The Illusionist

The Illusionist

The Illusionist
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Music CD Cover

Composer: Philip Glass
Edition: Music CD
Format: Soundtrack
CD Release Date: 2006-08-15
Music Label: Rykodisc
Soundtracks:
  1. The Illusionist
  2. Do You Know Me?
  3. Chance Encounter
  4. The Locket
  5. The Orange Tree
  6. The Mirror
  7. Wish I Would See You Again
  8. The Sword
  9. Meeting In The Carriage
  10. Sophie
  11. The Secret Plot
  12. Sophie's Ride To The Castle
  13. The Accident
  14. The New Theater
  15. Frankel Appears
  16. A Shout From The Crowd
  17. Eisenheim Disappears
  18. The Search
  19. The Missing Gem
  20. The Chase
  21. Life In The Mountains

Free Music Notes for The Illusionist

Free Music Review: A Great Score from Philip Glass
Hit: 5 Stars

The music for The Illusionist by Philip Glass was beautifully composer for the film and is a score that one pays attention to as the film plays. Listening to it on its own I was struck how one track flows into the next, as if the music was one cohesive entity rather than disconnected segments. This might appear to suggest that the music does not have much in the way of variation but there that is not true as Mr. Glass alters the complexity of each selection ant the music moves toward the climax of the ending of the film.

The mystery of "The Illusionist" is nice captured by the dominance of a string orchestra. The opening music introduces a theme that seems to be love music for Eisenheim and Sophie. The Orange Tree, for example, unfolds beautifully with the orchestra strings building slowly and accompanied by a celesta as the tree itself grows and bears fruit. Mr. Glass makes sparing but effective use of brass and winds to increase the drama of the music. Do You Know Me? is a nice example of the composer blending the strings with percussion, brass and winds to increase the sense of mystery. The lone trumpet that plays in Eisenheim Disappears is effective in creating the mood of the scene as the hero of the story dissolves in front of his audience.

The music is beautifully descriptive of the action of the film but is not the kind of music that offers a lot of flashy themes. This is more introspective music describing the characters and the mood, and as such may turn some listeners off. I like music for string orchestras so the score was of interest for me and having experienced it with the film I could relate to what was being conveyed. If you think likewise you will probably want this disc.

The Illusionist Poster

Unlike his popular score for 2002's The Hours, which was intimate and performed by a small ensemble, the music Philip Glass came up with for The Illusionist is quite opulent. Its old-world ambiance befits Neil Burger's movie, a suspenseful period piece set in 1900 Vienna, but the score, performed by the Czech Film Orchestra, easily stands on its own as well. Glass's trademark waxing and waning is present of course--the most Glass-esque tracks include "The Orange Tree" and "The Secret Plot" (in which delicate brushed drums drive the beat against a dull pounding echo). But most rewarding is finally hearing non-stereotypical actions/suspense cues: "The Accident," "A Shout from the Crowd," "The Search" or "The Chase" make you wish Hollywood thought outside the box more often, and called Glass instead of the usual go-to guys when in need of a composer for big-budget action flicks. --Elisabeth Vincentelli
Music From The Film The Illusionist features an original score by acclained modern minimalist composer Philip Glass. Glass' renowned restrained, yet elegant style has captivated audiences around the world for years. "The soundtrack to The Illusionist is a driving force to the movie," comments director Neil Burger. "There are many scenes and sequences without dialogue and it falls to the music to tell the story." Glass recorded the original score with a large orchestra, which results in an emotionally driven and epic soundtrack.

Glass' sophisticated music has been featured in numerous movies throughout his career, earning him many awards and critical praise.

Award winning writer/director/actor Edward Norton stars alongside Jessica Biel and Paul Giamatti in The Illusionist.

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