Greece's film critics and music journalists have long felt that Eleni Karaindrou's compositions for cinema transcend the soundtrack's conventions. Her music does not merely accompany or prettify a film, they argue, but is an essential element of it. Writer Nikos Triantafillides, nothing that Karaindrou's music is as vast in scope as the time-transgressing sequence shots of Angelopoulos, says that "in all these hundreds os feet of film, Eleni's music represents the blood not shed on the screen. Her constant presence..reveals something deeply spiritual beneath the lyricism." George Monemvasites talks of a music made "to wound and liberate" as it creates "new visions and ideas" which counterpoint or parallel the cinematic action. Yet the music, heard independently, seems to insist upon its autonomy. The collection at hand is not "film music" in the limited sense but rather music that is inherently cinematic in its reach: It establishes an emotional climate. Hints at storylines it invites a listener/viewer to take up and develop, paints sky and seacapes in subtle, muted hues and, sometimes, simply, sings. - by Steve Lake, musicolog.org
The soundtrack to Theo Angelopolous' Golden Palm-winning Eternity & A Day was written by Eleni Karaindrou, one of Greece's most prominent modern composers. Her score for the film incorporates Greek folk instruments, especially the clarinet, and other indigenous touches that reflect Eternity & A Days lyrical tone. - by Heather Phares, AMG
Artist: Eleni Karaindrou
Album: Eternity and a Day
Year: 1998
Label: ECM
Runtime: 46:35
Tracks:
1. Hearing The Time 3:06
2. By The Sea 1:47
3. Eternity Theme 2:18
4. Parting A 1:31
5. Depart And Eternity Theme 4:02
6. Borders 2:41
7. Wedding Dance (Traditional) 1:28
8. Parting B 1:30
9. To A Dead Friend 4:34
10. Eternity Theme - Variation I 1:48
11. Depart And Eternity Theme - Variation I 3:02
12. Bus - Part I 1:08
13. Depart And Eternity Theme - Variation II 6:50
14. Bus - Part II 0:56
15. Trio And Eternity Theme 2:12
16. The Poet 3:04
17. Depart And Eternity Theme - Variation III 2:34
18. Depart 1:56
All songs composed by E. Karaindrou
Personnel:
Eleni Karaindrou (Piano) - 2
Sergiu Nastasa (Violin) - 1,4,6,8,15,17
Renato Ripo (Violoncello) - 1,4-6,8,13,15,17
Iraklis Vavatsikas (Accordion) - 1,3,4,8,10,12,15
Vangelis Christopoulos (Oboe) - 3,5,10,13,15,18
Nikos Guinos (Clarinet) - 3,5,10,11,13,15,17
Spyros Kazianis (Bassoon) - 3,5,10,13,15,18
Vangelis Skouras (French Horn) - 3,5,10,11,13,15,18
Aris Dimitriadis (Mandolin) - 3,5,10,11,13-15,17
Manthos Halkias (Clarinet) - 6,9
Kostas Siamidis (Accordion, Lyra) - 7
Katrin Zenz (Flute) - 15
Fabrizio Bentivoglio (Voice) - 16