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Post by martindn on Jan 12, 2008 20:27:18 GMT
Hayley has a few scathing words about Thomas Malick's decision not to use his score. If you will excuse me Stephany, I feel I must attempt to translate a few of Hayley's words. I'll not pretend I am as good at is as you are, but I feel this shows how she feels about it.
"It's incredible, indeed scandalous to refuse a piece like "Of The Forest", or to remove the magnificent song that is "Listen to the Wind". It has everything it needs for the most presigious American competition (presumably the Oscars). Instead, it has stayed in Virginia.
(I have) the satisfaction to have worked with the most poetic of composers. One can identify with Pocohontas..."
Good on yer Hayley! I couln't agree more!
Martin
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Post by grant on Jan 12, 2008 20:33:46 GMT
Hi Stephany Thank you for the translation so far. I really loved this bit I look forward to the rest when you have time to do it. Lots of love Grant  |
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Post by Stephany on Jan 12, 2008 20:51:29 GMT
Thank you very much for your kind words, Mark and Grant. Here's another part of James' interview. More to follow + Hayley's full interview translation. [/u] We know very little of New Zealand and this country remains a New World to discover. It kept its culture, its isolation, its traditions. The valleys, the rivers, the mountains…I have the impression that this country still allows the grass to grow, the rivers to flow and the birds to sing. Hayley is one of those birds. Despite the modernity of our current world, when I listen to her singing ‘Pokarekare Ana’ or ‘Prayer’ of her latest album ‘Odyssey’ – another predestined title ! –, I see the Nature herself. Culture, isolation, tradition…Hayley has them all because her country offered her everything and she knew how to absorb and understand it. The talented geography, that’s what she also learned from her “local colours”. We can’t help noticing the parallel between Hayley Westenra and Pocahontas: same youth, same purity, same poetry.[/u] To some extent, there is also a surprising physiognomic resemblance and an unexpected metaphysics link. A shyness – no – I’d say a discreet anguish. She is reserved too, modest. Very pure, like you just said. Is Hayley Westenra the voice of Pocahontas only, or also the voice of the world?[/u] I told you earlier that she was the Princess of Light. Does that answer to your question (giggles)? You said that Terrence Malick had been “afraid” of Hayley Westenra’s voice. What happened exactly?[/u] We didn’t talk much before I started composing even though I met him quite often. Terrence doesn’t talk much anyway. I was imagining all these fabulous images and I was pretty fascinated: birds, trees, the sun…and this girl who seemed to make one with all these elements. The story was obviously important, but our interest was elsewhere. […] At the beginning, Terrence was favorable to a vocalization of the Nature, with Hayley and the birds. I worked on the introduction sequence for weeks. Terrence Malick then decided to review Pocahontas’ key role in the movie and he cut out many scenes. I had to start everything again from the beginning. I presented my work to Mr Malick. He appeared to be convinced by this new piece of work. But then in the end he only kept the strict minimum of what I had composed. [/size][/quote] Stephany |
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Post by roger on Jan 12, 2008 21:30:49 GMT
Hi Stephany, You are doing a fantastic job which will be greatly appreciated by everyone. "Stephany - HWI Site Manager, Media Correspondent, Global Moderator and Official Translator". How are we going to fit all that into your profile?  Roger |
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Post by martindn on Jan 12, 2008 21:50:08 GMT
Stephany,
Yes, I read those words, but you did a better translation than I would have done. Thanks!
Martin
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Post by James on Jan 13, 2008 12:30:07 GMT
Stephany, Thanks for finding and scanning the article and for your forthcoming translation. I can only get the gist rather than the full detail of the French. You're an  ! It's inspired me to listen to "ecouter le vent" several times already this morning. James |
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Post by martindn on Jan 13, 2008 13:52:36 GMT
Do you know I think I might be starting to understand where Mr Malick could be coming from. Pure speculation of course.
The clue is in the introduction to Hayleys new biography which I obtained yesterday. Hayley rightly says that she is blessed with "a voice that makes people stop and listen".
That made me stop and think, and wonder whether making people stop and listen is a desirable attribute for film background music. Perhaps Mr Malick thought that music like that would distract people away from watching the film, because they would want to listen to the music instead! Perhaps that's what was meant by Mr Malick being "afraid of Hayley's voice".
I know myself that Hayleys voice DOES grab my attention and refuse to let it go. That's why I don't play her music much in the car, it makes it harder to concentrate on my driving.
However, knowing Hayley was involved would make me more likely to go and see the film, so it works both ways.
I still think Mr Malick was wrong!
Martin
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Post by Stephany on Jan 13, 2008 14:53:00 GMT
Hello everyone! Thank you all for your kind words Martin, I suspect that you are exactly right about the reason that has pushed Mr Malick to remove Hayley's voice from the movie. He apparently considered that her voice was too present whereas James Horner thought that it was entirely part of the New World. Here is another part. There are lots more to come ! I'm a bit slow but I should have more time after my exams  [/u] I had decided to use the silence when Pocahontas and her brother were playing in the fields and then the music was starting when she first layed her eyes on John Smith. It was supposed to last one minute and it was a mysterious, profound, noble moment. […] Then Hayley would have started covering their first dialogue, their first delicate exchange. I wanted her to use a moving tone, discreet and almost innocent. […] Unfortunately, Terrence Malick changed his mind and preferred using the silence to tell their first meeting. He even used Mozart’s Piano Concerto n°23 during the sequence with Pocahontas and her brother. I still don’t understand why! Then Terrence Malick eventually suggested to use the music I had composed but without Hayley’s voice. I refused. Music became silent again. Can you tell us a bit more about ’A flame within’? [/u] There was a beautiful sequence during which Pocahontas was walking barefoot on a tree and meeting John Smith’s gaze for the second time. Terrence Malick didn’t keep this scene but I proceeded the same way than I did for the previous track. Hayley was calling this man. With all the sincerity of her voice, she was calling again and again. It was a call of devotion. […] Unfortunately there wasn’t enough space on the disk to include the full track of ’A flame within’?. A pity. The first part of ’The Winter Battle’. was supposed to be on the disk but there is a different music instead.[/u] The introduction of ’The Winter Battle’? was removed and I regret it. […] It was composed for the scene where Pocahontas goes to the Fort. I had asked Hayley Westenra to call for help and she managed to use her voice in an interrogative way as if she was crying for help. Pocahontas continues her walk in her winter coat knowing who she’s about to see again. I explained to Hayley my vision of this scene. […] But Terrence Malick thought that the sound was too much and he didn’t like it.[/size][/quote] Stephany  |
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Post by Richard on Jan 14, 2008 8:36:16 GMT
Many thanks for the translation so far, Stephany!  I'm sure James Horner will want Hayley to record for his film scores again, but I'll be very surprised if either of them ever have any further dealings with Terrence Malick.  I'm looking forward to reading Hayley's interview, but don't rush. Good luck with your exams! Love, Richard |
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Post by milewalker on Jan 18, 2008 2:33:15 GMT
Hello all,
I find this rather remarkable.....Horner has worked with some of the best singers in the world. The fact that he seems to think so highly of Hayley says a lot about her professional credibility.
A soundtrack - perhaps with Horner, perhaps with someone else - may very well be Hayley's gateway to bigger fame some day. I harbor a secret hope that whoever scores "The Hobbit" will keep her in mind. Tis a natural fit.
Like everyone else, I am anxiously awaiting further translation....
Jon
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Post by Stephany on Jan 18, 2008 10:02:59 GMT
I'm looking forward to reading Hayley's interview, but don't rush. Good luck with your exams! Thank you very much, Richard. It's going quite well so far  Here's the last part of James Horner's interview. I'll start 'working' on Hayley's interview this weekend! [/u][/i] Nothing was supposed to happen this way. I was aware of Terrence Malick’s tendency to add tracks by Erik Satie, Camille Saint-Saëns or even Gabriel Fauré to replace partially the soundtracks composed specifically for his movies by Ennio Morricone or Hans Zimmer. I thought it would be different with me because I was involved in the project very early on. Terrence Malick seemed to approve everything I was doing at the beginning. […] But in reality, it was never the case. Malick had doubts all along. He especially believed that Pocahontas was becoming too intrusive. […] He eventually refused to include the voice of Pocahontas that we had both approved – and that I personally still approve. […] What a waste! How did you react?[/u][/i] Paul Brouceck and the people from New Line didn’t understand his decision either. We all tried to convince Terrence Malick to change his mind but he was the one in charge of the editing so in the end I gave up. You could almost release a second album with all the music you composed for this movie.[/u][/i] It’s a shame that I couldn’t include everything on this soundtrack – there was so much that I wanted you to hear. Even if the first album is selling very well, I don’t think there will be another one. There are very few pauses and breathing in‘Listen to the wind’ which is a huge contrast compared to the rest of the soundtrack. Why?[/u][/i] For the reason you just mentioned: the contrast. The lyrics of Glen Ballard were of very high quality and we needed Hayley to outperform herself but in a different way, almost at the opposite of what she had done so far on the soundtrack. I asked her to adopt a delicious voice with perfect diction, a minimum of inflexions, clarity in her words and constant emotion. For ’The New World’, Hayley managed to build an expressive architecture that echoes in eternity. Her voice was one with this young woman. Prisoner or free, wild or civilized, Hayley conquered the wind. In ’Listen to the wind’, she listened to it and called it for us. It’s very poetic.[/u][/i] Yes, it is – and I’d like to add that ’Listen to the wind’ is an homage to Alan Menken’s Pocahontas. His soundtrack was admirable.[/size][/quote] Love, Stephany |
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Post by grant on Jan 18, 2008 10:24:40 GMT
Hi Stephany (Welcome back to the UK by the way, and good luck with your exams from me too) Thank you for the latest installment of the translation - it makes for very interesting reading. It also makes me wonder why people continue to work with Malick, he sounds like a bit of a loose canon to me! I never cease to be impressed by the things some of these 'major players' say about Hayley, particularly this bit She must be amazing to work with, with comments like that! Not only is Hayley pushing her own boundaries but, it seems, those she works with are pushing them as well!! I can just imagine the thought process "We need someone to do what!? But it's never been done before - better give Hayley Westenra a ring ......"Lots of love Grant |
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Post by Richard on Jan 18, 2008 14:27:05 GMT
Now that is interesting. I've always suspected that Hayley can change her vocal style to order, or perhaps I should say by request. Richard  |
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Martin
Global Moderator
HWI Management Team
Posts: 3,339
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Post by Martin on Jan 18, 2008 16:47:34 GMT
Thanks Stephany for these articles and the story you have unearthed. I found it totally fascinating.
I also agree with Martin on the probability that Hayley's contribution was suppressed due to its over-powering presence.
Best Wishes
The Other Martin!
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Post by milewalker on Jan 18, 2008 16:48:01 GMT
Hello Richard and Grant, It isnt that unusual for a very good singer to be able to create different effects with their voice. For example, Horner had similar praise (though far less effusive) for CC's work with him on "A Beautiful Mind" - her voice blended very well with the instrumentation, to the extent that at times a piece would be playing for a while, and unless you were very attentive you might actually miss the spot where she came in. This being said, his praise for Hayley was much more effusive. In fact, this may indeed be the highest praise I have heard in anything like this - it almost seems as though he himself is smitten.... Jon PS - As I often misspell thing myself, I seldom comment on the misspelling of others, but the phrase "loose canon" above conjured up some rather amusing images |
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