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SHERIDAN – Wyoming Baroque: “The Golem” is the first of its kind to be set in Sheridan, said composer Mark Bergman.
The unique concert experience combines the new musical score, composed by Bergman and performed by the Wyoming Baroque, which will be screened alongside the 1920 film “The Golem”. The concert is part of the WYO Film Festival from October 1-3.
“The Golem” follows a rabbi as he creates a Golem – a clay creature – to protect the Jews of Prague from persecution. The themes of Golems, or animated anthropomorphic beings, are seen in different media, which interested Bergman.
“I think there has been a resurgence of interest in golem history, and there are all kinds of manifestations of that mythology,” Bergman said. “Mary Shelley drew on the history of the Golem to write Frankenstein later in the 19th century. My family are huge fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Ultron is a classic Golem.
The Golem is historically linked to Jewish mythology.
“It’s sort of a glimpse into the outlook for European Jewish culture that was fundamentally destroyed because of the Holocaust and the emergence of the Nazis in the 1930s,” Bergman said.
“The Golem” exemplifies filmmaker Paul Wegener’s ability to capture the character of the Jewish ghetto in Prague, Bergman said, and is considered one of the first German expressionist films and used exaggerated facial expressions and visual distortion.
When creating the musical composition, Bergman said he used several musical languages to accompany the film, including Baroque, which is a style of Western classical music from the 1600s to the 1750s, which captured the expressive gestures of the film.
Bergman also used late 20th century minimalism in musical composition.
“I wanted a musical soundtrack that was atmospheric and that could generate a feeling of rhythmic intensity. It almost sounds like a perfect musical language for it, because the musical soundtrack is played live without a conductor, ”Bergman said.
Bergman also uses a melodic scale performed by Jews from Eastern Europe and which became popular in the United States in the early 20th century and used in Yiddish theater.
Many silent films used live music or performances that would be played along with the film. Bergman recognized the challenges of live performance.
“It’s difficult to have a very precise moment in the film that corresponds to a specific note or a specific musical moment. A lot of times when people see a Hollywood sheet music or something like that, you know, when a lightning strike happens, it can happen exactly the same time a cymbal crash happens in the music, ”Bergman said.
Hearing a musical score alongside the film creates an immersive experience. Live music has a rich sound and a “tactile” nature, Bergman said.
The Wyoming Baroque performs the musical score and is made up of musicians from all over the United States. They will use instruments as close as possible to the Baroque style of the 17th century.
Bergman said it was a chance to hear world class musicians at Sheridan.
“The Golem” will be presented at Kinnison Hall at the Whitney Center for the Arts on October 3 at 4 pm. Tickets cost $ 15.
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