Greetings, slocat.
According to a 1998 post in the rec.music.celtic newsgroup, the song
at the ending credits of "The Matchmaker" is called "Irish Heartbeat,"
by Van Morrison and the Chieftains. This song is on a CD entitled
"Irish Heartbeat," and also on a CD called "Inarticulate Speech Of the
Heart." Fortunately, both of these CDs are still in press, and should
be easy to obtain, either new or used.
Here is the text of the newsgroup post which was the source of this
information:
"Irish Heartbeat (song at ending credits) by Van Morrison and The
Chieftains on the CD titled "Irish Heartbeat" - Carrickfergus (Declan
sings at Dermot's wake) also by Van Morrison on same CD as above -
Raglan Road (Winning song in the singing contest on the Aran Islands)
also by Van Morrison on same CD - Haunted (Song when Sean and Marcy
finally get together while staying on the Island) by Shane MacGowan
and the Popes(featuring Sinead O'Connor) on the CD "The Snake" - Rock
'n' Roll Paddy (song at beginning credits) by Shane MacGowan and the
Popes on the CD "The Crock of Gold" . - The Female of the Species
(When they trash the Senator's car) by Space on the CD "Spiders" -
She's the One (When Marcy is leaving for the airport) by World Party
on the CD "Egyptology" - And a Bang on the Ear (song played in pub
where Dermot tells Marcy about Mr. O'Hara on the Aran Islands) by The
waterboys on the CD "Fisherman's Blues" - Twelve White Horses by
Kieran Kennedy. - Sad the Girl by Equation."
Google Groups: : rec.music.celtic
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&safe=off&selm=6mdvar%24a4h%241%40nnrp1.dejanews.com
On a site dedicated to actor David O'Hara, I found this list of other
songs from "The Matchmaker," including lyrics to several of them:
The Matchmaker Soundtrack Lyrics
http://www3.mb.sympatico.ca/~siren98/ohara/film_mm.html
It appears that no soundtrack album was released. I found many
newsgroup posts asking about a soundtrack, so there appears to be a
demand.
Google Groups: alt.fan.j-garofalo
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V28A22771
Search strategy:
Google Web, "matchmaker" + "Soundtrack"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=matchmaker+soundtrack
Google Groups, "matchmaker" + "Soundtrack"
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=matchmaker+soundtrack&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search
I hope this answer is helpful to you. If anything needs clarification,
please ask.
Best wishes,
pinkfreud |
Request for Answer Clarification by
slocat-ga
on
08 Aug 2002 09:20 PDT
Thank you, but I am not sure the answer is complete. I own
Inarticulate Speech of the Heart (Great CD) but the song Irish
Heartbeat is not the one I am looking for. It is a very slow, simple
guitar only piece. As I remeber it, it play during the movie as well
but, the entire song plays after Irish Heartbeat during the closing
credits until the very end.
You are already further along than I had gotten,
Slocat
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
08 Aug 2002 11:54 PDT
According to the Internet Movie Database, the score for "The
Matchmaker" contained "original music by John Altman."
Internet Movie Database
http://us.imdb.com/Details?0119632
I will pursue the John Altman angle, and I'll report back with my
findings.
A pleasant sideline of my research was discovering Van Morrison and
the Chieftains (I listened to several audio clips at CDNow.) And I
have developed a keen interest in seeing "The Matchmaker" now that
I've read so much about it!
Watch this space for (hopefully) more information.
~pinkfreud
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
08 Aug 2002 13:05 PDT
A friend has suggested to me that the guitar music in the end credits
of "The Matchmaker" might be a guitar solo of "The Fields of Athenry."
I found a midi file that, while not a solo, gives you the melody of
this Irish ballad. If this sounds like your song, I will go sleuthing
to see whether I can find a guitar solo of this piece on CD.
http://www.blackshade.net/midi/bmidi/fldathen.mid
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
slocat-ga
on
08 Aug 2002 17:35 PDT
Pink,
Thank you again but I don't think that is the melody. Hard to tell
the midi clip sounds like a synthesized harpsicord, as opposed to a
guitar. The tempo on the midi is a little fast as well.
Hope were still in the game, let me know.
Thank you,
Slocat
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
08 Aug 2002 18:25 PDT
If I can find a copy of "The Matchmaker" to rent, I will listen to the
end credits and see whether that gives me an "aha" moment.
I'm still investigating John Altman, the composer who did most of the
incidental music for the film. He's an interesting guy, but so far I
can't link him to that particular section of the score.
I have put out feelers by email and have exchanged private messages
with several friends who are familiar with Irish music. Have gotten
some interesting responses, for which I am grateful, but each turned
into a dead end.
I'll keep you informed of any new developments.
~pinkfreud
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
11 Aug 2002 16:41 PDT
Regarding the Great Matchmaker Music Hunt, I'm still chasing rabbits.
As soon as I am able to find a DVD or tape to rent, I am going to have
more to go on, I hope.
I've now visited so many Web sites which discuss this movie that I
almost feel as if I have seen it!
~pinkfreud
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
slocat-ga
on
12 Aug 2002 08:45 PDT
I owe you one....
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
12 Aug 2002 11:37 PDT
Thanks for being patient! Another GA researcher is helping me with
this, and we have sent out emails to several people who may be able to
help us in our quest. Sooner or later, we're bound to "make a match"
for you.
In the meantime, I am going to buy some CDs by Van Morrison & the
Chieftains. The clips I've heard have left me craving more!
~pinkfreud
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
15 Aug 2002 17:13 PDT
Slocat,
Just wanted you to know that we haven't forgotten about "The
Matchmaker." I am still pestering my friends by email asking questions
about this, and I plan to rent a copy of the film as soon as I find
one in my area.
If we chew it long enough, eventually we will be able to blow a
bubble. ;)
~Pink
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
18 Aug 2002 17:28 PDT
Dear Slocat,
I have finally managed to rent a copy of "The Matchmaker," and I am
puzzled.
After the Chieftains song has ended, there is a fragment of
instrumental music, but no guitar solo. The music which plays in the
very last moments of the end titles is an orchestral piece with piano,
guitar, violin, and percussion, and is a variant on soundtrack themes
heard elsewhere in the movie, so I would presume it was written by
John Altman. I timed this piece at one minute, two seconds.
It is possible that the video release which I rented is not the same
as the version which you remember, but this is the only video
available at this time.
Another thought: could it be that you are recalling music from a
different movie?
~pinkfreud
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
slocat-ga
on
19 Aug 2002 09:15 PDT
Yes and no. It is the right movie but I may have mixed up the
instrumentation. It is a very simple piece and it does play after
Irish heartbeat as well as during other parts of the movie. I wonder
if I could find it in a John Altman catalog.
You've been great. This is my first time using "google answer" and I
am enjoying the collaboration.
Thank you.
Slocat
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
19 Aug 2002 11:11 PDT
Slocat,
If and when a "Special Edition" DVD of "The Matchmaker" is released,
perhaps there will be more information from John Altman about this
soundtrack score. These days almost everyone connected with a film
gets a chance to discuss his work in detail, thanks to the booming DVD
industry.
Having now heard the music in question, I think I will recognize it if
I hear it again. It sounds to me like a fragment that probably belongs
to a longer work, so it's possible that it may surface somewhere. I'm
still sniffing after Altman.
Thanks for asking the question and enabling me to discover Van
Morrison and the Chieftains!
~pinkfreud
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
07 Sep 2002 10:45 PDT
Slocat,
If you're still out there and still interested, I received an email
from a friend whom I'd contacted regarding the music in the end
credits of "The Matchmaker."
My friend, who is a professional pianist, has an excellent ear for
tunes. He rented "The Matchmaker," and he is certain that the melody
in question is an excerpt from the soundtrack score that is played in
the part of the film where Marcy and Sean are walking among the stones
while visiting the Aran Isles.
If a soundtrack album is ever released, or an album which is a
compilation of John Altman scores, this music may become available.
Until then, it would appear that the only way for you to obtain a copy
of it is to do an audio capture from the soundtrack.
Your question started a fascinating quest, and (thanks to email) I've
had dozens of people helping me on this. Who knows, maybe the sudden
increase in rentals of "The Matchmaker" may hasten the arrival of a
soundtrack album!
Best wishes,
pinkfreud
|
