Customer Reviews

The Red Violin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A strangely hypnotic soundtrack that travels around the world musically with the movie it portrays. From the beginnings of Red Violin theme in Italy, to its ending in Montreal, the music takes us to each place it travels to. In Italy it is haunting as the Red Violin is created. In Austria the music is graceful (with a unique, lively gypsy tune), in Oxford it is passionate, in China wistful (included in the China section is a piece that has a Chinese song sung by children). At last, in Montreal, where the Red Violin ends its journey through time, the music returns to its roots in Italy, becoming both sad and haunting. The entire soundtrack centers around a single theme; expanding and elaborating it as the Red Violin journeys from one place to another. This is a soundtrack that evokes feelings of a mysterious love, a deep passion, and a haunting power. To truly understand the almost magical grip it has, one must listen to it.

Corigliano does not consider himself a film-music composer, not even after winning an Academy Award for this score, and tossing high eyes with his score for "Altered States". He is more the type for 'classical music' such as chamber music and concertos. That is perhaps one reason why he's asked to score such films of this calibre. In particular the tale of the cultural, literary and geographical travails of a small, melancholic fourstring.

Corigliano's approach is awesome and at the same time the only right one. As the violin passes from culture to culture, the music changes with it. However, at the centre of each of the five 'chapters' is one theme: "Anna's theme". And seeing that - in a certain spiritual approach - Anna herself incorporates the violin, her theme is also the Red Violin's theme. This is beautifully illustrated in the soundtrack's first piece (properly named "Anna's theme") - which is first hummed by a woman's voice and then deftly handed over to solo violin.

After departing from the violin's place of birth - Cremona - the listeners relocates it in baroque Vienna. So far the music had been rather ageless (meaning: modern, non?contemporary film-music), yet here it has started to absorb some Zeitgeist. This three?track chapter's most outstanding moment is "Kaspar's etude", which, symbolically and narratively, features a violin-solo and an accelerating metronome that abruptly stops ticking.

Next stop in our time-travail is a group of Gypsy-travellers, who end up with the musical instrument in English Oxford. This chapter features some wonderful Roma music and a truly virtuoso etude by featured violist Joshua Bell (who plays all the solos and leads in the score). These five tracks are the zenith in an already outstanding body of composition.

We journey to Shanghai next, but there is little original composition here, especially in the second track, which features an appearance of the Chinese Red Guard accordion band (still a very famous accordion/children's choir musical piece). Nevertheless, the music adds value to the whole with its oriental folklore and flavour.

And with the fifth chapter we have arrived in more modern times - in Montreal to be exact. What you get here is music with very mysterious quality. "Morritz's theme" is a slightly altered "Anna's Theme", very interesting.

After the "End Titles" - in which "Anna's Theme" is given back to the humming female vocal by the solo violin - we are treated with a 17-minute long orchestral piece. Here, Corigliano used stagnation in the film's production-process to further delve into some of the earlier themes. (Normally, composers are called in only AFTER all the imagery has been shot, but here characters being filmed IN the film had to play a composer's film-music, which is why Corigliano came into the moviemaking early.) This music is much more than "suite" and a living identity of its own.

The music on this album is intelligent and sensitive, varied and literary. And there aren't simply excerpts from it: there is a lot of it. It doesn't break boundaries, and it will not define new standards. But the album's content is great quality all the way, which will move you with deep instrumentations, astounding virtuoso performances and vibrant storytelling, each time you grace it with a listen.

This is worth at least four stars.

Bram Janssen,
The Netherlands

Any recording involving Joshua Bell almost guarantees that there will be little to criticize. Let me state, first off, that Bell's playing has nothing to do with why this didn't get five stars. As usual, he gives a wonderful performance, full of the lyricism and passion that make music critics smile in spite of themselves and young Bell fans swoon. The music itself is hauntingly beautiful and "Anna's Theme" is as unforgettable and captivating as her violin in the movie. The big BUT comes here: this is a wonderful score BUT it won't seem to make sense unless you go see the movie first. You have to know the plot; there are about five different subplots that fit together to make the movie as a whole. If you don't know it, the CD just sounds like five different soundtracks from seperate movies. At best, it will make you want to go find out what the movie is about. At worst, it will confuse you and you'll think the movie is weird and badly done, which it isn't. BTW I encourage you to go see this movie! You will never forget it, it is beautiful, a joy to watch. I highly recommend the movie, and I highly recommend you then go to pick up the soundtrack- but in that order, not the other way around.

As an enthusiast in multimedia art, I am always delighted to see the image, motion and sound blend well in a film, although it is a rarity. I am especially satisfied that this work has elevated the aspect of sound to its full potential. Corigliano's score so wonderfully combines the tradition of classical music and contemporary emotional element---simply marvelous. The talent of Salonen and Bell as performers reaffirmed my conviction in classical music, the future and now. Absolutely an electrifying, intelligent achievement!

As soon as I left the theater after seeing "The Red Violin," I immediately bought the magnificent score. I have found that the most amazing thing about this score, aside from the fact that it is truly and simply amazing, is that one does not have to see the film nor know what the plot is about in order to enjoy Corigliano's moving composition; however, I am glad I did see the film first. He poetically captures the mood of The Red Violin's travels across five time-periods and regions, and it is a wonderous trip that I enjoy more and more every time I listen to the soundtrack. It is absolutely the PERFECT studying/reading/relaxing/resting music that I own or have ever heard. Hopefully, if the Academy is reasonably competent, Corigliano will walk away the winner of the Academy Award for Best Original Score--I don't know of a more appropriate award that could be bestowed upon this exquisite work. But even if he leaves the Oscars as merely a nomminee, treat yourself to "The Red Violin." Trust me, it is the one piece of music that you will keep forever. Five stars and more!

I'm probably slightly biased towards this music, because I was blown away by the film and the soundtrack evokes the emotion and passion I felt when watching the film. Even so, if you haven't seen this film, and if you like powerful, moving music, with lots of violin emotion, I recommend you try this soundtrack. Who knows ... you may rush out and also buy the film as a result!

Let me add that I am not a musical expert and can't give an in-depth review which dissects the composition of this music. However, like a beautiful painting, I appreciate art when it speaks to me; when it touches a chord inside me; when it makes me weep; when it fills me with joy. Red Violin does this for me - the film and the soundtrack.

It's refreshing to see that, for once, the Academy was courageous enough to give the Oscar to an all-orchestral, sophisticated score for an excellent but obscure movie carrying the somewhat discouraging label "artsy". No pseudo-Lloyd Webber songs here, the Red Violin score is an involving, inspired piece of symphonic music. Despite the disparate styles required by the movie settings, Corigliano is able to maintain an admirable coherence of style throughout, thanks to the brilliant use of the Main Theme, which is a jewel in itself : impossible to forget, dark, intense, and the way it seamlessly rises from the woman's voice in the beginning to seamlessly flow in it at the end is nothing short of magical. The story's unfolding through different ages in different countries allows Corigliano to show off his eclecticism : he can effortlessly compose music ranging from Neo-Vivaldi (track 6) to pseudo-gypsy ( 9 ) or Chinese-sounding ( 15 ) Also, tracks 16 and 18 are menacingly tense, almost in a Herrmanesque way. I especially liked the inclusion of a concert piece (Chaconne) that assembles in a more tightly structured way some of the material from the score. Hopefully Joshua Bell will bring it in the concert halls. The soloist is one of the cd's strongest assets: among the young violin virtuosi Bell is for sure the most subtle and refined, so he's totally attuned with such finely nuanced music. I appreciated very much Sony's no-expense-spared approach to the production (world-class orchestra and conductor) , rather less so the actual Sony sound . Both the soloists and the orchestra sound too closely miked, and the engineering favours the basses so much that in some passages the sound becomes too cavernous and booming. Maybe that was the composer's choice ( Corigliano co-executive produced it ) but I would have liked more space around the instruments. Minor reservations, though, ( basses can be adjusted! ) for an altogether very rewarding issue.

THE RED VIOLIN is a deeply moving film, a magical and wonderful tracing of a musical instrument's journey from creation of the Cremona Violin through its multiple owners and the subsequent impact this rare instrument has on the lives of those it touches. Listening to John Corigliano's exquisite score creates all the mystery and beauty of this fine film, but this soundtrack recording goes far beyond that. Creatively programming a piece for violin and orchestra from fragments of the score of the movie, this disc includes a fine performance of THE RED VIOLIN: CHACONNE FOR VIOLIN AND ORCHESTRA and this concert piece is exquisitely performed by the gifted Joshua Bell and Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra. The Chaconne has found its way into the symphony concert halls already. Now John Corigliano has composed a full CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN AND ORCHESTRA ("THE RED VIOLIN") which he has dedicated tot he memory of this father, who was Concertmaster for the New York for twenty-five years, and the strength of this initial disc is actually a private preview of the Concerto. Having just heard the West Coast premiere with Joshua Bell and the Los Angeles Philharmonic I am convinced that this Concerto will have a secure life. The first movement is the original Chaconne from this disc, and to this movement Corigliano has added three movements of extraordinary brilliance and beauty. The passion of the Chaconne is set aside for the second movement 'Pianissimo Scherzo' which whispers and scampers along with themes from the scores lighter moments. The third movement 'Andante flautando' is closely based on the film's main theme and recalls the tenderness and beauty of Anna's theme in a conversation between the violin and alto flute. The fourth movement 'Accelerando Finale' is all virtuosity both in composition and playing. Hopefully the Concerto will be recorded soon - it is one of Joshua Bell's finest achievements, matched by the virtuosic playing by the LA Phil (the conductor was Miguel Harth-Bedoya). Get to know this disc and when the Concerto is played near you (or is released on recording) you will be all the more ready for the intricacies and beauties of a unique American piece.

Composer John Corigliano's vibrant score for the film "The Red Violin" is among the finest I've heard in recent memory, easily eclipsing any composed by the likes of Goldsmith or Williams (However, with the notable exception of Williams' haunting, brilliant score for "Schindler's List".). Corigliano's music is steeped in the Romantic tradition of great European composers such as Brahms and Dvorak, with echoes of Mahler's music, yet remains distinctively unique. Acclaimed Finnish conductor and composer Esa-Pekka Salonen leads the Philharmonia Orchestra in brilliant, warm performances of the entire score and of the thematically related Chaconne for Violin and Orchestra. Joshua Bell's performances of the solo violin parts are exemplary, filled with much brilliant technique and passion for Corigliano's music. I wouldn't be surprised if Corigliano's score becomes a staple of classical concert halls across the globe. The sound quality is exemplary, using the latest in Sony's digital image-bit technology.

True, Girard's ghastly fantastical film is indeed an enigma unmatched--tracing the spiritual journey of a Nicolo Bussotti violin through time (five centuries) and space (three continents). But it is the music that gave this enigma a voice, a face to dazzle the audience. After all, this is the story of a violin--cursed/blessed at birth, carrying with it the soul of a young wife, whose blood dictates the violin's destiny. It may appear daunting at first to follow the soundtrack without having glided through the physical journey on the big screen; yet, it matters little for ears that listen for truely great music. One gets to taste so many different flavors in this soundtrack, the logical plot is not extremely important. Plus, the combination of Corigliano and Bell is just astounding; their ability to create music and breathe life into lifeless things truly set them apart.

(I)Cremona sets the scene and molds the character of the violin; Bell's playing, often interwining with the human voice, is so powerful that even non-classic lovers cannot help but to be moved by the underlying passions. (II)Vienna is accompanied by Corigliano's classical genius, Mozart anyone? (III)Oxford is where the red violin's individuality blossoms--virtuosic undertake of the Gypsy cadenza and Pope's madly "creative" employment of the instrument itself come pounding with Bell's breataking techniques. (IV)Shanghai is a humorous combination of a communist regime's rigidity and the violin's ability to transcends repression; rising slowly out of the red guards' singing, Bell's solo takes us to the violin's final destiny. (V)Montreal is equally impressive, but the finale definitely blows everything away. A genuine concert piece, the final title weaves the five chapters together and rolls the ends and odds into one blob of bitter sweet emotions.

So for those who have yet to see the lavish movie, this is the perfect prelude because the ears often "see" more than the eyes. And for those who have seen the film, are befuddled by its streaming continutiy whose velocity seems to carry too far, this is a great finale to sort out the mysteries and riddles.