Negotiating Identities is a music suite of themes from the 2014 New York cinematic stage play Private Dancer inspired by the life of the famous Hollywood actress Rita Hayworth, for which I created the score. Within the context of the play, the character of Rita had a recurring nightmare that was portrayed in the stage play as a series of projected scenes that were shot and produced like a dark Alfred Hitchcock film. Thus, Negotiating Identities has a feel similar to the Bernard Herrmann scores that were so prevalent in the old Hitchcock films.
The piece is written for string orchestra only and begins with quiet pizzicato strings and builds throughout with a constant rhythmic pulse and gives the sense of time passing. Technically the piece is not difficult to perform, but subtleties in the constant build of the piece from beginning to end will challenge the ensemble to listen to each other to keep the pulse constant and the intonation steady.
A behind the scenes look at recording one of the cues for the NY play Private Dancer. A unique cinematic inspired work told through the life of Rita Hayworth. Music composed and conducted by Brian Ralston. Performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra. Recorded at The Bridge Recording Studio, Glendale, CA.
New York City - December 5 - 21, 2013 The Lion Theatre at Theatre Row 401 W 42nd street, New York, NY.