FUMIO HAYASAKA: Seven Samurai (Full Orchestral Score)

This title is anticipated to ship summer 2026

Seven Samurai (1954) stands not only as Akira Kurosawa’s magnum opus, but also as one of the greatest films ever made. It proved to be the inspiration for numerous American remakes, most notably John Sturges’s The Magnificent Seven (1960). The film was a stunning commercial and critical success for Toho and brought Kurosawa acclaim around the world, earning him two Academy Award nominations.

Kurosawa’s choice of composer was his trusted collaborator Fumio Hayasaka, with whom he had worked on several earlier films such as Drunken Angel (1948), Rashomon (1950), and Ikiru (1952) [editions of the latter two scores will be available  from Neumation Music].

Hayasaka chose to omit most of the string section in the orchestra for Seven Samurai, save for cello and double bass, and incorporated instruments he discovered in American jazz such as the guitar, bongos, congas, and saxophones. Hayasaka also incorporated a male choir.

This edition was engraved from the orchestrations by the composer and Masaru Sato.

Includes an extensive essay by Dr. Michael Harris whose comprehensive research into the life and work of Fumio Hayasaka is invaluable. 

THIS PUBLICATION IS AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE

INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING IMPORT FEES IN THEIR REGION