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 Originally made up of old instruments such as rebecs and shawms alongside more modern instruments like the saxophone in order to produce as loud a sound as possible without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
Questo cazzo voglio io
Michael Nyman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Questo è colui che mi può far felice
Questo è un cazzo proprio da Imperatrice
Questa gemma val più ch'un pozzo d'oro
Ohimè, cazzo, aiutami, ch'io moro
E trova ben la foia in matrice
In fin, un cazzo piccol si disdice
Padrona mia, voi dite ben il vero
Che chi ha picciol il cazzo e in potta fotte
Meritera d'acqua fredda un clistero
Chi n'ha poco, in cul fotti dì e notte
Ma chi l'ha come ch'io spietato e fiero
Sbizzarriscasi sempre nelle potte
Gli è ver ma noi siam ghiotte
Del cazzo tanto e tanto ci par lieto
Che terremo la guglia innanzi e drieto
The song "Questo cazzo voglio io" by Michael Nyman talks about the singer's obsession with a specific male body part – the penis. The lyrics express the idea that the singer does not desire riches or treasures, but only this specific body part, which can make her happy. She considers this particular penis to be fit for an empress, valuing it more than a well of gold. She begs for help with her obsession, acknowledging that having a small penis is not ideal for the decorum while also stating that a small penis should not be a point of shame. The singer's mistress agrees with her, saying that those with small penises should focus on pleasing their partners sexually and not feel ashamed to use other means to get pleasure. Those with larger penises can indulge in their desires more easily.
The song is riddled with double entendres and explicit references to sexual acts. In the end, the singer acknowledges that society may not condone her obsession, but she and others like her revel in the pleasures it brings. The song paints a vivid picture of the singer's desires and explores the societal taboos around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Questo cazzo voglio io, non un tesoro
I do not desire treasure, rather I want this penis
Questo è colui che mi può far felice
This is the one thing that can make me happy
Questo è un cazzo proprio da Imperatrice
This is a penis fit for an Empress
Questa gemma val più ch'un pozzo d'oro
This gem is worth more than a well of gold
Ohimè, cazzo, aiutami, ch'io moro
Oh penis, help me before I die
E trova ben la foia in matrice
Find pleasure within my body
In fin, un cazzo piccol si disdice
A small penis is unappealing
Se in potta osservar vuole il decoro
If one desires decency when looking at genitals
Padrona mia, voi dite ben il vero
My mistress, you speak the truth
Che chi ha picciol il cazzo e in potta fotte
Those with a small penis still engage in sexual activities
Meritara d'acqua fredda un clistero
They deserve a cold water enema
Chi n'ha poco, in cul fotti dì e notte
Those with small penises have anal sex day and night
Ma chi l'ha come ch'io spietato e fiero
But those who have a penis like mine, cruel and proud
Sbizzarriscasi sempre nelle potte
Can indulge endlessly in sexual activities
Gli è ver ma noi siam ghiotte, Del cazzo tanto e tanto ci par lieto, Che terremo la guglia innanzi e drieto
It's true that we're fond of big penises, which make us happy, and which we'll hold high and low.
Writer(s): Dp, Michael Lawrence Nyman
Contributed by Jonathan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.