Filmtracks Traffic Rank: #736
Written 2/4/03, Revised 3/1/09
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Buy it... if you have an open mind about Mychael Danna's style of
operating off the beaten path, with true ethnic authenticity
overshadowing a Western orchestra.
Avoid it... if you can't tolerate lengthy and restrained solo
performances by traditional folk instruments of Armenia in between
occasionally lush orchestral passages.
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| Danna |
Ararat: (Mychael Danna) It was speculated by many
viewers of the 2002 Miramax film Ararat that writer, director,
and producer Atom Egoyan attempted too great a challenge in its
production. While most movie-goers associate Egoyan with Canada, he also
has heritage in Armenia, and it is because of his passion for the topic
that he decided to illuminate the extermination of the Armenian people
by the Turks of the Ottoman Empire in 1915, an ethnic cleansing that
Turkey has long denied ever existed. Instead of choosing to present the
tale in the form of either a dramatic narrative or a documentary, the
director tackled the tale from the perspective of another film crew
attempting to do just that. As a result, it's difficult to become
attached to any of the characters in a way that would cause you to care
about the actual event. Still, the project was a worthy exploration of
an all too forgotten topic, and Egoyan's attempt to use his largest
budget (in his fourth major film) to create an atmosphere of
authenticity for the production extended to the score. The collaboration
between Mychael Danna and the director was well into its second decade,
with the composer continuing to produce a unique, worldly sound when
compared to the works of his contemporary peers. His ability to generate
authenticity in any historical setting or any age remains his calling
card. The topic for this assignment was grim, defiant, and heavy on the
religious aspect of the event, and Danna therefore produced a score rich
with human emotion, historical context, and simplicity in its
constructs. Much of the music for the film was recorded on location by
Danna in Armenia, a technique familiar to several of his internationally
flavored projects. While the orchestral portions, including the massive
performances of theme in a selection of tracks, were recorded in London,
the choral voices and many traditional instruments were performed by
native musicians on location (with a few elements added in Canada at a
later date as well). The most daunting part of the task of recording
Ararat, therefore, was the piecing together of all these elements
into the impressive finished product as heard in the film and on
album.
The success of Danna's work for
Ararat lies in
its ability to adequately portray the region's history through the use
of a balance that emphasizes truly authentic instrumentation and
performances while also retaining enough size and power from a Western
orchestra to draw that sound closer to the comfort zone of mainstream
listeners. Those casual listeners should beware, though, that although
the orchestral might heard in a few cues is considerable, it is the
collection of very low-key, somber performances by the duduk (the common
Armenian flute heard in many film scores), zurna, and other Armenian
folk instruments which dominate this environment. The sparse
surroundings in which the recording was largely made produce an
admirably precise impression of Armenia during the time of the war.
These lengthy periods of restrained, respectful minimalism can test the
patience of even some of the most experienced film score listeners, but
rest assured knowing that you will be rewarded when those native
instruments are added to the depth of the London orchestra. That
ensemble was co-orchestrated and conducted by Nicholas Dodd, the usual
collaborator for David Arnold, and in a cue like "Siege," you can hear a
hint of the snare-ripping bravado that some of Arnold's more resounding
scores have exhibited. Some of the score's most compelling moments of
harmony summon uncommon performances from layered strings, including
"The Ghost of My Father" at the score's conclusion. The highlight of the
presentation on album is the operatic vocal performance in "Oor Es Mayr
Eem," during which Danna's theme for the film takes flight with soaring
soprano tones and steals the album. The elegance of this lamentation
does overshadow the score, and the album's primary detriment exists in
the related juxtaposition between the extremely somber ethnic solos and
sudden outbursts of orchestral energy. Still, attention to detail and
authenticity of sound makes this score a clear winner. You may need to
reserve judgment about the work until the end of the album to truly
evaluate Danna's careful balance between the Armenian aspects and those
that you are more accustomed to hearing in film scores today, but there
can be no denying that the composer's astute sense of ethnic
authenticity is impressive.
**** @Amazon.com: CD or
Download
Bias Check:
For Mychael Danna reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.25
(in 16 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.06
(in 5,351 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.
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