Nyman, who had studied with the noted Baroque music scholar Thurston Dart at King's College London, drew frequently on early music sources in his scores for Greenaway's films: Henry Purcell in The Draughtsman's Contract and The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber in A Zed and Two Noughts, Mozart in Drowning by Numbers, and John Dowland in Prospero's Books.
Nyman's popularity increased significantly after he wrote the score to Jane Campion's award-winning 1993 film The Piano. The album ("The Piano") became a classical music best-seller. Although Nyman's score was central to the movie he did not receive an Academy Award nomination despite being nominated for both a British Academy Award and a Golden Globe. He has scored numerous other films, the vast majority of them art films from Europe. His few forays into Hollywood composing have been Gattaca ("Gattaca"), Ravenous (with musician Damon Albarn), and The End of the Affair ("The End of the Affair").
Among Nyman's better known non-film works are Noises, Sounds & Sweet Airs (1987), for soprano, alto, tenor and instrumental ensemble (based on Nyman's score for La Princesse de Milan); Ariel Songs (1990) for soprano and band; MGV (Musique à Grande Vitesse) (1993) for band; concertos for piano (based on The Piano score), harpsichord, trombone and saxophone; the opera The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (1986), based on a case-study by Oliver Sacks; and several string quartets.
On children's television shows, Michael has created the music for Katie and Orbie and Titch.
Many of Nyman's works are written for his own ensemble, the Michael Nyman Band, a group formed for a 1976 production of Carlo Goldonip's Il Campiello. Originally made up of old instruments such as rebecs and shawms alongside more modern instruments like the saxophone in order to produce as loud a sound as possible without amplification, it later switched to a fully amplified lineup of string quartet, three saxophones, bass trombone, bass guitar and piano. This line up has been variously altered and augmented for some works.
Nyman also wrote an influential book in 1974 on experimental music called Experimental Music: Cage and Beyond, which explored the influence of John Cage on classical composers. He is generally acknowledged to have been the first to apply the term "minimalism" to music, in a 1968 article in The Spectator magazine about the English composer Cornelius Cardew.
In the 1970s, Nyman was a member of the infamous Portsmouth Sinfonia, the self-described World's Worst Orchestra - playing on their recordings and in their concerts.
He has also recorded pop music, with the Flying Lizards
Diary of Love
Michael Nyman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How can I explain this feeling growing with each passing day
interrogating me, wonder if she feels the same way
may be we just drops of water in the endless sea
We met we parted
It's all an arrangement destiny has in store for us
I wonder if this secrect will ever revealed
Writting in our diary of love
You're the only one I dream of
Wondering if your heart will always truly be mine
Writting in our diary of love
wishing on a star that's falling
A falling star that takes me closer to your heart
Chapter two, this is when we fell in love
You held my hand and said you love me till the end of the world
We embraced and we kissed passionately
You promised me you never leave me
No matter what life brings
You'll always be there forever as lovers will be
But then, when I reach for you, you weren't there
Tell me it's not just fantasy
Writting in our diary of love
You're the only one I dream of
Wondering if your heart will always truly be mine
Writting in our diary of love
wishing on a star that's falling
A falling star that takes me closer to your heart...
The lyrics of Michael Nyman's song "Diary of Love" are a reflection of the complex emotions experienced in a romantic relationship. The song starts with the singer questioning his own feelings for his significant other and wondering if she feels the same way. He compares their relationship to drops of water in an endless sea, acknowledging that they are tiny components in the vast universe. Despite this, destiny has brought them together, and they have started writing their story in the diary of love.
The second chapter focuses on the time they fell in love. The singer recounts moments of intense passion and love, where promises were made to stay together forever. However, reality sets in, and doubts creep in as the singer is left wondering if these promises were just empty words. The song ends with the singer expressing his desire to be closer to his lover's heart and wishing upon a falling star to make his dreams come true.
Overall, the lyrics of "Diary of Love" evoke a sense of longing, vulnerability, and uncertainty that are common in romantic relationships. The singer's introspection on his feelings and his doubts about the future of the relationship are relatable to anyone who has been in a similar situation.
Line by Line Meaning
How can I explain this feeling growing with each passing day
I'm struggling to articulate how my emotions are intensifying over time.
interrogating me, wonder if she feels the same way
I'm constantly questioning myself and pondering whether she shares the same sentiments.
may be we just drops of water in the endless sea
Perhaps we're insignificant and fleeting, just like drops of water in the vastness of the ocean.
We met we parted
Our paths crossed, but we went our separate ways.
It's all an arrangement destiny has in store for us
Everything that happens is predetermined by fate.
May be friends not lovers we'll be
Maybe we'll end up as friends instead of romantic partners.
I wonder if this secrect will ever revealed
I'm curious if our hidden feelings will ever be exposed.
Writting in our diary of love
We're chronicling our feelings and experiences in a shared journal.
You're the only one I dream of
You're the sole focus of my romantic fantasies.
Wondering if your heart will always truly be mine
I'm uncertain if your feelings for me are everlasting and genuine.
wishing on a star that's falling
I'm making a wish on a shooting star.
A falling star that takes me closer to your heart
I hope that my wish will bring us closer together.
Chapter two, this is when we fell in love
This marks the point in our shared story where we fell in love.
You held my hand and said you love me till the end of the world
You expressed your undying love for me in a tender moment.
We embraced and we kissed passionately
We shared a deep and intense romantic moment.
You promised me you never leave me
You made a commitment to stay by my side no matter what.
No matter what life brings
Regardless of the obstacles or challenges we may face.
You'll always be there forever as lovers will be
We'll always be together as lifelong romantic partners.
But then, when I reach for you, you weren't there
However, when I needed you, you weren't present.
Tell me it's not just fantasy
I'm pleading with you to assure me that our love isn't just an illusion.
Writer(s): MICHAEL NYMAN
Contributed by Makayla W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.