Search - Wim Mertens :: Belly of an Architect

Love the life

PEDRO | Marbella, MALAGA SPAIN | 01/12/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm sorry for my english, I'm spanish. I only want to say that Wim Vertens changed my life. Please , why this person is not a famous compositor? I am not an old person that hate pop music. I'm 22 and a electronic music composer in Spain, I talk about Wim Vertens discography not only this cd. His music go inside my mind and the time stop, When I finish I don't know where I am, who I am, I only know that my life has one way, be happy. Five stars for this person that love the life."

A superb introduction to the minimalism of Branca & Mertens

A. Coates | San Francisco | 06/24/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This soundtrack for the Peter Greenaway film of the same name almost steals the film with it's careening, cyclical piano pieces perfectly matching architect Stourley Cracklite's world slowly collapsing amidst the Roman ruins of contemporary Rome. The soundtrack to the film is one of the few by Peter Greenaway that does not feature his usual partner in crime Michael Nyman. The soundtrack was initially developed by New York based minimalist composer Glenn Branca, but was largely rejected by Greenaway. An earlier release of this soundtrack did feature a few dramatic Brancian orchestral swells, but unfortunately this release (given the track listing) seems to have left these pieces off, which is a shame. This release features the brilliant work of Belgian minimalist piano composer Wim Mertens, and is utterly stunning in it's emotional intensity, power and beauty, with cyclical piano motifs spinning the listener around in an intense but gorgeous emotional journey. Some of the work covered on this soundtrack can be found on Mertens' career highlight release 'Close Cover' (sadly out of print at the time of this writing). Those interested in work by Glenn Branca should also look to explore his early 80's orchestrated guitar recordings (some of which are not for the fainthearted), as well as 1992's sublime 'The World Upside Down'. This is one of the best soundtrack recordings I have ever heard, and still sends chills through me almost ten years after seeing the film. It also represents an excellent introduction to the works of two very under-rated yet important modern composers."

Some of the best piano compositions

A. Concha Dimas | Tarragona, Spain | 11/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have not seen the Peter Greenways'film.. and maybe
I won't do that.. I am afraid to get dissapointed because
for me this CD reflects so much creativity and passion.
Three tracks are for me some of the best piano compositions ever:1.Struggle for plaeasure
the piano, like Life,
begins slowly, softly,
marking the rhythm gently
then it becomes
sharp needles spining and falling from the sky
The wind instruments
are the vital fast breathing to survive Life2. 4 mainsthe piano marchs
the piano spins
the piano climbs
the piano falls3. Close cover
If I have to choose the soundtrack for my life
it would be this piece"