One of Those Rare Film Soundtracks of Significance
Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 11/17/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Philippe Rombi is a composer new to this listener and being so impressed with the film 'Joyeux Noël' encouraged purchasing the Soundtrack. Not a mistake at all. For once the entire music excerpts of significance are intact, even the artists who were guests, providing professional opera singers for the voices of the two cinematic actor/singers.
Rombi opens the film about WW I with very eloquent, quiet, lovely solo piano music, and very often he is so sensitive to the message of the film that just when the action looks as though the music should be of the Carmina Burana ilk, Rombi settles for orchestral Adagios. He has elected to use the carols Stille Nacht and Adeste Fidelis for the actor Sprink to sing and uses the voice of the gifted tenor Rolando Villazon to intone the music. To establish the relationship between the two opera singers, Sprink and Anna (Villazon and Natalie Dessay), he has them perform a duet version of Bach's 'Bist du bei mer' - the words of which take on deep meaning as the film progresses. When he has a moment for Anna to sing a solo, he writes his own version of Ave Maria for Anna/Natalie Dessay to sing. It is very lovely.
There are several 'tunes' written for the score - 'Fraternizers' Hymn' ('I'm Dreaming Of Home'), the theme for Anna and Nikolaus - which very well could endure long after the score and film disappear, they are that fine.
In all the score is very strong and well played, sung, and conducted. This is a soundtrack that bears attention for lovers of beautiful music. Grady Harp, November 06
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Absolutely Beautiful
Gregory Sharp | California | 04/05/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"A wonderful soundtrack to an awesome movie.
I can't listen to it enough, Thank you Philippe Rombi"
Joyeux Noël CD
Pamela G. Maher | Baltimore, MD | 04/16/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Absolutely beautiful. The perfect background music for a Winter dinner party without being too Christmas-in-your-face. Nothing is corny or jumpy. You certainly won't find yourself chewing in rhythm to any of these songs, as you would if you had Jingle Bell Rock on the turn table (incidentally, I loathe Jingle Bell Rock). It's so pleasant to listen to as you're sitting by the fire with a book. In my case, that would be a fake alcohol-gel fire, but no matter. Fire is fire. And this CD puts me in a peaceful, almost spiritual frame of mind. Ave Maria is spine-tinglingly beautiful. As I listen I'm transported back to the film, which was so well done... I highly recommend this CD. You won't want to play it just at Christmas."
Track Listings (21) - Disc #1