Coulais began his musical education on the violin and piano, aiming to become a composer of contemporary classical music. However, a series of acquaintances gradually re-oriented him towards film music. Coulais was particularly influenced by director François Reichenbach, who asked him in 1977 to write the soundtrack to his new documentary Mexico Magico. The first full-length production he composed the score for was the 1986 film La femme secrète by Sébastien Grall. Until the end of the 1990s, he remained low-profile, composing mainly for television. His name can often be found from TV films by Gérard Marx and Laurent Heynemann. He also composed the soundtracks for Christine Pascal's 1992 film Le petit prince a dit, and Agnès Merlet's Le fils du requin in 1993.
In 1994, he met the television producer Josée Dayan, who let him write a theme for the TV series La rivière Esperance, aired on the France 2 network in autumn 1995. He worked with Dayan again with other major productions such as Le comte de Monte-Cristo, Balzac, and Les nuiteux.
The largest turning point of his career came in 1996, when he worked with directors Claude Nuridsany and Marie Pérennou of the documentary Microcosmos. This single film, which gave a great significance to the music in it, was a great success and made Coulais one of the most wanted composers of French film music. In 1997, he won the César award for the best musical score in a film, as well as a Victoire de la Musique. His reputation was confirmed by the soundtracks to Himalaya (1999) and Les rivières pourpres (2000), and after that Bruno Coulais's name was to be found on most new French blockbusters, such as Belphégor and Vidocq.
After producing the soundtrack to Winged Migration in 2001, Coulais announced that he wanted to significantly reduce his contributions to film music, and instead concentrate on other projects, such as the creation of an opera for children, and collaborations with Akhenaton, Akhenaton's group IAM and the Corsican group A Filetta, with whom he had worked since he had made the soundtrack for Jacques Weber's film Don Juan in 1998.
In 2002, his name was found on the ending credits of the animation L'enfant qui voulait être un ours, and in 2004, on Frédéric Schoendoerffer's Agents secrets. The same year, he wrote the soundtrack to the film Les choristes by Christophe Baratier, which subsequently became an international hit. The music for this film received as great praise as the film itself, and it won Coulais his third César award. Since then, Coulais's collaborations in cinema seem to be limited to works by directors with whom he already shares some history, in particular Jacques Perrin, Frédéric Schoendoerffer, and James Huth.
Bruno Coulais's musical style may vary significantly between different projects, but there are some constant factors visible: his taste for opera and for human voice (in particular that of children), for a search for original sonority, for world music and mixing different musical cultures, and finally, a certain tendency to give preference to the ambience created by lighting rather than the film's narration.
In Memoriam A Cappella
Bruno Coulais Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kyrie Christe eleison (Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine)
Christe ele-ele-ison elei (Eis Domine, Et lux perpetua)
Kyrie (luceat e is)
Kyrie eleison (Te decet ymnus)
(Kyrie) Kyrie (Deus in sion)
Christe eleison(et tibi redeturvotum)(Christe)
Christe(in Jerusalem)(eleison)
Eleison, eleison (Jerusason)(eleison)
Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison
Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison
Kyrie eleison (Kyrie)
Christe eleison (eleison)
Kyrie eleison (Christe)
Christe eleison (elei, eleison)
Kyrie (Requiem aeternam)
Eleison (dona eis, Domine)
Kyrie (eis Domine)
Christe eleison (Requiem aeternam)
Christe eleison eleison (dona eis, Domine, Requiem aeternam)
Kyrie (eleison)
Eleison
Eleison
(Kyrie)
(Kyrie)
Kyrie (eleison) eleison
Christe eleison (Christe)
Christe
Christe (eleison) eleison
Elei, eleison (eleison)
Eleison
Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison
Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison
Kyrie eleison (Kyrie)
Christe eleison (eleison)
Kyrie eleison (Christe)
Christe eleison (elei, eleison)
Kyrie
eleison is a Greek phrase that translates to "Lord, have mercy" in English. This phrase is used in religious contexts, particularly in the Christian liturgy. The song "In Memoriam A Cappella" by Bruno Coulais incorporates this phrase throughout the lyrics. The repetition of the phrase creates a somber, reflective mood. The use of Latin and Greek in the lyrics, as well as the allusions to religious themes, adds to the solemn tone of the song.
The lyrics at the end of the song, "Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, dona eis requiem aeternam" translate to "Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, grant them eternal rest." This is a reference to the Christian belief in eternal life after death. The use of the phrase "dona eis requiem aeternam" adds to the emotional weight of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Kyrie eleison (Christe eleison)
Lord have mercy (Christ have mercy)
Kyrie Christe eleison (Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine)
Lord Christ have mercy (Give them eternal rest, O Lord)
Christe ele-ele-ison elei (Eis Domine, Et lux perpetua)
Christe eleison (O Lord, and perpetual light)
Kyrie (luceat e is)
Lord (let light shine upon them)
Kyrie eleison (Te decet ymnus)
Lord have mercy (You deserve a hymn)
(Kyrie) Kyrie (Deus in sion)
(Lord) Lord (God in Zion)
Eleison
Have mercy
Christe eleison(et tibi redeturvotum)(Christe)
Christ have mercy (and receive our vow) (Christ)
Christe(in Jerusalem)(eleison)
Christ (in Jerusalem) have mercy
Eleison, eleison (Jerusason)(eleison)
Have mercy, have mercy (O Jerusalem) (have mercy)
Kyrie eleison Christe eleison Kyrie eleison Christe eleison
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy
Kyrie eleison (Kyrie) Christe eleison (eleison)
Lord have mercy (Lord) Christ have mercy (have mercy)
Kyrie eleison (Christe) Christe eleison (elei, eleison)
Lord have mercy (Christ) Christ have mercy (have mercy, have mercy)
Kyrie (Requiem aeternam) Eleison (dona eis, Domine)
Lord (Grant them eternal rest) have mercy (O Lord)
Kyrie (eis Domine) Christe eleison (Requiem aeternam)
Lord (with You O Lord) Christ have mercy (Grant them eternal rest)
Christe eleison eleison (dona eis, Domine, Requiem aeternam)
Christ have mercy, have mercy (Grant them eternal rest, O Lord)
Kyrie (eleison) Eleison Eleison
Lord (have mercy) Have mercy, have mercy
(Kyrie) (Kyrie)
(Lord) (Lord)
Kyrie (eleison) eleison Christe eleison (Christe)
Lord (have mercy) have mercy, Christ have mercy (Christ)
Christe (eleison) eleison Elei, eleison (eleison)
Christ (have mercy) have mercy, have mercy (have mercy)
Kyrie eleison Christe eleison Kyrie eleison Christe eleison
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRUNO COULAIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind