Original music To The Film

Institute Benjamenta

Artist : Lech Jankowski
Title : Music to The Film Institute Benjamenta
Label : Koninck
Cat No : KON CD 001
Release Date : Out Now
Format : CD

I read somewhere that Lech Jankowski was originally against the idea of a separate release for his soundtrack to the film 'Institute Benjamenta'. I fear then that my reviewing it purely on its own merits, just may be his worst case scenario. He needn't have worried though as having not yet seen the film. I'd have to say that if 'Institute Benjamenta' contains a fifth of the emotion and atmosphere of it's soundtrack then viewers will be in for a deeply moving experience.

It would be pointless of me to try to deal with this CD track by track. Better if I try to give you an overall feel for the piece. The Instrumentation largly consists of double bass, violin, piano and various wind instruments. These come together within different combinations to create a succession of varying moodswings. This soundtrack invokes lots of emotions juxtapoised. Feelings of sadness and beauty, of meloncoly and joyfulness.

I can't help feeling that this music can only have been composed by an Eastern European. It simply reeks of those roots. Somewhat Neo-classical, somewhere jazz, sometimes folk, sometimes theatre. But always with that Eastern Europeon sensibilty. A slant that makes it somewhat unsettling to the western ear. Which can only add to the movies tension. Except that now I'm only guessing.

Which brings me to my final point. As I've already said Jankowski was originally openly against this soundtrack being separately released. But I suspect The Quay Brothers (the films makers) fully realised that with Jankowski's soundtrack being so deeply evocative, anyone hearing it would simply have to seek out and see the film. Which I for one will be doing at the first opportunity.