The Belly of an Architect [Import, Soundtrack]

Wim Mertens (Composer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Composer: Wim Mertens
• Audio CD (June 19, 2006)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Soundtrack
• Label: Import [Generic]
• ASIN: B0000089CW
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #415,906 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Augustus

2. Birds For The Mind

3. Aural Trick

4. Struggle For Pleasure

5. 4 Mains

6. Close Over

7. Time Passing

8. Tourtour

9. And With Them

10. Andrea Doria/Galba/Caranc

11. Augustus

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love the life, January 11, 2001

By 

PEDRO (Marbella, MALAGA SPAIN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Belly of an Architect (Audio CD)

I'm sorry for my english, I'm spanish. I only want to say that Wim Vertens changed my life. Please , why this person is not a famous compositor? I am not an old person that hate pop music. I'm 22 and a electronic music composer in Spain, I talk about Wim Vertens discography not only this cd. His music go inside my mind and the time stop, When I finish I don't know where I am, who I am, I only know that my life has one way, be happy. Five stars for this person that love the life.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb introduction to the minimalism of Branca & Mertens, June 23, 2001

By 

A. Coates "Daytona500" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Belly of an Architect (Audio CD)

This soundtrack for the Peter Greenaway film of the same name almost steals the film with it's careening, cyclical piano pieces perfectly matching architect Stourley Cracklite's world slowly collapsing amidst the Roman ruins of contemporary Rome. The soundtrack to the film is one of the few by Peter Greenaway that does not feature his usual partner in crime Michael Nyman. The soundtrack was initially developed by New York based minimalist composer Glenn Branca, but was largely rejected by Greenaway. An earlier release of this soundtrack did feature a few dramatic Brancian orchestral swells, but unfortunately this release (given the track listing) seems to have left these pieces off, which is a shame.

This release features the brilliant work of Belgian minimalist piano composer Wim Mertens, and is utterly stunning in it's emotional intensity, power and beauty, with cyclical piano motifs spinning the listener around in an intense but gorgeous emotional journey. Some of the work covered on this soundtrack can be found on Mertens' career highlight release 'Close Cover' (sadly out of print at the time of this writing). Those interested in work by Glenn Branca should also look to explore his early 80's orchestrated guitar recordings (some of which are not for the fainthearted), as well as 1992's sublime 'The World Upside Down'.

This is one of the best soundtrack recordings I have ever heard, and still sends chills through me almost ten years after seeing the film. It also represents an excellent introduction to the works of two very under-rated yet important modern composers.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful and moving piece, November 26, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Belly of an Architect (Audio CD)

This being, to my knowledge, one of the few soundtracks to a Peter Greenaway movie not done by Michael Nyman, it provides an excellent balance of sorrowful and contemplative themes with an uplifting overtone. Hence, I have listened to it both in times of dismay and joy. The piano and woodwinds in the fourth measure are exquisite as is the melody in the second. It is the perfect compliment to Greenaway's story of a man whose health is dwindling along with his marriage. Moving and powerful.