Michael Nyman for Yohji Yamamoto
Encyclopedia
Michael Nyman for Yohji Yamamoto is volume 2 of Yohji Yamamoto
's series of albums, The Show. The album features the solo violin
work Yamamoto Perpetuo (a play on "moto perpetuo"), which Nyman has since adapted into the String Quartet
No. 4 (originally appearing on the album, The Suit and the Photograph
) and the orchestral work, Strong on Oaks, Strong on the Causes of Oaks
. The violin is played by Alexander Balanescu
, and Nyman can be heard on one track, "Song L," at the piano.
The theme of The Show was "Cinderella
", and Yamamoto desired "Some European folk element" in the score. At the time, Nyman had access only to some Scottish
folk songs he had gathered but not used for The Piano
, so three tunes, all of which happen to be in A-minor Aeolian mode
, were worked into the score.
Because the album was a limited release in Japan, and not released in other parts of the world, it is something of a collector's item for Nyman fans.
An associated single, "Anohito no Waltz" was also released. The title track appears only on the single, while "Song L" appears as its B-side
.
Yohji Yamamoto
Yōji Yamamoto , is an award winning Japanese fashion designer based in Tokyo and Paris. Yohji is considered to be among the master tailors whose work is thought to be of fashion genius and he has been described by Julie Gilhart, fashion director for Barney's New York as probably the only designer...
's series of albums, The Show. The album features the solo violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
work Yamamoto Perpetuo (a play on "moto perpetuo"), which Nyman has since adapted into the String Quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
No. 4 (originally appearing on the album, The Suit and the Photograph
The Suit and the Photograph
The Suit and the Photograph is a 1998 album by Michael Nyman with the Michael Nyman Band, recorded in 1995. On this album, Nyman is the composer, conductor, and producer, and wrote the liner notes. The album contains two works, String Quartet No. 4 and 3 Quartets...
) and the orchestral work, Strong on Oaks, Strong on the Causes of Oaks
Strong on Oaks, Strong on the Causes of Oaks
Strong on Oaks, Strong on the Causes of Oaks is a 1998 album by the English Sinfonia conducted by Bramwell Tovey. The work, by Michael Nyman, is paired with The Protecting Veil by John Tavener featuring Josephine Knight on the cello...
. The violin is played by Alexander Balanescu
Alexander Balanescu
Alexander Bălănescu is a violinist and founder of the Balanescu Quartet.He emigrated with his family to Israel in 1969....
, and Nyman can be heard on one track, "Song L," at the piano.
The theme of The Show was "Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
", and Yamamoto desired "Some European folk element" in the score. At the time, Nyman had access only to some Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
folk songs he had gathered but not used for The Piano
The Piano (soundtrack)
The Piano is the original soundtrack, on the Virgin Records label, of the 1993 Academy Award-winning film The Piano. The original score was composed by Michael Nyman and is his twentieth album release...
, so three tunes, all of which happen to be in A-minor Aeolian mode
Aeolian mode
The Aeolian mode is a musical mode or, in modern usage, a diatonic scale called the natural minor scale.The word "Aeolian" in the music theory of ancient Greece was an alternative name for what Aristoxenus called the Low Lydian tonos , nine semitones...
, were worked into the score.
Because the album was a limited release in Japan, and not released in other parts of the world, it is something of a collector's item for Nyman fans.
An associated single, "Anohito no Waltz" was also released. The title track appears only on the single, while "Song L" appears as its B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
.
Track listing
- M-1 song A 2'00"
- M-2 song B 2'36"
- M-3 song C 2'15"
- M-4 song D 5'17"
- M-5 song E 4'08"
- M-6 song F 3'35"
- M-7 song G 3'35"
- M-8 song H 3'03"
- M-9 song I 3'24"
- M-10 song J 2'55"
- M-11 song K 4'07"
- M-12 song M 2'27"
- M-13 song L 2'58"
Personnel
- Music Composed and Produced by Michael NymanMichael NymanMichael Laurence Nyman, CBE is an English composer of minimalist music, pianist, librettist and musicologist, known for the many film scores he wrote during his lengthy collaboration with the filmmaker Peter Greenaway, and his multi-platinum soundtrack album to Jane Campion's The Piano...
- Violin: Alexander BalanescuAlexander BalanescuAlexander Bălănescu is a violinist and founder of the Balanescu Quartet.He emigrated with his family to Israel in 1969....
- Piano: Michael NymanMichael NymanMichael Laurence Nyman, CBE is an English composer of minimalist music, pianist, librettist and musicologist, known for the many film scores he wrote during his lengthy collaboration with the filmmaker Peter Greenaway, and his multi-platinum soundtrack album to Jane Campion's The Piano...
- Recording Engineer: Michael J. Dutton
- Recorded at Air Studios, LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
- Mastered by Michael J. Dutton at TRANSFERMATION, London
- Production Supervision & Direction: Nobuyuki Takahashi
- Production Management: Atsuko Hamazaki
- Art Direction: Hisao Sugiura
- Design: Hisao Sugiura, Yasunobu Kawajiri (Studio Super Compass)
- London agent: Fumiya Sawa
- Composer's representative: Nigel BarrNigel BarrNigel Barr grew up as a member of the High Wycombe Salvation Army band. In 1980 he went to the Guildhall School of Music and studied trombone with Peter Gane and Denis Wick during that time he was also a member of International Staff Band playing bass trombone.Since then Nigel has had a varied...
, Michael Nyman Ltd.
- General Producer: Yohji YamamotoYohji YamamotoYōji Yamamoto , is an award winning Japanese fashion designer based in Tokyo and Paris. Yohji is considered to be among the master tailors whose work is thought to be of fashion genius and he has been described by Julie Gilhart, fashion director for Barney's New York as probably the only designer...
- Special thanks to Yohji Yamamoto Inc., Studio Super Compass, Super Muzak