CARTER BURWELL TALKS ABOUT THE STORY BEHIND “BELLA’S LULLABY”
Carter Burwell, the composer for “Bella’s Lullaby”, has written an entry on his website about what it took to create the melody. He starts from the beginning, before he was even signed on to help with Twilight and ends with the completion of “Bella’s Lullaby”.
Here’s an excerpt from his entry:
My concern, as a composer, is to make the film as a whole compelling, dramatic, emotional and cinematic. But in this case other extraneous concerns quickly started to pile on, all driven by the fans of the book. The piano scene was added because Summit was becoming aware that fans wanted to hear Edward play the melody referred to as “Bella’s Lullaby.” Because I hadn’t started writing yet there was a musical vacuum into which other music started to be pulled. Rob improvised a tune for the shoot. Matthew Bellamy, of Muse, sent in his idea of “Bella’s Lullaby.” And there were countless readers who already had their own ideas. None of this made my job easier.When I finally began writing music for Twilight, in early July, I moved myself, my family and my studio from New York to Los Angeles to work more closely with Catherine and the editorial team - Nancy Richardson the film editor and Adam Smalley the music editor. I began the score with Bella and Edward, specifically the scene in which he carries her into the treetops. I wanted to capture the excitement but also the challenge of this love which spans barriers of time and species. The film had been edited so that the piano scene followed the treetops scene, and the whole montage had very little dialogue so it was a good canvas on which to paint Bella and Edward’s love theme.
After trying many different approaches with mixed success I put the tune I wrote years ago for my ecstatic and tormented love against the picture and it seemed quite perfect. It has an “A” theme which is a bit ambiguous, like two people trying to find a common ground, climbing to a high and then tumbling down, and a “B” theme that is forthrightly joyful (at least as joyful as my music gets). I showed it to Catherine Hardwicke and she found it “thrilling,” “exhiliarating.” And so this unnamed tune became “Bella’s Lullaby.” It’s worth noting, though, that neither Catherine nor I ever called that. We always referred to this tune as the “Love Theme” and I think it makes much more sense if you think of it this way. It’s more complex and emotional than any lullaby I’ve ever heard.
To read the complete article, click here.
(Thanks Hugz and KrazyEm)
“Bella’s Lullaby” is very special anyway, because of it’s back story, but hearing the story about how the melody was created somehow makes it even more special. Later on in the article, Carter talks about how it was originally written for his wife, so you can’t get much better than that.
What did you think of the story? Were you surprised at what it took to create the lullaby?
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It sound really good! I have not hear the song yet so I am not able to comment on it yet.
I a little dissapointed that the song was not created for the movie but that it is an existing song of his.
But that does not mean I will not like it
I’m very excited to get the soundtrack so I will be able to comment and the music soon
Thanks for the story!
I was kind of hoping that the movie slotted a certain amount of time on Bellas lullaby rather than just a quick ‘moment montage’ of piano playing. I wanted her reaction, not just a quick shot of them at the piano. I hope I read that wrong. I am a bit ADD when it comes to reading, I scan alot.
Did you guys read the whole story? The original song was written for a woman that broke his heart and now they are married! What a great story and what a treat! Thanks Carter!
I think Bella’s Lullaby is going to be a very unique music piece. It took Carter Burwell and many people involved to make the music piece happen. It’s the struggle for Bella & Edward’s love to overcome their differences and become one. It will set the mood for the movie. The story about how the music composition was created is fitting for Twilight. I look forward to hearing the music and will appreciate it even more.
Oh WOW! What a story! He had me at that last line when he ended up marrying his tormented first love. I’d love to actually listen to his first version of the love theme/bella’s lullaby, then one that Summitt didn’t approve of. I can’t play piano, so I don’t know what those notes sound like. I’d love to hear it.
I would have loved to hear Matthew Bellamy’s version
Oh well..
OMG ! I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE THE MOVIE+HEAR BELLA’S LULLABY !!
Becaue of the way the movie was edited, at least based on the rome footage, I thought that the love theme/lullaby that he composed fit perfectly. Initially, when I had not seen the clip, I didn’t care for it mainly because it was not a piano solo. However, like he said- the movie goes from the excitement and thrill of edward taking bella thru the treetops and then cuts to his playing the piano with no dialogue. So- the score had to be able to accompany two different scenes and in that vein his version was great.
As much as I liked the clip from rome, I do wonder what it would have been like if they followed the book a bit more closely- where edward actually calls it bella’s lullaby, states that he made this song for her, and we get bella’s reaction. If they did it that way, then a piano solo would have been appropriate.
I’ve heard it, it sounds good for the movie but, personally, I don’t think it sounds like a lullaby at all. This is the one I would have loved to be Bella’s lullaby: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72HsHfhxiUg&feature=related
I just heard a brief 30 seconds of Bella’s Lullaby on Amazon and I do have to say, I’m not impressed.
First off, I don’t pictured a big orchestra behind the piano. And secondly, I really can’t see Edward humming that to her to get her to sleep.
Ugh!
They should have just used the song that people posted on the internet years ago. Yiruma - River Flows in You.
This is not a lullaby. If the director and Burwell himself both said the song does not fit the stereotype of a lullaby, then why the heck not use something else? I can pretty much guarantee that whatever Rob wrote would have been better. And Matthew Bellamy! Matthew Bellamy sent in his idea and it wasn’t used?! Are you effing kidding me?
I’m excited to see the movie for the purpose that it is Twilight, but I’ve pretty much cut off all my expectations so that I don’t come home from the theater feeling completely and utterly disappointed.
What a let-down.
bella’s lullaby calms me. its so awesome and soothing. i have no idea why the hell ppl could ever think its ‘river flows in you’ by yiruma thats bella’s lullaby -.- i wonder who started it.
That whole, “River Flows in You” being Bella’s lullaby is getting really annoying. First of all it was never going to be for the movie and it was made years ago by a Korean pianist named Yiruma. Anyways Carter Burwell did a good job on the song. It wasn’t meant to be Bella’s Lullaby (at least from what I remember reading in his website), but the people from Summit pushed for that name. Despite all of this, at least someone made a freaking song for Twilight. People always have to complain about every little thing.
this piece is really nice. I’m trying to find the piano score. If you guys got any info abt the piano score, please tell me. Thanks
elias_chung@hotmail.com
hi… i like the lullaby… could i have a copy of this piece?? please…
I’ve heard it and am not impressed at all. Although it is a nice piece, who in their right might would call that a lullaby. It sounds better suited for a track on the Lord of the Rings soundtracks. And how did Edwards piano song turn into a full orchestra? Did the rest of the family pick up instraments? Again, i’m not knocking the music per se but I think it was the wrong fit for the soundtrack. I can see why people like Yiruma’s River Flows in You much better because it is something closer to what you imagined when you first read that scene. I’ve listened to it and it is a wonderfully piece and I can see why people disregard Burwell’s version of the lullaby for this one. If you need more proof, go into the iTunes music store and look up Yiruma..the popularity on that song is through the roof and completely well deserved.
Well, just as the composer said, it is exhilarating and thrilling. I obviously prefer the version that Rob improvise because he was very much in character and he understands it well. Goodness, he even introduced Kristen to everyone as his fiancee because he was in and out of character for 12 months. Heh. I really fell in love with Rob’s version. At first, I was more interested in River flow in me by Yurima but after hearing the advance piano solo, which is Love Theme ver. 2. I quickly agree that they have chosen the right song. I love the entire show. It’s been such a long time since a movie have captivated my every attention and just ride the whole show.
I’m a Taiwanese!However I love Twilight so much,and I love Carter Burwell,it’s an amazing song!Did anybody know the piano score?
i didn’t like it. or the movie. the books were better.
well..i love twilight..the movie and all the books…
and of course i love rob!…
where i can listen the rob´s version of lullaby??
please..someone help me
greetings!
i like bella’s lullaby, it’s really pretty but it could have been better for the movie. the lullaby isn’t very lullaby-ish. it had violins and there’s nothing in the book about violins. unless stephenie forgot to mention that rosalie was playing them in the background. while downloading music i came across some songs that were really pretty! for example, river flows in you by yiruma and another one on an edward cullen myspace. they were really pretty and plus they had no violins.
I have know idea what you guys are babbling about cos’ I seriously prefer ‘River Flows In You’ by Yiruma better.
Bellicemee, you are 100% CORRECT. can you imagine edwawrd humming burwell’s version of the lullaby? ‘River Flows In You’ and ‘Kiss The Rain’ and ‘Maybe’ by Yiruma is terrific. PLEASE LISTEN AND CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT BURWELL!!!
I thought Bella’s lullaby would be different, more…softer…I don’t know….but I still LOVED it. The question I guess I have is whether or not he will be doing the score for “NEW MOON” too?
I agree.
When people talk about lullabies, they are supposed to be soft and slow moving, something that captures the heart.
As this is bella’s lullaby, i thought it was supposed to capture edward’s love for her.
Yiruma’s ‘River flows In You’ just owns =)
Im in love with this