Cannibal Music

[Michael]

I've just seen "Hannibal" and I am very impressed by a piece of music that occurs about a third of the way through, when the good Dr Lecter attends an opera. I have tried to identify this music from the book, but in that version he attends a Scarlatti chamber concert.<BR>I wonder does anybody know what it is? I half suspect it might be by the earlier Scarlatti but I could be completely wrong.<BR>Any ideas?<P>Michael<p>[This message has been edited by Michael (edited 02-17-2001).]

[serge urtizberea]

I don't know the piece of music by name, but in a review of the film, it was said that Lecter and Pazzi were attending an outdoor production of Dante's Faust or Inferno (or something, my lit skills beg for much). If anyone ever wrote music to dante, likely there lies your answer.<P>By the by, earlier in the film, where Lecter is playing the piano in his Truman Capote outfit, the soft music playing is an original piece written and performed by Anthony Hopkins-- who is a classically-trained pianist. Imagine that. <P><BR>p.s., if you haven't yet seen this movie, drop what you're doing and GO. The gore is only restricted to three scenes, but the last one, well, it's unlike anything you've yet seen. Nevertheless, the movie flows so artfully and gracefully, and Hopkins rivets your attention whenever he appears. It's been a hell of a long time since I've been this taken by a movie. If it doesn't win some Oscars next year, there had better be this summer and fall a very good slate of movies coming down the pike.

[shostakovich]

I haven't seen the movie, but if the opera was about Faust, it was likely Gounod's Faust (if French) or Boito's Mefistofele (if Italian).<BR>Shos

[Michael]

Thanks, Shos and Serge.<BR>I remember reading somewhere that Hopkins was a very good pianist and that one of his favourite sonatas was the "Pathetique". I didn't know he wrote music, though. In the movie, he plays the "Goldberg Variations" but I can't remember him playing anything else .... I'll just have to see it again (which won't be a hardship).<BR>Incidentally, there was an English composer and musicologist called Antony Hopkins (minus the h in his christian name) and he has written some very good books introducing people to classical music. He did radio programmes as well and he was highly amused when he received a letter from a listener which ran (roughly) : "Dear Mr Hopkins, I throroughly enjoy your music programmes. They have helped to appreciate classical music ...etc.... By the way, you were great in 'The Silence of the Lambs'".<P>Michael

[Bob the Composer]

Sorry, Serge, but I disagree. I think Hannibal is perhaps one of the worst movies ever made because of the last half hour of it, especially when Lecter submits to the little boy taking some of his 'food'. The rest of the film is competently made, but meanders somewhat. Hopkins did as good a job as he could. Sorry if I've offended everyone. Now, excuse me, I must go. I have to eat lunch.<P>Bob

[Michael]

Fair enough, Bob, it was pretty revolting. But when you go to a movie about Hannibal Lecter you shouldn't expect Mary Poppins singing "A Spoonful of Sugar".<BR>Maybe "Food, Glorious Food" from Oliver might be okay, though.....<P>Michael

[Bob the Composer]

Incidentally, Michael, the last time I saw Mary Poppins, I vomited. <P>I'm not revolted by violence in general, just violence without purpose, which is why I can sit through Aliens and The Exorcist without even twitching a muscle due to gut-splattering, but absolutely can't stand this movie where there's no pratical reason as to why we should see Pazzi's internal organs falling out onto the sidewalk. At least this has plenty of selections of C.M. to introduce to the blood-hungry masses.<P>Bob<p>[This message has been edited by Bob the Composer (edited 02-19-2001).]

[serge urtizberea]

Your sentiments about the movie are similar to many (critics and audiences alike), but, still... I can say I thoroughly enjoyed this film-- including the music.<P>If Lecter is playing Goldberg, then my info source (on the official movie website) was very wrong. I didn't recognize it as Bach, though.

[Michael]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by serge urtizberea:<P>If Lecter is playing Goldberg, then my info source (on the official movie website) was very wrong. I didn't recognize it as Bach, though.[/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>You are after putting doubts in my own mind now, Serge. I think it was the opening main theme of the "Goldberg" but I am not a hundred per cent sure. I was concentrating too much on who was going to be eaten next!<BR>I have just heard somebody on the radio mentioning Dante's "Inferno" in connection with the film, but I still have no idea of the composer. <P>Michael<P>

[shostakovich]

I haven't seen the movie, but you guys have me curious about Dante's Inferno. I can't think of an OPERA about Dante or his Inferno, but Liszt wrote a Dante Symphony, and the first movement is called Inferno. It's a pretty off-beat work, and an unlikely candidate for a film. I'll keep watching to see who solves this.<BR>Shos

[oneill]

I haven't seen the movie, so I don't know what the music sounds like, but I do know that there is a song based on the Dante's Divine Comedy in which the first movement is called "Inferno" It is written for a band, not an orchestra, so it is probably not the right song, but it is a very enjoyable song. Our high school band played Inferno a few years ago. (I beleive it was written for College level bands, but I'm not sure about that). It was written by Robert W. Smith.

[Judith]

Following is a review of the soundtrack from Hannibal. "The 2nd track is the haunting piano by Bach that Hannibal plays. The final song on the soundtrack is the beautiful song Vide Cor Meum from one of Dante's operas." I thought the movie was well done - considering the topic. Italy was a wonderful backdrop and Anthony Hopkins is, as usual, fantastic. The gore was confined to a few scenes - and most of Hans Zimmer's music indeed, haunting.<BR>

[shostakovich]

The mystery seems to be getting deeper, rather than being resolved. Dante Alighieri (1265 - 1321) was a poet. He wrote Inferno as the first part of his Divine Comedy. It describes the levels of Hell, and what sinners are assigned to each, based on their type of sin. One of Tchaikovsky's heroines, Francesca da Rimini, is in the level where the adultrous are consigned. <P>Dante might also have been a musician, but did not write anything called opera. Opera was a chance invention of about 1600, when a string of works based on a common story was put together. Opus means work (later, PUBLISHED work), and the string of them was called opera (the plural). So Hannibal might be enjoying Dante's words, and contemplating his future level, but it was somebody ELSE'S music. Whose?<BR>Shos

[Michael]

Well, Shos, I've finally come up with the composer's name, thanks mainly to Judith who gave us the title of the piece.<BR>It was "Vide cor meum", music by Patrick Cassidy and libretto taken from Dante's "La Vita Nuova".<BR>The aria of the Goldberg Variations was also played in the movie.<BR>I have never heard of Patrick Cassidy and I can't find out anything else about him.<P>Michael <BR><p>[This message has been edited by Michael (edited 02-22-2001).]

[Judith]

Michael, Patrick Cassidy is a fellow countryman! Found this on a website:<P>THE UNOFFICIAL PATRICK CASSIDY WEBSITE<BR> <BR>Welcome to the Unofficial Web Site of composer Patrick Cassidy. Patrick is one of Ireland's finest young composers. An accomplished Irish harper, he approaches classical composition from the direction of traditional Irish music, but unlike a lot of traditional musicians who dabble in classical composition, he adheres strictly to classical styles and forms. If, like me, you are interested in Celtic music but would like to find something with a little more of a classical edge to it than, say, Enya or "Riverdance", Patrick Cassidy's music is very likely to be for you. <P>There is more if you wish to visit the site...even mentions "Hannibal"<BR>J<BR>

[Michael]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Judith:<BR><B>Michael, Patrick Cassidy is a fellow countryman! J</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Judith, I am really surprised to hear this. I confess I have never heard of him until now. Judging by what he has done in that brief scene in "Hannibal", I will keep an ear open for more of his music. I was sure it was a classical or baroque composer, but it was the beautiful melody that hooked me, whatever style he was writing in.<BR>Thanks again,<P>Michael<P>

[Judith]

I agree as to the beauty and quality of the Patrick Cassidy works, Michael. Did you find his website? It was rather obscure but held alot of information about him. To me, his melodies illustrate the fact that <BR>"everything" has not yet been invented!<BR>J

[Michael]

In today's Sunday Times (Irish/English edition) there is a large colour photograph of Patrick Cassidy and Anthony Hopkins. To quote from the accompanying article: "Record shops and websites have been inundated with requests from fans looking for the music. The Irish composer was asked to write an Italian-sounding mini-opera using words from a sonnet by Dante. Cassidy had ten days to write the aria before flying to Florence where the opera scene was staged for the film."<P>The article mentions that most of Cassidy's work, including the "Children of Lir", has been Celtic in tone but this opera duet has sounded so authentic that most people (including me) presumed it was an extract from an Italian opera. He has now been asked by Ridley Scott to turn "Vide Cor Meum" into full-blown opera.<BR>I think "The Children of Lir" is available on the Naxos label. I have seen plenty of copies in local stores but I have been wary of "Celtic" music. However, on the strength of the Hannibal piece, I will buy it now.<P>Michael