The Mission is the soundtrack from the film of the same name (directed by Roland Joffé

Roland Joffé

Roland Joffé is an English-French film director who is known for his Oscar nominated movies, The Killing Fields and The Mission. He began his career in television. His early television credits included episodes of Coronation Street and an adaptation of The Stars Look Down for Granada...

), composed, orchestrated, conducted and produced by Ennio Morricone

Ennio Morricone

Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...

. The work combines liturgical chorales, native drumming, and Spanish-influenced guitars, often in the same track, in an attempt to capture the varying cultures depicted in the film. The main theme, "Falls", remains one of Morricone's most memorable pieces, and has been used in numerous commercials since its original release. The Italian song Nella Fantasia

Nella Fantasia

"Nella Fantasia" is an Italian song based on the theme "Gabriel's Oboe" from the film The Mission . With music by famed composer Ennio Morricone and lyrics by Chiara Ferraù, "Nella Fantasia" is popular among classical crossover singers, and was originally sung by Sarah Brightman...

 ("In My Fantasy") is based on the theme "Gabriel's Oboe

Gabriel's Oboe

"Gabriel's Oboe" is the main theme for the 1986 film The Mission directed by Roland Joffé. The theme was written by Italian composer Ennio Morricone, and has since been arranged and performed several times by artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Holly Gornik, and Brynjar Hoff, among others. The theme has been...

" and has been recorded by multiple artists including, Sarah Brightman

Sarah Brightman

Sarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...

, Amici Forever

Amici Forever

Amici Forever is a band of four classically trained singers who mix opera with pop music . The band's first album, The Opera Band , reached number one on the Australian classical charts, number two on the United States classical charts and the top 5 in the United Kingdom classical...

, Il Divo

Il Divo

Il Divo is a multinational operatic pop vocal group created by music manager, executive, and reality TV star Simon Cowell. Formed in the United Kingdom, they are also signed to Cowell's record label, Syco Music...

, Russell Watson

Russell Watson

Russell Watson is an English tenor who has released singles and albums of both operatic-style and pop songs. The self-styled "People's Tenor" had been singing since he was a child, and became known after performing at a working men's club...

 and Hayley Westenra

Hayley Westenra

Hayley Dee Westenra is a New Zealand soprano, classical crossover artist, songwriter and UNICEF Ambassador. Her first internationally released album, Pure, reached No. 1 on the UK classical charts in 2003 and has sold more than two million copies worldwide...

.

The soundtrack was nominated for an Academy Award

Academy Award for Best Original Score

The Academy Award for Original Score is presented to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer.-Superlatives:...

 in 1986 and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score

Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score

The Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score is one of several categories presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association , an organization of journalists who cover the United States film industry, but are affiliated with publications outside North America, since its institution in 1947...

 and the BAFTA Award for Best Music

BAFTA Award for Best Film Music

The Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music is an annual award given by British Academy of Film and Television Arts.-1960s:*1968 - The Lion in Winter - John Barry...

. It was selected as the 23rd best film score in American Cinema in the American Film Institute

American Film Institute

The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...

's 100 Years of Film Scores

AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores

Part of the AFI 100 Years… series, AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores is a list of the top 25 film scores in American cinema. The list was unveiled by the American Film Institute in 2005.-The List:-External links:**...

. The music was also used during the 2002 Winter Olympics

2002 Winter Olympics

The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...

 in Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...

.

Track listing

All songs by Ennio Morricone

Ennio Morricone

Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...

.

1. "On Earth As It Is In Heaven" – 3:50
2. "Falls" – 1:55
3. "Gabriel's Oboe
   Gabriel's Oboe
   "Gabriel's Oboe" is the main theme for the 1986 film The Mission directed by Roland Joffé. The theme was written by Italian composer Ennio Morricone, and has since been arranged and performed several times by artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Holly Gornik, and Brynjar Hoff, among others. The theme has been...
   
   " – 2:14
4. "Ave Maria Guarani" – 2:51
5. "Brothers" – 1:32
6. "Carlotta" – 1:21
7. "Vita Nostra" – 1:54
8. "Climb" – 1:37
9. "Remorse" – 2:46
10. "Penance" – 4:03
11. "The Mission" – 2:49
12. "River" – 1:59
13. "Gabriel's Oboe" – 2:40
14. "Te Deum Guarani" – 0:48
15. "Refusal" – 3:30
16. "Asuncion" – 1:27
17. "Alone" – 4:25
18. "Guarani" – 3:56
19. "The Sword" – 2:00
20. "Miserere" – 1:00

Personnel

• Ennio Morricone
  Ennio Morricone
  Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...
  
  : Conductor, arranger.
• David Bedford
  David Bedford
  David Vickerman Bedford , was an English composer and musician. He wrote and played both popular and classical music....
  
  : Conductor.
• London Philharmonic Orchestra
  London Philharmonic Orchestra
  The London Philharmonic Orchestra , based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal Festival Hall. In addition, the LPO is the main resident orchestra of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera...
  
  .
• Joan Whiting: Oboist
• Barnet Schools Choir.