Les Retrouvailles
Encyclopedia
Les Retrouvailles is an album by French musician Yann Tiersen
. Released in 2005, it features a number of high-profile guest vocalists, both French and Anglophone alike: Christophe Miossec, Dominique A, Elizabeth Fraser
(of the Cocteau Twins
), Jane Birkin
, and Stuart Staples (of the Tindersticks
).
As is customary with his albums, Tiersen showcases his multi-instrumental
skills, which on the album encompasses the accordion
, piano
, mandolin
, and harpsichord
, among others.
Les Retrouvailles also includes a DVD short film entitled La Traversée, directed by Aurelie du Boys, which documents the making of the album and incorporates an animated video for the non-album track, "Le Train," and also live versions of a handful of songs.
Note: The Virgin Records
version of the CD has a defect on the beginning of “Kala”.
Yann Tiersen
Yann Tiersen is a musician from France. His musical career is split between studio albums, collaborations and film soundtracks with a distinctive sound that is always involved...
. Released in 2005, it features a number of high-profile guest vocalists, both French and Anglophone alike: Christophe Miossec, Dominique A, Elizabeth Fraser
Elizabeth Fraser
Elizabeth Davidson Fraser is a Scottish singer best known as the vocalist for the pioneer alternative rock group Cocteau Twins...
(of the Cocteau Twins
Cocteau Twins
Cocteau Twins were a Scottish alternative rock band active from 1979 to 1997, known for innovative instrumentation and atmospheric, non-lyrical vocals...
), Jane Birkin
Jane Birkin
Jane Mallory Birkin, OBE is an English-born actress and singer who lives in France. In recent years she has written her own album, directed a film and become an outspoken proponent of democracy in Burma.- Early life :...
, and Stuart Staples (of the Tindersticks
Tindersticks
Tindersticks are an Indie rock band from Nottingham, England formed in 1991. They released six albums before singer Stuart A. Staples took on a solo career. The band reunited briefly in 2006, but more permanently the following year...
).
As is customary with his albums, Tiersen showcases his multi-instrumental
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
skills, which on the album encompasses the accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, and harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
, among others.
Les Retrouvailles also includes a DVD short film entitled La Traversée, directed by Aurelie du Boys, which documents the making of the album and incorporates an animated video for the non-album track, "Le Train," and also live versions of a handful of songs.
Track listing
- "Western" - 2:23
- "Kala" - 4:09 (Sung by Elizabeth FraserElizabeth FraserElizabeth Davidson Fraser is a Scottish singer best known as the vocalist for the pioneer alternative rock group Cocteau Twins...
) - "Loin des villes" - 3:19
- "La Veillée" - 3:11
- "Plus d'hiver" - 2:23 (Sung by Jane BirkinJane BirkinJane Mallory Birkin, OBE is an English-born actress and singer who lives in France. In recent years she has written her own album, directed a film and become an outspoken proponent of democracy in Burma.- Early life :...
) - "A ceux qui sont malades par mer calme" - 3:30
- "A Secret Place" - 3:26 (Sung by Stuart A. StaplesStuart A. StaplesStuart Ashton Staples is an English musician best known as the lead singer of British indie band Tindersticks, in which he also plays guitar. Staples has a very recognizable vocal style and a distinctively low voice.-Career:...
) - "Le Matin" - 1:58
- "Les Enfants" - 2:00
- "Le Jour de l'ouverture" - 3:38 (Sung by MiossecMiossecChristophe Miossec is a Breton singer and songwriter born in Brest, Brittany, France on December 24, 1964.-Beginnings:Christophe Miossec was not new to the world of music when he met his first great success. Between 14 and 17, he was in a teenage band, Printemps Noir , touring around Brest...
and Dominique ADominique ADominique Ané , better known as "Dominique A," is a French songwriter and singer.-Early life:Born on the 6 October 1968 in Provins, France, Dominique Ané is the only child of a teacher and a homemaker. He was passionate about literature and music from a young age...
) - "La Boulange" - 2:46
- "La Plage" - 1:57
- "Mary" - 3:38 (Sung by Elizabeth Fraser)
- "7:PM" - 2:40
- "Les Retrouvailles" - 1:30
- "La Jetée" - 1:05
Note: The Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
version of the CD has a defect on the beginning of “Kala”.
Credits
- Yann TiersenYann TiersenYann Tiersen is a musician from France. His musical career is split between studio albums, collaborations and film soundtracks with a distinctive sound that is always involved...
- Elizabeth FraserElizabeth FraserElizabeth Davidson Fraser is a Scottish singer best known as the vocalist for the pioneer alternative rock group Cocteau Twins...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
on "Kala" and "Mary" - Jane BirkinJane BirkinJane Mallory Birkin, OBE is an English-born actress and singer who lives in France. In recent years she has written her own album, directed a film and become an outspoken proponent of democracy in Burma.- Early life :...
- vocals on "Plus d'hiver" - Stuart A. StaplesStuart A. StaplesStuart Ashton Staples is an English musician best known as the lead singer of British indie band Tindersticks, in which he also plays guitar. Staples has a very recognizable vocal style and a distinctively low voice.-Career:...
- vocals on "A Secret Place" - Dominique ADominique ADominique Ané , better known as "Dominique A," is a French songwriter and singer.-Early life:Born on the 6 October 1968 in Provins, France, Dominique Ané is the only child of a teacher and a homemaker. He was passionate about literature and music from a young age...
- vocals on "Le Jour de l'ouverture" - MiossecMiossecChristophe Miossec is a Breton singer and songwriter born in Brest, Brittany, France on December 24, 1964.-Beginnings:Christophe Miossec was not new to the world of music when he met his first great success. Between 14 and 17, he was in a teenage band, Printemps Noir , touring around Brest...
- vocals on "Le Jour de l'ouverture" - Jean-François Assy - violoncello on "Kala", "La Veillée", "A Secret Place", and "La Boulange"
- Orchestre National de Paris on "Kala", "La Veillée", "Le Jour De L'Ouverture", "Mary", and "Les Retrouvailles"
- Frederic Dessus - violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
on "La Veillée", "Plus d'hiver" and "Mary" - Guillaume Fontanarosa - violin on "La Veillée" , "Plus d'hiver" and "Mary"
- Bertrand Causse - vertical violaVertical violaThe vertical viola, or alto violin, is a stringed instrument with the range of a viola that is played vertically in the manner of a cello. It is the fourth-highest member of the violin octet ....
on "La Veillée", "Plus d'hiver", and "Mary" - Anne Causse Biragnet - violoncello on "La Veillée", "Plus d'hiver", and "Mary"
- Armelle Legoff - violin on "Plus d'hiver" and "Mary"
- Frédéric Haffner - violin on "Plus d'hiver" and "Mary"
- Elliott - fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
on "Les Enfants" - Ludovic Morillon - drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s on "La Boulange" - Christine Ott - ondes MartenotOndes MartenotThe ondes Martenot , also known as the ondium Martenot, Martenot and ondes musicales, is an early electronic musical instrument invented in 1928 by Maurice Martenot. The original design was similar in sound to the theremin...
on "La Boulange"