Lara's Theme (Doctor Zhivago)

Jarre came to Doctor Zhivago in 1965 after David Lean's earlier choices fell through, and was instructed to produce a theme for Lara. He submitted several before Lean accepted the one now familiar. The score sets balalaika ensembles — players recruited from Russian émigré communities in Los Angeles, many of whom did not read music — against a conventional symphony orchestra. It won the Academy Award, and with lyrics added the theme became the song Somewhere, My Love. The balalaika sound went on to stand for cinematic Russia long after the film itself had settled into history.