Jérôme Lorichon, Emmanuelle Parrenin & Quentin Rollet 'Nosferatu' Book & CD
July 2024
Another excellent release from the ever reliable Quentin Rollet's Bisou label. This is a CD of the soundtrack to FW Murnau's 1922 film 'Nosferatu' which comes with a beautiful thick comic book of the story. The trio formed by Jérôme Lorichon, Emmanuelle Parrenin and Quentin Rollet performed Nosferatu for the first time at La Cinémathèque Française on February 18, 2021. In 2022, Potemkine Films asked the trio to record the music for the DVD/BluRay released to mark the film’s 100th anniversary, but ultimately they were not allowed to modify the soundtrack.
This album is an edited version of the music so that it can be listened to as a complete musical journey.
The book is illustrated by four French artists, Marie-Pierre Brunel, Foolz, Caroline Sury and Alexios Tjoyas, each giving their vision of Nosferatu the Vampire. Each also desined a different cover.
Review from Vital Weekly by Frans De Waard : Much to eternal shame, I never watched the 1922 movie Nosferatu. But that's nonsense. I suppose there is nothing to be ashamed of, as there is only so much time one has to hear music, read books, and watch movies, so I am sure I miss out on many more classics.
The original film has no music; since then, various musicians have recorded a soundtrack. The one I am discussing today is by Jérôme Lorichon (Buchla, electronics, trumpet, percussion), Emmanuelle Parrenin (hurdy-gurdy, voice, electronics) and Quentin Rollet (alto & sopranino saxophones, electronics) and composed for the DVD/Blue Ray, "but ultimately they weren't allowed to alter the soundtrack". By whom isn't mentioned; wikipedia says this film is in the public domain. I am not among the world's most significant lovers of wind instruments, but this trio of musicians do a fascinating job here. They have ten tracks in almost an hour, and the electronics used create an effect of soundscaping. Everything hoovers around in sustain, sometimes big, and sometimes small. Whatever else happens with the wind instruments, it's all part of the big picture, embedded in a hotbed of electronics, drones and atmospheres. I am bound to say 'spooky', given the subject of 'Nosferatu', but it's not spooky then. Some of the music is downright dreamy and spacious, maybe dark, but that's not how I perceive this music. Sometimes sad, sometimes joyous, sometimes sparse and also big. When the music relies too much on the saxophone, such as "L'apparition', it's less interesting to me. Otherwise, I found this a most enjoyable release.
Instead of a DVD, this comes with a comic book in which four French artists, Marie-Pierre Brunel, Foolz, Caroline Sury and Alexios Tjoyas, give their vision on 'Nosferatu' and in line with the movie; this booklet is in black and white and tops off an excellent release.
