Clint Mansell

We interrupt our Doctor Who marathon for an important post about a musician that I feel gets very little loving from the early 20s contingent. He usually only writes music for Darren Aronofsky films so people who don't like films that are a little strange with some... unrealistic elements mixed with the severely depressing don't usually watch the movies. When they do, the images sometimes are so... different or disturbing that they don't bother to listen to the soundtrack.

I rarely sit down and really watch a video. I'm always doing three or four other things during that time so really I listen to a movie or film. On one hand this is bad because the films that I'm talking about (The Fountain, Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan, Pi...) usually do have some pretty stunning visual affects that I just... miss the first go around. I do however hear the music and the Aronofsky film collection always blows me away because the music is gorgeous. The sequence where the song above features in the movie actually caused me to look up at the film for which I'm so glad because the visuals during the sequence and the music all combined together to be pure magic.

How magical was it for me?

I didn't listen to instrumental music a whole lot before that day. I could understand the draw of classical music, but it didn't move me. I didn't drive down the road thinking, "Hmm... Beethovan's Pastoral Symphony would really fit my mood right now..."

Then The Fountain happened and I first looked up all of Clint Mansell's work and then I ended up watching the Fantasia movies again and I thought I'd give Ludvig von B. a try. Then somehow that led to Mozarts. Hans Zimmer and The Lord of the Rings soundtrack got thrown in somewhere along the way. Hans Zimmer got thrown right back out... after... something. I'm not a real classical music fan by far, but I do like certain things and I do listen to them during certain times.

And Clint Mansell with the combined efforts of Disney opened that door for me.

Also, my brain likes to tell stories to music which is really nifty with classical music because there are no words to get in the way (unless you're listening to the choral version of Ludwig von B's 9th symphony or a few other select choices) and make you limit the story in your head. I'm free to come up with what I like so long as it matches the cadence of the music.

Unfortunately, some songs lend themselves to certain things.

Does anyone else hear Pathetique and get the beginning of a horror film? Or is that just me?

BUT! Clint Mansell. He's also done music for Smokin' Aces. So, you should look up the films and listen rather than watch. I was floored that he did Black Swan because I figured they just used music from the ballet, Swan Lake by Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky because that's mostly all I heard. Then, I looked up the soundtrack and it's basically a bit of a remix of Tchaikovsky and Mansell in a weird but cool mix.

Also, I shouldn't forget that some of Clint Mansell's stuff is done with the Kronos Quartet which is probably why I like his music better than some others. I have a thing for... string instruments. Especially when you get four of them together in a room and have them playing together and off each other. Celtic music concerts really are not places that I should be.

Ever.

I still find myself at one at least once per year.

So, if you've got a chance, look for a little bit of Clint Mansell or get an Aronofsky film to listen to the music instead of actually watching the film. Don't worry. I don't think it'll hurt his feelings. Otherwise, have a great life without some awesome instrumental music.