Microtonal music and theatre

Hi Folks

I'm in the middle of a week long intensive rehearsal with the Scottish
Borders Youth Theatre. We're working on a very lyrical adaptation of
three tales by Oscar Wilde.

I was offered the work at the last minute as the original musical
director pulled out. The producer, John Haswell, is so impressed with
the instruments both musically and visually that he has decided to have
the orchestra on stage as an integral part of the play.

Actors take turns in small groups to leave the action and to join me in
creating a soundscape throughout the whole piece. Up till now they've
had a keyboard/synth player in the wings. The result is an extremely
subtle but powerful merging of word and music where the script is
cushioned by a blanket of overtones and rhythmic motifs. As for tuning,
to simplify matters I'm using one slendro and one pelog throughout, both
in just intonation. If I had more breaks in the music I would have used
more tunings.

Not only that but now another producer wants my orchestra for a
production of "The Tempest" to be rehearsed throughout 2002/2003
culminating in a series of performances in Scotland and at a Shakespeare
festival in France next July. I can smell the studios of Hollywood
already : - )

I am delighted with people's response to the music. The most common
observation is that the music adds emotional depth to the drama. My
reflection is that microtonal music can be accessible and flexible and I
hope in this case of sufficient artistic quality. The experience should
prove invaluable in the run up to work with professional musicians.

If the play is recorded or filmed I'll post excerpts.

Best Wishes

--- In tuning@y..., Alison Monteith <alison.monteith3@w...> wrote:
> The producer, John Haswell, is so impressed with
> the instruments both musically and visually that he has decided to
> have the orchestra on stage as an integral part of the play.

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! You have met up with an enlightened director, just as Partch did with Arch Lauterer. It was through AL's belief that the instruments, and not just the music, could be part of the drammatic thrust that Partch had his first success with "King Oedipus"; his future output was continually and emphatically dramatic from that moment onward.

You've taken a great, great stride forward Alison!

> Not only that but now another producer wants my orchestra for a
> production of "The Tempest" to be rehearsed throughout 2002/2003
> culminating in a series of performances in Scotland and at a
> Shakespeare festival in France next July. I can smell the studios
> of Hollywood already : - )

So extemely cool (execpt for that last bit...)!

I'll write you off-list regarding all of this, I have some things in mind...

Excitedly,
Jon

--- In tuning@y..., Alison Monteith <alison.monteith3@w...> wrote:

/tuning/topicId_39578.html#39578

>>
> Not only that but now another producer wants my orchestra for a
> production of "The Tempest" to be rehearsed throughout 2002/2003
> culminating in a series of performances in Scotland and at a
Shakespeare festival in France next July.

***Congrats, Alison! *Another* microtonal Tempest! (I did one last
year in 1/4 comma meantone...).

Congrats!

Joseph

Hi, Alison,
I'm sorry I haven't followed the thread on this, but I think it's wonderful news, more than that!--it's the best kind of news! I wish you tremendous success with these, it's what kids really need, and we probably need it more, in a way...
The theater is so much richer with live (acoustic!) music, and with live music in 'non-western' tuning is that much richer again.
Cheers,
Pete
Alison Monteith <alison.monteith3@which.net> wrote:Hi Folks

I'm in the middle of a week long intensive rehearsal with the Scottish
Borders Youth Theatre. We're working on a very lyrical adaptation of
three tales by Oscar Wilde.

I was offered the work at the last minute as the original musical
director pulled out. The producer, John Haswell, is so impressed with
the instruments both musically and visually that he has decided to have
the orchestra on stage as an integral part of the play.

Actors take turns in small groups to leave the action and to join me in
creating a soundscape throughout the whole piece. Up till now they've
had a keyboard/synth player in the wings. The result is an extremely
subtle but powerful merging of word and music where the script is
cushioned by a blanket of overtones and rhythmic motifs. As for tuning,
to simplify matters I'm using one slendro and one pelog throughout, both
in just intonation. If I had more breaks in the music I would have used
more tunings.

Not only that but now another producer wants my orchestra for a
production of "The Tempest" to be rehearsed throughout 2002/2003
culminating in a series of performances in Scotland and at a Shakespeare
festival in France next July. I can smell the studios of Hollywood
already : - )

I am delighted with people's response to the music. The most common
observation is that the music adds emotional depth to the drama. My
reflection is that microtonal music can be accessible and flexible and I
hope in this case of sufficient artistic quality. The experience should
prove invaluable in the run up to work with professional musicians.

If the play is recorded or filmed I'll post excerpts.

Best Wishes

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