Amelie: Original Soundtrack Recording
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Free Music Notes for Amelie: Original Soundtrack Recording
Free Music Review: Yann Tiersen Brings Magical Musette To Amelie
Hit: 5 Stars
With all due respect to the talented Mme. Tautou, Yann Tiersen's beautiful soundtrack is the key to "Amelie's" magic. Tiersen is a phenomenon in his native France where he conducts riveting live performances and has become arranger of choice for singers like the stylish chantuese of French pop, Francoiz Bruet. Tierson's score to "Amelie" draws heavily on the Musette tradition. Musette orginated in Bastille district cabarets and features a cornemustte, a squeezebox accordin, an instrument introduced to Parisians by immigrant Italians. The use of accordion was incorporated into most early 20th century French renditions of waltzes, polkas, marches, paso dobles (2-steps), tangos and swing jazz. Musette is a stew of Gallic, Italian, Gypsy and even German folk traditions. Tiersen adds some Erik Satie inspired minimalist piano solos, but with a smirk; he plays them on a toy piano. Most of the solo instuments are played by Tierson with charming touches like tinkling chimes, a rag time banjo, or unanticipated clarinet solo. Many compare Tiersen's work on "Amelie" to the brillant Nino Rota, musical director for Frederico Fellini's films. Rota's soundtracks were the key to understanding the mood and the ideas of the often unscrutable Fellini. I try to imagine "Amelie" without Tiersen's sountrack and I can't.Composing movie soundtracks is becoming a dying art. Modern movie soundtracks are nothing more than a grab bag of the latest hits by the coolest alt. rock bands, but have little to do with what is happening on the screen. These soundtracts are nothing more than a sophisticated form of product placement. This charming and uniquely French sountrack is a breath of fresh air.
Free Music Review: Exhilarating!
Hit: 5 Stars
Like the film, the soundtrack version of "Amelie" is breathtaking, heart-pounding, magical, wonderful, romance. The score perfectly emulates and supports the whimsy of the film's narrative, and one follows Amelie through her adventures once again just by listening. (And listening again - over and over...)Tiersen's compositions are constant movement, but are so quirky and majestic that one wonders what musical twist is coming next; it is with these elements of harmonious surprise that he has crafted the musical mirror-image to Jeunet's film.
"Amelie" is a Parisian film, and Tiersen uses riffs and instrumentation that is closely associated with Paris - the lilting waltzes, and the accordian's tangoes are all referenced here. Like Paris, the music is light and romantic one moment, and then strange and haunting in the next.
There is one scene in the film that particularly makes me pause as I review the soundtrack - when Amelie comes upon the blind man playing the Frehel record in the metro. The scene is too true of the musical surreality of Paris, and for anyone who has ever heard a distant melody floating through the caverns of the Paris metro - this album (and film) will make you reminisce. Each tune, for me, recalls a moment walking through Paris, taking in the music of the city - street performers, cafe chatter, artists, merry-go-rounds, all are drawn upon in this collection of songs. It is a pocket-full of memories for any Parisian - native or expatriate, and is not only the soundtrack to a film, but to a city.
Free Music Review: Charming soundtrack brings Amélie's magic to life!
Hit: 5 Stars
The soundtrack to « Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulin » is every bit as charming, magical and unexpected as the film. Besides the ubiquitous Parisian accordion, the soundtrack sways gently with waltzes, including three versions of Amélie's waltz: accordion, orchestral and the haunting piano version, "L'autre valse d'Amélie," "La valse des monstres," and "La valse des vieux os." There are touches of Gypsy violin, toy piano, bells and typewriters that also add their voices to the soundtrack. All of the songs are instrumental with the exception of "Guilty" and "Si tu n'étais pas là," vintage performances complete with record hiss that bring back memories of Edith Piaf and black and white films from the 1930s and 1940s. Piano also plays a central role in the soundtrack ("Comptine d'été," "Le Moulin," "La valse d'Amélie," "Sur le fil," "La redecouverte" and "La dispute") and is balanced out by vibraphone, harpsichord, toy piano, guitar, banjo and bass, all played by multi-instrumentalist Breton composer Yann Tiersen. Many of the songs from "Amélie" were taken from Tiersen's earlier recordings, but all of the songs capture the charm of Montmartre and the spontaneous joie de vivre feel of the film. This is like a vacation to Paris on CD, and definitely the best soundtrack of the last few years. Buy it and let Amélie bring some magic to your life!
Free Music Review: A Fanciful Flight
Hit: 5 Stars
After watching this wonderful movie, I knew I have to get the Soundtrack. Most of the music is whimsical and cheerful. It matches the movie perfectly, enhancing the romantic fairytale theme. There are quite a few instruments that you don't hear often in orchestral compositions. Who knew that an accordion and banjo could make beautiful music together? Some pieces are fast paced, a whirling dervish kind of speed. The rhythm of the accordion, violin, and banjo together is captivating, almost like Cique de Solie. The music just makes you want to spread open your arms and spin in time with the uplifting tempo; it just throws you back to your childhood days of carefreeness and wonderment. And there are times like on track 4 & 9, moving piano sections, which are wistful and thought-provoking, sought of like quietly sitting on a park bench on a rainy day and watching each drop of rain fall to the ground. Basically pondering music, but beautiful all the same.
It's quite a romp, from accordions to banjos to guitars to xylophones to Violin. Yann Tiernan has done a wonderful job with composing and blending all of the sounds. He weaves such a magical spell.
Free Music Review: A truly wonderful CD
Hit: 5 Stars
Most soundtracks are just tossed together pop songs without any particular order, or reason, or logic beyond selling soundtrack albums. Even the soundtrack album for Bend it Like Beckham, which had some real gems, was still a compilation. The soundtrack for Amelie, by contrast, is a truly wonderful album from beginning to end. What unifies the album is the similar themes running through many of the songs, with the accordian tying much of it together. Three tracks on the CD are three versions of La Valse D'Amelie, one, the typical accordian version, another an orchestral version that sort of sneaks up on you, and the third a very sweet yet melancholy piano arrangement. What I love about this CD is what I love about the film--it's both sweet and hopeful, but carries with it the note of sadness that pervades much of the movie until the end (I won't spoil the ending). Yet it's not sad music--rather, its a strangely affecting musical fantasy, kind of like the movie. Even the odd inclusion of "Guilty" fits neatly with the rest of the soundtrack. Anyone who loved the movie will love this CD