Desplat has composed scores for a wide range of films, including low-budget independent productions and large-scale blockbusters, such as The Queen, The Golden Compass, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 & Part 2, The King's Speech, The Danish Girl, Moonrise Kingdom, Argo, Rise of the Guardians, Zero Dark Thirty, Godzilla, The Imitation Game, Unbroken, The Secret Life of Pets, and Isle of Dogs.
Desplat was born in Paris to a French father and a Greek mother. At the age of five, he began playing piano. He also became proficient on trumpet and flute. He studied with Claude Ballif and Iannis Xenakis in France and Jack Hayes in the U.S. Desplat's musical interests were wide, and he was also influenced by South American and African artists and teachers, among whom were Carlinhos Brown and Ray Lema.
Desplat has composed extensively for films, in France and in Hollywood - scores and incidental music for over 100 films including "Lapse of Memory" (1992), "Family Express" (1992), "Regarde Les Hommes Tomber" (1994), "Les Péchés Mortels" (1995), César-nominated "Un Héros Très Discret" (1996), "Une Minute de Silence" (1998), "Sweet Revenge" (1998), "Le Château des Singes" (1999), "Home Sweet Home" (2001), "Reines d'un Jour" (2001), the César-nominated "Sur mes Lèvres" (2002), "Rire et Châtiment" (2003), "Fantastic Mr. Fox" (2009), "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" (2010), "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" (2011) and "The Danish Girl" (2015).
Desplat has composed individual songs that have been sung in films by such artists as Akhenaton, Kate Beckinsale, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Valérie Lemercier, Miosotis, Catherine Ringer and Renée Fleming. He has also written music for the theatre, including pieces performed at the Comédie Française. Desplat has conducted performances of his music played by the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Munich Symphony Orchestra. Desplat has also given Master Classes at La Sorbonne in Paris and the Royal College of Music in London.
In 2007, he composed the scores for Philip Pullman's "The Golden Compass", Zach Helm's directorial debut "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" with American composer Aaron Zigman and the Ang Lee movie "Lust, Caution". Prior to these break-out works, he contributed scores for "The Luzhin Defence", "Girl with a Pearl Earring", "Syriana", "Birth", "Hostage", "Firewall", "Casanova", "Nid de Guêpes" and "The Painted Veil", for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Music, and the 2006 World Soundtrack Award. He won the 2007 BMI Film Music Award, 2007 World Soundtrack Award, 2007 European Film Award, and received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score for "The Queen". He also won the Silver Berlin Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for Best Film Music in "De battre mon cœur s'est arrêté". In 2008 Desplat received his second Oscar nomination for David Fincher's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Desplat received his third Oscar nomination and a BAFTA nomination for "Fantastic Mr. Fox" in 2010, both of which were won by Michael Giacchino for "Up".
Recently, Desplat has composed music for "Largo Winch", based on the Belgian comic; "Afterwards", a French-Canadian psychological thriller film directed by Gilles Bourdos in English; Anne Fontaine's "Coco avant Chanel" based on the life of designer Coco Chanel; Robert Guédiguian's "L'Armée du Crime"; "Chéri", reuniting him with director Stephen Frears, whom he collaborated with on "The Queen"; "Un Prophète" reuniting with director Jacques Audiard; "Julie & Julia" directed by Nora Ephron; "Fantastic Mr. Fox", directed by Wes Anderson and based on the novel by Roald Dahl; "The Twilight Saga: New Moon", directed by Chris Weitz; Roman Polanski's "The Ghost Writer"; "Tamara Drewe"; "The Special Relationship"; "The King's Speech", which earned Desplat his fourth Oscar nomination; and "Largo Winch II: The Burma Conspiracy".
In early 2011, Desplat began to write the music to "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2". He reunited with director David Yates, who offered Desplat the opportunity to score the second part.
Desplat's upcoming projects include "The Tree of Life", directed by Terrence Malick (which he actually recorded in early 2010), "A Better Life" and "La Fille du Puisatier", Roman Polanski's "Carnage" and George Clooney's "The Ides of March".
Desplat started 2012 with "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" and continued with scores for "The Spider's House", the Florent Emilio Siri-directed biopic "Cloclo", Jacques Audiard's "De rouille et d'os", Ben Affleck's "Argo", DreamWorks Animation's "Rise of the Guardians", Matteo Garrone's "Reality", Wes Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom" and Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero dark Thirty".
Lyra
Alexandre Desplat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If there is no dream
Where is our home?
We don't know how
There will be a way
Out of the storm
We will find home
And her soul
Walks beside her
An army stands
Behind her
Lyra, Lyra
And her face
Full of grace
Two worlds collide
Around her
The truth lies
Deep inside her
Lyra, Lyra
And the stars
Look down upon her
As darkness
Settles on her
Lyra, Lyra
Who's to know
What's in the future
But we hope
We will be with her
We have all our love
To give her
Oh
Lyra, Lyra
And her soul
Walks beside her
An army stands
Behind her
Lyra, Lyra
And her face
Full of grace
Two worlds collide
Around her
The truth lies
Deep inside her
Lyra, Lyra
The song Lyra by Alexandre Desplat is a powerful and moving tribute to the character of Lyra Belacqua from the book series "His Dark Materials" by Philip Pullman. The lyrics speak of the uncertainty of life and the importance of holding onto dreams and finding one's way home even in the midst of storms. However, the song's true strength lies in its depiction of the strength and courage of Lyra, who is depicted as a heroine with an army standing behind her, and her soul walking beside her.
The song emphasizes that Lyra is not alone, even though she may at times feel lost, and reminds us that we all have the power to overcome adversity if we trust in our own abilities and remain determined to persevere. The reference to two worlds colliding around her is a nod to the central conflict of the book series, which centers around the idea of parallel universes and the temptation to control them. The lyrics suggest that Lyra is caught in the middle of this conflict, yet remains gracefully and bravely steadfast despite the forces of darkness closing in around her.
Overall, the song is an inspiring tribute to the idea of hope and the human spirit's ability to persevere even in the darkest of times. It emphasizes the importance of holding onto our dreams and the strength that can be found in the love and support of others.
Line by Line Meaning
Where are our lives?
We don't know where we stand in life and what our purpose is.
If there is no dream, Where is our home?
Without aspirations, we are lost and without a sense of belonging.
We don't know how, There will be a way, Out of the storm, We will find home
Although we may not have all the answers, we have faith that things will turn out for the better in the end.
And her soul, Walks beside her, An army stands, Behind her, Lyra, Lyra
Lyra has a strong support system that includes both her inner strength and the people around her.
And her face, Full of grace, Two worlds collide, Around her, The truth lies, Deep inside her, Lyra, Lyra
Lyra is in the center of a conflict between two opposing sides, and she holds the power to uncover the truth that lies within her.
And the stars, Look down upon her, As darkness, Settles on her, Lyra, Lyra
Even in the midst of darkness, Lyra has a cosmic presence watching over her.
Who's to know, What's in the future, But we hope, We will be with her, We have all our love, To give her, Oh Lyra, Lyra
The future is uncertain, but Lyra's loved ones hope to remain by her side through all the ups and downs.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KATE BUSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind