THERE IS NO CURE
Track 5 from FAUST. The recording of the live soundtrack composed & performed by GEOFF SMITH on hammered dulcimers & voice for the silent film masterpiece FAUST (1926, Dir: F. W. Murnau).
THERE IS NO CURE
GEOFFREY SMITH: prototype diatonic dulcimer with PHILIPPE BARNES: flutes.
The Faust soundtrack comprises 17 tracks. The remaining tracks will be published on this youtube channel in the following weeks.
www.dulcimer.co.uk www.thefluidpia...
ARTICLE ABOUT THE FILM & SOUNDTRACK
Does Satan walk the Earth? He does in F.W. Murnau's masterpiece…
F.W. Murnau was the genius that myths grew around. He knew both the dangers of temptation and its delights.This is clear in his adaptation of Goethe’s (1749-1832) legend of Faust which was filmed a minimum of fifteen times during the silent era. His 1926 silent version remains the definitive motion picture version of the legendary tale. Although less known in the UK than his earlier film Nosferatu, Murnau’s Faust - alongside Sunrise, is arguably his highest achievement and can be ranked among the greatest of the silent masterpieces. Murnau's vision echoes and embraces Rembrandt and Mantegna, Durer and Altdorfer, Goethe and Marlow and the tale unfolding on the screen blossoms from darkness into light as his enormous artistic ambitions are realised.
Geoff Smith’s score for Faust further explores his approach to composition and performance that has also been exemplified in Haxan, The Adventures of Prince Achmed & The Cabinet of Dr Caligari. As well as a composer, performer, vocalist, songwriter and percussionist Geoff Smith is acknowledged both as a world-leading virtuoso and a unique innovator in composition, technique and performance on the hammered dulcimer. He is also a pioneer in dulcimer design.
Geoff’s new score has been inspired and led by Murnau’s genius: he accomplishes what simply could not be realised in the operatic stage versions of the Faust legend.There is a palpable atmosphere of excitement, evil, temptation and perversion: enabled by inspirational direction of a highly talented ensemble cast, virtuoso camera work, innovative lighting techniques as well as absolutely astounding special effects that were decades ahead of their time and which are all the more impressive when viewed from a 21st century perspective. Every shot is an artistic masterpiece underlining Murnau’s creative and inspirational obsession with achieving the complete aesthetic for every single moment of the film. When Murnau made Faust for the ‘big screen’ he bought Goethe’s legend to life as only the cinema can.
For the performance of Faust Geoff uses three different prototype dulcimers two of which are historic innovations in instrument design: one being the first UK fixed position chromatic dulcimer, the other being the first microtonal dulcimer incorporating Fluid Tuning Mechanisms. It would have been impossible to compose and perform the soundtrack for Faust without Geoff’s invention - the Fluid Tuning Mechanism - which in turn led to his invention of the Fluid Piano:
www.thefluidpia...
The hammered dulcimer is an ancient percussion instrument struck by small wooden
hammers, sticks or mallets.The largest dulcimers have well over 100 strings. Each
country has its own indigenous dulcimer which peculiarly reflects its respective culture -
England, Scotland, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Iran, Iraq, India, Germany, Egypt,Tibet, China,
Korea, Mexico and so on.There is much debate as to the instrument’s origins before it spread around the world (if it did). Dulcimers are referred to in the King James Version of the bible. According to information available in the west, the oldest known depiction of a dulcimer is from a 12th century ivory book cover made in Byzantium for the wife of the Count of Anjou (1139). Until today the dulcimer has been seen as a traditional instrument and has usually been used in folk and classical musics in respective cultures.
This immensely dynamic score illuminates Murnau’s aesthetic
obsession, the juxtaposition of terror with dark humour, the exploitation of human
vulnerability and the ultimate triumph of the spirit.
MEDIA
"It's a tribute to Smith that his music was able to bring this wonderful move back to life."
Financial Times
“The Hammered Dulcimer has been waiting for someone like Geoff Smith to
come along.” Fiona Talkington, BBC Radio 3.
“A fascinating combination of disturbing images and otherworldly sounds which
yanks the tradition of silent movie accompaniment spectacularly back to the
future. Smith is a virtuoso percussionist who has revolutionised a forgotten
instrument.” Sunday Times
***** The Scotsman
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18 сен 2024
