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.
Sirens of the Sea
Bruno Coulais Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Between the north, between the south
Between the west, between the east
Between the time, between the place
From the shell
A song of the sea
Neither quiet nor calm
Mo ghrá (My love)
Between the winds, between the waves
Between the sands, between the shore
From the shell
A song of the sea
Neither quiet nor calm
Searching for love again
Between the stones, between the storm
Between belief, between the sea
Tá mé i dtiúin (I am in tune)
The song "Sirens of the Sea" by Bruno Coulais features lyrics that are reminiscent of a love letter to the ocean. The song is a beautiful exploration of the vastness of the sea and the emotions it can evoke. The song speaks of being between the here and now, the north and south, the west and east, the time and place, and finding oneself in tune with the sea.
The lyrics further convey a sense of longing and a search for love again through their reference to a "song of the sea" from a shell. The sea is portrayed as neither calm nor quiet, and this hints at the fact that it can be unpredictable and even dangerous. Yet, despite its raw power, the sea seems to offer a certain kind of solace and refuge for those who seek it.
The final line of the lyrics, "Tá mé i dtiúin" (I am in tune), is a nod to the Irish language, and this is perhaps an acknowledgment of the Celtic traditions that are woven into the song's melody and lyrics. Ultimately, "Sirens of the Sea" is a poetic tribute to the majesty of the ocean and the deep emotional connection that it inspires in those who are drawn to it.
Line by Line Meaning
Between the here, between the now
Amidst the present and location
Between the north, between the south
Amongst the poles, distances in the earth
Between the west, between the east
Within the cardinal directions
Between the time, between the place
Existing within the concept of time and space
From the shell
Emitted from a shell
A song of the sea
A melody of the ocean
Neither quiet nor calm
Not peaceful or tranquil
Searching for love again
Seeking affection once more
Mo ghrá (My love)
Term of endearment, referring to a lover
Between the winds, between the waves
Amidst the gusts and fluctuating tides
Between the sands, between the shore
Amongst the grains and coastline
Between the stones, between the storm
Within the rocks and turbulence
Between belief, between the sea
Existing between faith and the ocean
Tá mé i dtiúin (I am in tune)
I am in harmony
Contributed by Lily M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.