Lakeshore Records release Antony Partos's original score for Sherpa. In 2013 news channels around the world reported an ugly brawl at 21,000ft as European climbers fled a mob of angry Sherpas. In 1953, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay had reached the summit in a spirit of co-operation and brave optimism. Now climbers and Sherpas were trading insults – even blows. What had happened to the happy, smiling Sherpas and their dedication in getting foreigners to the top of the mountain they hold so sacred? Determined to explore what was going on, the filmmakers set out to make a film of the 2014 Everest climbing season, from the Sherpas’ point of view. Instead, they captured a tragedy that would change Everest forever...

Antony Partos's original score for Sherpa contains so many beautiful themes throughout its 16 tracks (47 min, 24 sec) that it's difficult to know where to start singing its praises.

From the opening track 'Sherpa's Journey' there are themes that will instantly stick in your head. I listened to this album a couple of times, put it to one side for a week and then picked it up again to listen to for a few days. The frightening thing was that the second I started replaying it almost all of the tracks brought back distant memories of hearing the music... but my memories were telling me they were snippets of classical music I'd heard years before that I couldn't quite place.

Some instances (like the opening track - which evokes a piece of classical music that is very familiar, but for the life of me I can't remember its composer or title) and 'Khumbu Icefall' (which incorporates elements of 'Neptune' from Gustav Holst's The Planets Suite) are obviously inspired by famous pieces of music, but the majority of this album is beautiful, original material that is about as close to modern classical music as it gets.

If you're a lover of beautiful themes and classical music, then you'll really enjoy Sherpa.

9

Darren Rea