• Recensione “La Sorpresa”– Colonnesonore.net

    August 9, 2016

    Condivido con un certo orgoglio la bella recensione di ColonneSonore.net (Massimo Privitera) della mia partitura per il film La Sorpresa di Ivan Polidoro

    http://www.colonnesonore.net/recensioni/cinema/4546-la-sorpresa.html

    Il cd è disponibile (a tiratura limitata) al seguente indirizzo http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kristiansensini3
    La versione digitale invece la trovate in tutti gli stores…digitali.

     

    Scritto da Massimo Privitera. Pubblicato in Cinema

    Kristian Sensini
    La sorpresa (2015)
    Keyestudios
    15 brani – Durata: 38’10”

    Kristian Sensini, vincitore del nostro Premio dei lettori nel 2014, nella categoria Migliore Musica per Film Straniero, per la pellicola d’animazione lituana Rocks In My Pockets, si approccia musicalmente a questo dramma familiare di Ivan Polidoro con una grazia sospesa colma di trepidazione emotiva. Fin dalla prima traccia, “Attese”, si tratteggia l’andatura sonora della score, con violino, viola e violoncello (tutti suonati accoratamente da Cristiano Giuseppetti) che lenti, quasi timidi, cantano amaramente il tema portante, ed il flauto (suonato da Sensini), col suo sopraggiungere mesto e desolato, ne marca ulteriormente il carattere drammatico.

    Elettronica ancestrale e un piano astratto si addentrano nei segreti nascosti del film, in “La sorpresa 1”, nel mentre “Come sospesa” tra sintetismi, flauto e chitarra (Jan Mozzorecchia) cerca di rasserenare questa complicata storia di un rapporto a tre (padre, figlia e infermiere che cura il primo gravemente ammalato) con un secondo tema fondamentalmente malinconico ma che ricerca qualche spiraglio di vitalità. Cameristico per archi viene eseguito il tema principale in “Devotio”, divenendo ancor di più elemento straniante e amareggiato. Un piano gocciolante e cantilenante (“Figlia del padre”) su effetti ritmici a pioggia raffigura la figura della figlia ventenne che non trova alcun punto di contatto con il padre che ormai stanco, desidera solo morire. Liturgico e angelico il canto per voce sdoppiata eterea di Laura Bruno in “Ana Yelena”. “Padre” assegna il compito ad una viola con effetto eco accentuato di cantare dolorosamente il leitmotiv di questo padre che solo nelle cure dell’infermiere trova le amorevoli attenzioni di un figlio non figlio che la sua vera figlia non riesce a offrirgli. Una nenia sintetica, quindi lontana nel suo suono metallico freddo, interpreta il tema principale in “La sorpresa 2”. Una “Ragnatela” metaforica più che reale nel canto straziato degli archi, della chitarra e di ritmiche asettiche prova a scavare nelle microtrame di questa vicenda piena di dolori e segreti. “Ana Yelena 2” rincontra il canto religioso di Laura Bruno con sfumature liturgico-orrorifiche tra Schubert e Keith Emerson. “Surprise me” gioca su ritmiche ipnotiche e synth anni ’80 carpenteriani. “La sorpresa” ondeggia glassianamente tra il suono insistito degli archi, liquescenze ritmiche e un piano ribattuto. “Un tango”, lo dice il titolo stesso, è un ballabile appassionato dalle ritmiche moderne intriso di reminiscenze piazzolliane: molto bello e virtuoso! In “Ana Yelena 3” il canto raddoppiato della Bruno assume valenze più incorporee insieme al controcanto del piano. Chiude il CD “La sorpresa piano” nel quale il leitmotiv primario mostra tutta la sua grazia addolorata in cerca di redenzione. Una partitura che entra sottopelle dopo svariati ascolti e che fa rivivere in noi ciò che di più nascosto risiede nel nostro animo.

    La sorpresa - colonnesonore

  • “La Sorpresa” Review on BuySoundtrax

    April 14, 2016

    Soundtrax: Episode 2016-3
    April 11th, 2016

    By Randall D. Larson

    http://www.buysoundtrax.com/larsons_soundtrax-4-11-16.html

    LA SORPRESA/Kristian Sensini/KeyeStudios – ltd ed cd + digital
    Italian composer Kristian Sensini has released his latest score on his own, digitally. Be thankful. Directed by Ivan Polidoro, LA SORPRESA (The Surprise) is a family drama that focuses on the awkward relationship between a father and his estranged daughter, compounded when he suddenly grows ill and she must take care of him; in the process she grows more distant when a male nurse is brought in who provides the kind of loving care she cannot. Sensini (HYDE’S SECRET NIGHTMARE – see my review in my Nov. 2012 column; ROCKS IN MY POCKETS – see my review from the Oct. 2014 column) has provided an intimate score performed by a small string ensemble (violin, viola, cello), supplemented by guitar, flute, keyboard, and voice. The score begins with “Attese” (Expectations), a deeply morose intonation of cello chords that resonates with the sad disaffection between the woman and her father. Sensini’s title theme, with its highly reverberated keyboard underpinning, carries a poignant weight that is less harsh; its melody will drift throughout later cues to paint the family in colors of sympathy and sorrow (In “La Sorpresa 1,” the melody is taken by a synth-violin, while in “La Sorpresa 2,” Sensini gives the melody line to a toy piano, which, in referring to happier and younger days of the family, is quite touching). The awkwardness between father and daughter is adroitly summed up in the colorless measures of “Figlia del Padre,” while the close-miked cello melody evoked in “Padre” paints the father in a much more empathetic light. The voice of Laura Bruno is heard in several cues, including a recurring, hymnlike a capella motif titled “Ana Yelena” whose lyric repeats the titular name in beautiful, double-tracked harmony. The film’s turning point and score’s apotheosis is found in “Ragnatela,” an uplifting harmonic treatment for all three strings over an interplay of muted drums and electric guitar which offers a serene resolution to the distance inflicted upon father and daughter. A drum kit is added for “Un Tango,” adding a nice contemporary pop rhythm to the tango’s string melody and harmony; the drums are also present for the second reprise of “La Sorpresa,” where the melody is presented in a more positive tempo and much brighter harmony, the family’s journey from alienation is finding its reunion and redemption. “Surprise Me” is a pretty pop-styled melody played on keyboards with digital handclaps and drum-kit. LA SORPRESA is a thoroughly engaging and beautiful score, deeply honest and moving in its sensitivity and treatment of its subject matter.
    The digital album is available on Italian iTunes and Amazon and elsewhere in the US.  A signed CD edition is available in limited quantities (100/c) from CDBaby.

    Randall Larson - La Sorpresa

  • “La Sorpresa” Ost – Review at Film Music Magazine

    March 23, 2016

    La Sorpresa ‪Ost‬ is one of March ‪Soundtrack‬ Picks at ‪‎FilmMusicMagazine‬ along with Zootopia (Michael Giacchino) , Batman v Superman (Hans Zimmer Junkie XL), London Has Fallen (Trevor Morris )

    You can buy limited edition signed copies of the soundtrack at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kristiansensini3

    http://www.filmmusicmag.com/?p=15918

    Having quirkily played mental illness with his score for the generational madness of the fest favorite “Rocks in My Pockets” (its soundtrack on Movie Score Media) Italian composer Kristian Sensini creates another memorably individualistic soundtrack for “La Sorpresa” (“The Sunrise”). Here, the musical anguish is subtly inward and far less humorous, if no less enticing, as a daughter finds her father’s male nurse has far more of an emotional connection to the ailing man than she does. Sensini thematically plumbs her pained struggle towards a relationship in an impressively subdued variety of styles. Poignant chamber music mixes with alternative acoustical rhythm, child-like percussion hints of the past, while religious female voices sing a haunting chant. Even mod synthesizers and a tango come into this fraught, family bond. There’s an inventive, often meditative beauty throughout “La Sorpresa” that makes it a transfixing listen and Sensini an individualist talent to watch for, his classical training and studies with Ennio Morricone and Nicola Piovani evident in one of the rare, interestingly melodic scores that can tenderly capture inner emotion. Having cd signed and hand-numbered by Sensini adds a further nice touch for his unique, enticing score that bridges the classical and alt. family ties of film music.

     

    Film Music Magazine - La Sorpresa

  • “La Sorpresa” OST review by Synchrotones

    March 14, 2016

    https://synchrotones.wordpress.com/2016/03/13/2016-round-up-february-212/

    Cover_LaSorpresa

    “La Sorpresa” (Kristian Sensini, 15 tracks, 37.40, Kristian Sensini 2016). “La Sorpresa” is an Italian drama that revolves around an estranged father-and-daughter relationship. He is dying, she wants answers, but years of lies have made their relationship difficult. The original score is by Kristian Sensini; and it’s performed by a small, chamber-like orchestra. The titular cue “La Sorpresa” is a lovely piece for a small string section and piano. It reminds me of ‘neo-classical’ composers like Arnalds and Richter. It receives three variations – all differently orchestrated. “Ana Yelena” appears three times, in various guises. A female vocal sings the title, in an almost haunting sort of way. “Devotio” and “Padre” are two different cues that both rely heavily on the mournful sound of a solo cello. Elsewhere, “Come Sospesa” features guitar and organ; “Surprise Me” features retro-sounding synths; “Un Tango” is exactly that; and “Ragnatela” combines strings with organ and guitar. It’s a lovely score with a mournful character. The small string section, and they way Sensini utilises it, gives it this ‘neo-classical’ feel. It’s sparsely orchestrated, but it makes for a pleasant album. For more information, visit the composer’s website.

     

    “La Sorpresa” OST Cd is available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kristiansensini3 it’s a Limited edition of 100 handsigned copies .

     

    Synchrotones - La Sorpresa

  • “La Sorpresa” Ost Review by Underscores.fr

    February 19, 2016

    http://www.underscores.fr/chroniques/underscorama/2016/02/sorpresa-la-kristian-sensini/

    “Une partition qui fait la part belle à l’épure : cordes lancinantes, synthé planant, voix de femme aux consonances liturgiques, tango… L’album a le mérite d’être assez varié (et assez court), l’écriture est soignée, mais il manque une personnalité plus marquante que celle qu’on découvre ici pour rendre l’écoute autre chose qu’anecdotique.”

    Sorpresa - underscores

  • “La Sorpresa” review by Film Score Monthly

    January 21, 2016

    http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/fsmonline/main.cfm?issueID=133

    Soundtrack Available Digitally on Itunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/la-sorpresa-original-soundtrack/id1069855608

    Limited Edition (100) Cds available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kristiansensini3

    KRISTIAN SENSINI
    Promo
    15 tracks – 38:08 

    La Sorpresa, directed by Ivan Polidoro, follows a daughter whose increasingly ill father requires more attention than she can provide. Enter Rocco, a male nurse who begins to care for him as the daughter looks for answers as to why her relationship with her father has disintegrated over the years. The score is by Kristian Sensini, who garnered some attention for the recent Rocks in My Pocket.

    Sensini’s intimate opening cue, “Attese,” begins with a string quartet setting of a series of harmonic pulses, and a low flute for contrast. The writing here has an almost chorale-like quality as it begins to reveal a thematic thread. In the first title track, the music takes on a more melancholy tone, with muted keyboard and electric violin. The material can be quite touching, partly due to the small chamber style, as in the beautiful “Devotio.”  

    A jazzier feel comes into play in tracks like “Figlia del Padre,” which features a pained motif against a stark backdrop. The haunting vocal in “Ana Yelena” has an almost medieval quality, a flavor continued via the string ensemble in “Ragnetela.” The hypnotic “Surprise Me” provides a slightly more contemporary vibe, similar to trance music. “Un Tango” is a nice change of pace with more of an emphasis on rhythm, before the disc closes with a piano version of the title theme.

    La Sorpresa is a haunting little score with ideas that unfold slowly in a mesmerizing, quasi-minimalist fashion. There’s a bit too much repetition of material across the album’s brief playing time, but the tracks are well sequenced. —Steven A. Kennedy

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  • “La Sorpresa” in concorso ai David di Donatello 2016

    January 15, 2016

    Il 2016 inizia bene! Il film “La Sorpresa” diretto da Ivan Polidoro, e la mia colonna sonora, sono in concorso per i David di Donatello 2016. Si tratta di una nuovissima esperienza per il sottoscritto e non posso che essere felice del fatto che avvenga per una colonna sonora alla quale tengo molto.

    http://www.daviddidonatello.it/concorso/schedaunica5.php?idfilm=7551

    David-di-Donatello

    Di seguito la lista dei film in gara. La colonna sonora è disponibile in digitale su Itunes e du tutti i principali stores digitali, copie “fisiche” del cd saranno a breve disponibili presso il sito CD BABY, con una tiratura limitata di 100 copie.

    Accademia del Cine_ La Sorpresa

    FILM ITALIANI IN CONCORSO 2015- 2016
    A BIGGER SPLASH
    A NAPOLI NON PIOVE MAI
    ALASKA
    ARIANNA
    ASSOLO
    BASTA POCO
    BELLA E PERDUTA
    BELLI DI PAPA’
    BOLGIA TOTALE
    CHIAMATEMI FRANCESCO
    CRUSHED LIVES – IL SESSO DOPO I FIGLI
    DOBBIAMO PARLARE
    FANTASTICHERIE DI UN PASSEGGIATORE SOLITARIO
    FUOCOAMMARE
    FUORI DAL CORO
    FUORIGIOCO
    GAME THERAPY
    GLI ULTIMI SARANNO ULTIMI
    HIBRYS
    IL COLORE VERDE DELLA VITA
    IL PROFESSOR CENERENTOLO
    IL RACCONTO DEI RACCONTI – TALE OF TALES
    IN FONDO AL BOSCO
    IN UN POSTO BELLISSIMO
    IO CHE AMO SOLO TE
    IO E LEI
    IO, ARLECCHINO
    IQBAL: BAMBINI SENZA PAURA
    L’ABBIAMO FATTA GROSSA
    L’ATTESA
    L’ESIGENZA DI UNIRMI OGNI VOLTA CON TE
    LA BELLA GENTE
    LA BUGIA BIANCA
    LA CORRISPONDENZA
    LA FELICITA’ E’ UN SISTEMA COMPLESSO
    LA NOSTRA QUARANTENA
    LA PRIMA LUCE


    LA SORPRESA
    LA VITA OSCENA
    LA VOCE
    LACRIME DI SAN LORENZO
    LE BADANTI
    LEONE NEL BASILICO
    LORO CHI?
    MI CHIAMO MAYA
    MIRAFIORI LUNAPARK
    NATALE COL BOSS
    NE’ GIULIETTA, NE’ ROMEO
    NOI SIAMO FRANCESCO
    NOMI E COGNOMI
    NON ESSERE CATTIVO
    ONE MORE DAY
    PECORE IN ERBA
    PER AMOR VOSTRO
    PERFETTI SCONOSCIUTI
    PITZA E DATTERI
    POLI OPPOSTI
    QUO VADO?
    ROAD 47
    ROSSO MILLE MIGLIA
    SANGUE DEL MIO SANGUE
    SECONDA PRIMAVERA
    SEI TUTTO QUELLO CHE VOGLIO
    SOUNDTRACK
    STORIE SOSPESE
    SUBURRA
    TORNO INDIETRO E CAMBIO VITA
    TUTTE LO VOGLIONO
    UN POSTO SICURO
    UNA STORIA SBAGLIATA
    UNO PER TUTTI
    VIVA LA SPOSA
    YOUTH – LA GIOVINEZZA

  • “La Sorpresa” OST review on MUSICA DE CINE BLOG

    January 13, 2016

    http://musicadecineblog.com/2016/01/12/kristian-sensini-la-sorpresa/

    Soundtrack Available Digitally on Itunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/la-sorpresa-original-soundtrack/id1069855608

    Limited Edition (100) Cds available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kristiansensini3

                                                                        La Sorpresa. Comentario.

    Por Javier Pelegrín Parra.

    Ya en los primeros compases que nos conducen a través del film del también italiano Ivan Polidoro, observamos el auténtico motivo emocional de todo el score, que no es otro que el intimismo del triángulo de los personajes del padre, la hija y un enfermero. Toda la historia es un continuo drama opresivo, que nace con la pieza “Attesse” que marca el inicio mediante la lógica expectativa como se traduce de su título, la desazón de las cuerdas y un estado casi opresivo en su totalidad.
    El score salta con el tema “La sorpresa 1” hacia un vacío que se recoge mediante los sintetizadores y que complementa su melodía con el tintineo que acompaña a “La sorpresa 2”; luego procede a jugar con el tic-tac del paso del tiempo y las notas discordantes del piano como en “Figlia del padre”, el pop new age de “Come sopesa” y la interpolación de la cuerda con el synth de percusión de “Ragnatela”.
    Pero donde el score gana y crece con más fuerza es en el instante en que más clásico se torna: el solo dramático de “Padre” con una cuerda que roza la oscuridad y la pena, o la mejor pieza de la banda sonora que es la esperanzadora “La sorpresa”, un tema optimista, palpable a los ojos detrás de nuestros oídos que finaliza entre las olas de un mar totalmente chillout. Este tema se debe entender junto a la versión de piano del mismo título que cierra la partitura y que destaca desde el intimismo que se nos es narrada.
    Hay que subrayar el uso de la voz que se nos muestra en las tres partes de “Ana Yalena”, que, por así decirlo, parecen seguir un guión coral de principio a fin mejorándose las unas a las otras. Son resoplidos minimalistas que cuajan en la mente de quien las escucha pero que a la vez dan la sensación de ser más sintéticas e irreales que puros susurros vocales, lo que nos deja una sensación agridulce.

    En el sentido general, la obra es buena, llegando a ser notable cuando más intimista se vuelve; cuando el piano es el que balancea y hace avanzar esas cuerdas tan bien hilvanadas en pos de una melodía muy bien construida en su conjunto.
    Si bien la parte de los sintetizadores se puede entender, hubiera sido más dramática y profunda aún si cabe, sin tanta presencia de ellos.
    Seguiremos la pista a Sensini y sus nuevos aportes en los venideros años que de bien seguro contarán con sus notas cerca de nuestros ávidos oídos sedientos de cine y bandas sonoras.

  • “La Sorpresa” OST Review by MundoBSO

    January 4, 2016

    MundoBSO review of La Sorpresa Soundtrack Thank you Conrado Xalabarder !

    http://www.mundobso.com/bso/sorpresa-la

    Banda sonora en la que el compositor transita cómodamente por los estados emocionales del dolor y de la liberación y reconciliación. Lo hace en base en primer lugar a la creación de unas atmósferas de turbación e inseguridad, nebulosas, que son expansivas y que dan un tono de misterio, de ocultación y de secreto, que se aplica sobre los personajes. En ese contexto de oscuridad, empieza a surgir la luz en la forma de temas bellos y plácidos, no exentos de moderada carga de dolor, pero también que exponen una necesidad de reconciliación, pues son músicas optimistas y esperanzadoras, y entre ellas destaca naturalmente un notable tema principal, líder absoluto de esas músicas que son abiertas y positivas. Son las que finalmente se imponen en lo que ha sido un duelo musical de supervivencia personal de los propios personajes.

     

    FireShot Capture 26 - Conrado Xalabarder

    MundoBSO - Sorpresa

  • La Sorpresa–Review by Soundtrack Geek

    January 1, 2016

    http://www.soundtrackgeek.com/v2/soundtrack-review-la-sorpresa/

    La Sorpresa is a 2015 Italian drama film directed by Ivan Polidoro and starring Adriana Caggiano, Mario Ierace and Rocco Fasano. It’s the story of three people and their relationship, unwanted, but necessary. The protagonists are a father, his daughter, and a male nurse. The setting is a city in the south of Italy: Potenza. Following the sudden illness of his father Antonio, the twenty-year-old Adriana is compelled to face reality. She immediately realizes she’s not able to take care of his father because of an unnatural awkwardness. Too many years have passed and too many lies have been told. The score is composed by Kristian Sensini.

    I had a hard time finding much official info on this film (that wasn’t in Italian), but I succeeded in the end. Looking forward getting into some Italian drama again. The score opens with ‘Attese’ which means ‘Expectations’, a beautiful piece of music of reflection, slow and longing strings gives it a heavy mood. A bit depressive really, but that’s the main characters state of mind as well. I think it will be one of those scores, where the mood is incredibly important. The first title cue ‘La Sorpresa 1’ is a brilliant minimalistic power piece. It feels strong and wilful in it’s presentation because of it’s theme and choice of instruments which sounds like synth violins.

    La Sorpresa is an intimate score. You won’t find a big orchestra here. Usually the music used only a few instruments, but like I always say, it’s not the size, it’s how you use them and Sensini use it well in the beginning. I feel that it gets a bit too simple at times and Im dying for some more, like in the vocal cue ‘Ana Yelena 1’ I need something more. Luckily in ‘Ana Yelena 2’ there’s an underscore and it improves on the original ‘Ana Yelena’ massively. Same thing with ‘Padre’ which features single strokes of cello. Those are not cues that appeal to me. What appealed to me most was the minimalistic main theme. It hit something with me, something that the rest of the music couldn’t match apart from the opening cue ‘Attese’. It’s an enjoyable score overall, but one that also frustrated me a bit because I couldn’t quite get what I wanted, what I hoped for. It’s a score that will probably grow on me though if I am able to play it again at a later time. I hope I do and I bet it will bring back fond memories. What do you think of the score?

    HIGHLIGHTS:
    1. Attese
    2. La Sorpresa 1
    8. La Sorpresa 2

     

    La Sorpresa soundtrackgeek