The ensemble for this project comprises a triangle and slide whistle, performed by myself, in addition to acoustic guitar, trumpet, and oboe. The combination of instruments was selected with the comic nature of the film in mind, enabling exploration of a wide range of comedic sounds. Triangle and slide-whistles are frequently associated with humour, while the oboe is often linked to a ‘hawnky’ tone, and the trumpet offers a range of mutes that can produce unusual sounds. Additionally, both the oboe and trumpet can be played using only the reed and mouthpiece, creating a distinctive high-pitched sound that leads to a humorous effect. To organize the work, we utilized key elements and scenes from the film to outline some fundamental structural points for the performance.
INTRODUCTION
During this academic year, I became involved in the Birmingham Flatpack Film festival project, in which other composers and I were given a silent movie to score. Differently from my scoring approach in Turned On, this project had to involve the live performance of music to a movie, and therefore conventional film scoring approaches would prove to be demanding, as preparing click tracks in a live environment can be a chaotic experience. Furthermore, acoustic instruments would be the core focus of the live performance.
THE WORK
I chose to expand upon my compositional practices by devising an improvised performance for this project, something that I have never explored before. Initially, I had envisioned incorporating conduction, as found in some of Butch Morris' works. However, the group that I assembled for this performance exceeded my initial expectations. They are great at intuitive improvisation and respond well to suggestions. Our approach involved testing out ideas as a collective, with me providing overall creative direction by orchestrating these improvised forces. While I did not utilize conduction, as Morris did, I served as a guiding authority within the project, shaping the creative output of the work.
During the first scene set in the kitchen, the guitar serves as the "glue" that binds the ensemble together while also providing harmonic accompaniment. The opening shots of the film correspond to the initial guitar groove. The triangle contributes to the overall sound, supporting the guitar while mimicking the ticking of the clock present in the film. Simultaneously, the trumpet is responsible for producing the majority of the folley and special effects sounds. Finally, the oboe assists in setting the comic tone, with the player primarily employing only the reed for a significant portion of the scene.
Following the previous scene, Mary Jane is propelled out of the chimney. To underscore her trajectory, I switch to the slide whistle. It is worth noting the solo trumpet burst that accompanies the sound of Mary Jane's boots falling, adding to the comedic effect of the scene.
The film's final pivotal moment occurs when Mary Jane's ghost appears during her funeral. To create a sense of cohesion and closure, we reintroduced the musical material explored in the first scene. This choice allowed for a connection between all musical elements and led to a comical and fitting end to the film.
My primary objective with this scoring approach is to evoke laughter from the audience. Drawing inspiration from early cartoons, I have utilized acoustic instruments to blend conventional film scoring with sound design elements. The comedic tone of the movie provides an ideal camvas for exploring contemporary and unconventional playing techniques, such as flutter-tongued slide whistle, oboe multiphonics, percussive elements on trumpet and guitar, oboe reeds and trumpet mouth pieces. These techniques enable me to push the boundaries of traditional scoring and create a unique and entertaining musical experience that complements the comedic nature of the film.
CHALLENGES
Finding the right players for this project was the most challenging part. Given the limited time frame to create a performance for this work, it was essential to find individuals who were not only technically proficient but also confident and comfortable with the concept of free improvisation. Therefore, I opted to seek out musicians who had prior experience in jazz and free improvisation. While my initial expectation was that I would need to conduct the ensemble, to my delight, we were able to establish an exceptional group dynamic from the very first rehearsal, which made the collaborative process smooth and rewarding.
REFLECTION
This work represents a significant departure from my usual compositional approach, as it relied heavily on verbal communication to guide the creation of all musical elements. For the first time, I devised an improvised performance and utilized a film to shape various aspects of the music. Furthermore, I was able to establish strong connections with open-minded performers who were receptive to my ideas and suggestions, resulting in a collaborative writing process that prioritized individuals over instruments. Our upcoming public performance on May 21st, 2023 is focused on eliciting laughter from the audience through our music, demonstrating the potential of music to convey humour and light-heartedness.
The second significant point in the film occurs when the main character, Mary Jane, begins applying paraffin to the stove. At this juncture, all instruments are employed to create a sense of escalating tension, culminating in Mary Jane's explosion.
The subsequent scene marks a significant shift in setting, as it depicts Mary Jane's funeral. Drawing inspiration from the practice of pianists performing classical piano pieces for silent films in the early 20th century, I adopted a similar approach for this particular scene. However, I opted to imbue the classical piece with a comedic tone, rather than a sombre one, given the context of the funeral. As a result, I chose to play Chopin's Funeral March out of tune on the slide whistle, accompanied by the sound of a trumpet struck by a trumpet mute to replicate the sound of a church bell, overall setting a comic tone to the funeral.
The opening sequence serves to generate hype and excitement, similar to the 20th Century Fox introduction. Nevertheless, the unique and comedic texture created by the triangle, trumpet mouth piece, and oboe reed effectively conveys the film's humorous tone, setting the stage for the comedic tone of the film.
