An insistent accordion sets a slightly nervous beat. A double bass adds a bit of depth. Then in comes a 290-year-old violin. That's the theme from Mission Impossible as it's never been heard before, without a trace of the usual drums, horns and flute.
Frenchman Laurent Korcia, in his late 30s, is an admirer of Lalo Schifrin, who composed the diabolically catchy song that kicked off the 1966 TV series and was recycled for the 1996 movie version. A violinist, Korcia is classically trained and beloved in France. Playing his Stradivarius, he strips the theme of bombast and makes it sound like the intimate-yet-intense plea of a trio held captive in a bar in Schifrin's native Argentina. Listening to the lilting yet slightly ominous rendition, a spy novelist might presume that the musicians are trying to distract the bad guys with amazing musicianship; that they're encoding a secret message in their playful twists on the melody; and that they're contractually obligated to play tangos that keep the patrons dancing. Missions accomplished.
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This story originally ran on Sept. 17, 2009.
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