Under Tomorrow's Sky

Paul M. van Brugge

 
" The composer's music for Under Tomorrow's Sky is consistent, sparse, minimal, and semi-aesthetic in approach. "

Written by Joep de Bruijn - Review of the music as heard in the movie

Under Tomorrow's Sky is a 2021 Dutch documentary directed by Jan Louter. It provides insight into the process of a global architectural firm and Winy Maas, working on large-scale projects, among them the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and his struggle with conceiving the Taipei Twin Towers project.

Paul M. van Brugge composed the music to what I would like to call an unofficial trilogy linked to the Boijmans van Beuningen Museum (Rotterdam, The Netherlands), proceeded by Conducting Boijmans (2015), covering the inspiration of museum director Sjarel Ex, and exceeded by Depot - Reflecting Boijmans (2023), telling the conceivement of the shared dream of the Ex and Maas of the depot. Under Tomorrow's Sky takes the viewer deeper into the process of what an architect endures in his working methods.

Please read tthe reviews of the other two:
http://www.maintitles.net/reviews/depot-reflecting-boijmans/
http://www.maintitles.net/reviews/conducting-boijmans/

The composer's music for Under Tomorrow's Sky is consistent, sparse, minimal, and semi-aesthetic in approach. It is likely what van Brugge does best, and is evident in a lot of his finest works.

Sonically, there's a very well-refined sound palette, one that is not just defined only by the instruments – strings, piano, guitar, percussion, woodwinds, electronic tweaking, but also by the fitting method of recording and mixing. It contributes to an overall subtle feeling of inspiration, slightly ethereal, atmospheric and emotional experience, which slowly and gently underscores segments of the documentary.

Generally, there is this consistent flow that is 'submissive' and subdued, but there are miniature musical accents that convey a very strong, yet subtle emotion; the drowned piano, an often recurring low-key whirling string motif, small percussion in the Tapei segments, the woodwind accents, the emotive light strings and the comprehensive design and mixing.

Broadly, the score helps to outline the sense of transit of these architectural creations, linked to the thoughts and feelings of the architect, who also happens to travel a lot. The score sends out subtle musical signals in appraisal of its subject, which to me felt incredibly endearing, yet I do suspect the low-key nature of the score is likely only felt subconsiously by viewers in general. Also, the frustration the architect felt in the Tapei project, are not directly adressed musicaly. Yet, Paul M. van Brugge' score to Under Tomorrow' Sky is one of his finest works.

The music remains unreleased.



(21-07-2023)
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(total of 7 votes - average 2.14/5)

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- (music as heard in the movie 2021)