Memoirs of a Geisha (John Williams)
(2005)
The film adaptation of Memoirs of a Geisha took four years to debut, and had been a highly anticipated film in that time. Steven Spielberg had acquired the rights and was set to direct the film, but as the years passed and Spielberg moved on to other films, this particular project was picked up by Rob Marshall. John Williams, who no doubt was attached to score the film since Spielberg acquired the rights (indeed, this is the last film he has scored that was not directed by Spielberg), was among those who loved the novel, and said to Marshall that he had never in his career asked to do a film, but he was asking to do this one.
Williams’ extraordinary productivity during the year of 2005 is particularly admirable. Aside from this film, he also wrote the music for Revenge of the Sith, Munich, and War of the Worlds (the latter two both directed by Spielberg). This score and that of Munich earned Williams Oscar nominations, and he thus matched the record of forty five nominations that had been held by the legendary Alfred Newman since 1971. This score won Williams virtually every other film music award, and so it was the hope of many film score fans that he would finally take home his sixth Oscar. Sadly however, due to the fact that he was nominated twice in the same category, which would have resulted in the votes for Williams being split between his two entries, he lost to a remarkably undeserving Gustavo Santaolalla for his monumentally boring Brokeback Mountain.
Anyhow, moving on from discussion about those ridiculous awards. For the score, Williams collaborated with two soloists with whom he had worked on previous film projects: Itzhak Perlman (Schindler’s List), and Yo Yo Ma (Seven Years in Tibet). Unlike many of Williams’ finest scores, Memoirs of a Geisha doesn’t have a theme that you’d be likely to leave the theatre humming, but after a few listens on album, they become more memorable. The primary one – “Sayuri’s Theme” – is dominated by Ma’s wonderful playing, which provides the lasting beauty to the piece. “Going to School” is a particular highlight, performed by Perlman with a light backing of Japanese percussion instruments, as is “Becoming a Geisha”, which provides a series of beautiful variations of the main theme, and sees the composer at his very best. Williams also makes use of the shakuhachi flute in “The Journey to the Hanamachi “, which will instantly remind the listener of virtually any James Horner score. Horner however, uses that particular instrument in everything from Zorro to Willow to Red Heat to Legends of the Fall, whereas Williams uses it where it’s actually appropriate to the genre of the film. “Confluence” is another beautiful piece, with a gentle flute solo opening the piece, which then becomes a fully orchestral performance putting the main theme through yet more wonderful variations. “Sayuri’s Theme and End Credits” is a truly superb conclusion, featuring excellent performances from both the soloists and the full orchestra.
Simply put, no better film score was released during 2005, a year that was easily one of the best of the decade for film music. Memoirs of a Geisha is a powerful, touching work, and an absolutely exquisite film score that shouldn’t be missed by anybody.
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Track Listing
1. Sayuri’s Theme (1:31)
2. The Journey to the Hanamachi (4:06)
3. Going to School (2:42)
4. Brush on Silk (2:31)
5. Chiyo’s Prayer (3:36)
6. Becoming a Geisha (4:52)
7. Finding Satu (3:44)
8. The Chairman’s Waltz (2:39)
9. The Rooftops of the Hanamachi (3:49)
10. The Garden Meeting (2:44)
11. Dr. Crab’s Prize (2:18)
12. Destiny’s Path (3:20)
13. A New Name… A New Life (3:33)
14. The Fire Scene and the Coming of War (6:48)
15. As the Water… (2:01)
16. Confluence (3:42)
17. A Dream Discarded (2:00)
18. Sayuri’s Theme and End Credits (5:06)
Credits
Music Composed, Conducted & Produced by John Williams
Violin Solos by Itzhak Perlman
Cello Solos by Yo-Yo Ma
Awards
Academy Award for Best Original Score (nominated)
Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score (Won)
BAFTA Award for Best Music (Won)
Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album (Won)
Insert Notes
Includes no information about the score or the film.
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