CULT OF DIANA - Music for film by DEREK STRAHAN - REVOLVE RDS 011 JAZZ FUSION SUITE: Triple Six – Free Spirit – The Beethoven Boogie CULT OF DIANA - FANTASY - Jazz musicians of Australia with TONY ANSELL, DEREK STRAHAN keyboards, GRAEME LYALL, saxophone, MICHAEL SCOTT, flute. Notes by the composer JAZZ FUSION SUITE: Curiously, in 1982, the (then) Australian Film Commission (now incorporated in Screen Australia) funded the recording of this music as support for an application for funding of a film musical to be titled “All Girl Big Band”. Funding for that film project has not (yet) eventuated, but selections from the music were used in the sound track of the 1985 feature film “Leonora” produced from my script by Geoffrey Brown. This was released on video by the (now defunct) Showcase Video in that year, and also shown on TV in 1996 by the Nine Network. The film explores the hazards of the inadvertent telepathic communication that tends to develop between lovers (an unfortunate by-product of sexual intimacy); and that inevitably leads to all kinds of social complications. The titles of the 3 movements indicate their own independent programmatic references. STRAHAN: JAZZ FUSION SUITE IN 3 MOVEMENTS (1982) Tony Ansell - Electronic Piano / Graham Jesse - Alto Saxophone / Ivor James - ‘cello / Jim Kelly - guitar / Greg Lyon - Bass Guitar / Mark Riley, drum kit / Ian Bloxam, percussion. 1. “TRIPLE SIX” Duration: 5.16” This piece evokes the biblical account of events leading to the Apocalypse. Musically it opens with a metric statement of the figure 666, leading to a statement of the main theme, which is then subject to varying treatments each leading to a re-statement of the 666 motif. It closes with effects overlaid suggesting the advent of the beast and the passage of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. “Let him who has understanding reckon the number of the Beast, for it is a human number: its number is six hundred and sixty-six.” Revelations 13:18. 2. “FREE SPIRIT” Duration: 4.50” To 37251 who one day will realize that to be free is to be alone. The dedication of this piece may be deciphered by reference to a system of numerology cited in Dennis Wheatley’s novel of the supernatural “The Devil Rides Out”. 3. “THE BEETHOVEN BOOGIE” Duration: 8’50” This piece, the last composed of the three movements, was written as a form of light relief and by way of a musical joke - a vengeful parody on a pop-craze of the 80s known as “Switched-on Classics”, a parade of 4 to 8 bar statements of well-known “themes from the classics” set to a disco beat of unvarying tempo, a procedure which irritated many, myself included. The parody consists of writing not just 4 bars but an entire movement in disco/boogie style, conceived in strict sonata form. Opportunities for improvisation occur in several bridging passages and in the development section. In devising musical themes for this piece I sought guidance from the manner of writing found in early works of Ludwig van Beethoven, a composer known for his robust sense of humour. “CULT OF DIANA" - SUITE FROM THE FILM MUSIC (1992). The feature film “Cult of Diana" was made in 1992 by Producer-Director Geoffrey Brown from a screenplay I wrote based on his concept for the pilot of a TV series "inspector Shanahan Mysteries". It was telecast in Australia in 1996 on the Nine Network. This digital soundtrack recording is released on CD by kind permission of Combridge International. Performance: Michael Scott, Flute; Graeme Lyall, Alto Saxophone; Derek Strahan - synthesizer. After a screen test I was cast in the role of the Irish Inspector and Geoffrey also entrusted me with the music. This gave me the opportunity to write an orchestral score for virtual orchestra (synthesizer) with real flute and alto saxophone. The story involves a pseudo-pagan Cult operating behind the front of a TV evangelist, exploiting the ritual practices of the Cult of the Roman Goddess, Diana, in a debased modern form. The Suite drawn from the score is in 5 sections: 4. CULT OF DIANA: an evocation of the cult of antiquity. 5. BLACK GLOVES: A psychopath is employed by the evangelist as a Cult minder to eliminate security risks. 6. STRANGE DREAMS: These disturb Inspector Shanahan's sleep as he is drawn into the case. 7. CHASE: The Cult minder attempts in vain to escape pursuit by police by boarding the monorail. 8. RITUAL: The Cult prepares for a ritual sacrifice on May Day. The law arrives in time to prevent murder. All are apprehended except Diana herself, who mysteriously vanishes. "FANTASY" - SUITE FROM THE FILM MUSIC (1990). "Fantasy" was produced in 1990 by Geoffrey Brown and co-directed by Geoffrey and myself. It was released in Australia and internationally on video in 1991 by First Release through Columbia Tri-Star. This digital sound- track recording is released on CD by kind permission of Combridge International. Performance: Tony Ansell & Derek Strahan - synthesizer. "Fantasy" was made from a screenplay that I wrote in the style of a Gothic extravagance for production on a modest budget! An expensive 'look" was achieved through Geoffrey's work as Director of Photography and the hire of a magnificent mansion in Burwood, Sydney. Writing the music gave me my first opportunity to compose a score entirely for synthesizer. The story concerns Jenny, an inhibited young women who weaves secret fantasies built around the image of an unknown man - a face from a photograph in a magazine. In reality, the man, Quentin, is a research psychiatrist, now investigating the barrier dividing sanity from madness. A chance meeting between these two sparks instant attraction. Despite the chance of a genuine romance, Quentin, obsessed with his research, proposes a bizarre exchange: that each agrees, for a month, to act out the other's fantasies. Whereas Jenny's are romantic and frankly erotic, Quentin's are, in fact, a scientific "experiment" with Jenny as the guinea-pig. Time distortion and sensual deprivation challenge her sense of identity; her grasp on reality is weakened. The "experiment" ends in chaos. Of the two lovers, only Jenny survives, along with one of Quentin’s research team whose work Quentin has, in fact, stolen. PRODUCTION CREDITS: Producer: Derek Strahan, for Revolve Pty. Ltd. dstrahan@revolve.com.au Digital masters: Tracks 1-3. Recorded 1982, Ganda Studios, Reiby Place, Sydney Tracks 4-8, Recorded 1992 at Bob Scott Studio, Sound engineer, Bob Scott Tracks 9 to 23, Recorded 1990, Trackdown Studio, Sydney. Recordings released by kind permission of Combridge International Digital pre-mastering conversion: Steve Smart, Studio 301, Sydney (02) 9698 5888 Manufactured by: mad CDs, Phone: (02) 9572 9669 Cover Art & Typesetting: Louis Cooke (02) 9799 7050 Producer: Derek Strahan, for Revolve Pty. Ltd. Grateful thanks to Australian producer Robert Allworth for earlier releasing these film music tracks on a series of Jade CDs. All Revolve & Jade CDs can be acquired online at the US online store CDBaby. Website: http://www.cdbaby.com “CULT OF DIANA”, REVOLVE RECORDINGS RDS 011 © 1990, 1992 Derek Strahan (P) 2010 Revolve Pty. Ltd. Revolve Pty. Ltd. P.O. Box 422, Cronulla, NSW 2230, Australia Phone/Fax: 612 8544 0184, Mobile 0425 043 592 Email: dstrahan@revolve.com.au