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.
L'Abeille Et Les Fleurs
Bruno Coulais Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
piangendo il suo destino,
tutta dolente e bella,
fu cangiata da Giove
in augellino che canta dolcemente, e spiega il volo,
e questo è l'usignuolo.
In verde colle udi con suo diletto cantar un giorno Amor quell' augelletto!
E del canto invaghito con miracol gentil prese di Giove ad emular le prove: onde poi ch'ebbe udito quel musico usignuol che si soave canta, gorgheggia è Lilla.
In Bruno Coulais's song "L'Abeille Et Les Fleurs" (The Bee and the Flowers), the lyrics tell a beautiful and enchanting tale. The opening lines describe a young virgin who, in tears, laments her destiny. Though full of sorrow, she possesses a captivating beauty that catches the attention of Jupiter. Moved by her plight, Jupiter transforms her into a sweet singing bird, a nightingale. The lyrics emphasize the nightingale's ability to sing melodiously and soar through the air.
As the song continues, we hear about a green hill where Love, one day, takes delight in the nightingale's song. The nightingale's singing captivates Love, and in a miraculous act of kindness, Jupiter grants the nightingale the ability to imitate Love's powers. Thus, when the nightingale hears the sweet song of another nightingale, it mimics and "sings and warbles" just like Love.
Overall, the lyrics of "L'Abeille Et Les Fleurs" depict a transformation story of a young maiden touched by divine intervention. Her sorrowful tears give way to a life filled with beauty and the ability to spread joy through her enchanting melody.
Line by Line Meaning
Offesa verginella,
A young maiden who has been hurt and offended,
piangendo il suo destino,
Crying over her destiny,
tutta dolente e bella,
Completely sorrowful yet beautiful,
fu cangiata da Giove
Was transformed by Jupiter,
in augellino che canta dolcemente, e spiega il volo,
Into a little bird that sings sweetly and spreads its wings,
e questo è l'usignuolo.
And this bird is the nightingale.
In verde colle udi con suo diletto cantar un giorno Amor quell' augelletto!
On a green hill, one day Love heard that little bird singing with delight!
E del canto invaghito con miracol gentil prese di Giove ad emular le prove:
And captivated by the song, Love, with gentle miracles, embraced the opportunity to imitate Jupiter's trials:
onde poi ch'ebbe udito quel musico usignuol che si soave canta,
So after having heard that musical nightingale singing so sweetly,
gorgheggia è Lilla.
Lilla, the beloved, begins to trill and sing.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Bruno Coulais
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind