Laurent Korcia
'Cinema'
EMI Classics
Release Date: July 28, 2009
Genre: Classical and Film Score


French violinist Laurent Korcia takes another big step into the classical crossover realm with Cinema, an album on which he performs movie music. His definition of movie music is broad, including any music that happens to have been featured in a motion picture, even if it's really a classical evergreen like Vivaldi's "L'Estate (Summer) -- III. Presto," heard in the 2001 film The Affair of the Necklace or Carlos Gardel's "Por una Cabeza," interpolated into 1992's Scent of a Woman. Korcia also finds room for two Jascha Heifetz arrangements of songs from Porgy and Bess, usually thought of as Gershwin's folk opera, although, as Korcia points out, it was made into a film "which was banned." (Well, not exactly. Otto Preminger's 1959 movie was released, but it is not well thought of, and the Gershwin estate has not licensed it since.) All of this material is well played, of course, but the best tracks feature music actually written for the movies, even if it is familiar. Korcia's "Moon River" is lovely, as is his "Speak Softly, Love," and the version of "Some Day My Prince Will Come," with French recitation and English singing by Camille, is charming. Best of all is "Mission Impossible," which Korcia re-imagines as a trio with accordionist Vincent Peirani and double bass player Pierre Boussaguet. This album should make a good introduction to an excellent classical violinist willing to stretch himself in the direction of contemporary and popular music.