A powerful movie score can directly effect the story by enhancing the dynamics such as mood, setting, and drama. A cymbal crash can startle, whereas a somber melody can create a melancholy mood. Writers, producers, artists, and musicians, all play an intricate part in creating the final product of a cinematic work of art.
The 1930 silent movie "Dan la nuit" has been resurrected and given new life and musical vitality by French composer, musician, and performer, Louis Sclavis. A popular jazz artist, Sclavis, has successfully tackled the immense task of creating a soundtrack for the silent film. The film explores present day themes such as love, tragedy, and betrayal. "It tells the story of a quarry worker who is forced to wear a metal facemask after a rock blast injury. While he is working night shifts, his wife takes a lover. In its scenes of explicit infidelity, physical violence and gritty realism, "Dan la nuit" was years ahead of its time."
Sclavis' skill as a composer is exhilarating. Considering that the original film had no score, Sclavis and his fellow musicians have beautifully conveyed the mood, and setting of scenes from the film. The score will entice and pique the imagination. Sclavis' skillful voice on clarinet is accompanied by a talented set of musicians and eclectic instruments: accordion, violin, violincello, percussion, and marimba. The compositions express a wide range of tempos and palettes. Some are melodious with thematic intent, while others aurally relay action scenes from the film. The music is delightful, from the singular voice of an instrument, to complex arrangements of the group. Music fans whether classical or jazz oriented, should give this unique musical vision consideration, regardless if they've seen the film or not. The film score gives a vivid portrayal of a compelling and entertaining story. - Mark F. Turner
The ever-unresolved paradox of soundtracks is that in some sense they require a film to make "sense" of the music. But of course, there's also a delicious puzzle in listening to that very same music on its own. Such an experience can allow imagination to run rampant, taking moods and contrasts in sound and translating them into mental imagery.
In the particular case of French clarinetist Louis Sclavis's soundtrack for Charles Vanel's 1930 film Dans lanuit, most listeners would be hard-pressed to get their hands on this recently-restored silent movie. So we must be content to listen, allowing the music to lead us wherever it's headed—filling in a walk through town, the sudden interruption of a door swinging open, the intensity of conversation, or the open space of a daydream. Sclavis has done a wonderful job in this respect, providing a surprisingly wide range of colors and textures. The Old World sounds of clarinet, accordion, and strings resonate throughout (Sclavis hails from Lyons, just like Vanel). And for the most part, the tone of Dans la nuit tends toward the softer side of neutral. While there's a light, lilting jazz element in many pieces here, Sclavis clearly built them upon a compositional framework. And rather than take advantage of the full density possible with this instrumentation, the quintet mostly prefers to lie low and let individual voices sing with clarity and nuance.
Highlights from the disc include the stark and gentle minimalism of "Retour de noce"; the budding energy and counterpoint of "Le travail"; and the fun rhythmic group interplay on "La fuite." Three versions of the title track offer alternate takes on a sentimental, romantic theme. Listeners with a limited tolerance for Old World romanticism are strongly encouraged to look elsewhere, but for listeners without this handicap, this is interesting stuff.
It's hard to know how much we're missing without the film that accompanies this soundtrack, but in the end it doesn't really matter. The lack of explicit imagery allows this music to suggest people and events through implication. Sclavis, who's repeatedly proven his insight and vision in other settings, stands out in this context and catalyzes some wonderfully evocative playing. Highly recommended. - AAJ Staff
Influenced by dance, theater, and the fine arts, composer/clarinetist Louis Sclavis once again illustrates his increasing relevance to modern music thanks to this impressive 2002 effort. With his fifth outing for ECM Records, Sclavis continues his path of artistic excellence. This is a soundtrack for a recently exhumed French silent movie, though viewing the film shouldn't necessarily be a prerequisite for letting one's imagination delve into the visual aspects of this reconditioned antique. On this release, the clarinetist utilizes a dual string section to complement accordionist Jean-Louis Matinier's Parisian cabaret-type musings amid the quintet's shrewd instillation of movement. The musicians intertwine chamber-esque accents with elements of jazz and European folksiness during many of these selections, where animated choruses and memorably melodic themes abound throughout. Essentially, the band provides the listener with a tool for his or her imagination, as listeners can envision dancers and cinematic episodes in concert with the artists' probing lines and fragilely executed unison choruses. They also investigate various angles to coincide with an abundance of inspiring subplots and minimalist-type excursions. Another interesting component relates to the soloists' radiant harmonies and contrapuntal statements. Simply put, Sclavis' multi-hued and altogether vividly constructed arrangements hit the mark in a noticeably huge way. - Glenn Astarita
Tracks
01. Dia Dia (Louis Sclavis)
02. Le Travail (Louis Sclavis)
03. Dans la nuit (Louis Sclavis; arr. Dominique Pifarély)
04. Fête foraine (Louis Sclavis)
05. Retour de noce (Louis Sclavis)
06. Mauvais Rêve (Louis Sclavis)
07. Amour et Beauté (Louis Sclavis; arr. Dominique Pifarély)
08. L’Accident part 1 (Louis Sclavis)
09. L’Accident part 2 (Louis Sclavis)
10. Le Miroir (Sclavis, Matinier, Pifarély, Courtois, Merville)
11. Dans la nuit (Louis Sclavis; arr. Dominique Pifarély)
12. La Fuite (Sclavis, Matinier, Pifarély, Courtois, Merville)
13. La Peur du noir (Jean-Louis Matinier)
14. Les 2 Visages (Louis Sclavis)
15. Dia Dia (Louis Sclavis)
16. Dans la nuit (Louis Sclavis; arr. Dominique Pifarély)
LOUIS SCLAVIS clarinets
DOMINIQUE PIFARÉLY violin
VINCENT COURTOIS violoncello
FRANÇOIS MERVILLE drums, marimba
JEAN LOUIS MARTINIER accordion
Recorded October 2000 at Studios la Buissonne
ECM Records – ECM 1805