Marches (1979) by Franco Donatoni
Audio – Alistair McLean
Film – Agatha Yim, Polyphonic Pictures
Artistic Director of ELISION Ensemble – Daryl Buckley
Marches for harp (1979) is a composition by Italian composer Franco Donatoni (1927-2000). It’s performed here by harpist Marshall McGuire as part of ELISION Ensemble’s Performance Series.
From what I gather, this piece holds a special place in Marshall’s heart. He got the chance to meet Donatoni in person in 1999 at a public seminar, and in the same year released his album, ‘Rough Magic’ through ABC Classics with Marches as the opening track. What you see in the title credits is the original programme for Donatoni’s 1999 event and the composer’s autograph on Marshall’s Marches score. It’s no doubt a treasured memento especially as the composer passed away a year later in 2000.
Like with all ELISION projects, we wanted to intimately focus on the dynamism and intensity between performer and composition. I was particularly interested in the tactile-ness of playing this instrument, and the way in which the hands and body are framed alongside the curves of the harp and the quivering strings.
You can check out some of my storyboards below alongside the final shots.
Storyboard 1: Wide Shot
Storyboard 2: Medium - through strings. Focus on hands, with face of Marshall visible in BG.
Storyboard 3: Close up – capture the contact points esp. between fingers and strings.
I like to listen to the pieces while storyboarding (or if they’re not available, something similar in instrumentation and feel). I try to check out the scores as well if they’re available to get an idea of the melodic or rhythmic lines that should be covered visually. The final edit is always on the back of my mind.
I tend to err on the side of over planning, even if I don't end up sticking to the plan in the end. I find this process frees up brain space for spontaneity and the more unpredictable aspects on production day that inevitably pops up!
“When I am writing, I don’t know whether I am inventing or discovering. The initial material is an invention, but after that the music suggests to me its own invention. And that is a problem. Is the musical material somehow active? Or do I have possession of this material?”
Here are some of my other projects with ELISION Ensemble in case you’re interested:
