Jon Davidson, the composer of music for The Crucible, wrote this essay discussing the
history and ideas he used for writing his original music. You can get more information
about Jon's music by visiting his site here.
history and ideas he used for writing his original music. You can get more information
about Jon's music by visiting his site here.
Last spring, when telling me that she planned to stage The Crucible, Rainee mentioned wistfully that it would be nice to have
some original music. I’m not sure she even knew that I wrote music, but I immediately took on the challenge. My idea was to
write for several stringed instruments and a few winds and play it live, but I soon learned that live music can disrupt the sense of
illusion sought in an otherwise non-musical drama. The solution was simple, I would write for full orchestra and this would be
performed electronically. When that decision came it was almost at that moment that I heard the dramatic opening bars of the
overture.
Of course there had to be an overture. Overtures originally served to get the rowdy patrons in their seats and quieted before stage
action commenced. In time, overtures evolved to foreshadow musical events in the production, and being programmatic, these
musical events reflect and reinforce the emotions and certain actions on stage. This was my approach. The overture gives a brief
overview of the play’s major emotional benchmarks.
The overture proceeds without pause to the opening dance scene. Since the slave woman Tituba presides, what else? African
tribal drum music. Such music is quite complex, polyrhythmic and improvisational. A surrealistic string melody was added. The
eerie dissonance throughout was once known as the “devil’s tone.” How appropriate!
Our only non-electronic music is a recording of a hymn by the Southern State Singers, directed by John Glaze. This hymn is also
the only period music, with the tune and words dating to the 17th century. Puritans did not allow musical instruments in their
churches, so it is performed a cappella.
Music in 1692 was in its baroque period. J. S. Bach was only seven years old. Such music was tied to certain rigid forms and
lacked emotional content by modern standards. Massachusetts was a cultural backwoods compared to the large European cities
anyway. This play has strong emotions and great drama, so the style in which I have written is much closer to my favorite era, the
19th century, with a few modern touches here and there.
Music introducing or ending scenes, or during scene changes, is meant to take center stage. The end of the first scene amplifies
the descent into chaos on stage, then switches to a slow, morose adagio, reflecting the pervasive melancholy of the Proctor
household. At the end of Act I, Proctor’s line, “And the wind, God’s icy wind, will blow,” is a gift and a mandate to the composer
to create, musically, this icy wind. The second act opens with soaring, hopeful music I call “Abigail’s Prayer.” When it is briefly
reprised at the end of the scene it reflects how well things turned out for Abigail. The ominous march introducing the court scene
reinforces the authority of the theocracy embodied in Danforth and the march of the prisoners into the courtroom. When I wrote
this I had no idea I was writing my character’s entrance and theme music! Think, Darth Vader meets Salem, 1692.
The technology used to produce this electronic music is state of the art. The sounds are actually recordings of individual notes
played on quality instruments by professionals, which are then pieced together by the demands of the
composer and played flawlessly. In time, it may become difficult for most people to distinguish between an electronic orchestra
and a real orchestra.
I really hope you enjoy this music. It has been a tremendous creative joy to bring it to you. If you would like to hear it again,
please consider buying the CD. I have included some extra music of mine not in the play. All proceeds will benefit the Theatre and
Music Departments at the college.
some original music. I’m not sure she even knew that I wrote music, but I immediately took on the challenge. My idea was to
write for several stringed instruments and a few winds and play it live, but I soon learned that live music can disrupt the sense of
illusion sought in an otherwise non-musical drama. The solution was simple, I would write for full orchestra and this would be
performed electronically. When that decision came it was almost at that moment that I heard the dramatic opening bars of the
overture.
Of course there had to be an overture. Overtures originally served to get the rowdy patrons in their seats and quieted before stage
action commenced. In time, overtures evolved to foreshadow musical events in the production, and being programmatic, these
musical events reflect and reinforce the emotions and certain actions on stage. This was my approach. The overture gives a brief
overview of the play’s major emotional benchmarks.
The overture proceeds without pause to the opening dance scene. Since the slave woman Tituba presides, what else? African
tribal drum music. Such music is quite complex, polyrhythmic and improvisational. A surrealistic string melody was added. The
eerie dissonance throughout was once known as the “devil’s tone.” How appropriate!
Our only non-electronic music is a recording of a hymn by the Southern State Singers, directed by John Glaze. This hymn is also
the only period music, with the tune and words dating to the 17th century. Puritans did not allow musical instruments in their
churches, so it is performed a cappella.
Music in 1692 was in its baroque period. J. S. Bach was only seven years old. Such music was tied to certain rigid forms and
lacked emotional content by modern standards. Massachusetts was a cultural backwoods compared to the large European cities
anyway. This play has strong emotions and great drama, so the style in which I have written is much closer to my favorite era, the
19th century, with a few modern touches here and there.
Music introducing or ending scenes, or during scene changes, is meant to take center stage. The end of the first scene amplifies
the descent into chaos on stage, then switches to a slow, morose adagio, reflecting the pervasive melancholy of the Proctor
household. At the end of Act I, Proctor’s line, “And the wind, God’s icy wind, will blow,” is a gift and a mandate to the composer
to create, musically, this icy wind. The second act opens with soaring, hopeful music I call “Abigail’s Prayer.” When it is briefly
reprised at the end of the scene it reflects how well things turned out for Abigail. The ominous march introducing the court scene
reinforces the authority of the theocracy embodied in Danforth and the march of the prisoners into the courtroom. When I wrote
this I had no idea I was writing my character’s entrance and theme music! Think, Darth Vader meets Salem, 1692.
The technology used to produce this electronic music is state of the art. The sounds are actually recordings of individual notes
played on quality instruments by professionals, which are then pieced together by the demands of the
composer and played flawlessly. In time, it may become difficult for most people to distinguish between an electronic orchestra
and a real orchestra.
I really hope you enjoy this music. It has been a tremendous creative joy to bring it to you. If you would like to hear it again,
please consider buying the CD. I have included some extra music of mine not in the play. All proceeds will benefit the Theatre and
Music Departments at the college.