Draft:Cloud Atlas Symphony

Cloud Atlas Symphony is a symphonic work composed by Gene Pritsker, inspired by the score of the 2012 film Cloud Atlas, directed by Tom Tykwer and The Wachowskis, based on the novel by David Mitchell. The film's score, composed by Tom Tykwer, Reinhold Heil, and Johnny Klimek, was orchestrated by Gene Pritsker and performed by the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony.

The symphony, commissioned alongside the film score, premiered on November 11, 2012, at the Impuls Festival in Halle, Germany, conducted by Kristjan Järvi. NEscapes Records later released the symphony as digital download, performed by the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony and choir.

Background and Composition

The Cloud Atlas Symphony emerged from Gene Pritsker's involvement as the lead orchestrator. The film score was a collaborative effort that began well before the film's production, with composers Tykwer, Heil, and Klimek developing melodies and musical materials. Pritsker was tasked with transforming these electronic and sampled elements into orchestral compositions, adding new colors and expanding on certain ideas. This creative process allowed Pritsker to experiment with modern extended techniques and orchestral writing.

In conjunction with orchestrating, Pritsker was commissioned to compose a symphony based on the film's music. He viewed this symphony as a separate entity within the Cloud Atlas artistic universe, alongside the novel, film, and film score. The symphony was intended to offer a new perspective on the story, using music to explore its themes and emotions without the constraints of accompanying visual media. The symphony consists of six movements, reflecting the six interwoven storylines of the novel and film, though it does not directly correlate to specific characters or plots. Instead, it serves as an overarching musical interpretation of the Cloud Atlas narrative.

Pritsker describes the symphony as an independent work, akin to Igor Stravinsky's approach in his Pulcinella Suite, where he reimagined the music of Pergolesi. The symphony incorporates echoes of the film's musical material, with some movements more directly quoting the original score than others.

Structure and Themes

The symphony is structured in six movements, each exploring different musical ideas and themes.

First Movement: "Evolving"

The first movement, "Evolving," develops the "Cloud Atlas Sextet" theme from the film score, gradually introducing and expanding upon its notes. Pritsker begins with the first two notes of the theme, gradually introducing additional notes and intertwining them with his own melodies. This movement is characterized by layered phrasing and strong dynamics, featuring brass and percussion in an opening full of warning and premonition. The tempo increases, building to a climactic cymbal crash, followed by woodwinds and sustained brass notes. This process of thematic evolution culminates in a climactic presentation of the full theme. The orchestration is forthright and muscular, reminiscent of David Diamonds Symphony No. 1, portraying clouds as possessing raw, untamed power.

Second Movement: "Meditation"

The second movement, "Meditation," begins with a texture derived from an electronically modified sound in the film score, which Pritsker orchestrated and expanded upon with original melodies. Opening with soft, calming strings and an expressive violin solo, this movement introduces tension with a dissonant clarinet passage.

Third Movement: "Influence"

The third movement, "Influence," is noted for its experimental nature. Pritsker adapted an older piece of his, "Unseen," by removing its main melodies and inserting a humorous theme from the film score, creating a contrast between the serious orchestration and the playful melody.

Fourth Movement: "Groove"

In the fourth movement, titled "Groove," Pritsker transforms the entire orchestra into a huge drum set, creating unique orchestral groove. The beginning features a drum set orchestrated for the ensemble, utilizing extended techniques across all instruments. Over this rhythmic foundation, Pritsker takes a melodic phrase from the film and develops it into a minimalistic canon. The movement is characterized by its minimalist style, maintaining a consistent groove with climaxes that repeatedly restart the rhythmic pattern.

Fifth Movement: "Melody"

This movement revisits the "Cloud Atlas Sextet" theme that was developed in the first movement, integrating it into a broader musical context. However, this time the theme is presented as echoes, with impressionistic harmonies and colors. The melody is blurred, akin to impressionistic art, creating a sense of familiarity while remaining elusive. The themes recurrence underscores its significance as a unifying element within the symphony and the Cloud Atlas story.

Sixth Movement: "March"

The final movement, "March," is notable for being included in the closing credits of the film. The composers originally wrote this march melody, which Pritsker admired, but he felt the original harmonies were standard and reminiscent of other music. He requested permission to create his own version of the theme, incorporating his own harmonies and more colorful orchestration. This movement was the first Pritsker composed for the symphony, even before the other movements.

The final movement is described as heroic, potentially linking to the story of oppression within the Cloud Atlas narrative. Opening with slow piano chords against sustained strings, this movement has an introspective, nostalgic feeling. It builds to a powerful and triumphant finish, with brass making a final statement. The movement captures a slow but resolute march, adding to the symphony's overall cloud portraiture.

Bibliography

• Pritsker, Gene (2014): Composing Cloud Atlas Symphony. In: Stoppe, Sebastian (ed.), Film in Concert: Film Scores and their Relation to Classical Concert Music, pp. 145–160. ISBN 978-3-86488-060-5. doi:10.25969/mediarep/16802.

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