‘Always felt like home…’ - Melissa Parmenter’s ‘Messapica’
There are times in the case of the musical arts when more is more and less is less, there is no hard and fast rule - it depends entirely on the art itself. What is really a gift is to be able to take the less is more approach, to lay a composition bare, and for it to truly work. That is the case here with Melissa Parmenter’s new work ‘Messapica’.
Image Credit: Parri Thomas
Melissa Parmenter is perhaps best known for producing the films of Michael Winterbottom such as ‘The Wedding Guest’ starring Dev Patel , ‘The Face Of An Angel’ featuring Kate Beckinsale and all four of ‘The Trip’ series starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. Parmenter has also composed scores for ‘Genova’ starring Colin Firth, ‘The Killer Inside Me’ starring Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson and Jessica Alba, and ‘Comes A Bright Day’ featuring Timothy Spall. It’s been three years since Melissa Parmenter released her solo audio debut in the form of her ‘Scandinavia’ EP, and now her new collection of compositions sits well alongside it.
‘Messapica’ opens with a ringing bell, and a distant voice all with a touch of reverb. As the bell continues to strike, Parmenter’s dampened piano begins. This is ‘Mezzogiorno’. The sound effects are in a lovely stereo field, the bell ringing off to the left, and as it slowly fades, the clarity of the piano becomes clearer. You can hear the clicking of the keys, as more ambient sounds play in the background.
The piano for ‘Martina Franca’ begins immediately without sound effects this time, and is a world apart in clarity, this time the foot is kept off the dampener, allowing the hammers to strike the strings without hinderance. The cello you hear is played by Harry Escott, whom Parmenter has worked with before. His playing is emotive and well balanced with Melissa’s more busy piano playing. There is a sense of sadness in this piece, but what it alludes to eludes me.
‘Locorotondo’ has more air to it. The piano here has more reverb, almost like microphones were placed further back in the room they were recorded in. There is a clear melody produced by Parmenter’s right hand while her left keeps a steady rhythm. The names of all these pieces refer to locations in Italy, where Melissa Parmenter was born. She moved to the U.K. when she was five, but maintains a deep connection with her Italian home.
The introduction to ‘Bosco Verde’ features the deep hum of a cicada orchestra, captured live in the wild as waves lap on the shore. Piano here has much to compete with in this happening environment, almost as if the grand piano sits in the sand as the sea washes over the pedals. Compared with the rest of the album, this piece is relatively short, clocking in at just under two minutes.
Just like Martina Franca, ‘Ostuni’ begins without sound effects. Harry Escott’s cello is deep and full of character, expertly captured by Nick Taylor at Air Edel Studios, who also mixed the record. Though only available digitally for now, this album makes an excellent case for a vinyl-length recording. Melissa Parmenter is more considered in her playing here, less pacey with her rhythm, bringing the emotion of the piece to the forefront. Every note has purpose and meaning.
‘Cisternino’ has moments of uncertainty, supported by the mix of cello first in the left, then in the right, then back again all the way through the piece. It’s not chaotic by any means, but ever so slightly unnerving in the least possible way. This is the most active of Escott’s cello parts, and not nearly like Parmenter’s playing which serves as a grounding tool for the sound effect-like cello.
In contrast, the warmth in ‘Ceglie Messapica’ is immediately apparent. You can’t mistake chords like that, a hug wrapped up in soundwaves. Nick Taylor once again succeeds in capturing the sound of the room augmented by Parmenter’s grand piano performance. Harry Escott’s playing is sweeping, you can almost see his hand gliding the bow across the strings. Whilst the edit includes Parmenter lifting her foot off the sustain pedal at the conclusion, it leaves a feeling of imperfection but also a firm basis in reality. You’d hear this in live performance, something we all sorely miss by now.
Messapica reaches its conclusion with ‘Trani’, the shortest of all the compositions on this album. Parmenter’s playing is so clear and precise, close-mic’ed and with a soundtrack of trains running through a station that captures exactly what the listener needs to hear without excess noise. This whole album is such a window into these places, which Melissa Parmenter’s composing demonstrates brilliantly. Continue reading for insight into the making of Messapica, as well as Melissa’s wider career and a tiny glimpse into the future.
1. Your new album 'Messapica' is based around your connection to Italy: what do you think of when you think of home?
My first home was in Italy - I was born there and spent my childhood there, and it has always felt like home to me. I live in London now with my family so here is my home too of course – but for this album I wanted to focus on Italy and my life there. My home in Italy was first in Milan, then I spent many years by the sea in Moneglia, near Genova, and then most recently in Puglia, which is the reason that the album is called MESSAPICA. The tracks are named after the beautiful towns that I love in the region.
2. Of course this album is centred on your piano compositions. What was the piano you used to record these pieces with?
Well I was on a hunt for my favourite piano in London so I went to many different studios and then came across my favourite piano of all which is the Steinway grand at Air Edel studios in Rodmarton Street. If I could, I would just sit there and play that piano all day long - it’s so beautiful! Both my EP Scandinavia and this album Messapica were recorded on that piano.
3. With the atmospheric sounds employed on the album, were these actually recorded in locations in Italy?
Yes! I have always really loved the sounds of everyday life in Italy, the sounds that remind me of my childhood. I started recording when we were there filming the Michael Winterbottom film GENOVA – starring Colin Firth & Catherine Keener (and for which I also composed the score!) I recorded the sounds of the trains going through the tunnels, the cicadas on the beach at San Fruttuoso, the sounds of people walking and talking in the backstreets of the old town in Genova. Then again when we made The Trip to Italy I recorded the church bells and the beach in Camogli. These sounds are my memories, and I wanted to find a way to blend them in with the piano and to make the music feel even more personal to me.
4. Harry Escott plays cello on 'Messapica', what's it like to work with him in the studio?
Harry is wonderful. I have worked with Harry on many films that I produced and for which he composed the score – including The Road to Guantanamo, The Face of an Angel, The Wedding Guest. We have been friends for many years and when I composed my EP Scandinavia I realised that I needed cello and of course Harry is such a wonderful cellist! Mostly, I would give Harry the parts to play but on a couple of my tracks like on Cisternino for example – the cello is based upon him improvising around my piano - and it sounds so beautiful – he is so talented! I love working with Harry - I record in his studio and we also perform together when we can.
5. The album was recorded and mixed by Nick Taylor at Air Edel Studios. What was it like to work with Nick and in the environment at Air Edel?
Nick is great and the studio there is lovely – so peaceful and calm – I love it! I recorded and mixed both my EP Scandinavia and the album Messapica with Nick. Once I had fallen in love with the piano at Air Edel and then started working with Nick, it was a dream really – Nick brings a richness to the mix that I really love, and the piano is so beautifully recorded. It’s hard to record a piano well, to make it sound just right, so Nick has been wonderful at capturing the piano just as I wanted it.
6. Was the recording of 'Messapica' a quick one? How long did the album take to put down?
Since the release of my EP Scandinavia in 2017 I had been so busy producing films that I didn’t have the chance to finish this album – but finally when we were in Post Production with our film GREED – I finally found the time! For me, once I find the melody I am happy with (not always easy as I am so fussy!) it’s quite a quick process for me to complete the piano part. For this album, once the cello recordings were done with Harry, we recorded and mixed the album in a couple of days.
7. Your career in film is widespread! Has there been a favourite moment in all of your film production career?
I love what I do – I love composing, I love producing films, I love performing my piano music. I have so many special memories from my work over the years – I loved recording my score for GENOVA - with a wonderful group of musicians and then mixing to picture for the first time at Angel Studios. I loved the moment at the Berlin Film Festival when we premiered our film The Road to Guantanamo and we managed to get Asif, Rhuhel and Shafiq, (also known as the Tipton Three) over to Berlin for the premiere – having spent 2 years in Guantanamo Bay and survived telling their story and what they went through in Afghanistan – they got a standing ovation, we were all crying, it was a very special moment!
8. 2020 certainly has been a strange year. What music has been soundtracking your own 2020 journey?
I wish I could listen to more music – with a young son, and a busy household and with the lockdown, being together most of the time we haven’t had enough time to just sit quietly and listen to music. When I get the chance, I play the piano and look for new tunes for my next album! We have loved listening to old records though – my son in particular loved Michael Nyman’s The Draughtsman’s Contract and a record of Balinese Gamelan music recorded in the 1960s!
9. Whilst the 'Scandinavia' EP and your 'Messapica' album are available for download, could there be the possibility of a physical release sometime in the future?
I very much hope so! With the lockdown and no live performance opportunities we decided it didn’t make sense to have vinyl made at this stage but hopefully we will do in the future. The artwork is so beautiful it would make a really lovely record to have physically and to share with others.
10. Finally, is there anything you can tell us about how your 2021 is looking?
I’m already working on my next album and we’re also working on a TV Drama following the whole Covid/Boris Johnson story –with Michael Winterbottom directing – so it’s looking like it will be a busy year hopefully!
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To listen to the music of Melissa Parmenter, including her solo and soundtrack work, click here.
Follow Melissa on facebook and twitter @mparmentermusic and instagram @melissaparmenter.
