The Painted Veil [SOUNDTRACK]

Alexandre Desplat (Composer), Lang Lang (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: Lang Lang
• Composer: Alexandre Desplat
• Audio CD (January 9, 2007)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B000K7UGMA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #18,711 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
While this soundtrack is very solid overall, it's also rather subdued and perhaps not as immediately likable as composer Alexandre Desplat's previous offerings (most notably The Queen and Syriana), so it could disappoint fans of the immensely gifted Frenchman. But a certain old-fashioned charm does operate after a while, which, after all, is exactly what you'd expect of the music for a movie based on a Somerset Maugham novel. Desplat set out to evoke 1920s romanticism with a series of brief vignettes, usually greatly enhanced by the sensitive playing of pianist Lang Lang. And considering that most of the movie takes place in China, Desplat has refrained from easy orientalism: "Walter's Mission" is one of the few tracks to allude to Asian sounds. The only non-original tracks on the CD is Erik Satie's well-known "Gnossienne No. 1," a slow piece that evidently served as inspiration for Desplat's own "River Waltz." But who's complaining? There are worse people to emulate than Satie. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Product Description
Music Composed and Conducted by ALEXANDRE DESPLAT Featuring World-Renowned Piano Virtuoso LANG LANG "Prodigiously gifted" (Gramophone) pianist Lang Lang is featured in Golden Globe nominee (Girl With A Pearl Earring) Alexandre Desplat's evocative score for the new film version of W. Somerset Maugham's celebrated novel, The Painted Veil. A turbulent romantic drama set in the 1920s, THE PAINTED VEIL, directed by John Curran and Caroline Link, follows a young English couple, a conservative doctor (Edward Norton) and a restless society girl (Naomi Watts), who marry hastily, relocate to Shanghai where they betray each other, and find an unexpected chance at redemption and happiness while on a deadly journey into the heart of ancient China.

The Deutsche Grammophon soundtrack will be released on January 9 and features music composed and conducted by Alexandre Desplat, the Prague Symphony Orchestra as well as solos by world-renowned pianist, Lang Lang. Lang Lang's solo album, DRAGON SONGS (CD+DVD) will also be released on January 9; the DRAGON SONGS full length DVD will be released on February 13.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thought provoking, February 16, 2007

By	Scott Johnson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The music makes the movie linger and the movie is even better than the book. Too bad the CD does not include the children's A La Claire Fontaine sung near the end of the movie. It has been in my head for days. How could they leave that off? I would have bought the CD just for that little haunting song.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sheer beauty..., February 24, 2007

A Kid's Review

Yes, it was certainly a disappointment that 'A la claire fontaine' was not included on this soundtrack. Still, the CD showcases Alexandre Desplat's beautiful and creative score. It is so subtle, surreal, and lush. I listen to it anytime I am writing or going to sleep. Lang Lang is a brilliant pianist and his rendition of Erik Satie's first Gnossienne is marvelous. Funny thing is, I also thought that the movie was better than the book. It's a shame that it wasn't made very public. It seems like a select group of little theatres played it and then it was gone. I thought that it would certainly have scored several nominations (although it did win the Golden Globe for best score). I highly recommend this exquisite, elaborate collection of music.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Painting Atmosphere with Music, May 12, 2007

By	Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Alexandre Desplat is a gifted composer as he has demonstrated in the many fine film scores that lengthen his resume yearly. In electing to set a mood for the film THE PAINTED VEIL he relies heavily on solo instrument moments. One of these recurring moments is the Erik Satie Gnossienne No. 1 played by Lang Lang. While Satie is not one of Lang Lang's specialties he does play the work with the simplicity it requires.

Elsewhere in the score Desplat conducts the Prague Symphony Orchestra in his evocative yet still simple orchestral music that enhances not only the party flavor of the Shanghai scenes but captures as well the majestic beauty of the landscapes of China. Probably because Lang Lang was contracted to work with this film, Desplat composed some lovely solo piano works that provide the atmosphere in the many intimate moments of the story.

As a CD of music without the film this one works surprisingly well. It is not a dramatic score but an understated one and as always Desplat's sense of orchestral color is amazingly clean and subdued. One misses the excerpts from the Chinese opera.... Grady Harp, May 07