Le Phare

For the proposed skyscraper in Paris, see Le Phare (skyscraper).

Le Phare
Studio album by Yann Tiersen
Released	20 February 1998
Recorded	1998
Length	43:56
Label	Ici, d'ailleurs...
Yann Tiersen chronology
Rue des cascades (1996) Le Phare (1998) Tout est Calme (1999)

Le Phare (English: The Lighthouse) is the third studio album by French composer Yann Tiersen. This was the artist's breakthrough album.[1] He collaborated with distinguished French songwriter Dominique A (who wrote and provided vocals to both "Monochrome" and "Les Bras de mer"). It is typical of Tiersen's work for violin, mandolin, accordion and piano to feature heavily. Also a trademark feature of his style is unusual instrumentation, including a bicycle wheel, typewriters and saucepans. Three songs from this album, "La Dispute", "La Noyée", and "Sur le fil" were used later for Tiersen's soundtrack for the film Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain. "L'Homme aux bras ballants" is also the soundtrack to a short film by the same name by Laurent Gorgiard.[2] "Sur le fil" has become a live favourite, normally only the violin section performed with great intensity, sometimes even breaking many hairs on the bow.[3]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[4]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Yann Tiersen except track #12, "Les Bras de mer", written by Dominique A

No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Le Quartier"		2:01
2.	"La Rupture"	Claire Pichet	2:49
3.	"Monochrome"	Dominique A	3:16
4.	"La Dispute"		4:14
5.	"L'Arrivée sur l'île"		1:03
6.	"La Noyée"		2:23
7.	"Le Fromveur"		1:20
8.	"L'Homme aux bras ballants"		5:05
9.	"Sur le fil"		7:28
10.	"Les Jours heureux"		2:10
11.	"La Crise"		1:37
12.	"Les Bras de mer" (written by Dominique A)	Dominique A	3:10
13.	"La Chute"		5:48
14.	"L'Effondrement"		1:32
Total length:			43:56

Personnel

This also contains all the instruments used on the album.[5][6]

Musicians Yann Tiersen - violins, accordion, piano, mandolins, guitar, typewriter, small and big saucepans, cooking pot, tam-tam, banjo, harpsichord, oud, acoustic guitar, 12 stringed guitar, toy piano, vibraphone, cello, melodica, chimes, bowed mandolins, bicycles, bontempi, vocals Claire Pichet - vocals on "La Rupture" Dominique A - vocals on "Monochrome", vocals, piano, and guitar on "Les Bras de mer" Sacha Toorop - percussion, drum kit, big drum, and small bell on "Le Quartier", "La Rupture", "Monochrome", and "Les Bras de mer"

Production Stephane Kraemer - engineer, mixing Frank Loriou - artwork Renaud Monfourny - photography

Charts

Chart (1998)	Peak position
French Albums Chart[7]	50

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[8]	Gold	100,000^*
^* Sales figures based on certification alone.

According to Music for New Zealand the album has sold over 160,000 copies.[9]

Notes

1. "Yann Tiersen". All Tomorrow's Parties.
2. L'Homme aux bras ballants on YouTube
3. Yann Tiersen-sur le fil in madrid 2006 on YouTube
4. Le Phare at AllMusic
5. Le Phare (Media notes). Yann Tiersen. Nancy, France: Ici, d'ailleurs... 1998.
6. Le Phare at Discogs (list of releases)
7. "Yann Tiersen - Le Pahre". lescharts.com. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
8. "French compilation certifications – Yann Tiersen – Le Phare" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
9. Music for New Zealand Years 9 & 10. Cambridge. 20 August 2013. ISBN 9781107612068. Retrieved 15 August 2018.