The Fall of the House of Usher

The Fall of the House of Usher

music for Jean Epstein’s 1928 classic silent horror movie

The Fall of the House of Usher (France, 1928) was Jean Epstein’s first film with his own production group and probably his best-known work. With Luis Buñuel as assistant director, Epstein fashioned a film in which the editing and rhythm imposed by the slow motion, super-impositions, travelling shots and a mobile camera contribute to the film’s unity. The quality of the photography evokes comparison with the greatest masterpieces of the German cinema.

Duration: 70 minutes

Stills from the film

There are three different orchestrations

1: Soprano saxophone and string quartet

First performed by the ensemble Entr’acte at Chapter Cinema 1, Cardiff on 26 January 2002 with Simon Stewart (soprano saxophone), Jonathan Burnett (violin), Nicolas Ramirez (violin), Rachel Robson (viola), Sharon McKinley (cello)

Score

the-fall-of-the-house-of-usher-full-score-quintet-v5Download

Score and parts also available at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)

Performances

26.01.02CARDIFFChapter Cinema
01.02.02HARLECHTheatr Ardudwy
02.02.02FISHGUARDTheatr Gwaun
05.02.02LAMPETERUniversity
08.02.02ABERGAVENNYMelville Theatre, Drama Centre
16.11.19BRASOVVibrate Festival
09.09.22BUDAPESTMagyar Zene Háza (House of Music Hungary)

Tour of Wales in 2002 produced by Sound Affairs with the financial support of: Holst Foundation, Musicians’ Union, HSBC Bank, Sgrin Media and the PRS Foundation

Review

“When you watch silent movies with the right live music, you realise that it wasn’t simpy the novelty of moving pictures that brought people into the cinema in their millions. There was real drama and life in these works. Barber works with quintet Entr’acte to feed off the film’s manic obsessions and ratchet up the emotions…Images and music combine to riveting effect.”
John Harrison, The Western Mail, 31 January 2002

Vibrate Festival, Brasov, Romania 16.11.19
Vibrate Festival, Brasov, Romania 16.11.19
Magyar Zene Háza, Budapest 09.09.22
Magyar Zene Háza, Budapest 09.09.22

2: Wind Orchestra

picc; 2 fl; 2 ob; 3 cl; b cl; 2 a sax; t sax; b sax; 2 bsn; cbsn
3 tpt; 4 hn; 2 tbn; b tbn; 2 euph; tba
timp; 3 percussion
db

Commissioned by Ty Cerdd

The Fall of the House of Usher (France 1928) is probably Jean Epstein’s best-known work in which the quality of the photography evokes comparison with the greatest masterpieces of the German cinema.For this new interpretation, Charlie Barber’s score takes as its starting point musical sketches by Debussy for an uncompleted opera – adding a further twist to the foreboding atmosphere of this classic of early cinema. 

First performance at Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen on 13 April 2012 by the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Wales and conducted by Sean O’Neill

Performances

13.04.12CARMARTHENLyric Theatre
14.04.12NEWPORTThe Riverfront
15.04.12NEATHGwyn Hall

Video

National Youth Wind Orchestra of Wales – Gwyn Hall, Neath, 15 April 2012

Ty Cerdd interview (April 2012)

3: Chamber Orchestra

1 fl; 1 ob; 1 b cl; 1 bsn/cbsn
1 hn; 1 tpt; 1 tbn; 1 tba
1 perc
3 vln; 2 vla; 1 vcl; db

First performed by Sound Affairs at Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham on 22 October 2014

Musicians: Pedro Lopez Campos (flute), Michele Batani (oboe), Tom Howells (bass clarinet), Bartosz Kwasecki (contrabassoon), Jason Owen Lewis (trumpet), Hugh Sisley (horn), Stephanie Dyer (trombone), Rob Graham-White (tuba), Michael Clark (percussion), Vlad Maistorovici (violin), Christiana Mavron (violin), Javier Garcia Aranda (violin), Niamh Ferris (viola), Alison D’Souza (viola), Alberto Casadei (cello), Ashley John Long (double bass)

Technical Manager: Alex Russell

Technical support: Steven Donoghue

Photography: Toby Farrow

Marketing: Alice Baynham

Performances

22.10.14NOTTINGHAMLakeside Arts Centre
23.10.14CARDIFFWales Millennium Centre
24.10.14ABERYSTWYTHArts Centre
28.10.14MALVERNTheatres
30.10.14MANCHESTERRoyal Northern College of Music
31.10.14BRECONTheatr Brycheiniog
03.11.14LIVERPOOLCapstone Theatre, Hope University
04.11.14CAERNARFONGaleri

Produced by Sound Affairs with the financial support of: Arts Council of England, Arts Council of Wales, Foyle Foundation, Hinrichsen Foundation, Ashley Family Foundation, Gibbs Charitable Trust, Margaret Davies Charity

The Fall of the House of Usher – Nottingham, Lakeside Arts Centre 22.10.14
The Fall of the House of Usher – Nottingham, Lakeside Arts Centre 22.10.14
The Fall of the House of Usher – Nottingham, Lakeside Arts Centre 22.10.14
The Fall of the House of Usher – Nottingham, Lakeside Arts Centre 22.10.14

Reviews

Arts Desk (Stephen Walsh)

Wales Arts Review (Steph Power)

Programme

Works index