The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover – Michael Nyman (1989) 320 mp3

For this, his seventh soundtrack for director Peter Greenaway, Nyman deftly orchestrates a mix of strings, horns, and voices to produce another of his fetching and romantic minimalist backdrops. The opening "Memorial" is the highlight of the lot and drives along with stuttering saxophones, an insistent string arrangement, elegiac brass solos, and the soaring vocals of soprano Sarah Leonard (Leonard would be featured on a large part of the Prospero’s Books soundtrack). The piece was originally inspired by a 1985 Belgian soccer match tragedy, in which 39 Italian fans were killed. Nyman utilized a death march in his earlier Greenaway collaboration, Drowning by Numbers, and revives the scheme to great effect here for what would become the main theme of The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover. Nyman contrasts the piece’s climatic quality with two relatively sedate yet brooding numbers. There’s also a rousing performance of his "Miserere" (performed by the London Voices choir) and a violin and piano paraphrase of the same piece to add to an already solid soundtrack. Nyman is again aided by his crack band, which includes such standouts as violinist Alexander Balanescu and tenor saxophonist John Harle. Along with the soundtracks to The Piano and Prospero’s Books, this is an essential title in the Nyman catalog. – AllMusic

1. Memorial � 12:07
2. Miserere Paraphrase � 5:44
3. Book Depository � 5:41
4. Coupling � 5:17
5. Miserere � 11:32

Memorial, Book Depository, and Coupling performed by the Michael Nyman Band:

Alexander Balanescu, violin
Elisabeth Perry, violin
Jonathan Carney, violin/viola
Tony Hinnigan, cello
Chris Laurence (misspelled "Lawrence"), double bass
David Fuest, clarinet/bass clarinet
John Harle, soprano/alto sax
David Roach, alto sax
Andrew Findon, tenor/baritone sax/flute
Graham Ashton, trumpet
David Stewart, trombone
Michael Nyman, piano, conductor
Sarah Leonard, soprano

Miserere Paraphrase performed by Alexander Balanescu (violin) and Michael Nyman (piano)

Miserere performed by London Voices, director Terry Edwards

Paul Chapman: boy soprano
Elisabeth Harrison
Judith Rees
Sue Anderson
Sarah Leonard
Lesley Reid
Doreen Walker
Gareth Roberts
Terry Edwards
Simon Davies
Gordon Jones
Geoffrey Shaw

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