Composer Michael Nyman is celebrating the recent success of his wonderful score for the extraordinary Academy Award winning Best Documentary, MAN ON WIRE, directed by James Marsh. The film chronicles the story of Philippe Petit's 1974 amazing high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Center and is based upon Petit's book, 'To Reach the Clouds'. It seems appropriate then, that, many years ago, Nyman's own music was Petit's choice to prepare for that unique adventure in the sky.
MAN ON WIRE has racked up 9 wins and 17 nominations for various international awards making it one of the most celebrated films of the year, and was the surprise winner of Best British Film at this year's BAFTA Awards, defeating the Oscar Best Picture winner SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE in the process.
Man on Wire had already won the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2008. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 100% of the 136 reviews they have collected have been positive, making it "The Best of All Time" reviewed film on their site.
Having just been appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), Michael continues to be typically over scheduled in the coming months with travels throughout Europe, South America, and North America.
In April of 2009, Michael will show a collection of short films featuring his own music. The nine films, ranging in length from 3 to 45 minutes, will premiere in London.
Praise for Michael Nyman:
"The other star of this film MAN ON WIRE is the composer Michael Nyman (The Piano, 1993), one of the most exceptional and prolific in the past few decades. He is so distinctive that Hollywood studios unwisely dilute his work or stay away from him altogether. Thankfully his collaboration with such cinema rebels like Peter Greenaway, Jane Champion, and Michael Winterbottom have contributed richly to celluloid."
"His score for Man On Wire is an accumulation of reworked film scores he has done over the years. Nyman loyalists will recognize segments from 'Chasing Sheep Is Best Left To Shepards' (The Draughtsmanﾒs Contract, 1982), 'Sheep and Tides' (Drowning By Numbers, 1988), 'Time Lapse' (A Zed and Two Noughts, 1985), and 'Stroking, Synchronizing' (Water Dances, 1985). The last time I heard Nyman tracks incorporated in a motion picture was two years ago. The film in question was Michael Winterbottom's Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (2006), which also made my top ten list that year."
"What an inspiration to play Nyman's 'Memorial' from Peter Greenaway's masterpiece 'The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, And Her Lover' over Petit's highest walk. How fitting that it was to Nyman's music that Petit actually practiced his wire act in his backyard. I often listen to Nyman's jazzy scores when I illustrate. Nyman's Baroque-affected work is so locomotive and minacious that it stirs up the most mishandled of hearts. (Nyman) has one foot in the 1600s and the other in contemporary times. You can never go wrong overlaying a Nyman piece over your own movie (I should know!). Nyman has recently held an exhibition of his photography work and influences, called 'Sublime' with the assistance of the design firm Volumina."
For a printable version (PDF) of all of Michael's credits, please click here.