1996 (1996)

About this title: The album 1996 contains 12 pieces arranged for violin (Everton Nelson, David Nadien, or Barry Finclair), cello (Jaques Morelenbaum), and piano (Ryuichi Sakamoto), including both new compositions and music used in the soundtracks to The Last Emperor, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, The Sheltering Sky, and High Heels. The music is for the most part restrained and reflective, as Sakamoto makes use of the contrasting timbres of the chamber instrumentation, mixing melodic and rhythmic effects soothingly (the exceptions being the more quick-moving "M.A.Y. in the Backyard" and "1919," which uses a ... read more

Tracks:

1. A Day a Gorilla Gives a Banana [Sakamoto]
2. Rain (I Want a Divorce) [Sakamoto]
3. Bibo No Aozora [Sakamoto]
4. The Last Emperor [Sakamoto]
5. 1919 [Sakamoto]
6. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence [Sakamoto]
7. M.A.Y. in the Backyard [Sakamoto]
8. The Sheltering Sky Theme [Sakamoto]
9. A Tribute to N.J.P. [Sakamoto]
10. High Heels (Main Theme) [Sakamoto]
11. Aoneko No Torso [Sakamoto]
12. The Wuthering Heights [Sakamoto]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.