Customer Reviews

Les Choristes

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Until recently, I had never heard of the French film LES CHORISTES. I only became familiar with it when I was driving and heard a report about it on NPR. A film critic considered it a rather bad movie with a bad plot, and mediocre music. Yet the movie is a blockbuster in France, the soundtrack is a bestseller, and it will probably have some success in the United States as well. In the report, they played a few excerpts, and it caught my interest. I purchased it, and can see why it has such appeal.

The soundtrack is a collection of a few themes worked and reworked which is not uncommon for movie soundtracks. The music is simple enough that it would likely enhance the film while not taking way from the action. The instrumental music is enjoyable, but the real gem of the collection are the tracks with the boy chorus and especially the tracks with soloist Jean-Baptiste Maunier. There is a beauty and innocence to the boys' choir voices, which is in sharp contrast to the reality of the young people in the film who happen to be in a reform school. It also seems like the sort of soundtrack that can be enjoyed without seeing the film, and for many of us who will have to wait until it will appear to be a money making film, we will have to settle for the soundtrack only for the time being.

Until I see the film, I cannot say if it is truly an insipid story. Since I love a good sappy film, I will probably enjoy it and am anticipating its release in Boston. Yet I know that many wonderful films that are a joy to watch have rather weak stories, but excellent musical scores make them memorable and moving. Judging from this soundtrack, the music of LES CHORISTES has the potential to make the film memorable.

This soundtrack, with music written by the film's director and another composer and performed by a real French boy choir, is great fun to listen to---kids and adults alike have delighted in the catchy tunes. It's true---the music is slightly repetitive, but nonetheless addictive and enjoyable.

The musical highlight is Rameau's "O Nuit"---many will also enjoy the minor, but still very catchy "Vois soir ton chemin", the theme song of the movie. The choir is impressive, especially in the lower registers which are usually harder for boychoirs to sing well---Jean-Baptiste Maunier, the soprano soloist is pure, clear and extremely effective. He definately knows how to sing.

The orchestra adds a lot---but the boys can also sing well unaccompanied. The orchestrations are superb.

Until recently, I had never heard of the French film LES CHORISTES. I only became familiar with it when I was driving and heard a report about it on NPR. A film critic considered it a rather bad movie with a bad plot, and mediocre music. Yet the movie is a blockbuster in France, the soundtrack is a bestseller, and it will probably have some success in the United States as well. In the report, they played a few excerpts, and it caught my interest. I purchased it, and can see why it has such appeal.

The soundtrack is a collection of a few themes worked and reworked which is not uncommon for movie soundtracks. The music is simple enough that it would likely enhance the film while not taking way from the action. The instrumental music is enjoyable, but the real gem of the collection are the tracks with the boy chorus and especially the tracks with soloist Jean-Baptiste Maunier. There is a beauty and innocence to the boys' choir voices, which is in sharp contrast to the reality of the young people in the film who happen to be in a reform school. It also seems like the sort of soundtrack that can be enjoyed without seeing the film, and for many of us who will have to wait until it will appear to be a money making film, we will have to settle for the soundtrack only for the time being.

Until I see the film, I cannot say if it is truly an insipid story. Since I love a good sappy film, I will probably enjoy it and am anticipating its release in Boston. Yet I know that many wonderful films that are a joy to watch have rather weak stories, but excellent musical scores make them memorable and moving. Judging from this soundtrack, the music of LES CHORISTES has the potential to make the film memorable.

To be frank, I understand no single word of French but then such is the power of music. You don;t need to understand the language to appreciate great music. Having watched the movie already, I can more fully enjoy this CD.

The harmonization of voices of the boy choir is flawless. The sonics are great and each note they utter to perfection. It's angleic and moving, espcially when the solo part sung by the boy, Morhague, absolutely brings the house down. He is talented!

With the usual quirkiness of a French movie, the simple storyline does not mar the fact that the movie is splendid with intimate chemistry amongst the cast.

You'll need to watch the movie and appreciate the music!

This soundtrack, with music written by the film's director and another composer and performed by a real French boy choir, is great fun to listen to---kids and adults alike have delighted in the catchy tunes. It's true---the music is slightly repetitive, but nonetheless addictive and enjoyable.

The musical highlight is Rameau's "O Nuit"---many will also enjoy the minor, but still very catchy "Vois soir ton chemin", the theme song of the movie. The choir is impressive, especially in the lower registers which are usually harder for boychoirs to sing well---Jean-Baptiste Maunier, the soprano soloist is pure, clear and extremely effective. He definately knows how to sing.

The orchestra adds a lot---but the boys can also sing well unaccompanied. The orchestrations are superb.

Well, if you haven't watch the movie, do watch it. It has got to be one of the most heart warming films I've ever seen. If you ever get the priviledge of listen to the boys sing, you will know what I am saying. Their voices blend perfectly together with the background music. In fact, they would have sounded as beautiful without the instruments. Their voices are of the purest, each ringing clearly and melding together to form beautiful music.

For those who have seen 'Les Choristes' once, try seeing it again and this time pay special attention to the music. The story and the enactment by the sterling cast is an extraordinary experience, but when the CD of the soundtrack is played alone, the brilliance of the compositions by Bruno Coulais stand solidly on their own.

Of course, not only because of the placement of the work in the film but also because of the intrinsic beauty of the piece, the added 'La Nuit' by Jean-Philippe Rameau is one of the true highlights of the disc. And the added piece 'Nous Sommes De Fond De L'Étang' composed by Christophe is also a work of great beauty.

But the choral singing as well as the orchestral pieces conducted by Deyan Pavlov with the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra simply sweep us into a different world. This is a recording that bears repeated listenings, and not just for nostalgia purposes from the film! Grady Harp, April 06

The music and the film are both memorable and uplifting. I have seen many movies and many foreign as well as US films. This will be one of the few that will stay with me. It is a must see movie, a cinematographic library classic. I recommend it to anybody and everybody. Families will enjoy it and it is a way to introduce children to beautiful music and all things beautiful. The film celebrates the values of education through music. It is certainly not a sappy story; it is not a story that fits in with the liberal ideological project of brainwashing the youth; so NPR wouldn't like it. Naturally. But everybody, from every nation or creed, left or right, will most likely love this film and it will stay with them as one of the few touching films ever made.

This is excellent music, and if you haven't seen this film yet, I highly recommend it!! I don't always go for movies I would describe as "touching," but there is something about this one that just draws you in and keeps you thinking about it long afterward. Part of the draw is the haunting and beautiful soundtrack. I rarely buy movie soundtracks, but I had to have this one. The soloist is absolutely enchanting, and I hope to find more recordings by Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc Choir.

The music scores are well chosen and they complement each other. This is a CD when played takes one back to one's childhood. The singing is just Angelic. It echoes the Vienna Boys Choir. I loved the movie and I enjoyed listening to the CD even more. It is a perfect music to play on a rainy winter afternoon while sitting by the fireplace.