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.
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
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.
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.
