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Michael Nyman (born March 23, 1944) is a British minimalist composer, pianist, librettist and musicologist, perhaps best known for the many scores he wrote during his lengthy collaboration with the British filmmaker Peter Greenaway.
Nyman, who had studied with the noted baroque music scholar Thurston Dart at King’s College London, drew frequently on early music sources in his scores for Greenaway’s films: Henry Purcell in The Draughtsman’s Contract and The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber in A Zed and Two Noughts, Mozart in Drowning by Numbers, and John Dowland in Prospero’s Books.
Nyman’s popularity increased significantly after he wrote the score to Jane Campion’s award-winning 1993 film The Piano. The album (“The Piano”) became a classical music best-seller. Although Nyman’s score was central to the movie he did not receive an Academy Award nomination despite being nominated for both a British Academy Award and a Golden Globe. He has scored numerous other films, the vast majority of them art films from Europe. His few forays into Hollywood composing have been Gattaca (“Gattaca”), Ravenous (with musician Damon Albarn), and The End of the Affair (“The End of The Affair”).
Among Nyman’s better known non-film works are Noises, Sounds & Sweet Airs (1987), for soprano, alto, tenor and instrumental ensemble (based on Nyman’s score for La Princesse de Milan); Ariel Songs (1990) for soprano and band; MGV (Musique à Grande Vitesse) (1993) for band; concertos for piano (based on The Piano score), harpsichord, trombone and saxophone; the opera The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (1986), based on a case-study by Oliver Sacks; and several string quartets.
Nyman, who had studied with the noted baroque music scholar Thurston Dart at King’s College London, drew frequently on early music sources in his scores for Greenaway’s films: Henry Purcell in The Draughtsman’s Contract and The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber in A Zed and Two Noughts, Mozart in Drowning by Numbers, and John Dowland in Prospero’s Books.
Nyman’s popularity increased significantly after he wrote the score to Jane Campion’s award-winning 1993 film The Piano. The album (“The Piano”) became a classical music best-seller. Although Nyman’s score was central to the movie he did not receive an Academy Award nomination despite being nominated for both a British Academy Award and a Golden Globe. He has scored numerous other films, the vast majority of them art films from Europe. His few forays into Hollywood composing have been Gattaca (“Gattaca”), Ravenous (with musician Damon Albarn), and The End of the Affair (“The End of The Affair”).
Among Nyman’s better known non-film works are Noises, Sounds & Sweet Airs (1987), for soprano, alto, tenor and instrumental ensemble (based on Nyman’s score for La Princesse de Milan); Ariel Songs (1990) for soprano and band; MGV (Musique à Grande Vitesse) (1993) for band; concertos for piano (based on The Piano score), harpsichord, trombone and saxophone; the opera The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (1986), based on a case-study by Oliver Sacks; and several string quartets.
Top Albums
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The Piano
Michael Nyman
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The Piano: Music From The Motion Picture
Michael Nyman Buy- Download Album
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Gattaca
Michael Nyman Buy- Download Album
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Drowning By Numbers
Michael Nyman Buy- Download Album
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Shoutbox
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LLLepba -
robarnott The Man on Wire music was first used in Peter Greenaway's films. Brilliant films and brilliant scores. Check out The Draughtsman's Contract and The Cook, the thief...
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mk741 Just finished watching Gattaca. The score was easily the highlight.
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Naneykins Thanks!
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VolcanoColdplay @Naneykins: Gattaca, for sure.
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Naneykins
The Man On Wire score is fantastic. [2] What else by him should I check out?
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dchav The Man On Wire score is fantastic. An Eye For Optical Theory is just wicked.
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MIND_FUSION Rather beautiful shit
Videos
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Play
The Piano - Amazing Short
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Play
Rochester's Farewell (If)
5 shouts
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Play
Against Constancy
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Play
Upon Leaving His Mistress
Events
- Jun 9 Michael Nyman Solo & Cine OPera Centro Niemeyer, Aviles, Spain
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Jun
11
Michael Nyman Solo & Cine OPera
Teatro Campos Eliseos, Bilbao, Spain
3 going
1 shout
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Jun
12
Michael Nyman Solo & Cine OPera
Teatro Principal, Zaragoza, Spain
3 going
News
New Michael Nyman film launches Festival!
23 Feb 2012 | from www.michaelnyman.com/info/news/rss
A new film commission entitled 'Witnesses' will be given its
world premiere screening on the opening evening of its adventurous
Night of Festivals 2012 event on Thursday 21 June. The free
…
- Great composer with a movie camera: Nyman | Hürriyet Daily News 21 Feb 2012 | from www.michaelnyman.com/info/news/rss
- Handsomely packaged re-release of early scores by minimalist composer | The List 6 Feb 2012 | from www.michaelnyman.com/info/news/rss
- 'Michael Nyman' reissue -- The Independent review 13 Jan 2012 | from www.michaelnyman.com/info/news/rss
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