Vatel


Virgin Records America (0724384936624)
Virgin Records Japan (4988006786356)
Virgin Records France (0724384936525)
Movie | Released: 2000 | Format: CD
 

Subscribe now!

Stay better informed and get access to collectors info!





 

# Track Artist/Composer Duration
1.Theme De Vatel3:16
2.L'Amour Suspendu6:08
3.Ouverture Pour Vatel3:03
4.Symphonie Avec Voix3:53
5.Verige1:46
6.Theme De Vatel1:31
7.Kaleidoscope6:35
8.Deuxieme Symphonie2:24
9.Fete Et Cynisme3:50
10.Hippolyte And Aricie ''Temple Sacre''Jean-Philippe Rameau3:16
11.Secundo Pezzo1:46
12.L'Air D'AbsalomJean-Philippe Rameau1:21
13.Deux Courtisanes3:01
14.Debut De La Fete1:59
15.Ouverture De La Cour1:53
16.La BourreeJean-Philippe Rameau1:39
17.Les Indes GalantesJean-Philippe Rameau1:40
18.The Royal FireworksGeorg Frideric Handel4:36
 53:37
Submit your review

 

Vatel - 08/10 - Review of Tom Daish, submitted at (English)
The film, directed by Roland Joffe who previously collaborationed with Ennio Morricone on The Mission and City of Joy, is a period drama revolving around a chef (Gerard Depardieu) preparing a feast for his employers Tim Roth and Uma Thurman. Morricone evidently felt that the period setting required a period score and so there are plenty of Baroque instrumental stylings - well, it has harpsichords in it. In truth, Morricone's music is not even remotely approaching real Baroque music, but that is hardly of great consequence as it's another marvellous score, continuing Morricone's run of great scores.

To the pseudo-Baroque orchestrations, Morricone adds various solo and group vocals to quite splendid effect. This is neither the chanting of The Mission nor the splectral chorals music of his westerns, but a more standard mix, but the agility of the writing and performance is often quite incredible. While this is generally a fairly 'standard' score, Morricone does mix in a few more off the wall ideas, perhaps the most notable during the superb scherzo, Kaleidoscope. This bounces along predominently in the strings, but is soon joined by a female choir in what can best be described as a 'di, bi, di' style of singing. The notes being quite short, the chorus merely follows sings the sprightly melody with a syllable for each note. I'm in two minds as to whether it actually fits with the generally smooth nature of the other choral work, but it's a marvellous stand alone track. Symphonie avec Voix starts with an accapella small mixed chorus that veers somewhere between barbershop quartet and madrigal in its use of harmony. After the introduction, a sprightly, contrapuntel orchestral accompaniment joins in and brings the whole piece splendidly to life.

Perhaps the highlight of the album is the gutsy aria, Fete et Cynisme given a belting performance by (as far as I can tell) an unfortunately unnamed baritone. The pace is bracing and becomes even more exciting when a female dominated choir takes over in the second half. Compliments must go to the vocalists who perform with absolute conviction, particularly given the speed and difficulty of the music. The moments where vocals do not appear are generally more romantic or slower sections which are of course quite delightful in their own way, but the very dominent nature of the choral writing does leave the lasting impression of the choir appearing almost all the time. The tracks not composed by Morricone fit in well enough with the general mood of the album, although the sequencing neither spreads them throughout evenly or clumps them together, but somewhere in between. I would prefer the non-Morricone all at the end, but it's no great hardship, although Morricone's music would stand more than adequately on its own.

Although the music moves along seemlessly from style to style and mood to mood, one might be able to divide the album into two; one a bracing choral score and the other a gorgeously romantic orchestral one. It's just impressive how much variety that Morricone is able to inject into each one of his scores even given the hundreds he's written in his career. I doubt there are many composers who could be so inspired with each new film they are given hundreds of assignments. While perhaps not an absolute classic Morricone score, still terrific music worth anyone's money and only missing out on the top mark because of the slightly poor sequencing and unnecessary non-Morricone music, but othewise an essential purchase.


Report a fault or send us additional info!: Log on

 



More