The Piano

How can we forget this film?

The piano is a large romantic fresco which takes place in New Zealand. Jane Campion is the movie director. The film won The Cannes Palme d'or.

It's about a mute pianist and her daughter and the film sits during the 19th century. It features a score for the piano by Michael Nyman which has became a bestselling soundtrack album. Hunter plays her own piano pieces for the film, and also served a sign language teacher for Paquin.

Mickael Nyman succeeded in creating a brilliant composition.

The original score was composed by Michael Nyman and is his twentieth album release. Despite being called a "soundtrack", this is a partial score re-recording, as Nyman himself also performs the piano on the album (whereas the film version is performed by Hunter). The music is performed by the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Nyman.

The composer managed to write original music that sounds as if if could have been written in the mid-19th century and makes it sound contemporary at the same time. It worked wonderfully with the film and conveyed a sense of passion, fun, tragedy, and romance. The music is a delight to the ears and soulfully touching.

This music pulls you into the movie.

Now, Nyman's interview about his work.

Le mépris

Today, I introduce you to a great French composer who lived also in the United States.
His name: Georges Delerue (1925 / 1992)

Probably, you don't remember his name. He composed a lot of soundtracks, a hundred.

In my opinion, his most beautiful inspiration is "Le mépris" by Godard. This is probably his most famous and appreciated score. Moreover, this soundtrack was used again in Scorsese 's movie, Casino.

Georges Delerue has composed this score only for a string orchestra. This music evokes a love tragedy . It expresses the slowly split between Paul and Camille (played by Brigitte Bardot). The couple is breaking up from their daily.
This theme is very useful for the director, Jean-Luc Godard. This is more than a basic soundtrack. This is a essential key of the narrative line.
We can imagine the Greek side of the tragedy when you listen the harp and the violin which speak together. Georges Delerue has touch the perfect note, he catches with intensitiy all the emotion of the drama (with the continous bass by the cellos).

This is a marvellous score which reminds us a nostalgic close to a Bach aria, this musician's work.
It's impossible to stay far from emotion, sadness and romantic feelings also when you heard this theme of Camille.


To continue, this is a Geoges Delerue's interview (From Ina's site) which introduces the work of this musician.

retrouver ce média sur www.ina.fr

Star Wars

"Star Wars"...everybody knows this trilogy. But do you know its music composer?

We talk about the most famous American composer, to my mind. His name is John Williams. Now, it's a old man who always composes a lot of hymns.
You remember this.

Anyway...everyone has once sung a JW medoly.

Another example:

The movie Schindler's list, which tells a story about a "good samaritain". During the WWII, he helps a lot of Jewish people buying for keep them in life. John Williams chooses the "famous Jewish violin to express the sadness of this part of our History. The violin vibrato is so fragile, so emotional. I think it's the perfect choice to describe the Jewish felling during the Shoah.

But let's talk about my initial subject: "STAR WARS".
The introducing theme is very known. Listen: