The Belly of an Architect

Product Description
Reissue of the soundtrack tot he acclaimed Peter Greenaway film The Belly Of An Architect, featuring music by noted modern composer Wim Mertens, with additional material by American composer Glenn Branca. Filmed in 1986 and released in 1987, the film starred Brian Dennehy as a troubled American architect adrift in Italy. Set in Rome, the film remains one of Greenaway's more mainstream and visually attractive films. The movie is also notable since it saw Greenaway part temporarily with his usual musical collaborator, Michael Nyman. The exquisite (and varied) main score was provided instead by Belgian composer Wim Mertens. It includes some of his best known signature pieces, including 'Close Cover', 'Struggle For Pleasure' and '4 Mains' (all selected personally by Greenaway), as well as 4 special compositions for the film, 'Birds For The Mind', 'Time Passing', 'The Aural Trick' and 'And With Them' (the latter recorded with The London Sinfonietta). Additional music was provided by American avant-gardist Glenn Branca, whose suite of 4 eerie pieces create a more specific and sinister mood. The soundtrack album previously appeared on Les Disques de Crepuscule, and Factory Records in the UK. This new edition on LTM features new liner notes on the music, film and director. 2005.

The Belly of an Architect,Wim Mertens,Ltm / Boutique Nl,Contemporary Instrumental,Minimalism,New Age / Meditation,Pop,Soundtrack

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Average customer rating: Some of the best minimalistic music ever written, not a great production though Some of the best piano compositions GREAT A superb introduction to the minimalism of Branca & Mertens Love the life

The Belly of an Architect Manufacturer: Import [Generic] ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Minimal Techno | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronic | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music New Age | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Belly of an Architect Best of Wim Mertens A Man of No Fortune and with a Name to Come A Zed And Two Noughts: Original Music From The Film By Peter Greenaway Jardin Clos ASIN: B0000089CW Release Date: 2006-06-19

Tracks:

1. Augustus
2. Birds for the Mind/The Victor Emanuel
3. Aural Trick/Foro Italico
4. Struggle for Pleasure/Stourley Kracklite
5. 4 Mains/Etienne-Louis Boullee
6. Close Cover/The Villa Adriana
7. Time Passing/The Pantheon Meal
8. Tourtour/The Roman Forum
9. And With Them/Caspian
10. Andrea Doria/Galba/Caracalla/Hadrian
11. Galba - Wim Mertens
12. Caracalla - Wim Mertens
13. Hadrian - Wim Mertens
14. Augustus - Wim Mertens

Customer Reviews:

Some of the best minimalistic music ever written, not a great production though.......2006-01-29

Wim Mertens is my favourite minimalist along with Philip Glass. This soundtrack has it all. Great themes - probably the most memorable themes of any other soundtrack and intense atmospheric playing. The production of this CD though is very 'minimal', more so than any CD you'll ever buy for $20. I can not think of any other CD of that price range lacking all the essentials. A pitty.... 5+ * for the music, 1 - * for the package.

Some of the best piano compositions.......2001-11-16

I have not seen the Peter Greenways'film.. and maybe
I won't do that.. I am afraid to get dissapointed because
for me this CD reflects so much creativity and passion.
Three tracks are for me some of the best piano compositions ever:

1.Struggle for plaeasure
the piano, like Life,
begins slowly, softly,
marking the rhythm gently
then it becomes
sharp needles spining and falling from the sky
The wind instruments
are the vital fast breathing to survive Life

2. 4 mains

the piano marchs
the piano spins
the piano climbs
the piano falls

3. Close cover
If I have to choose the soundtrack for my life
it would be this piece

GREAT.......2001-09-18

If you like nice orchestral music, often stirring emotions of love and heartbreak, but still uplifting, go buy this album. It's that easy. I first heard a song from Wim on a Cafe Del Mar album and had to buy his entire album. It was obviously worth it and I think you'll agree when you listen to it. So go buy it.

A superb introduction to the minimalism of Branca & Mertens.......2001-06-24

This soundtrack for the Peter Greenaway film of the same name almost steals the film with it's careening, cyclical piano pieces perfectly matching architect Stourley Cracklite's world slowly collapsing amidst the Roman ruins of contemporary Rome. The soundtrack to the film is one of the few by Peter Greenaway that does not feature his usual partner in crime Michael Nyman. The soundtrack was initially developed by New York based minimalist composer Glenn Branca, but was largely rejected by Greenaway. An earlier release of this soundtrack did feature a few dramatic Brancian orchestral swells, but unfortunately this release (given the track listing) seems to have left these pieces off, which is a shame.

This release features the brilliant work of Belgian minimalist piano composer Wim Mertens, and is utterly stunning in it's emotional intensity, power and beauty, with cyclical piano motifs spinning the listener around in an intense but gorgeous emotional journey. Some of the work covered on this soundtrack can be found on Mertens' career highlight release 'Close Cover' (sadly out of print at the time of this writing). Those interested in work by Glenn Branca should also look to explore his early 80's orchestrated guitar recordings (some of which are not for the fainthearted), as well as 1992's sublime 'The World Upside Down'.

This is one of the best soundtrack recordings I have ever heard, and still sends chills through me almost ten years after seeing the film. It also represents an excellent introduction to the works of two very under-rated yet important modern composers.

Love the life.......2001-01-12

I'm sorry for my english, I'm spanish. I only want to say that Wim Vertens changed my life. Please , why this person is not a famous compositor? I am not an old person that hate pop music. I'm 22 and a electronic music composer in Spain, I talk about Wim Vertens discography not only this cd. His music go inside my mind and the time stop, When I finish I don't know where I am, who I am, I only know that my life has one way, be happy. Five stars for this person that love the life.

Average customer rating:

The Belly of an Architect Wim Mertens Manufacturer: Dro Atlantic ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Minimal Techno | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B000P29AJA

Average customer rating:

The Belly of an Architect Wim Mertens Manufacturer: Ltm / Boutique Nl ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Minimal Techno | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music ASIN: B000A3X720 Release Date: 2005-10-11

Album Description

Reissue of the soundtrack tot he acclaimed Peter Greenaway film The Belly Of An Architect, featuring music by noted modern composer Wim Mertens, with additional material by American composer Glenn Branca. Filmed in 1986 and released in 1987, the film starred Brian Dennehy as a troubled American architect adrift in Italy. Set in Rome, the film remains one of Greenaway's more mainstream and visually attractive films. The movie is also notable since it saw Greenaway part temporarily with his usual musical collaborator, Michael Nyman. The exquisite (and varied) main score was provided instead by Belgian composer Wim Mertens. It includes some of his best known signature pieces, including 'Close Cover', 'Struggle For Pleasure' and '4 Mains' (all selected personally by Greenaway), as well as 4 special compositions for the film, 'Birds For The Mind', 'Time Passing', 'The Aural Trick' and 'And With Them' (the latter recorded with The London Sinfonietta). Additional music was provided by American avant-gardist Glenn Branca, whose suite of 4 eerie pieces create a more specific and sinister mood. The soundtrack album previously appeared on Les Disques de Crepuscule, and Factory Records in the UK. This new edition on LTM features new liner notes on the music, film and director. 2005.

Meditation Music:

1. The Carols of Christmas, Vol. 2: A Windham Hill Sampler
2. The Denmark Sessions
3. The Music of Tao: Pathway to Harmony
4. The Opening of Doors
5. Tranquil Journey
6. Tribute to Enya
7. Un earthed
8. Well Being: Creating Time [Import]
9. Well Being: Peace of Mind [Import]
10. A Winter's Solstice, Vol. 6

Meditation Music

meditation music

Meditation Music

Glamour [Import]

March Classics

Phases and Stages

Music: Haydn: Kaiserquartett; Mozart: Dissonnanzequartett

She's Gotta Have It [Soundtrack]

More More More [CD-single] [Import]

Low Spark of High Heeled Boys [Import]

Refractured Box One [Import]

Music of the World

Music of Ireland & Vaughan Williams

One Way of Life: Best of [Import]

Milord [Import]

Que Vayas con Dios

Street Jams: Electric Funk, Parts 1-4

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