The Piano (soundtrack)

Infobox Album
Name = The Piano
Type = Soundtrack
Artist = Michael Nyman


Caption = art by Dave McKean
Released = October 19, 1993
Recorded =
Genre = Soundtrack
Length = 56:47 (USA)
60:40 (UK, USA remastered edition)
Label = Virgin Records
Producer = Michael Nyman
Reviews = Flash Magazine (average) [http://www.eleniweb.com/cynosure/Reviews/M/Michael.html]
Last album = Time Will Pronounce
1993
This album = The Piano
1993
Next album = Michael Nyman for Yohji Yamamoto
1993
Misc = Singles
Name = The Piano
Type = studio
Single 1 = The Heart Asks Pleasure First/The Promise
Single 1 date = 1993
Single 2 =
Single 2 date =
Single 3 =
Single 3 date =
Single 4 =
Single 4 date =

The Piano is the original soundtrack, on the Virgin Records label, of the 1993 Academy Award-winning film "The Piano" starring Holly Hunter (who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as "Ada McGrath" in this film), Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill and Anna Paquin (who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as "Flora McGrath" in this film). The original score was composed by Michael Nyman and is his twentieth album release. Despite being called a "soundtrack", this is a partial score re-recording, as Nyman himself also performs the piano on the album (whereas the film version is performed by Hunter). The music is performed by the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Nyman with Michael Nyman Band members John Harle, David Roach and Andrew Findon performing the prominent saxophone work.

The album was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score (but lost to the score of "Heaven & Earth") and the BAFTA Award for Best Score (lost to the score of "Schindler's List").

The album design and illustration are by Dave McKean.

Track listing

#To The Edge Of The Earth 4:06
#Big My Secret 2:51
#A Wild And Distant Shore 5:50
#The Heart Asks Pleasure First 1:33
#Here To There 1:02
#The Promise 4:14
#A Bed Of Ferns 0:46
#The Fling 1:28
#The Scent Of Love 4:16
#Deep Into The Forest 2:58
#The Mood That Passes Through You 1:13
#Lost And Found 2:24
#The Embrace 2:36
#Little Impulse 2:11
#The Sacrifice 2:46
#I Clipped Your Wing 4:34
#The Wounded 2:26
#All Imperfect Things 4:03
#Dreams Of A Journey 5:30
#The Heart Asks Pleasure First/The Promise (Edit) 3:11 [not included on the American release until the remastered version in 2004, but included on the British version in the initial release]

The music has been re-recorded numerous times by different artists, and became the basis of Nyman's 1994 composition, "The Piano Concerto" which debuted in 1994. Perhaps the most unusual rerecording is by conductor Bill Broughton and the Orchestra of the Americas--an orchestral version sans piano. "Here to There," a saxophone solo, has become something of a staple for contemporary classical saxophonists.

Two additional solo piano pieces, "The Attraction of the Peddling Ankle", which is based on Frédéric Chopin's Mazurka Op. 7/i, and "Deep Sleep Playing" are featured in the film, the former in scenes 51, 57, and 88, and the latter in scene 100. While not on the album, they are included in the published sheet music.

Personnel

Music composed, arranged, conducted and produced by Michael Nyman

Music published by Michael Nyman Ltd./Chester Music Ltd.

*Members of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestrawith
*John Harle, soprano, alto saxophone
*David Roach, soprano, alto axophone
*Andrew Findon, tenor, baritone saxophone, flute, alto flute
*Michael Nyman, piano

*Conducted by Michael Nyman

*Produced by Michael Nyman
*Engineer: Michael J. Dutton
*Executive Engineer: Malcolm Luker
*Assistant Engineer: Jamie Luker
*Recorded at Arco Studios, Munich
*Mixed and edited at Kitsch Studios, Brussels
*Post-production at Abbey Road

*Design and illustration by Dave McKean
*Photography by Grant Matthews and Polly Walker
*Artist representative for Michael Nyman: Nigel Barr