La Peau Douce
Georges Delerue
" Delerue was one of the best at writing romantic tunes that are full of complexity, which La Pea Douce is a perfect example of. "Written by Joep de Bruijn
Georges Delerue scored many films directed by nouvelle vague film-maker Francois Truffaut. La Peau Douce is one of their most interesting collaborations. The film follows the character of Pierre who's having an affair with a younger girl called Nicole, which has greater consequences than both could have imagined. This type of theme has always been quite attractive in my opinion.
La Peau Douce contains a very direct type of score. This music helps expressing the various emotions that expose themselves in a situation of adultery very clearly. One cannot avoid feeling quite uncomfortable by the first (and most) romantic cue for the first act of adultery of Pierre with Nicole. Delerue was one of the best at writing romantic tunes that are full of complexity, which La Peau Douce is a perfect example of. This score features one of the saddest main theme I've ever heard, performed on a solo flute over a group of strings. A secondary theme was written for Pierre's wife Franca, which is an ominous piece that matches her angry and sad emotional mood as she finds out about the affair between her husband and the girl. Truffaut wanted to make a film that was actually anti-romantic, which Delerue sometimes captured by writing suspense music, but mostly by the combination of love and despair. This is a classic.
La Peau Douce's score releases are disappointing and even a bit frustrating. The best releases contain four cues; the original French EP by Philips and the Nouvelle Vague! collection cd by Hortensia (released just after the composer's death). Then there are a variety of compilations cd's containing less cues, sometimes even just one track. Yet, one cue, Adultère, can only be found on Le Mepris et autres, released by Universal Music French, which is a collection of Jean Luc Godard scores. I'd be very happy to see a record label taking the initiative of including all cues on one disc.
Tracklisting
1. Pierre et Nicole (2.39)
2. Thème de Franca (1.32)
3. A Lisbonne (1.34)
4. Retour à l'hôtel (2.12)
Total Length: 7.57
La Peau Douce contains a very direct type of score. This music helps expressing the various emotions that expose themselves in a situation of adultery very clearly. One cannot avoid feeling quite uncomfortable by the first (and most) romantic cue for the first act of adultery of Pierre with Nicole. Delerue was one of the best at writing romantic tunes that are full of complexity, which La Peau Douce is a perfect example of. This score features one of the saddest main theme I've ever heard, performed on a solo flute over a group of strings. A secondary theme was written for Pierre's wife Franca, which is an ominous piece that matches her angry and sad emotional mood as she finds out about the affair between her husband and the girl. Truffaut wanted to make a film that was actually anti-romantic, which Delerue sometimes captured by writing suspense music, but mostly by the combination of love and despair. This is a classic.
La Peau Douce's score releases are disappointing and even a bit frustrating. The best releases contain four cues; the original French EP by Philips and the Nouvelle Vague! collection cd by Hortensia (released just after the composer's death). Then there are a variety of compilations cd's containing less cues, sometimes even just one track. Yet, one cue, Adultère, can only be found on Le Mepris et autres, released by Universal Music French, which is a collection of Jean Luc Godard scores. I'd be very happy to see a record label taking the initiative of including all cues on one disc.
Tracklisting
1. Pierre et Nicole (2.39)
2. Thème de Franca (1.32)
3. A Lisbonne (1.34)
4. Retour à l'hôtel (2.12)
Total Length: 7.57