http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFPNvk_69ec
This cover is on Iu’s latest album and it is her Japanese debut. Which I find interesting since Notre Dame de Paris has had it’s a premiere of the English version of the show not long before this album’s release. I like this cover. I think cool that she opted to sing this song over an Esmeralda song or Belle.
The album is called Can you hear me? but I think it’s on the part of bonus DVD combo
The first time I heard Belle
Now it’s only in the beginning of each that they sound similar. For first 7 seconds of each they really sound alike. They both have the same rhythms, beats and tone. But Belle’s tempo is much slower and the use of instruments is different. Belle uses guitars and Freya’s Theme uses what sounds like a harpsichord (I think). In any case, both pieces use strings.
Maybe it’s because I love Final Fantasy IX so much that helped me gravitate to Belle and Notre Dame de Paris. But they’re are both great pieces of music. Also bells are important item during the part where this music play in Final Fantasy IX. Coincidence? Oh, I think not.
Well actually I do. But isn’t that kind of cool. But then again the game does look to European history and style so they are more than likely refefencing the same music roots. But it’s worth noting that in Japanese the main character’s name is “Jitan” which is how the Japanese spell Gitan meaning Gyspy. So I suppose it’s possible that the production team took inspiration for Notre Dame de Paris as the Final Fantasy IX was being made right after the musical came out in Paris. Though I really doubt that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBXeXBpTVOk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ6yqiVOHT0
Music by Richard Cocciante and Nobuo Uematsu
This is also on the DVD
The songs in Jetlag version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame make the songs in the Disney sequel look like the original Disney version. They’re bad, real bad, absolute awfulness.
In total there are three songs and they are completely shoehorned in movie. The only reason for the songs is that it’s a Jetlag formula to have three songs regardless or not if they fit into that movie. None of the characters sing them and they add nothing to the story hence they are worthless. If they were good songs you could forgive them being thrown in over the beginning, end credits and in a random part in the middle but no they are terrible and random. So let’s start with first song which is called “Pity not Quasimodo” which plays over the opening credits.
Right off the bat it starts with “La Marsellaise” (The National Anthem of France). You can’t throw a famous song like that in. It’s tacky. I guess they were establishing the setting but had there just been an accordion piece composed for the movie it would have been so much better. Sure, an accordion would be an anachronism but it’s not an National Anthem. We’re 7 seconds in and already I’m disgusted.
Quaismodo Jetlag The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The lyrics of the song begins with a several of questions that are meant to get the viewers to empathize with Quasimodo. The Questions are;
Have you ever felt out of place?
Have you ever felt like a stranger?
And your clothes were all wrong
And your voice was too loud
If you answered yes to these questions then song suggests that you know how a deformed, deaf, hunchback who has to live apart from society, is a subject of ridicule and was abandon at birth must feel. Really song? Having inappropriate clothes and a loud voice does not often ostracized a person from society.
Esmeralda gives Quasimodo a kiss
However, you’re not supposed to pity Quasimodo because he has big heart and the song implies that girl named Esmeralda falls in love with him. 45 seconds and the movie gives away the ending.
In terms of the music I can make out a few cords, a drum and electric piano but the mixing between the vocals and the accompaniment is bad. I can’t really make out if it’s bad or not. But I can tell it’s cheesy and cheap sounding. The vocals, oh the vocals. The guy singing has a thin, raspy, breathy voice. I don’t partially care for this style of voice but at least he can carry a tune and he also had crap to work with.
Notre Dame of Paris Jetlag
If you thought the song was uninteresting and lazy well then let’s look at the visuals. The visual are just sets. So we have Notre Dame, the pillory, the city and the dock and that’s it. It’s boring the most exciting thing in the opening is a flag blowing in the breeze. The animation budget was clearly not wasted here.
This introduction is failure. Aside the boring song and the visual that are lazy and boring there is no tone or mood to this. It lacks joy. Watching this opening makes me feel that this is going to be a boring movie. But wait, the movie is boring so I guess the this opening succeeded, Good job opening, you succeeded in giving me a nice 40 minute nap, Kudos.
Watch this song here or get you very own copy of the Jetlag Version Here
Next Jetlag Article: Song 2 Queen of my Heart
Esmeralda dancing Jetlag Hunchback of Notre Dame
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55TD1NXVX5Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed-9ySvBE5E
This is the music from the Hunchback word (La Cite des Cloches) from the thrid installment of Kingdom Hearts; Dream Drop Distance
It’s composed by Yoko Shimomura. You can tell that Shimomura took inspiration from Menken’s score especially from Sanctuary
or those of you who don’t know the Kingdom Hearts Franchise is a co-venture with Disney and Square Enix. Square Enix is the owner of The Final Fantasy Franchise, of which I am a fan, I like Final Fantasy IX
Quasimode Sounds of Peace 2008 album
I randomly discovered a Japanese Jazz group that calls themselves “Quasimode”. Doesn’t that sound very similar to our hunchback pal ‘Quasimodo”? Turns out that the name isn’t a reference, the name came from their pianist who says that the name means “mix, blend” (interview link) but I can’t seem to separate out the connection between the names. So I’m sorry to say that for me Quasimode will alway seem like a secret Hunchback reference.
Illustration of Quasimodo
As for their music, I like it, I think out of what I heard I like Last Nine Days
Esmeralda and Clopin Notre Dame de Paris
I have created a new Notre Dame de Paris Lens, “The Top Ten Worst Song of Notre Dame de Paris“. As much as I love NDdP I know not every song is that great or even good. I started this Lens a few weeks ago and finally decided to finish a few days ago. It was actually hard to come up with ten but I did, so find out which song are the worst of the show.
And feel free to disagree with me. So click the link to find out what they are and why……..Enjoy
Link has been removed
2019 update- if you’re reading this in 2019, Squidoo no longer exists and this post will be removed at some point.
2022- I can’t remember why this one didn’t transfer to Hubpages like that other one did way back when hubpages took over squidoo’s content. I could have just deleted this it though. I could just a post on it. But It’s unlikely that I will remove this post.
Esmeralda dancin' in the club (Candice Parise)
So I was on Notre Dame de Paris fans on tumblr and saw that there is a Trance/Dance Remix of Belle (From Notre Dame de Paris). Yeah….. it’s not half bad…. I’m sure it could have been worse……. Okay I like it, I confess it’s exactly what I didn’t know I always wanted… Belle with the space sounds mixed with electric sounding violins… and you can deny it all you want but you know it awesome.
Go Here to have a listen,
http://notredamedeparisfans.tumblr.com/post/18985855490
Or
http://www.realmusic.ru/songs/33831/
Appartently it’s by Life Sentence, it’s Russian and it’s from 2003.
(Silly Photo-manipulation of Candice Parise as Esmeralda created by me)
Der Glockner von notre Dame German Musical of Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
I’d say that the songs in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
Ann Christin Elverum as Esmeralda Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
First off, I HATE, hate that Esmeralda doesn’t get a solo in this. With exception of the Archdeacon, Clopin and the gargoyles she the only character not get one. Now you maybe thinking “But Hunchblog the majority of the characters in this didn’t have their own songs. ” Well that is true but let’s face, each of the gargoyles couldn’t get their own song they’re a trio and as a trio they almost get a single song, Clopin may not a single song but he sings a lot as the narrator and the archdeacon is hardly even a character so he doesn’t count. Beside the plot pretty much revolves around her you’d think she’d get one but her only big songs has Quasimodo in it. I mean in Notre Dame de Paris every character got one even Fleur de Lys (Phoebus’ Fiancee) got one (La monture
Esmeralda and Antoine Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
I also got bit tired of the gargoyles singing over people. I do think it was a great way to show that gargoyles are 100% in Quasimodo’s head but it’s gets a bit old after a while. I think the show kept putting the gargoyles in songs so that A Guy Like you wouldn’t feel out of place. Another thing that gets old is hearing Draußen (Out There) over and over again. Anytime the play wants to reenforce Quasimodo to the audience Draußen is played. Admittedly this maybe unfair because Die Glocken Notre Dames is the most overused as in the play this how Clopin does most of his narrating but since I’ve been judging off the CD it’s Draußen that got old.
Esmeralda and Quasimodo Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
So yeah the songs are good for the most part but what I think really helps a lot of these songs is that singing quality is better. Though I’ve picked on Draußen in this review, I much prefer it in this musical than in the Disney movie along with Ein Mann wie du (A Man like you). The singers are just much better and that helps the enjoyment of the songs. Conversely, Hellfire suffers for this and it’s not because the is bad, I mean he put emotionally intensity into the next song Esmeralda, but maybe Hellfire is Tony Jay’s and no one else compares. Esmeralda and Clopin are one the level though the cresendo at the end of Bell isn’t as powerful as Kendal but he does a great job otherwise.
Esmeralda and Clopin during Drunter Drüber” (Topsy Turvy) Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
The musical does make the recycled Disney movie songs feel like it’s own which is nice, you don’t feel like their just simply lifted from the movie and put in to a musical. And while I do prefer Notre Dame de Paris Der Glöckner von Notre Dame has wonderful music. Just wish Esmeralda got one song to herself.
Next Time – The Production; Sets
Frollo and Quasimodo Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
This is the Ninth Part (or the last part) of my review on the music of Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
Molten Lead Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
Grand Finale or Ultimo Finale is the ending and occurs in two parts. The Finale is where the two most famous differences occurs; The death of Frollo by Quasimodo and the death of Esmeralda. Apparently the translator Michael Kunze campaigned to have Esmeralda die which makes it more like the book, though her death is by a different method. Kunze’s reasoning for this is that Esmeralda’s death would be viewed by European audiences as moving and more romantic of an ending. We’ll see how the American Broadway version handles this, though I kind of hope they keep the German ending.
Judy Weiss as Esmeralda with Frollo (Norbert Lamla) Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
The Final starts with Frollo pronouncing Esmeralda’s sentence then it goes into “song” portion. I use the word song in quotes because the Finale is a melody piece as it uses songs from throughout the show with one exception. So it starts pretty much the same as the movie with Sanctuary playing complete with latin lyrics as Esmerlada starts being burned and Quasimodo saves her and proclaiming sanctuary. Then Phoebus starts railing the people of Paris with the tune of Einmal (Once). Then the scene shifts back to Quasimodo who is defending Notre Dame from Frollo and his minions as he sings the tune of Wie aus Stein (Made of Stone).
Esmeralda dying Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
After he pours the led from Notre Dame Quasimodo checks in on Esmeralda who is dying. My guess is she dying of asphyxia which is a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen in body that arises from being unable to breathe normally. In her case this occurred from the fire. Anyway Quasimodo and Esmeralda have little conversation while Draußen (Outside) is played in the background. Esmeralda thanks Quasimodo for being her friend and then sings Hoch über der Welt (High above the World) and then the conversation continues for a couple more lines and then she dies. After she dies Frollo comes in and sings about how he happy to be free of her to the tune of Esmeralda but he sings this in a creepy, off balanced way. Quasimodo gets mad and the song shifts to a new melody with gargoyle singing with the latin choir. The gargoyle basically sing that God strikes the wicked, so the gargoyles, or aspects of Quasimodo’s own mind are telling him that he should kill Frollo, which he does by throwing Frollo off of Notre Dame, like in the book. I will point out that Quasimodo in the book does this in a fit of rage and here it’s a little more pre-mediated. After this the gargoyles sing Zuflucht (Refuge) about how the world is both cruel and kind. Quasimodo then sings Draußen (Outside) and sings about how he must live out there with all the pain, sorrow and fear that world can bring. He the carries Esmeralda outside and is joined by Phoebus. The ensemble then sing Einmal with as Quasimodo disappears. Then Clopin in his narrator role sings Die Glocken Notre Dames (The Bells of Notre Dame) and it’s pretty akin to the reprise at the end of the movie.
Quasimodo carrying Esmeralda Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
It’s vague what happens to Quasimodo but given how he sings about living it is doubtful that Quasimodo goes off to die. Also considering the two deaths this pretty much same except for Quasimodo and Esmeralda epic running away scene, that’s not there either.
So both Musically and plot wise we have a lot going on. However it’s a fitting ending. All the songs used here fit well together so while it could have felt a bit all over the place the emotional intensity flows well from one into the next. So if you like all these song before you’ll like them here.
Next time – A conclusion of the music
Esmeralda Dancing Der Glöckner von Notre Dame
