Making the Music for Leonardo da Vinci
A behind-the-scenes glimpse into creative process inside the recording studio.
From
Making the Music for Leonardo da Vinci
Special | 7m 6sVideo has Closed Captions
A behind-the-scenes glimpse into creative process inside the recording studio.
Step inside the recording studio with composer Caroline Shaw as she joins forces with Attacca Quartet, Sō Percussion, and Roomful of Teeth to shape a score that captures Leonardo da Vinci’s boundless curiosity. This behind-the-scenes film offers a glimpse into Shaw’s creative process, immersing you in the energy and collaboration of the recording sessions.
From
Corporate funding for LEONARDO da VINCI was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and by The Better Angels Society and by...
Making the Music for Leonardo da Vinci
Special | 7m 6sVideo has Closed Captions
Step inside the recording studio with composer Caroline Shaw as she joins forces with Attacca Quartet, Sō Percussion, and Roomful of Teeth to shape a score that captures Leonardo da Vinci’s boundless curiosity. This behind-the-scenes film offers a glimpse into Shaw’s creative process, immersing you in the energy and collaboration of the recording sessions.
From
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[Mallet tapping Eb note on metal vessel] [Clatter] [Water runs] [Taps F note] [Water runs] [Eb note] [Slightly sharp E note] [Water runs] [Taps E] All right.
That's what we're looking for.
[Xylophone playing] Good morning.
How you doing?
Man: Well, well, well.
Ah.
How are you, buddy?
Yeah.
Good.
Good.
You all right?
Oh, yeah.
Good to see you.
[Tuning] Does that sound flat to you?
Man: Yes.
[Glockenspiel plays] [Tom tom playing] [Glockenspiel playing] ♪ ♪ Ah ah ah ah ♪ Ah ah ah ah ah ah ♪ [Singing glissandos] Man: ♪ Oooooooh... Fourth bar?
Yeah.
Woman: [Vocalizes] Man: [Clears throat] [Humming] ♪ Ooh ah ah ah ah ♪ ♪ Love these Shaw chords.
♪ Shaw: Gonna get a lot of them today.
Ha ha!
♪ Maybe what we could do while they're still setting up is just start by singing through these chords in a nice, gentle way.
[Singing chords] ♪ ♪ If it feels more instinctive to go off the page and make something different, completely fine with that.
[Singing chords] And just have fun with it.
Imagine you're just, like-- you play every bit a little-- every bar is a little bit different, like you're making jokes.
Great.
[Singing chords] This first few we're going to just do a little bit more, like, defaulty blendy just kind of for the first, and we'll get a little more curious, I think, as the day goes on.
OK.
I think we're ready, Alex.
[Piano plays G note] M-1.
Men: M-1.
[Click click] [Exhales] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [Singing chords] ♪ Shaw: Pause.
Oh, my God.
OK. ♪ Shaw: There's a feeling of it's, like, sitting on the back side of, like, "I'm with the click" feel rather than, like, "I'm together and we're on the front side."
Man: ♪ I am not ahead, I am not ahead ♪ ♪ I am not ahead, I am not ahead ♪ OK. ♪ I'm going to do a quick check-in with them.
Man: Really good.
OK. Woman: Can they bring more sort of a tsunami of emotion to it?
[Laughter] Right now, it just feels very, like, "Is it together, and am I in tune?"
They're also, "Intonation is like--" They're like, "Am I in tune?"
Right.
So I think let's do another couple passes.
OK. What is the prevailing emotion that we are feeling?
So the sense of wonder and awe is light and in the air rather than of the earth.
Woman: I think just, like, phrasing but thinking magic... Yeah, exactly.
sparkle magic.
Shaw: I think I want it to be a physical connection a little bit.
Right now, it just feels like we're all right here, just maybe a little looking at each other to, like, naturally cut it off, yeah.
I would love for this to feel like-- like bright primary colors.
Woman: Crayola, the 8-pack.
Yeah.
Yeah.
[Laughter] Man: Here we go.
Singers: [Vocalizing softly] ♪ Shaw: 9 into 10, that gliss is like...and like... ♪ Waah like, as much as you can do.
[Vocalizing continues] [Glissando builds to crescendo] ♪ Shaw: Within each bar, we go... ♪ Bum bum bum bum-da bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum ♪ ♪ Bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum ♪ Like, go to it.
♪ Ooh waah... ♪ Ah... Do you have two Ds, kind of an echoing of Jason's two Ds?
♪ ♪ Ah... That's really great.
♪ Shaw: That was exciting.
I really liked that.
Thank you.
♪ Nailed it again.
Shaw: Whoo!
It was incredible.
Ooh, la la la la la.
I loved it.
That's so juicy.
Thank you.
Good night.
Oh, oh, oh, that's a wrap for today.
Duh!
Ha ha!
[Laughter]
Corporate funding for LEONARDO da VINCI was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and by The Better Angels Society and by...