Description: THREADS is in 9 parts:
The soundtrack for THREADS was designed specifically for Kate Mitchell's choreography. And in that regard it is very much a collaboration. Kate gave me general descriptions of what would be happening on stage in each section, and what she had in mind for the sense of the music. Then I would try to match these very open verbal descriptions with sound material. We would iterate through many drafts until each section came to life. As a result, the music is an integral part of the choreography.
Note: The links to MP3 files may not work well on dial-up connections. They are 8 to 16 MB each, and will take a long time to download on slow connections.
[1] Cloistered (solo). The music is "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah"
from Chanticleer's
Our American Journey, played without any modification.
[2] Runway (The Company). The music is "Jogging A Tombouctou"
from Zap Mama's
Seven, also played without modification.
[3] Outside Inside (duet). This uses original music that I did using Reason
2.5. It is scored for a "Fat Flute", "Great Clarinet", and "Grand
Guitar". These digital
instruments were created out of samples of real instruments but modified to produce
a larger sound. The two lines of the flute and clarinet reflect each other as
the two dancers reflect each other on the stage. The guitar-like instrument provides
phrasing of their motions. (MP3)
[4] Dollhouse (The Company). The music is a sound collage based on J.S.
Bach's Minuet in D minor from the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebooks. It also includes
street sounds from Budapest, jazz riffs, and a final orchestration in digital
instruments. (MP3)
[5] Inside Outside (duet). Digital recomposition based on a MIDI version
of the Piano Prelude and Fugue #2 in A Minor by Dmitri Shostakovitch (1950).
(Only the Prelude is used.) This section is in three parts. The first overlays
the Prelude against itself four ways with different instrumentation. The second
and third parts utilize only the first two bars of the Prelude in various instrumentations
and deconstructions. By the final section the music is entirely transformed.
(MP3)
[6] Chambermaids [quintet]. Collage of "Tales From The Ney" from Kudsi
Erguner's Sufi Music of Turkey. Here the ney flute is overlaid with itself to
add depth and complexity.
[7] Ingenues on Ice [The Company]. The music is a digital recomposition
and orchestration of the Piano Etude in C Minor Opus 2 Number 4 by Serge Prokofiev
(1909). A MIDI version of the piano piece is first mapped onto percussion
instruments. Eventually pitched instruments are added and the
Etude ends in a constructivist digital orchestration reminiscent of a Dziga
Vertov film! (MP3)
[8] Stilettantes [trio]. The music is "Maheshvara Yogi-Raga Jog" from
deejay master Cheb I Sabbah's Shri
Durga, unmodified.
[9] Union [The Company]. This is an original piece for sonic flute and
a digital ensemble in motion. (MP3)
How the music was produced:
I used Reason 2.5 from Propellerhead Software in Sweden for most of the digital sound generation.
Apple Soundtrack was used to mix separate tracks for the sound collages.
Roxio Jam generated the performance CD, and created the cross fades and effects between sections.
Working with these music software applications made the kind of collaboration with the choreographer possible. I was able to create quick sketches, and use that material as a starting point for further detailed development.
Contact me at for further information about the music.
I am always interested in hearing about new projects. ----Richard Friedman
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