The Ghost with the Death's Head
You must love me
The angels wept tonight
At the graveyard in Perros-Guirec
The enchanted violin - the resurrection of Lazarus
The Chandelier
Masked ball
Souterrain - "Everything that is underground belongs to him"
I am Don Juan Triumphant!
Christine! Christine!
From the cellars to the house on the lake
In the torture chamber
La mort du Fantôme
Epilogue

If you thought that incorporating Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata in D minor within the 1962 film adaptation of "The Phanton of the Opeara" added an extra layer of spook effect to the movie, think again. Despite that piece of music being erroneously associated with horror films, it's child's play when compared to the bone-chilling, spectral sound effects within this new recording

Release notes from the label: "Les ombres du Fantôme presents a captivating exploration of Gaston Leroux's timeless novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra (1910) through fourteen evocative improvisations. Recorded in July 2021 using the majestic organs of Coventry and Arundel Cathedrals, accompanied by soprano voice and saxophone/bass clarinet, these improvisations delve deep into the narrative, themes, characters, and events of Leroux's masterpiece. Employing an inventive musical language and leveraging the unique acoustics of these historic buildings, Les ombres du Fantôme transcends the physical realm, delivering a dynamic spectralism that immerses listeners in a sonic journey enhanced and extended through retrospective electronic augmentations. The meticulous production process behind Les ombres du Fantôme combines traditional recording techniques with innovative digital manipulation, resulting in a mesmerizing blend of sonic textures and timbral variations. From the haunting echoes of cathedral spaces to the ethereal harmonies of spectral editing, each track resonates with a sense of mystery and intrigue, inviting listeners to immerse themselves in the timeless allure of Leroux's Phantom of the Opera. Les ombres du Fantôme is more than just an album - it's a sonic exploration that transcends time and space, offering a captivating reinterpretation of a literary classic."

The booklet notes go on to explain: "Convolution reverberation from some remarkable acoustic spaces was occasionally added for special effects. This is a mechanism by which the actual acoustic of a space can be captured and then later superimposed upon a different sound, evoking the notion of that sound occurring in said space." Some of these spaces include a 2,000,000 gallon underground water-storage facility, and the King's Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Seriously, if the sudden very loud pipe organ chords don't make you jump, at least the soft, distant, echoing passages which when listened to through headphones seem to emanate from deep inside your head, will have you looking over your shoulder. This is not music in the usual sense of the word, but rather an amalgam of musical strands, distant voices, and computer generated sound effects, that seek to conjure up the essence of this tragic story. You often get the feeling that you're inside a dark, desolate, large cathedral filled with long subterranean passages that echo the phantom's pain and sorrow.