The Libertine (album)

The Libertine

photograph by Michael Nyman
design by Russell Mills and Michael Webster
Soundtrack album by Michael Nyman
Released 29 November 2005
24 June 2008 (USA: reissue)
Recorded August 2004 (Angel Recording Studios Limited, London)
March 2005 (Olympic Studios, London)
Genre Soundtrack, Contemporary classical music, Minimalist music
Length 48:05
Language English
Label MN Records
Producer Michael Nyman
Michael Nyman chronology

The Piano Sings
2005		 The Libertine
2005		 The Composer's Cut Series Vol. I: The Draughtsman's Contract
2005

The Libertine: Music for the Film by Laurence Dunmore is the album release of Michael Nyman's score for the 2004 film The Libertine (2004 film) directed by Laurence Dunmore. It is the third release on Nyman's own label, MN Records, and the first to receive distribution in the United States, by Inner Knot Records. It is his 50th album release overall. When Naxos Records began distributing MN Records in the United States in 2008, it was included and began appearing in large quantitites in stores. This is Nyman's last score for a major motion picture to date, and his last soundtrack release, other than compilation soundtracks.

The score includes the song "If" (as "Rochester's farewell", with partially changed lyrics, removal of the quotes from "Time Lapse" from A Zed & Two Noughts, and the addition of a setting of the Kyrie) performed by Hilary Summers, who originally performed it in the film, The Diary of Anne Frank (1995). It also includes an abridgement by Jeffreys of one of Wilmot's most famous poems, "Signior Dildo", also sung by Ms. Summers. A recurring theme on the album which first appears in "Upon drinking in a bowl" for solo viola, became the basis of the Interlude in C for Accent007 ensemble. "The maimed debauchee" is a fairly brief piece, but resembles the Interlude at its climax. The theme reappears in a longer version as "Against constancy".

The album primarily follows the order of the film, but there are exceptions, including "My Lord all-pride", which immediately follows "Signior Dildo" in the film, as Wilmot steps out from curtains painted to resemble female genitalia.

Portions of the score appear in all-brass arrangements on the album, Nyman Brass.

Track listing

  1. "History of the insipid"
  2. "Upon drinking in a bowl"
  3. "Impromptu on an English court"
  4. "Upon nothing"
  5. "The maimed debauchee"
  6. "The wish"
  7. "The submission"
  8. "A ramble in St. James's Park"
  9. "The mistress"
  1. "Signior dildo"
  2. "Against constancy"
  3. "My Lord all-pride"
  4. "The imperfect enjoyment"
  5. "A satire against reason"
  6. "Rochester's farewell"
  7. "A satire upon mankind"
  8. "Upon leaving his mistress"

Personnel

  • Gaby Lester, violin (leader)
  • Cathy Thompson, violin (leader)
  • Thomas Bowes, violin
  • Bev Davison, violin
  • Manon Derome, violin
  • Clive Dobbins, violin
  • Jonathan Evans-Jones, violin
  • Rebecca Hirsch, violin
  • Philippa Ibbotson, violin
  • Helen Paterson, violin
  • Debbie Widdup, violin
  • Kate Musker, viola
  • Jonathan Barritt, viola
  • James Boyd, viola
  • Richard Cookson, viola
  • John Metcalfe, viola