Please enjoy our latest 5 questions with composer Dave Porter who recently scored the limited series Flesh And Bone on STARZ.
1. Describe your latest soundtrack on Varese.
A: This is my first release on the Varese Sarabande label, and is a comprehensive collection of my score from the STARZ limited series "Flesh and Bone," created and executive produced by fellow Breaking Bad alum Moira Walley-Beckett. "Flesh and Bone" is a gritty, complex series that steadfastly explores the dysfunction and glamour of the ballet world. The series follows Claire Robbins, a transcendent ballerina, capable of reaching the sublime, but her inner torment and aspirations drive her in compelling, unforeseeable ways. For those more familiar with my music from "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul", this score represents another facet of my work as a composer when working with classical orchestral instruments.
2. Did the showrunner give you any interesting instructions or feedback to help you create the tonal palate for the series?
A: Moira challenged me to be more overtly emotional than I usually am - to use the score as a powerful force to enhance the stakes of the drama - but always encouraged me to find my own way of expressing it. On a series with a background of ballet, we always felt that the score should feature classical orchestral instruments, but in order to distinguish it from the more traditional ballet music around it I chose a more modern direction that is at times spare, and at other times charged with dissonance.
3. Was there a particular scene you felt was key to the series?
A: For me, the high stakes in Flesh And Bone are set right in the opening scene. The horror that Claire is escaping from, the frantic race away down the hills of Pittsburgh, and the unique stress of a ballet audition all appear in "Meet Claire."
4. What is your favorite Varese title in your collection? What does it mean to you to have you music released by this label?
A: I have many, but lately I've been listening a lot of the Deluxe Edition of James Horner's "Aliens" score… a score and a film which were influential to me as a teenager.
5. What kind of ensemble did you use to record the score? Did you use any interesting or unusual instrumentation or soloists who deserve a shout-out?
My score for "Flesh and Bone" was recorded primarily at United Recording (formerly Ocean Way) by engineer James Saez and featured a terrific ensemble of violas, cellos, and alto flute led by my contractor Caroline Buckman.
