11th Floor (after film noir)

Originally composed for the ballet by Edouard Lock, 11th Floor, from 2014, fell between the ballets Dido and Orfeo and The Seasons and was unusual in that it took its musical reference from a genre rather than from specific composers, and not from classical music, but that of the music from 1940’s and 50’s Film Noir. The film studio’s big band is reduced, again, to just four players (the musicians were on stage): tenor saxophone, doubling clarinets, accordion, piano and double bass. Here, though, the musicians have to be more versatile, with the references to various form of jazz and some of the conventions of Film Noir music. As with all this music, recognition and memory of the source, both dance and music, is critical.

For the production by Cullberg Ballet, who commissioned the work, I had four of the finest Swedish musicians who were able to move freely between the various musical demands – to be precise, but flexible at times in a nonclassical way; to be accurate with melodic instruments alert to the need for a personal kind of rubato; who could understand the requirements of this musical approach, with a powerful double bass driving the ensemble, which even swings at times, anchored at the centre by the richness and fluidity of the accordion, and moving subtly at times between written music and improvisation.