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Opera Sauvage is a 1979 album by the Greek artist Vangelis. It was originally a soundtrack for the nature documentary by the same name by the French filmmaker Frédéric Rossif. Pieces have been used for other purposes as well.
Tracks
- Hymne (2:40)
- Rêve (12:26)
- L'enfant (4:57)
- Mouettes (2:28)
- Chromatique (3:25)
- Irlande (4:43)
- Flamants Roses (11:50)
Instrumentation
Vangelis plays several synthesizers, piano, electric piano (featured extensively on track 2), drums, percussion, xylophone, and an unidentified ethnic string instrument on track 5.
Jon Anderson is credited with playing harp on "Flamants Roses".
Other appearances
The theme "L'enfant" appeared in the film The Year of Living Dangerously with Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver.
Hymne gained significant airplay as tune to an Ernest & Julio Gallo wine commercial.
Style
Vangelis produced this album during his "electro-acoustic" period, which was probably the most productive in his musical career. Opera Sauvage is more mature than his earlier nature scores, such as Apocalypse des Animaux and La Fête Sauvage. Later work for Rossif included Sauvage et Beau.
"Hymne", "L'enfant", "Mouettes" and "Irlande" build on fairly simple themes that are developed instrumentally. "Rêve" is, indeed, a dreamy calm piece. "Chromatique" has a chromatic instrumental line with chords on an ethnic string instrument. "Flamants Roses", finally, consists of several parts, from slow to upbeat, and finishing off with a bluesy finale; Jon Anderson features prominently on harp.
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