the main title and end title. I have added that info to my description.
James Stuart . There’s one at 0:26 and at 0:29. There are a few more later. If you play it against the dvd you’ll see what I mean.
Since you have the actual DVD can you tell me something -does the main title contain dialogue and sound effects? If it does, that would be the reason for any edits. I haven't seen the film in at least 15 years (when I recorded this from VHS), so I cannot recall. Many main title sequences do contain lots of dialogue and/or sound effects and if they do, I usually will not bother recording them. There are exceptions (and this may well be one of the them) and if so I edit around the offending sections. I find dialogue, etc incredibly distracting and take away from the impact of the music.
James Stuart ...Sure, James. I’ll check it out and get back to you.
Christopher, thank you. BTW Do you know how to rip sound from a dvd? Do you have an audio recorder on your PC?