MICHAEL NYMAN: FILM CONCERT
Music composed and conducted by Michael Nyman
Performed by The Michael Nyman Band
Piano performed by Michael Nyman
June 2, 2004
Sumida Triphony Hall
Tokyo, Japan
PART 1: RANDOM MEMORIES & DECISIONS, DECISONS
This concert happened so long ago that I honestly cannot remember the details of the concert nor how I felt about the music being played that night.
But I do remember three things.
First, that Ennio Morricone was conducting a concert in Tokyo that same week.
Second, I was going through a huge Michael Nyman phase at the time.
And third, that I was extremely fortunate to meet Nyman after the concert along with a handful of passionate fans.
Nyman was actually doing two concerts that week with the second one, “The Best of Michael Nyman,” falling on the same day as the Morricone concert (June 4). This second Nyman concert was the one that I really wanted to go to because he was performing music from my favourite score at the time, WONDERLAND. Oh, what to do!
Logic ruled the day and I decided that in order to see both composers in concert, I would have to compromise and settle for the first Nyman concert on June 2.
This first concert featured a live-to-picture performance by The Michael Nyman Band of MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA, the experimental 1929 Soviet documentary film. It also included music from THE PIANO, THE DRAUGHTMAN’S CONTRACT, and PROSPERO’S BOOKS.
PART 2: MY NYMAN PHASE
As there is no point in me describing a concert that I barely have any memory of, let me instead focus on writing about the huge Nyman phase I was going through at the time.
I really can’t remember what my first Nyman score was, but it was either WONDERLAND, GATTACA or THE END OF THE AFFAIR. These three scores were written for three very different films, yet they all had something in common: they were melancholy and deeply reflective scores written for piano and (mostly) string orchestra.
They contained melodies that elicited a tremendous amount of emotion through broad strokes and repetition; almost John Barry-like in their feel and appeal (note: I didn’t discover Philip Glass until a few years later!)
My love for these scores naturally led me to seek out everything I could by Nyman – THE PIANO, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, THE CLAIM, and CARRINGTON, among others
At the same time, I had just started taking beginner piano lessons at the local Yamaha Music School and the very first piece of music I asked to be taught to play was “Franklyn” from WONDERLAND. You can see my teacher’s original pencil scribblings below:
As a beginner, this piece was quite a challenge for me at the time, but I persevered and managed to play it after a few weeks months without error!
One day while browsing the local Tower Records I stumbled upon a DVD with what appeared to be Russian text with a Japanese translation over it. My Japanese was good enough by this point to read the translated title: MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA. I could also make out the Michael Nyman composer credit, so I immediately snapped it up and rushed back to my apartment to put it on.
I was somewhat bewildered by the visuals and story, but oh that score! It was full of all the Nymanisms I was crazy about at the time: a killer love theme for piano, propulsive “action” music in that inimitable Nyman style, and a wordless female vocal of one of the main themes.
I was also at a complete loss about where to find the score on CD as there were no scores on the market with the title “MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA.” After some internet sleuthing I discovered that the music had been repurposed for the Japanese video game ENEMY ZERO, which did have a soundtrack release on CD. Needless to say, I ordered it immediately from Amazon Japan – in fact, it was one of my first online purchases since moving to Japan the year before!
I obsessively listened to the CD when it arrived and tried to play the “romantic” tracks to my girlfriend at the time. I vividly recall worrying that the CD would get scratched in her car CD player – and yes, it did get scratched!
PART 3: THE CONCERT
Despite not being able to hear WONDERLAND live, I was still quite pleased that MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA was performed live-to-picture. I think I just ignored the images being projected on the screen and focused on the performers performing that incredible score live under Nyman’s direction. There’s nothing quite like seeing the string section of The Michael Nyman Band making furious stabbing motions with their bows while the rest of the band rocks away to the music!
PART 4: MEETING MICHAEL NYMAN
At the end of the concert I made my way to the stage door where a small group of fans had already started waiting. Members of The Michael Nyman Band came out one by one and happily signed for the fans.
It took a while, but Nyman finally came out. He looked a bit tired but graciously signed the many things put in front of him. Just ahead of me in the line was someone slightly older than me holding sheet music to be signed. I remember being surprised because I’d never seen that before. I then came to the realization that it would be pretty cool to get sheet music signed by the actual composer – I guess the music would take on a more special meaning if you were performing it with a signed note from its actual composer right in front of you.
In any case, I had brought my beloved WONDERLAND soundtrack with me, which Nyman kindly signed:
I also managed to grab a nice photo with him – look how young (and somewhat handsome) I was!
PART 5: CONCERT FLYER
Here are scans of the original A4-sized concert flyer.
PART 6: OVER TO YOU
Did you also go to this concert? How did you like it?
And what did you think of my report? Feel free to comment below or reach out to me directly in the “Contact Me” section.
