Lara's Theme - Variations

Variations

On the soundtrack album for Zhivago, there is no one track listed as "Lara's Theme". A variation of the piece appears in numerous sections, however. Some tracks briefly cite it, while others are composed entirely from the motif. The orchestration is varied, most notably with balalaika and orchestra.

One of the main reasons the theme is featured in so many tracks is that Lean had hired an impromptu balalaika orchestra from several Russian Orthodox Churches in Los Angeles; the musicians could only learn 16 bars of music at a time, and could not read written music. Although never credited, Edgar Stanistreet, a street musician of Philadelphia, claimed that he was asked to play the song over the phone to an MGM executive, and was later taken into the studio to record.

Tracks which feature it include (from the 1995 Extended Soundtrack release):

• 1) Overture – a fast-paced march version of it plays during part of the pre-credits overture
• 2) Main Title – a significant portion of the Main Theme is devoted to "Lara's Theme"
• 3) Kontakion/Funeral Song – briefly cited at the end of the piece
• 12) After Deserters Killed The Colonel – again, a brief "quote" from it appears at the end of the song
• 14) Lara Says Goodbye To Yuri – The first extensive use of "Lara's Theme" is a sad version played with heavy balalaika and violin sections
• 23) Yuri Follows the Sound of the Waterfall
• 24) Tonya and Yuri Arrive At Varykino – briefly cited in the middle of the track
• 27) Yuri and the Daffodils – plays during the "changing of seasons" part of the film, the montonous winter theme builds into a full-fledged rendition of "Lara's Theme"
• 28) On A Yuriatin Street – a complete rendition with full orchestral backing
• 29) In Lara's Bedroom
• 30) Yuri Rides To Yuriatin
• 33) Yuri Is Escaping – a gloomy military march is punctuated by a quote from "Lara's Theme" which ultimately turns into a climax
• 37) Yuri Is Trying To Write
• 39) Lara Reads Her Poem
• 42) Then It's A Gift (End Title) – very similar to "On A Yuriatin Street", a complete, triumphant final rendition of the song

This soundtrack also includes jazz, rock 'n' roll, and swing versions of "Lara's Theme" which were performed by the MGM Studio Orchestra between takes.