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Yann Pierre Tiersen (born 23 June 1970) is a French
Breton Breton most often refers to: *anything associated with Brittany, and generally **Breton people **Breton language, a Southwestern Brittonic Celtic language of the Indo-European language family, spoken in Brittany ** Breton (horse), a breed **Gale ...
musician and composer. His musical career is split between studio recordings, music collaborations, and film soundtracks songwriting. His music incorporates a large variety of classical and contemporary instruments, primarily the electric guitar, the piano, synthesisers, and the violin, but he also includes instruments such as the
melodica The melodica is a handheld free-reed instrument similar to a pump organ or harmonica. It features a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. The keyboard usu ...
,
xylophone The xylophone (; ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets. Each bar is an idiophone tuned to a pitch of a musical scale, whether pentatonic or heptatonic in the case of many African ...
,
toy piano The toy piano, also known as the ( in German), is a small piano-like musical instrument. Most modern toy pianos use round metal rods, as opposed to strings in a regular piano, to produce sound. The U.S. Library of Congress recognizes the toy pia ...
,
harpsichord A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a musical keyboard, keyboard. Depressing a key raises its back end within the instrument, which in turn raises a mechanism with a small plectrum made from quill or plastic that plucks one ...
,
piano accordion A piano accordion is an accordion equipped with a right-hand keyboard similar to a piano or organ. Its acoustic mechanism is more that of an organ than a piano, as they are both aerophones, but the term "piano accordion"—coined by Guido Deir ...
, and even a
typewriter A typewriter is a Machine, mechanical or electromechanical machine for typing characters. Typically, a typewriter has an array of Button (control), keys, and each one causes a different single character to be produced on paper by striking an i ...
. Tiersen is often mistaken for a soundtrack composer; he himself states that "I'm not a composer and I really don't have a classical background," but his real focus is on touring and recording studio albums, which are often used for film soundtracks. Tracks taken from his first three studio albums were used for the soundtrack of the 2001 French film ''
Amélie ''Amélie'' (, , ) is a 2001 French-language romantic comedy film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Written by Jeunet with Guillaume Laurant, the film is a whimsical depiction of contemporary Parisian life, set in Montmartre. It tells the story ...
''.


Biography and career


The early years: 1970–1992

Tiersen was born in 1970 in Brest, in the department of
Finistère Finistère (, ; ) is a Departments of France, department of France in the extreme west of Brittany. Its prefecture is Quimper and its largest city is Brest, France, Brest. In 2019, it had a population of 915,090.Brittany Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...
in northwestern France, into a French family of Belgian and Norwegian origins. He started learning to play the piano at the age of four, the violin at the age of six, and received classical training at several musical academies, including those in
Rennes Rennes (; ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in Northwestern France at the confluence of the rivers Ille and Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the Brittany (administrative region), Brittany Regions of F ...
,
Nantes Nantes (, ; ; or ; ) is a city in the Loire-Atlantique department of France on the Loire, from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. The city is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, sixth largest in France, with a pop ...
, and
Boulogne-sur-Mer Boulogne-sur-Mer (; ; ; or ''Bononia''), often called just Boulogne (, ), is a coastal city in Hauts-de-France, Northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Pas-de-Calais. Boul ...
. In the early 1980s, he was influenced as a teenager by the
punk subculture The punk subculture includes a diverse and widely known array of Punk rock, music, Punk ideologies, ideologies, Punk fashion, fashion, and other forms of expression, Punk visual art, visual art, dance, Punk literature, literature, and film. La ...
, and bands like
The Stooges The Stooges or Iggy and the Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, were an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave Alexande ...
and
Joy Division Joy Division were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Ian Curtis, guitarist and keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris (musici ...
. When he was 13, he broke his violin, bought an electric guitar, and formed a rock band. Tiersen was living in
Rennes Rennes (; ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in Northwestern France at the confluence of the rivers Ille and Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the Brittany (administrative region), Brittany Regions of F ...
back then, home to the three-day music festival
Rencontres Trans Musicales Les Rencontres Trans Musicales (generally referred to as ''Les Transmusicales de Rennes'') is a music festival that lasts for 3 or 4 days. It is held annually in December. The festival takes place in Rennes, Brittany, France. Since the festival's ...
, which is held annually in December. That gave him the opportunity to see acts like
Nirvana Nirvana, in the Indian religions (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism), is the concept of an individual's passions being extinguished as the ultimate state of salvation, release, or liberation from suffering ('' duḥkha'') and from the ...
,
Einstürzende Neubauten (, 'Collapsing New Buildings') is a German experimental music group, formed in West Berlin in 1980. The band currently comprises founding members Blixa Bargeld (lead vocals, guitar, keyboard) and N.U. Unruh (custom-made instruments, percussion, ...
,
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are a Rock music, rock band formed in Melbourne in 1983 by lead vocalist Nick Cave, multi-instrumentalist Mick Harvey and German guitarist-vocalist Blixa Bargeld. The band has featured international personnel throug ...
,
The Cramps The Cramps were an American rock band formed in 1976 and active until 2009. Their lineup rotated frequently during their existence, with the husband-and-wife duo of singer Lux Interior and guitarist Poison Ivy the only ever-present members. T ...
,
Television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
, and
Suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
. A few years later, when his band parted, Tiersen bought a cheap
mixing desk A mixing console or mixing desk is an electronic device for mixing audio signals, used in sound recording and reproduction and sound reinforcement systems. Inputs to the console include microphones, signals from electric or electronic instr ...
, an 8-track
reel-to-reel tape recorder Reel-to-reel audio tape recording, also called open-reel recording, is magnetic tape audio recording in which the recording tape is spooled between reels. To prepare for use, the ''supply reel'' (or ''feed reel'') containing the tape is plac ...
, and started recording music on his own with a synthesiser, a sampler, and a
drum machine A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument that creates percussion sounds, drum beats, and patterns. Drum machines may imitate drum kits or other percussion instruments, or produce unique sounds, such as synthesized electronic tones. A d ...
.


Debut and national acclaim: 1993–2000

Before releasing
film score A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to ...
s under his own name, Tiersen recorded background music for a number of plays and short films. During the summer of 1993, Tiersen stayed in his apartment with an electric guitar, a violin and a
piano accordion A piano accordion is an accordion equipped with a right-hand keyboard similar to a piano or organ. Its acoustic mechanism is more that of an organ than a piano, as they are both aerophones, but the term "piano accordion"—coined by Guido Deir ...
, recording music on his own; he was guided by what he calls "a musical anarchic vision". By the end of the summer, Tiersen had recorded over forty tracks, which would most be used later on for his first two albums. Tiersen's debut album, ''
La Valse des monstres ''La Valse des monstres'' (international English title: ''The Waltz of the Monsters'') is the first album released by Breton composer Yann Tiersen. It includes several pieces he wrote as an accompaniment for short films and plays, together with or ...
'', limited to 1,000 copies, was first released in June 1995 by
independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-sized enterprise, small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels ...
Sine Terra Firma, and then reissued by Nancy-based record label Ici d'ailleurs in 1998 as the second album of its catalogue. The 17-track-album was inspired by and written for the theatrical adaptations of
Tod Browning Tod Browning (born Charles Albert Browning Jr.; July 12, 1880 – October 6, 1962) was an American film director, film actor, screenwriter, vaudeville performer, and carnival sideshow and circus entertainer. He directed a number of films of var ...
's 1932 cult classic '' Freaks'', and
Yukio Mishima Kimitake Hiraoka ( , ''Hiraoka Kimitake''; 14 January 192525 November 1970), known by his pen name Yukio Mishima ( , ''Mishima Yukio''), was a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor, model, Shintoist, Ultranationalism (Japan), ultranationalis ...
's 1955 version of
Noh is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century. It is Japan's oldest major theater art that is still regularly performed today. Noh is often based on tales from traditional literature featuri ...
play '' The Damask Drum''. In April 1996, one year later, he released ''
Rue des cascades ' (international English title: ''Cascade Street'') is the second studio album by the musician and composer Yann Tiersen. It was released through Sine Terra Firma in 1996, and subsequently reissued in 1998, 2001, and 2009 through Ici, d'ailleurs ...
'', a collection of short pieces recorded with a
toy piano The toy piano, also known as the ( in German), is a small piano-like musical instrument. Most modern toy pianos use round metal rods, as opposed to strings in a regular piano, to produce sound. The U.S. Library of Congress recognizes the toy pia ...
, a
harpsichord A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a musical keyboard, keyboard. Depressing a key raises its back end within the instrument, which in turn raises a mechanism with a small plectrum made from quill or plastic that plucks one ...
, a violin, a
piano accordion A piano accordion is an accordion equipped with a right-hand keyboard similar to a piano or organ. Its acoustic mechanism is more that of an organ than a piano, as they are both aerophones, but the term "piano accordion"—coined by Guido Deir ...
, and a
mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...
. The title track, sung by French solo singer
Claire Pichet Claire Pichet is a French soloist singer and musician. She sang the song "Summer 78" on the soundtrack of ''Good Bye Lenin!'' (2003). She collaborated with multi-instrumentalist and composer Yann Tiersen on the song "Rue des cascades" (1996). ...
, was used the following year for the
Palme d'Or The (; ) is the highest prize awarded to the director of the Best Feature Film of the Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festiv ...
nominated
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...
''
The Dreamlife of Angels ''The Dreamlife of Angels'' () is a 1998 French drama film co-written and directed by Erick Zonca. The film was selected as the French entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 71st Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee. Pl ...
'', and several tracks received greater exposure when they were featured on the
Jean-Pierre Jeunet Jean-Pierre Jeunet (; born 3 September 1953) is a French film director and screenwriter. His films combine fantasy, realism, and science fiction to create idealized realities or to give relevance to mundane situations. Jeunet debuted as a direc ...
's film ''
Amélie ''Amélie'' (, , ) is a 2001 French-language romantic comedy film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Written by Jeunet with Guillaume Laurant, the film is a whimsical depiction of contemporary Parisian life, set in Montmartre. It tells the story ...
'', five years later. Tiersen usually plays most of the music instruments himself during both studio recording sessions and his live sets; he has won theatrical appeal as a one-man show and was invited to play, among others, at the 1996 edition of the
Avignon Festival The ''Festival d'Avignon'', or Avignon Festival (), is an annual arts festival held in the French city of Avignon every summer in July in the courtyard of the Palais des Papes as well as in other locations of the city. Founded in 1947 by Jean ...
, the oldest live arts festival in France. Tiersen rose to domestic fame upon the release of his third studio album, ''
Le Phare ''For the proposed skyscraper in Paris, see Phare Tower, Le Phare (skyscraper).'' ''Le Phare'' () is the third studio album by French composer Yann Tiersen. This was the artist's breakthrough album. He collaborated with distinguished French songw ...
'' (''The Lighthouse'') in 1998. The album was recorded in self-imposed seclusion on the isle of
Ushant Ushant (; , ; , ) is a French island at the southwestern end of the English Channel which marks the westernmost point of metropolitan France. It belongs to Brittany and in medieval times, Léon. In lower tiers of government, it is a commune in t ...
(, ) at the end of the
English Channel The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...
which marks the most north-western point of territorial France. Tiersen spent two months there, living in a rented house. At night-time, he would watch the
Phare du Creach The Phare programme is one of the three pre-accession instruments financed by the European Union to assist the applicant countries of Central and Eastern Europe in their preparations for joining the European Union. Originally created in 1989 a ...
, one of the most powerful lighthouses in the world, and was fascinated by the stunning scenery repeated every night. ''Le Phare'', which featured
Claire Pichet Claire Pichet is a French soloist singer and musician. She sang the song "Summer 78" on the soundtrack of ''Good Bye Lenin!'' (2003). She collaborated with multi-instrumentalist and composer Yann Tiersen on the song "Rue des cascades" (1996). ...
, French singer and songwriter
Dominique A Dominique Ané (born 6 October 1968), better known as "Dominique A", is a French songwriter and singer. Early life Born on 6 October 1968 in Provins, France, Dominique Ané is the only child of a teacher and a homemaker. He was passionate about ...
, and Belgian drummer and percussionist Sacha Toorop, sold over 160,000 copies, confirming Tiersen's status as one of the most innovative artists of his generation and commencing a run of successful albums. Three songs from this album, "La Dispute", "La Noyée" and "Sur le fil" were later featured on the 2001 soundtrack ''
Amélie ''Amélie'' (, , ) is a 2001 French-language romantic comedy film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Written by Jeunet with Guillaume Laurant, the film is a whimsical depiction of contemporary Parisian life, set in Montmartre. It tells the story ...
'', while "L'Homme aux bras ballants", written and composed by
Dominique A Dominique Ané (born 6 October 1968), better known as "Dominique A", is a French songwriter and singer. Early life Born on 6 October 1968 in Provins, France, Dominique Ané is the only child of a teacher and a homemaker. He was passionate about ...
, was also featured on Laurent Gorgiard's 1997 short animation soundtrack of the same name. Its single "Monochrome", sung by
Dominique A Dominique Ané (born 6 October 1968), better known as "Dominique A", is a French songwriter and singer. Early life Born on 6 October 1968 in Provins, France, Dominique Ané is the only child of a teacher and a homemaker. He was passionate about ...
, was a radio hit and propelled the album into the charts. ''
Le Phare ''For the proposed skyscraper in Paris, see Phare Tower, Le Phare (skyscraper).'' ''Le Phare'' () is the third studio album by French composer Yann Tiersen. This was the artist's breakthrough album. He collaborated with distinguished French songw ...
'' was his first album to climb to number 50 in the
French Albums Chart SNEP (, in English National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing) is the inter-professional organisation that protects the interests of the French record industry. Originally known under the acronym SNICOP, the organisation was established in 1 ...
. During that period, Tiersen provided a new arrangement and played
strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...
,
vibraphone The vibraphone (also called the vibraharp) is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using Percussion mallet, mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone ...
,
bell A bell /ˈbɛl/ () is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be m ...
, the mandolin, the electric guitar and bass guitar for the song "À ton étoile" by French rock band
Noir Désir Noir Désir (, ) was a French rock band from Bordeaux that formed in 1980. Their most consistent lineup featured Bertrand Cantat (vocals, guitar), Serge Teyssot-Gay (guitar), Frédéric Vidalenc (bass guitar) and Denis Barthe (drums). Jean-Pa ...
which was featured on their 1998
remix album A remix album is an album consisting of remixes or rerecorded versions of an artist's earlier released material. The first act who employed the format was American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson ('' Aerial Pandemonium Ballet'', 1971). As of 200 ...
''One Trip/One Noise''. He recorded songs for the soundtrack of several films, including the award-winning and multi-nominated film ''
The Dreamlife of Angels ''The Dreamlife of Angels'' () is a 1998 French drama film co-written and directed by Erick Zonca. The film was selected as the French entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 71st Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee. Pl ...
'' () (1998),
André Téchiné André Téchiné (; born 13 March 1943) is a French screenwriter and film director. He has a long and distinguished career that places him among the most accomplished post-French New Wave, New Wave French film directors. Téchiné belongs to a s ...
's ''
Alice et Martin ''Alice et Martin '' (US title: ''Alice and Martin'') is a 1998 French film, a psychological drama, directed by André Téchiné. It stars Juliette Binoche and Alexis Loret. It is Téchiné's second collaboration with Binoche after the 1985 film ...
'' (1998) and Christine Carrière's ''Qui plume la lune?'' (1999). Tiersen also recorded ''Bästard ~ Yann Tiersen'', a three-track-extended-play released in 1998 in collaboration with French
electronic rock Electronic rock (also known as electro rock and synth rock) is a music genre that involves a combination of rock music and electronic music, featuring instruments typically found within both genres. It originates from the late 1960s when rock b ...
band Bästard, and his first live album, '' Black Session: Yann Tiersen''. The live album was recorded on 2 December 1998 as he played the opening act of the
Rencontres Trans Musicales Les Rencontres Trans Musicales (generally referred to as ''Les Transmusicales de Rennes'') is a music festival that lasts for 3 or 4 days. It is held annually in December. The festival takes place in Rennes, Brittany, France. Since the festival's ...
in the Salle Serreau at the Théâtre National de Bretagne in
Rennes Rennes (; ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in Northwestern France at the confluence of the rivers Ille and Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the Brittany (administrative region), Brittany Regions of F ...
, for the ''C'est Lenoir'' French broadcast show on the public radio station
France Inter France Inter () is a French public radio channel and part of Radio France. It is the successor to Paris Inter, later known as France I, and created as a merger of the France I and France II networks, first as RTF Inter in October 1963, then ren ...
. The album features the chamber pop group
The Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' (, ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun and completed around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and one of the greatest wor ...
fronted by Northern Irish singer and songwriter
Neil Hannon Edward Neil Anthony Hannon (born 7 November 1970) is a singer and songwriter from Northern Ireland. He is the founder and frontman of the chamber pop group the Divine Comedy, and is the band's only constant member since its inception in 1989. H ...
, the French rock band
Noir Désir Noir Désir (, ) was a French rock band from Bordeaux that formed in 1980. Their most consistent lineup featured Bertrand Cantat (vocals, guitar), Serge Teyssot-Gay (guitar), Frédéric Vidalenc (bass guitar) and Denis Barthe (drums). Jean-Pa ...
with singer and songwriter
Bertrand Cantat Bertrand Lucien Bruno Cantat (, ; born 5 March 1964) is a French singer, songwriter, and murderer. Known for being the former frontman of the rock band Noir Désir, in 2003, he was proven guilty without a doubt and convicted of the murder ("murde ...
, singer and illustrator
Françoiz Breut Françoiz Breut (2010) Françoiz Breut (born 10 December 1969, in Cherbourg) is the stage name of Françoise Breut, a French illustrator and chanteuse of moody and melancholic pop. Breut got involved with music when her then-fiancé, French p ...
, French rock band The Married Monk (Christian Quermalet, Philippe Lebruman, Etienne Jaumet, Nicolas Courret), French folk rock group
Les Têtes Raides LES or Les may refer to: People * Les (given name) * Les (surname) * L.E.S. (producer), hip hop producer Space flight * Launch Entry Suit, worn by Space Shuttle crews * Launch escape system, for spacecraft emergencies * Lincoln Experimental S ...
(Christian Olivier, Grègoire Simon, Pascal Olivier, Anne-Gaëlle Bisquay, Serge Bégout, Jean-Luc Millot, and Edith Bégou), the
string quartet The term string quartet refers to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two Violin, violini ...
Quatuor à cordes, guitarist and composer Olivier Mellano, and author Mathieu Boogaerts, as well as his usual collaborators and friends, Claire Pichet and Dominique A. The album was recorded by France International, mastered by
Radio France Radio France () is the French national public radio broadcaster. Stations Radio France offers seven national networks: *France Inter — Radio France's "generalist media, generalist" station, featuring entertaining and informative talk mixed wi ...
, and released in CD format one year later on 2 November 1999. In 1999, Tiersen together with The Married Monk, Claire Pichet, and Olivier Mellano released his first collaboration album, ''
Tout est calme Yann Pierre Tiersen (born 23 June 1970) is a French Breton musician and composer. His musical career is split between studio recordings, music collaborations, and film soundtracks songwriting. His music incorporates a large variety of classical ...
''. The 26 minutes, 10 tracks mini album peaked at number 45 on the French Albums Chart. The album produced one single, "Les Grandes marées", and Tiersen also featured on The Divine Comedy's single " Gin Soaked Boy" released on that same year, on three tracks for Françoiz Breut's second studio album ''
Vingt à Trente Mille Jours ''Vingt à Trente Mille Jours'' (French for "Twenty to Thirty Thousand Days") is the second album by French singer Françoiz Breut, released in 2000. Critical reception ''Exclaim!'' wrote that "most songs have a melancholy feel—there's nothin ...
'' (English: Twenty to Thirty Thousand Days), and on Têtes Raides' ''Gratte-poil'', both released in 2000.


''Amélie'' and global recognition: 2001–2009

Tiersen remained relatively unknown outside France until the release of his
score SCORE may refer to: *SCORE (software), a music scorewriter program * SCORE (television), a weekend sports service of the defunct Financial News Network *SCORE! Educational Centers *SCORE International, an offroad racing organization *Sarawak Corrido ...
for the acclaimed film ''
Amélie ''Amélie'' (, , ) is a 2001 French-language romantic comedy film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Written by Jeunet with Guillaume Laurant, the film is a whimsical depiction of contemporary Parisian life, set in Montmartre. It tells the story ...
'' (Original French title: ''Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain'', English: ''The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain'') in 2001. French film director
Jean-Pierre Jeunet Jean-Pierre Jeunet (; born 3 September 1953) is a French film director and screenwriter. His films combine fantasy, realism, and science fiction to create idealized realities or to give relevance to mundane situations. Jeunet debuted as a direc ...
had something else in mind for the film score, but one day one of his production assistants put on a CD of Tiersen, and the director found it absolutely superb. Jeunet bought all of Tiersen's albums, and then contacted him to see if the
Breton Breton most often refers to: *anything associated with Brittany, and generally **Breton people **Breton language, a Southwestern Brittonic Celtic language of the Indo-European language family, spoken in Brittany ** Breton (horse), a breed **Gale ...
composer was interested in writing the film score for ''Amélie''. In two weeks, Tiersen composed nineteen pieces for the film and also allowed the production to take anything they wanted from his other records. ''Amélie'' received great critical acclaim and was a box-office success. The film went on to win the Best Film award at the
European Film Awards The European Film Awards (or European Film Academy Awards) have been presented annually since 1988 by the European Film Academy to recognize excellence in European cinematic achievements. The awards are given in 19 categories, of which the mos ...
, four
César Award Cesar or César may refer to: Arts and entertainment * César (film), ''César'' (film), a 1936 French romantic drama * César (film), ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt Places * Cesar, Portugal * Cesar Department, Colombia * Cesar R ...
s, including
Best Film The following is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various films, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Bes ...
and
Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * As ...
, two
BAFTA Awards The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs or BAFTA Awards, is an annual film award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best Cinema of the United Kingdom, British and Worl ...
, including Best Original Screenplay, and was nominated for five
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
s. The soundtrack was a mixture of both new and previously released material, and Tiersen was also the recipient of the
César Award Cesar or César may refer to: Arts and entertainment * César (film), ''César'' (film), a 1936 French romantic drama * César (film), ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt Places * Cesar, Portugal * Cesar Department, Colombia * Cesar R ...
for Best Music Written for a Film, and of the
World Soundtrack Academy The World Soundtrack Awards, launched in 2001, are the annual awards for best film music, presented during the Film Fest Gent. The World Soundtrack Academy supports the art of film music through cultural, educational and professional activities. Th ...
award. The soundtrack album charted in many countries, including the number one position on the
French Albums Chart SNEP (, in English National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing) is the inter-professional organisation that protects the interests of the French record industry. Originally known under the acronym SNICOP, the organisation was established in 1 ...
. While he was writing the film score for ''Amélie'', Tiersen was also preparing his fifth studio album ''
L'Absente ''L'Absente'' is the fourth studio album by French composer and musician Yann Tiersen. When French film director Jean-Pierre Jeunet asked Tiersen if he was interested in writing the film score for ''Amélie'', Tiersen was already working on ''L ...
''. The album was characterized by several contributions including 35-member Ensemble Orchestral Synaxis conducted by Guillaume Bourgogne, viola player Bertrand Lambert, violinists Yann Bisquay and Sophie Naboulay,
Natacha Régnier Nathalie "Natacha" Régnier (born 11 April 1974) is a Belgian actress. She received a Cannes Film Festival Award, a European Film Award, and a César Award for her role in the 1998 film '' The Dreamlife of Angels''. Régnier is the first Bel ...
, and saxophonist Grégoire Simon, and long-time collaborators Dominique A,
Christine Ott Christine Ott (born 10 August 1963) is a French pianist, vocalist, ondist, and composer. She was a member of Yann Tiersen's band for eight years and played in classical orchestras for ten. She has collaborated with Tindersticks, Syd Matters, ...
,
Lisa Germano Lisa Ruth Germano (born June 27, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Indiana. Her album '' Geek the Girl'' (1994) was named one of the best albums of the 1990s by ''Spin'' magazine. She began her career as a viol ...
, Neil Hannon, Têtes Raides, Christian Quermalet, Marc Sens, and Sacha Toorop. The album, which was released on 5 June 2001 through
EMI EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...
France, was preceded by two promotional singles for "A quai" and "Bagatelle" respectively. Tiersen provided strings and vibraphone to two tracks, "Roma Amor" and "Holidays", featured on ''R/O/C/K/Y'', the third studio album by The Married Monk. At this time he was married to Belgian actress
Natacha Régnier Nathalie "Natacha" Régnier (born 11 April 1974) is a Belgian actress. She received a Cannes Film Festival Award, a European Film Award, and a César Award for her role in the 1998 film '' The Dreamlife of Angels''. Régnier is the first Bel ...
, co-star of ''The Dreamlife of Angels''. Régnier became a singer and Tiersen wrote three songs for her including his arrangement of
Georges Brassens Georges Charles Brassens (; ; 22 October 1921 – 29 October 1981) was a French singer-songwriter and poet. As an iconic figure in France, he achieved fame through his elegant songs with their harmonically complex music for voice and guitar and ...
' "Le Parapluie", a song featured on the tribute album ''Les Oiseaux de passage'', released in 2001. That same year they toured in France and abroad. They have a daughter, Lise, born in 2002, but Tiersen and Régnier have since divorced. In this period, Tiersen also took his music out around the world, playing shows with a full orchestra and an amplified string quartet. From 15 to 17 February 2002, Tiersen with many of the collaborators who participated in the recording sessions for ''L'Absente'' plus Claire Pichet, violinists Nicolas Stevens and Renaud Lhoest, bassist Jean-François Assy, viola player Olivier Tilkin, and
uilleann pipes The uilleann pipes ( or , ), also known as Union pipes and sometimes called Irish pipes, are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland. Their current name is a partial translation of the Irish language terms (literally, "pipes of the ...
,
bagpipes Bagpipes are a woodwind instrument using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. The Great Highland bagpipes are well known, but people have played bagpipes for centuries throughout large parts of Europe, N ...
, and
low whistle The low whistle, or concert whistle, is a variation of the traditional tin whistle/pennywhistle, distinguished by its lower pitch and larger size. It is most closely associated with the performances of British and Irish artists such as Tommy Mak ...
player Ronan Le Bars, performed live at the
Cité de la Musique The Cité de la Musique (, "City of Music"), also known as Philharmonie 2, is a group of institutions dedicated to music and situated in the Parc de la Villette, 19th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was designed with the nearby Conservatoi ...
(''City of Music'') in Paris. Part of these three concerts went on to form Tiersen's second live album ''
C'était ici ''C'était ici'' is the second live album of French Avant-Garde musician and composer Yann Tiersen. It was recorded during three concerts performed on 15, 16, and 17 February 2002, at the Cité de la Musique in Paris, France. The album is notew ...
'' (''It Was Here''), which was released through EMI France on 30 September 2002. Tiersen's skills as a composer of film scores were much in demand, and the soundtrack for ''Amélie'' was soon followed by the
film score A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to ...
for ''
Good Bye, Lenin! ''Good Bye, Lenin!'' is a 2003 German tragicomedy film, directed by Wolfgang Becker. The cast includes Daniel Brühl, Katrin Sass, Chulpan Khamatova, and Maria Simon. The story follows a family in East Germany (GDR); the mother (Sass) is ded ...
'', a 2003 German
Tragicomedy Tragicomedy is a literary genre that blends aspects of both tragedy, tragic and comedy, comic forms. Most often seen in drama, dramatic literature, the term can describe either a tragic play which contains enough comic elements to lighten the ov ...
film directed by Wolfgang Becker. The film was both a commercial and a critical success and won several awards including the
César Award for Best Film from the European Union This is a list of the winners of and nominees for the César Award for Best Film from the European Union (''Meilleur film de l'Union Européenne''). The prize was awarded three times, in 2003, 2004 and 2005, and was subsequently discontinued. In 20 ...
, Best Film at the
European Film Awards The European Film Awards (or European Film Academy Awards) have been presented annually since 1988 by the European Film Academy to recognize excellence in European cinematic achievements. The awards are given in 19 categories, of which the mos ...
, the
German Film Awards The German Film Award (), also known as Lola after its prize statuette, is the national film award of Germany. It is presented at an annual ceremony honouring cinematic achievements in the German film industry. Besides being the most important ...
for Outstanding Film, Best European Film at the
Goya Awards The Goya Awards () are Spain's main national annual film awards. They are presented by the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain. The first ceremony was held in 1987, a year after the founding of the Academy of Cinematographic Ar ...
, Best Foreign Language Film for the
London Film Critics' Circle The London Film Critics' Circle is the name by which the Film Section of The Critics' Circle is known internationally. The word London was added because it was thought the term Critics' Circle Film Awards did not convey the full context of the ...
, and it was also listed in the ''
Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
'' magazine 2010's list of "The 100 Best Films of World Cinema". Tiersen was the recipient of the German Film Awards for Outstanding Music. On 15 November 2003, Tiersen with
Stuart A. Staples Stuart Ashton Staples (born 14 November 1965) is an English musician best known as the lead singer of indie band Tindersticks, in which he also plays guitar. Staples is noted for his crooning vocal style and a bass, nasal voice. Biography Prior ...
, the lead singer of indie band
Tindersticks Tindersticks are an English alternative rock band formed in Nottingham in 1991. They released six albums before singer Stuart A. Staples embarked on a solo career. The band reunited briefly in 2006 and more permanently the following year. The ...
, actress and singer
Jane Birkin Jane Mallory Birkin ( ; 14 December 1946 â€“ 16 July 2023) was a British and French actress, singer, and designer. She had a prolific career as an actress, mostly in French cinema. A native of London, Birkin began her career as an actress, ...
, singer and songwriter
Christophe Miossec Christophe Miossec (born 24 December 1964 in Brest, Brittany, France) is a French singer and songwriter. Beginnings Christophe Miossec was not new to the world of music when he met his first success. Between 14 and 17, he was in a teenage ban ...
, and Dominique A released ''3 titres inédits au profit de la FIDH'' (''3 New Tracks for the Benefit of FIDH''), a three-track CD that was part of the ''On Aime, On Aide'' benefit collection for raising funds for the
International Federation for Human Rights The International Federation for Human Rights (; FIDH) is a non-governmental federation for human rights organizations. Founded in 1922, FIDH is the third oldest international human rights organization worldwide after Anti-Slavery International ...
(FIDH). Tiersen's list of collaborators continued to grow album after album and in October 2004 he released '' Yann Tiersen & Shannon Wright'', a collaboration album with American singer-songwriter
Shannon Wright Shannon Wright is an American singer-songwriter. She was born in Jacksonville, Florida, United States, where she spent her childhood. Former member of the band Crowsdell, Shannon Wright moved from New York to Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 19 ...
, and, in the same year, he is featured on
The Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' (, ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun and completed around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and one of the greatest wor ...
's album '' Absent Friends''. In 2005, Tiersen released his fifth studio album '' Les Retrouvailles''. The album features several collaborators including the Orchestre National de Paris, singers Elizabeth Fraser, Jane Birkin, Stuart A. Staples, Dominique A, and Miossec, strings players Jean-François Assy, Frederic Dessus, Guillaume Fontanarosa, Bertrand Causse, Anne Causse Biragnet, Armelle Legoff, Frédéric Haffner, flute player Elliott, drummer Ludovic Morillon, and
ondes Martenot The ondes Martenot ( ; , ) or ondes musicales () is an early electronic musical instrument. It is played with a lateral-vibrato Keyboard instrument, keyboard or by moving a ring tied to a wire, creating "wavering" sounds similar to a theremin. D ...
player
Christine Ott Christine Ott (born 10 August 1963) is a French pianist, vocalist, ondist, and composer. She was a member of Yann Tiersen's band for eight years and played in classical orchestras for ten. She has collaborated with Tindersticks, Syd Matters, ...
. ''Les Retrouvailles'' also includes a DVD short film entitled ''La Traversée'', directed by Aurélie du Boys, which documents the making of the album in Ushant, and incorporates an animated video for the non-album track "Le Train" and live versions of a handful of songs. The album produced a single, "Kala", sung by Elizabeth Fraser, and Tiersen also played piano on Staples' solo debut album, ''
Lucky Dog Recordings 03-04 Lucky means having luck. It may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * '' People in Luck'', also titled ''The Lucky'' in English, a 1963 French comedy film * '' Lucky: No Time for Love'', a 2005 Hindi-language romance starring Salman Khan, S ...
''. The subsequent world tour of 2006 replaced the multi-instrumental ensemble with electric guitars and an ondes Martenot, and produced his third live album, '' On Tour'', which was released together with a DVD, directed by Aurélie du Boys, about the tour, in November 2006. In 2006, he also released two singles, "La Mancha" and "La Rade", and he was featured on ''The Endless Rise of the Sun'', the third studio album by electronic group Smooth, ''Raides à la ville'' extended play by Katel, and ''13m²'' by David Delabrosse. After a five-year absence as a composer of film scores, Tiersen provided the
background music Background music (British English: piped music) is a mode of musical performance in which the music is not intended to be a primary focus of potential listeners, but its content, character, and volume level are deliberately chosen to affect behav ...
for '' Tabarly'', a 2008 documentary film by Pierre Marcel about the French sailor, two-time champion of the
Single-Handed Trans-Atlantic Race The Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race (STAR) is an east-to-west yacht race across the North Atlantic. When inaugurated in 1960, it was the first single-handed ocean yacht race; it is run from Plymouth in England to Newport, Rhode Island in t ...
, and father of French yachting
Éric Tabarly Éric Marcel Guy Tabarly (24 July 1931 – 13 June 1998) was a French naval officer and yachtsman. He developed a passion for offshore racing very early on and won several ocean races such as the Ostar in 1964 and 1976, ending English domination ...
. The documentary was released in June 2008, exactly ten years after Tabarly's death. Éric Tabarly was lost on the night of 12–13 June 1998 in the
Irish Sea The Irish Sea is a body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel and to the Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland in the north by the North Ch ...
when he was struck by a
gaff Gaff may refer to: Ankle-worn devices * Spurs in variations of cockfighting * Climbing spikes used to ascend wood poles, such as utility poles Arts and entertainment * A character in the ''Blade Runner'' film franchise * Penny gaff, a 19th- ...
of his
Pen Duick ''Pen Duick'' is the name best known for a series of ocean racing yachts sailed by French yachtsman Eric Tabarly. Meaning coal tit in Breton, it was the name Tabarly's father gave to the 1898 Fife gaff cutter he purchased, and that his son learn ...
during heavy swell and knocked overboard from his yacht near Wales while on his way to the
Fife Fife ( , ; ; ) is a council areas of Scotland, council area and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in Scotland. A peninsula, it is bordered by the Firth of Tay to the north, the North Sea to the east, the Firth of Forth to the s ...
Regatta Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other wa ...
in Scotland. His body was recovered five weeks later off the coast of Ireland by a French
fishing trawler A fishing trawler is a commercial fishing vessel designed to operate fishing trawls. Trawling is a method of fishing that involves actively dragging or pulling a trawl through the water behind one or more trawlers. Trawls are fishing nets tha ...
. The documentary, narrated by Tabarly himself, traces his sporting career until his last meal in Ushant. Before the end of the decade, Tiersen also contributed to
Christine Ott Christine Ott (born 10 August 1963) is a French pianist, vocalist, ondist, and composer. She was a member of Yann Tiersen's band for eight years and played in classical orchestras for ten. She has collaborated with Tindersticks, Syd Matters, ...
's debut solo album ''
Solitude Nomade ''Solitude Nomade'' is the first solo album of Christine Ott, ondist (Ondes Martenot player) and pianist. The album is composed of instrumental tracks, in which the Ondes Martenot are the key instrument. (''Pensées sauvages'', ''Tropismes'', ''Dé ...
'', and to Miossec's seventh studio album ''Finistériens''.


''Dust Lane'' and ''Skyline'': 2010–present

October 2010 saw the release of Tiersen's sixth studio album titled ''
Dust Lane A dust lane consists of relatively dense, obscuring clouds of interstellar dust, observed as a dark swath against the background of brighter object(s), especially a galaxy. These dust lanes can usually be seen in spiral galaxies, such as the M ...
''. The album was two years in the making and was largely recorded in
Ushant Ushant (; , ; , ) is a French island at the southwestern end of the English Channel which marks the westernmost point of metropolitan France. It belongs to Brittany and in medieval times, Léon. In lower tiers of government, it is a commune in t ...
, France. Further parts were recorded in the Philippines. The album is preoccupied with mortality; during the recording sessions Tiersen lost his mother and a close friend. The recordings started out as simple song based tracks with Tiersen playing acoustic guitar,
mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...
and
bouzouki The bouzouki (, also ; ; alt. pl. ''bouzoukia'', , from Greek , from Turkish ) is a musical instrument popular in West Asia (Syria, Iraq), Europe and Balkans (Greece, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey). It is a member of the long-necked lute fam ...
. New layers were added to the recordings creating a more complex sound. Then an array of vintage synthesisers and electric guitars were added to create further textures. The album was released by
Mute Records Mute Records is a British independent record label owned and founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller (music producer), Daniel Miller. It has featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Depeche Mode, Erasure (duo), Erasure, Einstürze ...
in Europe and
ANTI- Anti- is an American record label founded in 1999 as a sister label to Epitaph Records. Founded by Andy Kaulkin, Anti- first gained attention by releasing Tom Waits's Grammy Award–winning '' Mule Variations'' in 1999. Other veteran recordin ...
Records in the US. The record was promoted in a tour beginning in October 2010, starting in New York City. ''Dust Lane'' was preceded by the release of the vinyl EP ''PALESTINE'' and by the single for "Ashes". In 2010, Tiersen also contributed to the tribute album to cross-genre, experimental music group Coil ''The Dark Age of Love'' by This Immortal Coil, a one-off tribute formation, and to '' Li(f)e'', the fourth solo studio album by hip-hop artist
Sage Francis Paul William "Sage" Francis (born November 18, 1976) is an American independent underground rapper from Providence, Rhode Island. He is the founder and CEO of Strange Famous Records. Early life and education Francis was born in Miami, Florid ...
. October 2011 saw the European release of his seventh studio album, ''
Skyline A skyline is the wikt:outline, outline or shape viewed near the horizon. It can be created by a city's overall structure, or by human intervention in a rural area, rural setting, or in nature that is formed where the sky meets buildings or the ...
''. The nine-track album, a follow on from his ''Dust Lane'', was once again recorded at Tiersen's home on the island of Ushant in the south-western end of the
English Channel The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...
, with further parts recorded in Paris, San Francisco, Berlin, and
Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
. It was subsequently mixed by producer Ken Thomas in
Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...
, and mastered by
Ray Staff Ray Staff is a British mastering engineer, best known for his work with a diverse mix of artists including Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Clash and Black Sabbath. Most recently he has mastered albums for Muse. Biography and career Joini ...
in London. The album produced the singles for "Monuments" and "I'm Gonna Live Anyhow". On 18 February 2012, Tiersen with Lionel Laquerriere, and Thomas Poli, presented his side project, Elektronische Staubband, at
La Route du Rock La Route du Rock is a biannual music festival that occurs in the city of Saint-Malo. Traditionally the festival was held every year but since 2006, a winter edition is held called collection d 'hiver after the French fashion word. The 20th occurr ...
music festival in
Saint-Malo Saint-Malo (, , ; Gallo language, Gallo: ; ) is a historic French port in Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany (administrative region), Brittany. The Fortification, walled city on the English Channel coast had a long history of piracy, earning much wealth ...
. It was about an hour of
krautrock Krautrock (also called , German for ) is a broad genre of experimental rock that developed in Germany in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It originated among artists who blended elements of psychedelic rock, avant-garde composition, and electron ...
,
electronic Electronic may refer to: *Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductors * ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal *Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device *Electronic c ...
, and
experimental music Experimental music is a general label for any music or music genre that pushes existing boundaries and genre definitions. Experimental compositional practice is defined broadly by exploratory sensibilities radically opposed to, and questioning of, ...
involving a dozen of synthesizers and analog keyboards with the first three pieces of the set list taken from ''Dust Lane'' and the remaining five from ''Skyline''. Tiersen was also chosen by
Jeff Mangum Jeffrey Nye Mangum (born 24 October 1970) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who gained prominence as the founder, songwriter, vocalist and guitarist of Neutral Milk Hotel, as well for his co-founding of The Elephant 6 Recording Comp ...
of
Neutral Milk Hotel Neutral Milk Hotel was an American band formed by Jeff Mangum in Ruston, Louisiana, in 1989. They were active until 1998, and then from 2013 to 2015. The band's music featured a deliberately low-quality sound, influenced by indie rock and psy ...
to perform at the
All Tomorrow's Parties "All Tomorrow's Parties" is a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed and released as the band's debut single in 1966. The song is from their 1967 debut studio album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. Inspiration for the so ...
festival in March 2012 in
Minehead Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It lies on the south bank of the Bristol Channel, north-west of the county town of Taunton, from the boundary with the county of Devon and close to the Exmoor National Park. T ...
, England. ''Skyline'' was released in North America via ANTI- Records on 17 April 2012, and it was followed by the ''Skyline Tour'' with dates in the United States, Canada, Iceland, Spain, Portugal, France, Slovak Republic, Austria, Finland and the United Kingdom. On 3 August 2016, it was announced that Tiersen married Emilie Quinquis in Ushant, Brittany. Quinquis stated that she and Tiersen were married on 31 July 2016. On 6 April 2017 the couple had a son.


Music


Styles and instruments

Tiersen's music is influenced by the classical training he received as a child, by American and British
punk subculture The punk subculture includes a diverse and widely known array of Punk rock, music, Punk ideologies, ideologies, Punk fashion, fashion, and other forms of expression, Punk visual art, visual art, dance, Punk literature, literature, and film. La ...
, and by the music he used to listen to as a teenager. His musical style is deceptively easy to recognize but difficult to define. It varies greatly from one album to another and with time. His melancholic music and composing techniques mix classical and
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...
elements with pop and rock ones. His delicate but deeply emotional style has been linked to
Frédéric Chopin Frédéric François Chopin (born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin; 1 March 181017 October 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period who wrote primarily for Piano solo, solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown ...
and the other great masters of
Romantic music Romantic music is a stylistic movement in Western Classical music associated with the period of the 19th century commonly referred to as the Romantic era (or Romantic period). It is closely related to the broader concept of Romanticism—the ...
, and also to
Erik Satie Eric Alfred Leslie Satie (born 17 May 18661 July 1925), better known as Erik Satie, was a French composer and pianist. The son of a French father and a British mother, he studied at the Conservatoire de Paris, Paris Conservatoire but was an undi ...
, the colourful figure of the early 20th century Parisian
avant-garde In the arts and literature, the term ''avant-garde'' ( meaning or ) identifies an experimental genre or work of art, and the artist who created it, which usually is aesthetically innovative, whilst initially being ideologically unacceptable ...
whose work was a precursor to later artistic movements such as
minimalism In visual arts, music, and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in the post-war era in western art. The movement is often interpreted as a reaction to abstract expressionism and modernism; it anticipated contemporary post-mi ...
,
repetitive music Repetition is important in music, where sounds or sequences are often repeated. It may be called restatement, such as the restatement of a theme. While it plays a role in all music, with noise and musical tones lying along a spectrum from irregu ...
, and the Theatre of the Absurd. Tiersen is also compared to one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century, the American
minimalism In visual arts, music, and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in the post-war era in western art. The movement is often interpreted as a reaction to abstract expressionism and modernism; it anticipated contemporary post-mi ...
, classical– contemporary classical, and
ambient music Ambient music is a genre of music that emphasizes Musical tone, tone and atmosphere over traditional Musical form, musical structure or rhythm. Often "peaceful" sounding and lacking Musical composition, composition, beat, and/or structured melod ...
composer
Philip Glass Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimal music, minimalism, being built up fr ...
, and to British minimalist music composer, pianist,
librettist A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major ...
and
musicologist Musicology is the academic, research-based study of music, as opposed to musical composition or performance. Musicology research combines and intersects with many fields, including psychology, sociology, acoustics, neurology, natural sciences, f ...
Michael Nyman Michael Laurence Nyman, Order of the British Empire, CBE (born 23 March 1944) is an English composer, pianist, libretto, librettist, musicologist, and filmmaker. He is known for numerous film soundtrack, scores (many written during his lengthy ...
, known for the many film scores he wrote during his lengthy career and who is the reason for Tiersen to be often called the Gallic Michael Nyman. Tiersen started playing the piano and the violin at a young age. In 1983, at the age of thirteen, he broke his violin and bought an electric guitar. Tiersen only returned to his beginnings instrument years later, after searching for string sounds to
sample Sample or samples may refer to: * Sample (graphics), an intersection of a color channel and a pixel * Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of something * Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal * Sample ...
. For his music albums, Tiersen composes and makes arrangements incorporating many instruments, including keyboards such as the piano,
electric piano An electric piano is a musical instrument that has a piano-style musical keyboard, where sound is produced by means of mechanical hammers striking metal strings or reeds or wire tines, which leads to vibrations which are then converted into ele ...
,
Fender Rhodes The Rhodes piano (also known as the Fender Rhodes piano) is an electric piano invented by Harold Rhodes, which became popular in the 1970s. Like a conventional piano, the Rhodes generates sound with keys and hammers, but instead of strings, t ...
, organs,
harpsichord A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a musical keyboard, keyboard. Depressing a key raises its back end within the instrument, which in turn raises a mechanism with a small plectrum made from quill or plastic that plucks one ...
,
Bontempi Bontempi is an Italian musical instrument manufacturer, best known for producing low-priced, plastic-cased chord organs: small keyboard instruments in which the sound is produced by air being forced over reeds by an electric fan. History Fo ...
and toy pianos,
Korg , founded as Keio Electronic Laboratories, is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instrument An electronic musical instrument or electrophone is a musical instrument that produces sound using electr ...
and Moog synthesizers,
Mellotron The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in Birmingham, England, in 1963. It is played by pressing its keys, each of which causes a length of magnetic tape to contact a Capstan (tape recorder), capstan, which pulls i ...
, piano accordions and
melodica The melodica is a handheld free-reed instrument similar to a pump organ or harmonica. It features a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. The keyboard usu ...
,
string String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...
s as the violin, viola,
violone The term violone (; literally 'large viol', being the augmentative suffix) can refer to several distinct large, bowed musical instruments which belong to either the viol or violin family. The violone is sometimes a fretted instrument, and may ...
and the cello, different types of electric, acoustic or bass guitars,
mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...
,
banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and in modern forms is usually made of plastic, where early membranes were made of animal skin. ...
,
ukulele The ukulele ( ; ); also called a uke (informally), is a member of the lute (ancient guitar) family of instruments. The ukulele is of Portuguese origin and was popularized in Hawaii. The tone and volume of the instrument vary with size and con ...
,
bouzouki The bouzouki (, also ; ; alt. pl. ''bouzoukia'', , from Greek , from Turkish ) is a musical instrument popular in West Asia (Syria, Iraq), Europe and Balkans (Greece, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey). It is a member of the long-necked lute fam ...
and
oud The oud ( ; , ) is a Middle Eastern short-neck lute-type, pear-shaped, fretless stringed instrument (a chordophone in the Hornbostel–Sachs classification of instruments), usually with 11 strings grouped in six courses, but some models have ...
,
brass Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, in proportions which can be varied to achieve different colours and mechanical, electrical, acoustic and chemical properties, but copper typically has the larger proportion, generally copper and zinc. I ...
es, like
horn Horn may refer to: Common uses * Horn (acoustic), a tapered sound guide ** Horn antenna ** Horn loudspeaker ** Vehicle horn ** Train horn *Horn (anatomy), a pointed, bony projection on the head of various animals * Horn (instrument), a family ...
s, and woodwind instruments such as the saxophone, clarinet, bassoon,
pipe Pipe(s), PIPE(S) or piping may refer to: Objects * Pipe (fluid conveyance), a hollow cylinder following certain dimension rules ** Piping, the use of pipes in industry * Smoking pipe ** Tobacco pipe * Half-pipe and quarter pipe, semi-circular ...
, oboe and the flute, percussions like drums,
vibraphone The vibraphone (also called the vibraharp) is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using Percussion mallet, mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone ...
,
marimba The marimba ( ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the mari ...
,
tubular bells Tubular bells (also known as chimes) are musical instruments in the Percussion instrument, percussion family. Their sound resembles that of church bells, carillons, or a bell tower; the original tubular bells were made to duplicate the soun ...
,
tom drum A tom drum (also known as a tom-tom) is a cylindrical drum with no snares, named from the Anglo-Indian and Sinhala language. It was added to the drum kit in the early part of the 20th century. Most toms range in size between in diameter, thoug ...
,
cymbal A cymbal is a common percussion instrument. Often used in pairs, cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys. The majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sou ...
,
glockenspiel The glockenspiel ( ; or , : bells and : play) or bells is a percussion instrument consisting of pitched aluminum or steel bars arranged in a Musical keyboard, keyboard layout. This makes the glockenspiel a type of metallophone, similar to the v ...
and
tam-tam A gongFrom Indonesian and ; ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ; ; ; ; is a percussion instrument originating from Southeast Asia, and used widely in Southeast Asian and East Asian musical traditions. Gongs are made of metal and are circular and fl ...
, or the sounds produced by
Leslie speaker The Leslie speaker is a combined amplifier and loudspeaker that projects the signal from an electric or electronic instrument and modifies the sound by rotating a baffle chamber ("drum") in front of the loudspeakers. A similar effect is provided ...
,
music box A music box (American English) or musical box (British English) is an automatic musical instrument in a box that produces Musical note, musical notes by using a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder (geometry), cylinder or disc to pluck ...
,
carillon A carillon ( , ) is a pitched percussion instrument that is played with a musical keyboard, keyboard and consists of at least 23 bells. The bells are Bellfounding, cast in Bell metal, bronze, hung in fixed suspension, and Musical tuning, tu ...
s,
typewriter A typewriter is a Machine, mechanical or electromechanical machine for typing characters. Typically, a typewriter has an array of Button (control), keys, and each one causes a different single character to be produced on paper by striking an i ...
s,
cooking vessel Cookware and bakeware is food preparation equipment, such as cooking pots, pans, baking sheets etc. used in kitchens. Cookware is used on a stove or range cooktop, while bakeware is used in an oven. Some utensils are considered both cookware ...
s, chairs, a
car A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people rather than cargo. There are around one billio ...
or a
bicycle wheel A bicycle wheel is a wheel, most commonly a wire wheel, designed for a bicycle. A pair is often called a wheelset, especially in the context of ready built "off the shelf" performance-oriented wheels. Bicycle wheels are typically designed ...
. Tiersen plays all of these instruments himself either in the studio or on a live set.


Film scores

Tiersen's ability to compose music that can be easily used for
film score A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to ...
s was evident from the beginning. All tracks from his debut album, ''
La Valse des monstres ''La Valse des monstres'' (international English title: ''The Waltz of the Monsters'') is the first album released by Breton composer Yann Tiersen. It includes several pieces he wrote as an accompaniment for short films and plays, together with or ...
'', were conceived for stage adaptations and plays. The title track of his second album, ''
Rue des cascades ' (international English title: ''Cascade Street'') is the second studio album by the musician and composer Yann Tiersen. It was released through Sine Terra Firma in 1996, and subsequently reissued in 1998, 2001, and 2009 through Ici, d'ailleurs ...
'', was used for ''
The Dreamlife of Angels ''The Dreamlife of Angels'' () is a 1998 French drama film co-written and directed by Erick Zonca. The film was selected as the French entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 71st Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee. Pl ...
'' by
Erick Zonca Érick Zonca is a French film director and screenwriter. His first films were shorts ''Rives'' (1992), ''Eternelles'' (1995), and ''Seule (film), Seule'' (1997). Zonca is best known for his critically acclaimed and award-winning 1998 feature f ...
, and several tracks from both albums plus three songs from ''
Le Phare ''For the proposed skyscraper in Paris, see Phare Tower, Le Phare (skyscraper).'' ''Le Phare'' () is the third studio album by French composer Yann Tiersen. This was the artist's breakthrough album. He collaborated with distinguished French songw ...
'' are featured on the soundtrack to
Jean-Pierre Jeunet Jean-Pierre Jeunet (; born 3 September 1953) is a French film director and screenwriter. His films combine fantasy, realism, and science fiction to create idealized realities or to give relevance to mundane situations. Jeunet debuted as a direc ...
's film ''
Amélie ''Amélie'' (, , ) is a 2001 French-language romantic comedy film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Written by Jeunet with Guillaume Laurant, the film is a whimsical depiction of contemporary Parisian life, set in Montmartre. It tells the story ...
''. Another track form ''Le Phare'', "L'Homme aux bras ballants", is the soundtrack to a short animation film by Laurent Gorgiard. Tiersen's pieces are also featured on ''
Alice et Martin ''Alice et Martin '' (US title: ''Alice and Martin'') is a 1998 French film, a psychological drama, directed by André Téchiné. It stars Juliette Binoche and Alexis Loret. It is Téchiné's second collaboration with Binoche after the 1985 film ...
'' by
André Téchiné André Téchiné (; born 13 March 1943) is a French screenwriter and film director. He has a long and distinguished career that places him among the most accomplished post-French New Wave, New Wave French film directors. Téchiné belongs to a s ...
, and ''Qui plume la lune?'' by Christine Carrière. Following the box-office success of ''Amélie'', Tiersen's skills as a composer of film scores were much in demand, and this led him to compose the music for ''
Good Bye, Lenin! ''Good Bye, Lenin!'' is a 2003 German tragicomedy film, directed by Wolfgang Becker. The cast includes Daniel Brühl, Katrin Sass, Chulpan Khamatova, and Maria Simon. The story follows a family in East Germany (GDR); the mother (Sass) is ded ...
'' by Wolfgang Becker. Although the soundtrack for ''Amélie'' consisted mainly of pieces that Tiersen had previously released on his first two albums, the soundtrack for ''Good Bye, Lenin!'' was conceived from scratch, except for "Comptine d'un autre été : L'après-midi", which is also featured on ''Amélies soundtrack. Tiersen returned to making film soundtracks in 2008 after a years-long break, creating the score for a documentary about the sailor
Éric Tabarly Éric Marcel Guy Tabarly (24 July 1931 – 13 June 1998) was a French naval officer and yachtsman. He developed a passion for offshore racing very early on and won several ocean races such as the Ostar in 1964 and 1976, ending English domination ...
.


Collaborations

Tiersen has always composed his music in solitude, starting from simple melodies to which he added subsequent layers. His first album, ''
La Valse des monstres ''La Valse des monstres'' (international English title: ''The Waltz of the Monsters'') is the first album released by Breton composer Yann Tiersen. It includes several pieces he wrote as an accompaniment for short films and plays, together with or ...
'', is almost entirely performed by him alone playing all the instruments, with the exception of "Quimper 94" and "Le Banquet" with drums and charleston provided by Laurent Heudes. His second album, ''
Rue des cascades ' (international English title: ''Cascade Street'') is the second studio album by the musician and composer Yann Tiersen. It was released through Sine Terra Firma in 1996, and subsequently reissued in 1998, 2001, and 2009 through Ici, d'ailleurs ...
'', saw the participation of French soloist singer
Claire Pichet Claire Pichet is a French soloist singer and musician. She sang the song "Summer 78" on the soundtrack of ''Good Bye Lenin!'' (2003). She collaborated with multi-instrumentalist and composer Yann Tiersen on the song "Rue des cascades" (1996). ...
, who provided vocals on two tracks on the album, "Rue des cascades" and "Naomi", and François-Xavier Schweyer, who played cello on "C'était ici" and "La Fenêtre". ''
Le Phare ''For the proposed skyscraper in Paris, see Phare Tower, Le Phare (skyscraper).'' ''Le Phare'' () is the third studio album by French composer Yann Tiersen. This was the artist's breakthrough album. He collaborated with distinguished French songw ...
'' saw his first collaboration with French singer and songwriter
Dominique A Dominique Ané (born 6 October 1968), better known as "Dominique A", is a French songwriter and singer. Early life Born on 6 October 1968 in Provins, France, Dominique Ané is the only child of a teacher and a homemaker. He was passionate about ...
. Claire Pichet and drummer Sacha Toorop are also featured on this album, but both albums can be considered as a one-man works. It is at this point in his career, around the end of the nineties, that his collaborations begin to grow. In 1997, he collaborated with French rock band
Noir Désir Noir Désir (, ) was a French rock band from Bordeaux that formed in 1980. Their most consistent lineup featured Bertrand Cantat (vocals, guitar), Serge Teyssot-Gay (guitar), Frédéric Vidalenc (bass guitar) and Denis Barthe (drums). Jean-Pa ...
, the following year Tiersen and Dominique A released the single for "Monochrome", and, in collaboration with French
electronic rock Electronic rock (also known as electro rock and synth rock) is a music genre that involves a combination of rock music and electronic music, featuring instruments typically found within both genres. It originates from the late 1960s when rock b ...
band Bästard, the EP ''Bästard ~ Yann Tiersen'', while 1999 saw the releases of ''
Tout est calme Yann Pierre Tiersen (born 23 June 1970) is a French Breton musician and composer. His musical career is split between studio recordings, music collaborations, and film soundtracks songwriting. His music incorporates a large variety of classical ...
'', a collaboration mini album by Yann Tiersen, The Married Monk, Claire Pichet, and Olivier Mellano, and of his first live album, '' Black Session: Yann Tiersen''. The live album, recorded in December 1998, features Tiersen with Claire Pichet, Dominique A,
The Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' (, ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun and completed around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and one of the greatest wor ...
's singer and songwriter
Neil Hannon Edward Neil Anthony Hannon (born 7 November 1970) is a singer and songwriter from Northern Ireland. He is the founder and frontman of the chamber pop group the Divine Comedy, and is the band's only constant member since its inception in 1989. H ...
, Noir Désir's singer and songwriter
Bertrand Cantat Bertrand Lucien Bruno Cantat (, ; born 5 March 1964) is a French singer, songwriter, and murderer. Known for being the former frontman of the rock band Noir Désir, in 2003, he was proven guilty without a doubt and convicted of the murder ("murde ...
, singer and illustrator
Françoiz Breut Françoiz Breut (2010) Françoiz Breut (born 10 December 1969, in Cherbourg) is the stage name of Françoise Breut, a French illustrator and chanteuse of moody and melancholic pop. Breut got involved with music when her then-fiancé, French p ...
, anglophone French rock band The Married Monk, French folk rock group
Têtes Raides Têtes Raides is a French folk rock group. Group history The group was founded in Paris during the 1980s. Originally, they played music heavily influenced by the punk movement and depended on electric instruments. Their third album featured A ...
, the
string quartet The term string quartet refers to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two Violin, violini ...
Quatuor à cordes, guitarist and composer Olivier Mellano, and author Mathieu Boogaerts. The soundtrack for ''
Amélie ''Amélie'' (, , ) is a 2001 French-language romantic comedy film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Written by Jeunet with Guillaume Laurant, the film is a whimsical depiction of contemporary Parisian life, set in Montmartre. It tells the story ...
'' saw for the first time the introduction of a full orchestra, the 35-member Ensemble Orchestral Synaxis, and of an
ondes Martenot The ondes Martenot ( ; , ) or ondes musicales () is an early electronic musical instrument. It is played with a lateral-vibrato Keyboard instrument, keyboard or by moving a ring tied to a wire, creating "wavering" sounds similar to a theremin. D ...
played by
Christine Ott Christine Ott (born 10 August 1963) is a French pianist, vocalist, ondist, and composer. She was a member of Yann Tiersen's band for eight years and played in classical orchestras for ten. She has collaborated with Tindersticks, Syd Matters, ...
. Both will participate in the recording sessions for his next album, ''
L'Absente ''L'Absente'' is the fourth studio album by French composer and musician Yann Tiersen. When French film director Jean-Pierre Jeunet asked Tiersen if he was interested in writing the film score for ''Amélie'', Tiersen was already working on ''L ...
'', which also includes American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
Lisa Germano Lisa Ruth Germano (born June 27, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Indiana. Her album '' Geek the Girl'' (1994) was named one of the best albums of the 1990s by ''Spin'' magazine. She began her career as a viol ...
, Belgian actress and singer
Natacha Régnier Nathalie "Natacha" Régnier (born 11 April 1974) is a Belgian actress. She received a Cannes Film Festival Award, a European Film Award, and a César Award for her role in the 1998 film '' The Dreamlife of Angels''. Régnier is the first Bel ...
, Neil Hannon, and Têtes Raides, among others. Tiersen's list of collaborators continues to grow. His second live album, ''
C'était ici ''C'était ici'' is the second live album of French Avant-Garde musician and composer Yann Tiersen. It was recorded during three concerts performed on 15, 16, and 17 February 2002, at the Cité de la Musique in Paris, France. The album is notew ...
'', recorded during three concerts performed in February 2002 at the
Cité de la Musique The Cité de la Musique (, "City of Music"), also known as Philharmonie 2, is a group of institutions dedicated to music and situated in the Parc de la Villette, 19th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was designed with the nearby Conservatoi ...
in Paris, features more than 50 musicians. '' Yann Tiersen & Shannon Wright'', a collaboration album with American singer and songwriter
Shannon Wright Shannon Wright is an American singer-songwriter. She was born in Jacksonville, Florida, United States, where she spent her childhood. Former member of the band Crowsdell, Shannon Wright moved from New York to Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 19 ...
, was released in October 2004, and his 2005 album, '' Les Retrouvailles'', features vocals from
Stuart Staples Stuart Ashton Staples (born 14 November 1965) is an English musician best known as the lead singer of Indie music, indie band Tindersticks, in which he also plays guitar. Staples is noted for his crooning vocal style and a bass, nasal voice. Bi ...
of
Tindersticks Tindersticks are an English alternative rock band formed in Nottingham in 1991. They released six albums before singer Stuart A. Staples embarked on a solo career. The band reunited briefly in 2006 and more permanently the following year. The ...
, English actress and singer
Jane Birkin Jane Mallory Birkin ( ; 14 December 1946 â€“ 16 July 2023) was a British and French actress, singer, and designer. She had a prolific career as an actress, mostly in French cinema. A native of London, Birkin began her career as an actress, ...
,
Breton Breton most often refers to: *anything associated with Brittany, and generally **Breton people **Breton language, a Southwestern Brittonic Celtic language of the Indo-European language family, spoken in Brittany ** Breton (horse), a breed **Gale ...
singer and songwriter
Miossec Christophe Miossec (born 24 December 1964 in Brest, Brittany, France) is a French singer and songwriter. Beginnings Christophe Miossec was not new to the world of music when he met his first success. Between 14 and 17, he was in a teenage ban ...
,
Elizabeth Fraser Elizabeth Davidson Fraser (born 29 August 1963) is a Scottish singer. She was the vocalist for the band Cocteau Twins, who achieved success in the UK from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s. Their studio albums '' Victorialand'' (1986) and '' H ...
, the vocalist for the pioneer alternative rock group
Cocteau Twins Cocteau Twins were a Scottish rock music, rock band active from 1979 to 1997. They were formed in Grangemouth on the Firth of Forth by Robin Guthrie (guitars, drum machine) and Will Heggie (bass), adding Elizabeth Fraser (vocals) in 1981. In 19 ...
, and the Orchestre National de Paris. The subsequent world tour produced his third live album '' On Tour'', which replaced the multi-instrumental ensemble of ''Les Retrouvailles'' with a more rock-oriented sound. The soundtrack to '' Tabarly'' saw Tiersen return to
minimalism In visual arts, music, and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in the post-war era in western art. The movement is often interpreted as a reaction to abstract expressionism and modernism; it anticipated contemporary post-mi ...
, in fact most of the compositions featured on the album are for solo piano. But his two subsequent albums return to have a rock-oriented sound, with the only difference that ''
Skyline A skyline is the wikt:outline, outline or shape viewed near the horizon. It can be created by a city's overall structure, or by human intervention in a rural area, rural setting, or in nature that is formed where the sky meets buildings or the ...
'' has a higher number of contributors than ''
Dust Lane A dust lane consists of relatively dense, obscuring clouds of interstellar dust, observed as a dark swath against the background of brighter object(s), especially a galaxy. These dust lanes can usually be seen in spiral galaxies, such as the M ...
''. Tiersen has contributed, either in part or in full, to the realization of several records among which stand out " Gin Soaked Boy" and '' Absent Friends'' by The Divine Comedy, ''
Vingt à Trente Mille Jours ''Vingt à Trente Mille Jours'' (French for "Twenty to Thirty Thousand Days") is the second album by French singer Françoiz Breut, released in 2000. Critical reception ''Exclaim!'' wrote that "most songs have a melancholy feel—there's nothin ...
'' by
Françoiz Breut Françoiz Breut (2010) Françoiz Breut (born 10 December 1969, in Cherbourg) is the stage name of Françoise Breut, a French illustrator and chanteuse of moody and melancholic pop. Breut got involved with music when her then-fiancé, French p ...
, ''
Lucky Dog Recordings 03-04 Lucky means having luck. It may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * '' People in Luck'', also titled ''The Lucky'' in English, a 1963 French comedy film * '' Lucky: No Time for Love'', a 2005 Hindi-language romance starring Salman Khan, S ...
'' by
Stuart A. Staples Stuart Ashton Staples (born 14 November 1965) is an English musician best known as the lead singer of indie band Tindersticks, in which he also plays guitar. Staples is noted for his crooning vocal style and a bass, nasal voice. Biography Prior ...
, and '' Li(f)e'' by
Sage Francis Paul William "Sage" Francis (born November 18, 1976) is an American independent underground rapper from Providence, Rhode Island. He is the founder and CEO of Strange Famous Records. Early life and education Francis was born in Miami, Florid ...
, as well as records by Noir Désir, Têtes Raides, The Married Monk, French electronic trio Smooth, Katel, David Delabrosse, Christine Ott, or Miossec. In 2011, Tiersen, with Lionel Laquerriere and Thomas Poli, has also started Elektronische Staubband, a side project on
electronic music Electronic music broadly is a group of music genres that employ electronic musical instruments, circuitry-based music technology and software, or general-purpose electronics (such as personal computers) in its creation. It includes both music ...
. This new project is expected to lead to the release of a new album in 2013.


Charity work

In 2011, Tiersen collaborated with the Yellow Bird Project (YBP) to design a t-shirt, which was sold to raise money for
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF; pronounced ), known in some English-speaking settings as Doctors Without Borders, is a charity that provides humanitarian medical care. It is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) of French origin known for its projects in conflict zo ...
(MSF). The main reason he chose to support MSF, is for their work as one of the three charities helping refugees in Libya at the time. A live video session was also filmed in the MSF London offices to promote the T-shirt and raise awareness for the cause.


Discography


Studio albums


Soundtracks


Live albums


Singles and EPs

Charting Others * ''Rue des cascades'' (7" vinyl EP) (1996) * ''Black Session'' (EP promo) (1998) * "La vie rêvée des anges" (CD single) (1998) * "Les grandes marées" (1999) * "Comptine d'un autre été : L'après-midi" (2001) * "À quai" (CD single promo) (2001) * "Bagatelle" (CD maxi promo) (2001) * ''3 titres inédits au profit de la FIDH'' (part of the ''On Aime, On Aide'' collection, composed to raise funds for the
FIDH The International Federation for Human Rights (; FIDH) is a non-governmental federation for human rights organizations. Founded in 1922, FIDH is the third oldest international human rights organization worldwide after Anti-Slavery International a ...
, sold exclusively at
Fnac Fnac () is a French multinational retail chain specializing in the sale of entertainment Media (communication), media and consumer electronics. Fnac was founded by André Essel and Max Théret in 1954. Its headquarters is located in ''Le Flavia' ...
)
(2003) * "Kala" (2005) * "La mancha" (2006) * "La rade" (2006) * ''Palestine'' (vinyl EP) (2010) * "Ashes" (2010) * "Monuments" (2011) * "I'm Gonna Live Anyhow" (2011)


Collaborations


Contributions

* '' One Trip/One Noise'' (by
Noir Désir Noir Désir (, ) was a French rock band from Bordeaux that formed in 1980. Their most consistent lineup featured Bertrand Cantat (vocals, guitar), Serge Teyssot-Gay (guitar), Frédéric Vidalenc (bass guitar) and Denis Barthe (drums). Jean-Pa ...
) (1998) ** "À ton étoile" (arrangements, strings, vibraphone, bell, mandolin, electric guitar and bass) * " Gin Soaked Boy" (by The Divine Comedy) (1999) * ''
Vingt à Trente Mille Jours ''Vingt à Trente Mille Jours'' (French for "Twenty to Thirty Thousand Days") is the second album by French singer Françoiz Breut, released in 2000. Critical reception ''Exclaim!'' wrote that "most songs have a melancholy feel—there's nothin ...
'' (by
Françoiz Breut Françoiz Breut (2010) Françoiz Breut (born 10 December 1969, in Cherbourg) is the stage name of Françoise Breut, a French illustrator and chanteuse of moody and melancholic pop. Breut got involved with music when her then-fiancé, French p ...
) (2000) ** "Porsmouth" (vibraphone), "Vingt à trente mille jours" (vibraphone), "L'heure bleue" (violin), "Le verre pilé" (vibraphone); arrangements * '' Gratte-poil'' (by
Têtes Raides Têtes Raides is a French folk rock group. Group history The group was founded in Paris during the 1980s. Originally, they played music heavily influenced by the punk movement and depended on electric instruments. Their third album featured A ...
) (2000) ** "Cabaret des nues" (violin) * ''R/O/C/K/Y'' (by
The Married Monk ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The' ...
) (2001) ** "Roma Amor" (strings, vibraphone), "Holidays" (strings), and "Cyro's Request" (vibraphone) * '' Les oiseaux de passage'' (tribute to
Georges Brassens Georges Charles Brassens (; ; 22 October 1921 – 29 October 1981) was a French singer-songwriter and poet. As an iconic figure in France, he achieved fame through his elegant songs with their harmonically complex music for voice and guitar and ...
) (2001) ** cover of "Le parapluie" with Natacha Régnier * '' Absent Friends'' (by
The Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' (, ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun and completed around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and one of the greatest wor ...
) (2004) ** "Sticks & Stones" (accordion); "Anthem for Bored Youth" (accordion), a track appearing only on the French limited edition * ''The Belgian Kick'' (by The Married Monk) (2004) ** viola on "Love Commander" and "Totally Confused" * ''
Lucky Dog Recordings 03-04 Lucky means having luck. It may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * '' People in Luck'', also titled ''The Lucky'' in English, a 1963 French comedy film * '' Lucky: No Time for Love'', a 2005 Hindi-language romance starring Salman Khan, S ...
'' (by
Stuart A. Staples Stuart Ashton Staples (born 14 November 1965) is an English musician best known as the lead singer of indie band Tindersticks, in which he also plays guitar. Staples is noted for his crooning vocal style and a bass, nasal voice. Biography Prior ...
) (2005) ** "She Don't Have to Be Good to Me" (piano) * '' The Endless Rise of the Sun'' (by Smooth) (2006) ** "The Endless Rise of the Sun" (keyboards) * '' Raides à la ville'' (by Katel) (2006) ** "La Vielle" (violin) * '' 13m²'' (by David Delabrosse) (2006) ** production and arrangements * ''
Solitude Nomade ''Solitude Nomade'' is the first solo album of Christine Ott, ondist (Ondes Martenot player) and pianist. The album is composed of instrumental tracks, in which the Ondes Martenot are the key instrument. (''Pensées sauvages'', ''Tropismes'', ''Dé ...
'' (by
Christine Ott Christine Ott (born 10 August 1963) is a French pianist, vocalist, ondist, and composer. She was a member of Yann Tiersen's band for eight years and played in classical orchestras for ten. She has collaborated with Tindersticks, Syd Matters, ...
) (2009) ** "Pensées sauvages" (violin) * '' Finistériens'' (by
Miossec Christophe Miossec (born 24 December 1964 in Brest, Brittany, France) is a French singer and songwriter. Beginnings Christophe Miossec was not new to the world of music when he met his first success. Between 14 and 17, he was in a teenage ban ...
) (2009) ** music and arrangements * '' Li(f)e'' (by
Sage Francis Paul William "Sage" Francis (born November 18, 1976) is an American independent underground rapper from Providence, Rhode Island. He is the founder and CEO of Strange Famous Records. Early life and education Francis was born in Miami, Florid ...
) (2010) ** production and arrangements on "The Best of Times" * ''
Soyons désinvoltes, n'ayons l'air de rien Soyons (; ) is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Ardèche department The following is a list of the 335 communes of the Ardèche department of France. The communes cooperat ...
'' (2×CD+DVD Deluxe edition) (by
Noir Désir Noir Désir (, ) was a French rock band from Bordeaux that formed in 1980. Their most consistent lineup featured Bertrand Cantat (vocals, guitar), Serge Teyssot-Gay (guitar), Frédéric Vidalenc (bass guitar) and Denis Barthe (drums). Jean-Pa ...
) (2011) ** "À ton étoile (Yann Tiersen Mix)" (arrangements, strings, vibraphone, carillon, mandolin, bass, and electric guitar)


DVDs


Notes


References


External links

* * * *
Yann Tiersen Sheet Music Archive
compiled by Vladimir Yatsina
Concert photos
by Laurent Orseau (Black Session)
Concert photos
by Laurent Orseau (La Route du Rock 1998)

from the ''Amelie'' soundtrack
Article on Yann Tiersen at Everything2.com

Article on Yann Tiersen and piano at Scribd

Yann Tiersen in Lebanon Event Review

Red Alert – Live Review
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tiersen, Yann 1970 births Musicians from Brest, France French film score composers French male film score composers French people of Belgian descent French people of Norwegian descent Living people Mute Records artists Virgin Records artists French composers Anti- (record label) artists César Award winners